The words were delivered in a voice that was soft, low, and smooth—a striking tone that sent an immediate jolt directly into Ibrahim’s mind. It left his entire body momentarily paralyzed with a sudden numbness while simultaneously setting all his nerves on edge. Hearing only absolute silence on the other end of the line, the girl abruptly ended the call and placed the phone aside. She picked up the remote control to switch on the air conditioner and began reciting her nighttime prayers before going to sleep. Ibrahim stood frozen, staring blankly at the phone in his hand. He was standing on the terrace balcony of his upstairs apartment, watching the rain pour down in pristine, heavy sheets over his vibrant green garden below. There was something truly extraordinary about that girl’s voice—a rare quality he had never encountered in any other woman. It carried a soothing, heavy calmness that induced a sense of physical weakness in anyone who heard it. What business does Daddy have with a young lady to the extent that his personal phone is in her possession? Ibrahim held his father in the absolute highest regard, but he knew for a fact that this voice did not belong to Abida, Jawahir, or Aziza. Even if it were them, there was no way they would be handling Daddy’s phone so carelessly. Driven by an intense curiosity, he felt a powerful urge to ask her who she really was and how she had access to his father’s device. He dialed the number again. Feeling particularly cheerful tonight, she answered immediately. Earlier, Daddy had brought her the wonderful news that, if Allah willed, she would be flying to Singapore the day after tomorrow to continue her advanced studies before Ibrahim could return home... "Who are you?" he demanded curtly. He spoke in a clipped, restricted tone, his Hausa heavily laced with a distinct thick accent that rolled tightly over his tongue. Caught off guard by his brevity, she found herself answering just as concisely. "My name is Juma." "Juma? What kind of name is that?" She countered, "It is the name my parents chose to give me." Her tone carried a sharp edge, as if she had taken offense at his blunt question. Ibrahim, who made it a point never to humiliate or look down on another human being, quickly softened his tone. "Please forgive me. I simply want to understand how Dr. Mansur’s phone ended up with you?" "I am the Nurse on duty, and he left it at the ward," she lied smoothly. Ibrahim was completely satisfied with her explanation. As for Rahane, she was simply bursting with joy over the incredible news Daddy had given her about going to Informatics Singapore. Lacking anyone else to share her immense excitement with, her high spirits spilled over onto Ibrahim. He said, "Alright, I will call back tomorrow. Thank you." "Don’t mention it," she replied.
The Dawn Encounter
At five o'clock in the morning, while she was deep in sleep, the phone rang once again. Letting out a soft hiss, she reached out to grab it, silently blaming herself for not turning it off last night. Now, her peaceful, deep sleep had been rudely interrupted. Deep down, she knew it wasn’t entirely her fault; her fingers had simply refused to switch off the device, driven by a hidden hope that the man with the beautiful English accent might call back. She hadn't wanted to miss it, even if she had to spin another lie to him. The moment she saw the incoming number, the heavy sleep vanished completely from her eyes. She answered with the traditional Islamic greeting (Sallama), her voice thick and heavy with sleep. This time, the profound effect her voice had on Ibrahim Mansur was so overwhelming that no pen could ever adequately describe it. It threw Ibrahim into an entirely different state of mind. Dropping his voice to a deep, raspy whisper from the depths of his throat, he murmured: "I am deeply sorry for waking you up from your sleep." "Don’t mention it," she whispered back. "Jumah!" He called her name with a voice that sounded as though he were deeply suffering from an intense, internal ache. A sudden tremor ran through Rahane's entire body. Her tongue tied in a knot, she stammered: "Doctor is not yet at the office!" She cut the call instantly. Her hands were shaking violently, and her entire body was trembling. Men like this are the ones who commit vocal adultery, she thought in terror. Why on earth does he speak to me in a voice that weakens my very bones, as if I were his wife or his lover? I will never answer his calls again. She was completely unaware that this mesmerizing, deep resonance was simply the natural voice the Almighty had endowed him with. She then burst into a sudden, self-deprecating laugh as a part of her subconscious questioned her: Who told you that this is how a husband or a boyfriend speaks to his woman, Rayhah? You don't even have a suitor, let alone a husband! No man has ever spoken to you this way, not even Brother Khalipha! "Who knows!" she muttered, tossing her head defiantly as she burrowed deeper into her plush blanket. Well, that is exactly how I see Daddy speak to Mami. Whenever he travels and she speaks to him on the phone, that is the exact tone she uses with him. Soon, a heavy sleep claimed her once more. She awoke only when the bright morning sun pierced through the pristine white curtains surrounding her bed, blaring directly onto her face. Hurrying out of bed, she rubbed her eyes and rushed into the bathroom to shower and brush her teeth. Since she had already performed her dawn prayer, she walked straight out into the living room.
Inna Juma's Suspicion & The Viral Fever
Hearing movements in the kitchen, she headed inside. There, she found Inna Juma busy kneading flour to prepare Alkubus (traditional steamed wheat cakes). She smiled, "May Allah prolong the life of my Inna! Are we having Alkubus today?" Without turning around from her flour, Inna replied, "I am not making this for you. I am making it for Baba Likita (Dr. Mansur) because he told me yesterday that he really craves it." "You simply refuse to listen, Jumah...!" Rahane blurted out. To her absolute shock, her voice cracked, completely mimicking Ibrahim's exact tone and deep cadence. She hadn't even realized her voice had altered so drastically. "I already told you he isn't coming today. It’s the last Saturday of the month, so he is traveling to Takai." Inna froze. She slowly stopped kneading the flour and turned around to look at her granddaughter. Two things had deeply startled her into silence: first, Rahane had called her by her actual name, "Juma," instead of "Inna," and second, the voice she used possessed a strange, heavy authority that was completely foreign to her. She saw that Rayhanah was trembling all over. The girl had her arms tightly crossed over her chest, her eyes fluttering open and shut as her voice shook, "Inna, I feel so incredibly cold." Inna quickly pulled her hands out of the flour, covered the bowl to let the dough rise, and washed her hands. She rushed over to grip Rayhanah, immediately reciting every protective prayer that came to her lips. Inna was utterly convinced that a spirit (Aljanu) had possessed her granddaughter at that very moment. The voice that had just spoken to her was absolutely not Rayhanah’s. Leading her back to the bedroom, Inna told her to lie down while she went to the hospital to look for the Doctor. Rahane snapped back, "Look, Jumah...! How many times do I have to tell you that Daddy is not around?" She was still speaking in that exact, deep, authoritative Ibrahim-like tone. Inna continued blowing protective prayers over her. A deep frustration washed over Rahane; she hated that Inna was treating her like a possessed person just because she said she felt cold. "Listen to me, Jumah..." she pleaded, using Ibrahim's precise tone and structural cadence. "Go back and finish your Alkubus, and please leave me alone. I don't want all this spiritual blowing. It’s just a normal fever coming on. Just cover me with a blanket and leave, please." Inna snapped, "I am not going anywhere! It’s a spirit that wants to marry you! Just let Baba Likita come so we can settle this matter once and for all. If that American boy doesn't want you, he should just release you so you can live a free life and find a man who actually loves and wants to marry you. This is completely absurd—it’s been ten months now, and we are entering the eleventh month! No husband in sight, and no sign of him whatsoever!" Inna went on and on with her angry rant, completely unaware that Rayhanah could no longer hear a single word. A raging, scorching fever had completely enveloped her. Rayhanah silently wished she hadn't ended that phone call earlier. If she had stayed on the line, she might have learned the identity of the owner of that poisonous voice—a voice that had injected a literal virus through her ears, triggering this intense physical fever. All she wanted was for Inna to leave her alone to deal with her condition, but her grandmother refused to budge. Only after desperate pleading did Inna finally stomp out of the room, grumbling bitterly about how she was thoroughly sick and tired of this bizarre, long-distance marriage.
The Call of Destiny
Following Inna’s exit, the phone began to ring again. Rayhanah picked it up instantly. Despite her earlier vow never to answer his calls, her heart and her body completely rebelled against her mind. Her inner self whispered:
"...we will never find relief unless we hear his voice. We will never let you rest in peace until we find out if he is truly IBRAHIM!!!"
She answered the call, but remained completely silent. Ibrahim, too, remained silent for a long time on the other end. He focused heavily on controlling his breathing, taking deep, deliberate sighs to steady his racing heart. Finally, in a soft, vulnerable tone, he said: "I am not calling to ask for the Doctor this time. So please, for Allah’s sake, do not hang up on me. I want to know more about you... about everything concerning you..." She replied, "You can ask me anything, Insha Allah. I will not hang up." She spoke in a voice that completely melted Ibrahim's remaining emotional defense. He pressed, "What exactly is your relationship with Doctor Mansur?" "A doctor and a patient he helped," she answered directly. "That status you claim is not enough to warrant him leaving his personal phone with you. For Allah’s sake! Who are you to him?!" Because he had invoked the sacred name of ALLAH, Rahane felt an absolute spiritual inability to lie to him. A profound calmness washed over her body. Speaking in a voice that Ibrahim would remember for the rest of his natural life, she asked: "Before I answer you, I also want to ask you, for the sake of ALLAH... Are you IBRAHIM...?!" Absolute silence hit her ears. She pulled the phone away from her face to check the screen, only to realize that the battery had completely died and the phone had shut off. Overwhelmed by bitter frustration, her fragile heart whispered to her: “Just break down and cry...” And that is exactly what she did, weeping intensely until her tears ran completely dry. This man she was speaking to—given the powerful impact his voice had on her mind, her body, and that singular muscle in the center of her chest (her heart)—could not be a mere stranger. A casual phone call with an outsider could never trigger such overwhelming, consuming emotions. He must be her husband. She no longer harbored a single doubt or hesitation: this was her husband, DR. IBRAHIM MANSUR TAKAI.
The Fierce Defense of a Hidden Savior
As her fever intensified, the internal chills grew worse. She remained locked in her room past the afternoon (Zuhr) hour, refusing to open her door to prevent Inna Juma from pestering her to eat the Alkubus. Today, even if she were offered the finest roasted peacock meat in exchange for a mansion and a luxury car, she wouldn't be able to swallow a single bite. All her soul yearned for was to hear Ibrahim’s voice again and to see him in physical reality. His voice had unlocked an unexplainable, dark wave of unfamiliar emotions within her. Slowly, her fever began to recede, comforted by the soothing whispers of her own heart: Perhaps he is indeed Rayhanah’s groom! But wait, Rayhanah, aren't you jumping to conclusions? Just because you see the master butcher, it doesn't mean the soup is sweet. If he turns out not to be him, then letting his voice affect your mind and body this way means you are actively committing a sin—especially since you are a legally married woman! "Astagfirullah! (I seek forgiveness from Allah!)" Rayhah whispered softly. Gathering every ounce of physical strength, she stood up abruptly, opened her bedside refrigerator, pulled out a bottle of room-temperature Faro water, and began chugging it down greedily. She drank half of the long bottle before setting it down. This was a discipline drilled into her by Mami—never to eat breakfast until they had thoroughly hydrated their bodies with fresh water. Securing Daddy's phone safely, she unlocked her door and walked out into the living room to look for her grandmother. Finding the room empty, she headed to the downstairs bedroom assigned to Inna. When she walked in, Inna was performing her Zuhr prayer. Rahane stepped into her grandmother’s bathroom, performed her ablutions, and returned to set up her own prayer mat. Even after Inna completed her prayers, she completely ignored Rahane, diving straight into her supplementary Islamic litanies (lazimi). Inna was a deeply devout woman; if she had a companion, she would converse and laugh, but in isolation, she dedicated her tongue entirely to glorifying Allah and sending blessings upon the Prophet. Rahane realized that Inna was genuinely furious with her today—whether it was because she had locked her door or refused to eat, she wasn't sure. Feeling a heavy weight of guilt in her heart, she crawled over, laid her head gently on Inna’s lap, and said in a deeply sorrowful voice: "Inna, if I have offended you in any way, please forgive me for Allah’s sake." Inna shook her head sideways in refusal. Only after completing her litanies and making a final supplication did she wipe her hands over her face and then over Rahane. She sighed: "You haven't offended me in the slightest. It is this bizarre marriage of yours that I want to see brought to a complete end if it isn't going to be successful." Confused, Rayhanah raised her head, "Inna, what do you mean by 'if it isn't successful'?" Inna countered, "Yes! If it isn't successful. Meaning, if the boy doesn't want you, I will not sit idly by and watch you waste your youth away like this until spirits (jinn) start trying to marry you. From this night onward, we are sleeping in the same bedroom. Let Baba Likita return; I am completely done with this endless waiting game." A flash of intense fury appeared in Rayhanah’s eyes. For the first time in her life, she raised her voice against her grandmother: "Even if Daddy commands me to wait for twenty long years in this marriage to his son, and even if his son despises me, I will never ask him to end it! Even if spirits or demons try to claim me, I will never utter a word against this marriage. This union was orchestrated by Daddy; the marriage bonds are not in his son's hands to sever at whim! More than anything, I belong entirely to Daddy—he can do with my life whatever he pleases, because I know for a fact he will never do anything to harm me. He is the one who made me a HUMAN BEING! He is the single entity on this earth who stood by me and transformed me into a real person! If it weren't for him, I cannot even fathom what my life would look like today, considering that when I first opened my eyes to real awareness, I had absolutely no one left in this world. So, Inna, for Allah’s sake, do not dare bring this topic up to him; it will deeply distress him. I am telling you right now, with my full heart and conscience: I LOVE IBRAHIM...! I deeply honor and protect the sacred marriage vows that bind me to him, even if he despises me, and even if I never get to look upon his face or live under the same roof with him for the rest of my life. None of you truly understand! You don't know the monumental role Daddy played in saving my life. You all simply opened your eyes and saw us together today. He is the person I cherish and respect above all others! No matter what I do for him, I can never repay the immense sacrifices he made for my life. Inna, I am telling you something I have never confessed before: I was once completely broken—I was entirely deaf!" She stopped, wiping away a flood of tears as her mind raced through the painful memories of her past. She continued: "He is the one who sought out medical treatment until I was completely cured, using his own health, his vast knowledge, his precious time, and his deep pockets. He gave me an elite education equal to—and in some ways exceeding—the education he gave his own biological children. As if all that weren't enough, he took me and married me to the son he loves most among all his children, at a time when my life was on the verge of ruin because I came from an impoverished background and carried a chronic ailment. Just because the boy finds me unappealing and refuses to return, you want me to ask Daddy to dissolve the marriage? No, Inna! Don't you dare start. I would rather die and waste my entire youth away under Ibrahim's marriage vows, protecting his honor and dignity. So please, Inna, never bring this up again; it will break Daddy’s heart." "I absolutely will bring it up!" Inna retorted sharply. "Go ahead and insult us, throw it in our faces that we didn't support your life when you were a child. On that front, I have no words to argue with you. But I have a voice before Allah! The kindness and charity that Doctor showed you will receive its ultimate reward from the Almighty. His past kindness cannot be used as a justification to trap and ruin your youth. Nowhere in Islamic law is such a thing permitted, unless he did it for selfish reasons rather than for the sake of Allah, just to force his son into an unwanted marriage. What is this compulsion? There is no compulsion in Islam!" Rayhanah’s response, delivered through a loud, agonizing sob, left Inna completely stunned: "Inna, if you are thoroughly tired of staying here with me to wait for Ibrahim... you are completely free to pack your bags and return to Takai. I will live here entirely alone. By the grace of the Almighty, nothing will consume me in this house... if you refuse to help me remain obedient to my Daddy...!" Inna stood up in a blazing rage, shouting, "So that’s how it is, right? Fine!" She began aggressively pulling her clothes from the wardrobe, stuffing them into the giant checkered woven bag (Ghana Must Go) they had arrived with. Before Rahane could even finish crying, Inna had fully packed her bag, wrapped her shawl around herself, hoisted the heavy load onto her head, and marched out toward the door. As if injected with a sudden shot of adrenaline, Rayha bolted after her. She managed to catch up with her right at the front exit of the living room, grabbing the bag and clinging to it while weeping as if her soul were leaving her body. Inna pulled one way, and Rahane pulled the other. It was during this intense tug-of-war that Allah brought Dr. Mansur to the house; consumed by their heated argument, neither of them had heard his car pull into the driveway. "Subhanallahi! Subhanallahi! (Glory be to Allah!)" was all the doctor could exclaim. Inna Juma could not even bring herself to look him in the eye, as his natural dignity and commanding presence (kwarjini) completely overwhelmed her. She lowered her head in silence, while Rayha, straining under the immense weight, managed to drag the heavy bag back inside. Rahane could hear him out in the hall, gently pleading, smoothing things over, and speaking to Inna Juma with the utmost respect. This only increased her guilt regarding her grandmother. With great effort, the doctor successfully guided Inna back into the living room. He sat on a sofa facing the elderly woman, who sat on the carpet, completely lost as to how to explain the sudden rage that had driven her to attempt fleeing the house without his knowledge. No matter what Rayhanah had done, she was still just a child; Inna should have waited for him to arrive so he could address the issue, scold her, or correct her. Inna remained silent just as Rayha walked back into the room carrying a serving tray loaded with fresh juices, grapes, peaches, and pears. She pulled a small side table over to Daddy’s sofa and arranged the refreshments before him. Completely at ease, Dr. Mansur began eating the fresh fruit, raining continuous blessings upon Rahane as if he hadn't bought them with his own money. She went back to the bedroom, fetched his phone, and placed it on the table. He let out a sigh of deep relief, saying, "Ah! So this is where I left it! Losing a phone is a terrible thing—not because of the device itself, but because of the critical matters stored inside it. Rayhanatu, please go to your room; I need to speak with Inna privately." "Yes, Daddy," she replied, standing up and heading into her bedroom. He drank a glass of cold water, adjusted his posture, and said, "Now, Inna, I am listening. What exactly did your partner-in-crime do to offend you so deeply that you thought of abandoning her and leaving?" Inna wiped her eyes with the edge of her wrapper, her heart aching for Rayhanah. If the girl's biological parents were alive, they would surely have intervened in this directionless marriage. She muttered, "She is the one who told me to leave." "Rayhan?" he asked in utter shock. "Over what?" Without waiting for her to answer, Inna poured out the entire story, detailing her argument with Rayha and every word the girl had spoken regarding him and her marriage to Ibrahim. As he listened, Dr. Mansur began to weep silently, the tears welling in his eyes as he repeatedly wiped them away with his handkerchief. His love and immense respect for Rayhanah multiplied tenfold in his heart. At the same time, he was deeply moved by Inna Juma; she had proven to him that there were people who genuinely loved Rayhanah for who she was, without any greed for the luxury surrounding her. She was simply fighting to secure a stable, functional future for her granddaughter. With his voice trembling with emotion, Dr. Mansur said, "For the sake of Allah and His Prophet, Inna, please exercise just a little more patience. Everything is coming to an end very soon, Insha Allah. I am the one who tied this knot, and by the grace of the Almighty, I am the one who will untie it. I will personally track Ibrahim down wherever he is in the world and demand that he write a formal release of freedom for Rayha. But before that..." He pulled out two international passports and handed them to her. "Just as I explained to you the day before yesterday, the day after tomorrow you will both depart for Singapore. Rayhanah will continue her advanced education there, while I proceed to Chicago. I will not leave your side until I ensure Rayhanah achieves complete independence—whether through marriage or divorce, she must get her education. The only reason I haven't taken drastic action until now is due to certain domestic crises at home that I needed to settle first. Thankfully, I am finally gaining control over them. Please have patience, Inna." Inna felt a deep wave of relief wash through her soul. However, she added, "That is well and good, and may Allah choose what is best. But as for me, I cannot travel to a foreign land where there is no widespread knowledge of Allah and His Prophet, unless it is Mecca or Medina. So please, Alhaji Likita, remove me from this Western plan of yours so I can remain here and finish my days in sound faith. How can a married woman, with her husband's vows still tied around her neck, cross oceans into another world entirely just for Western education? And that too without her husband's explicit permission? Look into this matter very carefully, Alhaji." Dr. Mansur couldn't help but laugh gently at how passionately and sincerely Inna was arguing her point. He explained, "Inna, times have changed. Today, both husbands and wives pursue knowledge side by side, since Allah placed no limits on learning, so they can support and honor one another. Do not restrict Rayhanah... you have no idea the vast intellectual gifts the Almighty has blessed her with. I am telling you, RAYHANAH has a massive future. Allah has endowed her with a unique destiny and a brilliant brain that he did not grant to my other children. My instincts tell me her life will not end in obscurity. But that future can only be unlocked through the advanced, deep education that runs the modern world—specifically her field: computer science. The best thing you can do for Rayhanah right now is to offer her continuous prayers, love, and the same unshakeable encouragement that Iya Bilki used to give her. That is what she needs from you until Allah straightens out her affairs. I am not being rigid either; if Ibrahim has no valid justification for cutting off communication with me, and is doing this simply because he rejects my choice, I swear by Allah I will dissolve this marriage myself, even if I have to take it to a court of law. Rest your mind, Inna." Inna’s heart filled with joy. He added, "Now, do not let her know that you told me the reason behind your fight. Go and comfort her, tell her you overreacted and that you realize you were in the wrong. I will head home now. Start packing the clothes you will both need right away. We will be flying out tomorrow night. I will personally accompany you to Singapore and I won't leave until Rayhanah officially steps into her first classroom. From there, I will head out to find Ibrahim. Rest easy, Inna. Allah is everywhere, and wherever you perform your worship—even in the cities of Singapore or anywhere in Asia—Allah will accept it. If you don't go with her, who else will comfort Rayhanah in her loneliness? Who will cook her meals before she returns from classes? Who else will dedicate their time and life to her if not you...?"
2. Narrative Dynamics & Analytical Insights
1. The Supernatural vs. The Psychosomatic
A fascinating literary device in this chapter is the contrast between Inna Juma's traditional worldview and Rayhanah's intense psychosomatic reaction. When Rayhanah mirrors Ibrahim’s voice, her grandmother instantly suspects spirit possession (Aljanu). In reality, the author uses this to show the overwhelming, almost supernatural impact Ibrahim's voice has on Rayhanah's subconscious, triggering a physical fever. It highlights her deep, suppressed romantic connection to a husband she has never truly known.
2. Rayhanah’s Code of Absolute Loyalty
This chapter provides a profound look into Rayhanah's moral character. Despite being abandoned for ten months, she fiercely defends Dr. Mansur and her marriage vows. Her dialogue, "He is the one who made me a human being... I was entirely deaf!" reveals the depth of her gratitude. She views her marriage not as a romantic entitlement, but as a sacred duty of obedience to the man who saved her from physical disability and rural poverty.
3. Progressive Islamic Patriarchy
Dr. Mansur represents a highly progressive, enlightened figure within Hausa literature. While Inna Juma argues from a traditionalist standpoint (questioning how a married woman can travel abroad for studies without her husband's permission), Dr. Mansur reframes education as an Islamic necessity for self-actualization. His determination to dissolve the marriage himself if Ibrahim continues his unjust abandonment shows his commitment to justice over rigid societal expectations.
INGARMAN NAMIJI BOOK 1 YASMEEN AUTAR ALHERI
The Poisonous Voice
The words were delivered in a voice that was soft, low, and smooth—a striking tone that sent an immediate jolt directly into Ibrahim’s mind. It left his entire body momentarily paralyzed with a sudden numbness while simultaneously setting all his nerves on edge.
Hearing only absolute silence on the other end of the line, the girl abruptly ended the call and placed the phone aside. She picked up the remote control to switch on the air conditioner and began reciting her nighttime prayers before going to sleep.
Ibrahim stood frozen, staring blankly at the phone in his hand. He was standing on the terrace balcony of his upstairs apartment, watching the rain pour down in pristine, heavy sheets over his vibrant green garden below.
There was something truly extraordinary about that girl’s voice—a rare quality he had never encountered in any other woman. It carried a soothing, heavy calmness that induced a sense of physical weakness in anyone who heard it.
What business does Daddy have with a young lady to the extent that his personal phone is in her possession? Ibrahim held his father in the absolute highest regard, but he knew for a fact that this voice did not belong to Abida, Jawahir, or Aziza.
Even if it were them, there was no way they would be handling Daddy’s phone so carelessly. Driven by an intense curiosity, he felt a powerful urge to ask her who she really was and how she had access to his father’s device.
He dialed the number again. Feeling particularly cheerful tonight, she answered immediately. Earlier, Daddy had brought her the wonderful news that, if Allah willed, she would be flying to Singapore the day after tomorrow to continue her advanced studies before Ibrahim could return home...
"Who are you?" he demanded curtly. He spoke in a clipped, restricted tone, his Hausa heavily laced with a distinct thick accent that rolled tightly over his tongue.
Caught off guard by his brevity, she found herself answering just as concisely.
"My name is Juma."
"Juma? What kind of name is that?"
She countered, "It is the name my parents chose to give me."
Her tone carried a sharp edge, as if she had taken offense at his blunt question. Ibrahim, who made it a point never to humiliate or look down on another human being, quickly softened his tone.
"Please forgive me. I simply want to understand how Dr. Mansur’s phone ended up with you?"
"I am the Nurse on duty, and he left it at the ward," she lied smoothly.
Ibrahim was completely satisfied with her explanation. As for Rahane, she was simply bursting with joy over the incredible news Daddy had given her about going to Informatics Singapore. Lacking anyone else to share her immense excitement with, her high spirits spilled over onto Ibrahim.
He said, "Alright, I will call back tomorrow. Thank you."
"Don’t mention it," she replied.
The Dawn Encounter
At five o'clock in the morning, while she was deep in sleep, the phone rang once again. Letting out a soft hiss, she reached out to grab it, silently blaming herself for not turning it off last night. Now, her peaceful, deep sleep had been rudely interrupted.
Deep down, she knew it wasn’t entirely her fault; her fingers had simply refused to switch off the device, driven by a hidden hope that the man with the beautiful English accent might call back. She hadn't wanted to miss it, even if she had to spin another lie to him.
The moment she saw the incoming number, the heavy sleep vanished completely from her eyes. She answered with the traditional Islamic greeting (Sallama), her voice thick and heavy with sleep. This time, the profound effect her voice had on Ibrahim Mansur was so overwhelming that no pen could ever adequately describe it.
It threw Ibrahim into an entirely different state of mind. Dropping his voice to a deep, raspy whisper from the depths of his throat, he murmured:
"I am deeply sorry for waking you up from your sleep."
"Don’t mention it," she whispered back.
"Jumah!"
He called her name with a voice that sounded as though he were deeply suffering from an intense, internal ache. A sudden tremor ran through Rahane's entire body. Her tongue tied in a knot, she stammered:
"Doctor is not yet at the office!"
She cut the call instantly. Her hands were shaking violently, and her entire body was trembling. Men like this are the ones who commit vocal adultery, she thought in terror. Why on earth does he speak to me in a voice that weakens my very bones, as if I were his wife or his lover? I will never answer his calls again. She was completely unaware that this mesmerizing, deep resonance was simply the natural voice the Almighty had endowed him with.
She then burst into a sudden, self-deprecating laugh as a part of her subconscious questioned her:
Who told you that this is how a husband or a boyfriend speaks to his woman, Rayhah? You don't even have a suitor, let alone a husband! No man has ever spoken to you this way, not even Brother Khalipha!
"Who knows!" she muttered, tossing her head defiantly as she burrowed deeper into her plush blanket. Well, that is exactly how I see Daddy speak to Mami. Whenever he travels and she speaks to him on the phone, that is the exact tone she uses with him.
Soon, a heavy sleep claimed her once more. She awoke only when the bright morning sun pierced through the pristine white curtains surrounding her bed, blaring directly onto her face. Hurrying out of bed, she rubbed her eyes and rushed into the bathroom to shower and brush her teeth. Since she had already performed her dawn prayer, she walked straight out into the living room.
Inna Juma's Suspicion & The Viral Fever
Hearing movements in the kitchen, she headed inside. There, she found Inna Juma busy kneading flour to prepare Alkubus (traditional steamed wheat cakes).
She smiled, "May Allah prolong the life of my Inna! Are we having Alkubus today?"
Without turning around from her flour, Inna replied, "I am not making this for you. I am making it for Baba Likita (Dr. Mansur) because he told me yesterday that he really craves it."
"You simply refuse to listen, Jumah...!" Rahane blurted out. To her absolute shock, her voice cracked, completely mimicking Ibrahim's exact tone and deep cadence. She hadn't even realized her voice had altered so drastically. "I already told you he isn't coming today. It’s the last Saturday of the month, so he is traveling to Takai."
Inna froze. She slowly stopped kneading the flour and turned around to look at her granddaughter. Two things had deeply startled her into silence: first, Rahane had called her by her actual name, "Juma," instead of "Inna," and second, the voice she used possessed a strange, heavy authority that was completely foreign to her.
She saw that Rayhanah was trembling all over. The girl had her arms tightly crossed over her chest, her eyes fluttering open and shut as her voice shook, "Inna, I feel so incredibly cold."
Inna quickly pulled her hands out of the flour, covered the bowl to let the dough rise, and washed her hands. She rushed over to grip Rayhanah, immediately reciting every protective prayer that came to her lips. Inna was utterly convinced that a spirit (Aljanu) had possessed her granddaughter at that very moment. The voice that had just spoken to her was absolutely not Rayhanah’s.
Leading her back to the bedroom, Inna told her to lie down while she went to the hospital to look for the Doctor.
Rahane snapped back, "Look, Jumah...! How many times do I have to tell you that Daddy is not around?" She was still speaking in that exact, deep, authoritative Ibrahim-like tone.
Inna continued blowing protective prayers over her. A deep frustration washed over Rahane; she hated that Inna was treating her like a possessed person just because she said she felt cold.
"Listen to me, Jumah..." she pleaded, using Ibrahim's precise tone and structural cadence. "Go back and finish your Alkubus, and please leave me alone. I don't want all this spiritual blowing. It’s just a normal fever coming on. Just cover me with a blanket and leave, please."
Inna snapped, "I am not going anywhere! It’s a spirit that wants to marry you! Just let Baba Likita come so we can settle this matter once and for all. If that American boy doesn't want you, he should just release you so you can live a free life and find a man who actually loves and wants to marry you. This is completely absurd—it’s been ten months now, and we are entering the eleventh month! No husband in sight, and no sign of him whatsoever!"
Inna went on and on with her angry rant, completely unaware that Rayhanah could no longer hear a single word. A raging, scorching fever had completely enveloped her.
Rayhanah silently wished she hadn't ended that phone call earlier. If she had stayed on the line, she might have learned the identity of the owner of that poisonous voice—a voice that had injected a literal virus through her ears, triggering this intense physical fever. All she wanted was for Inna to leave her alone to deal with her condition, but her grandmother refused to budge. Only after desperate pleading did Inna finally stomp out of the room, grumbling bitterly about how she was thoroughly sick and tired of this bizarre, long-distance marriage.
The Call of Destiny
Following Inna’s exit, the phone began to ring again. Rayhanah picked it up instantly. Despite her earlier vow never to answer his calls, her heart and her body completely rebelled against her mind. Her inner self whispered:
She answered the call, but remained completely silent.
Ibrahim, too, remained silent for a long time on the other end. He focused heavily on controlling his breathing, taking deep, deliberate sighs to steady his racing heart. Finally, in a soft, vulnerable tone, he said:
"I am not calling to ask for the Doctor this time. So please, for Allah’s sake, do not hang up on me. I want to know more about you... about everything concerning you..."
She replied, "You can ask me anything, Insha Allah. I will not hang up." She spoke in a voice that completely melted Ibrahim's remaining emotional defense.
He pressed, "What exactly is your relationship with Doctor Mansur?"
"A doctor and a patient he helped," she answered directly.
"That status you claim is not enough to warrant him leaving his personal phone with you. For Allah’s sake! Who are you to him?!"
Because he had invoked the sacred name of ALLAH, Rahane felt an absolute spiritual inability to lie to him. A profound calmness washed over her body. Speaking in a voice that Ibrahim would remember for the rest of his natural life, she asked:
"Before I answer you, I also want to ask you, for the sake of ALLAH... Are you IBRAHIM...?!"
Absolute silence hit her ears. She pulled the phone away from her face to check the screen, only to realize that the battery had completely died and the phone had shut off.
Overwhelmed by bitter frustration, her fragile heart whispered to her: “Just break down and cry...” And that is exactly what she did, weeping intensely until her tears ran completely dry.
This man she was speaking to—given the powerful impact his voice had on her mind, her body, and that singular muscle in the center of her chest (her heart)—could not be a mere stranger. A casual phone call with an outsider could never trigger such overwhelming, consuming emotions. He must be her husband. She no longer harbored a single doubt or hesitation: this was her husband, DR. IBRAHIM MANSUR TAKAI.
The Fierce Defense of a Hidden Savior
As her fever intensified, the internal chills grew worse. She remained locked in her room past the afternoon (Zuhr) hour, refusing to open her door to prevent Inna Juma from pestering her to eat the Alkubus. Today, even if she were offered the finest roasted peacock meat in exchange for a mansion and a luxury car, she wouldn't be able to swallow a single bite.
All her soul yearned for was to hear Ibrahim’s voice again and to see him in physical reality. His voice had unlocked an unexplainable, dark wave of unfamiliar emotions within her.
Slowly, her fever began to recede, comforted by the soothing whispers of her own heart: Perhaps he is indeed Rayhanah’s groom! But wait, Rayhanah, aren't you jumping to conclusions? Just because you see the master butcher, it doesn't mean the soup is sweet. If he turns out not to be him, then letting his voice affect your mind and body this way means you are actively committing a sin—especially since you are a legally married woman!
"Astagfirullah! (I seek forgiveness from Allah!)" Rayhah whispered softly.
Gathering every ounce of physical strength, she stood up abruptly, opened her bedside refrigerator, pulled out a bottle of room-temperature Faro water, and began chugging it down greedily. She drank half of the long bottle before setting it down. This was a discipline drilled into her by Mami—never to eat breakfast until they had thoroughly hydrated their bodies with fresh water.
Securing Daddy's phone safely, she unlocked her door and walked out into the living room to look for her grandmother. Finding the room empty, she headed to the downstairs bedroom assigned to Inna.
When she walked in, Inna was performing her Zuhr prayer. Rahane stepped into her grandmother’s bathroom, performed her ablutions, and returned to set up her own prayer mat. Even after Inna completed her prayers, she completely ignored Rahane, diving straight into her supplementary Islamic litanies (lazimi). Inna was a deeply devout woman; if she had a companion, she would converse and laugh, but in isolation, she dedicated her tongue entirely to glorifying Allah and sending blessings upon the Prophet.
Rahane realized that Inna was genuinely furious with her today—whether it was because she had locked her door or refused to eat, she wasn't sure. Feeling a heavy weight of guilt in her heart, she crawled over, laid her head gently on Inna’s lap, and said in a deeply sorrowful voice:
"Inna, if I have offended you in any way, please forgive me for Allah’s sake."
Inna shook her head sideways in refusal. Only after completing her litanies and making a final supplication did she wipe her hands over her face and then over Rahane. She sighed:
"You haven't offended me in the slightest. It is this bizarre marriage of yours that I want to see brought to a complete end if it isn't going to be successful."
Confused, Rayhanah raised her head, "Inna, what do you mean by 'if it isn't successful'?"
Inna countered, "Yes! If it isn't successful. Meaning, if the boy doesn't want you, I will not sit idly by and watch you waste your youth away like this until spirits (jinn) start trying to marry you. From this night onward, we are sleeping in the same bedroom. Let Baba Likita return; I am completely done with this endless waiting game."
A flash of intense fury appeared in Rayhanah’s eyes. For the first time in her life, she raised her voice against her grandmother:
"Even if Daddy commands me to wait for twenty long years in this marriage to his son, and even if his son despises me, I will never ask him to end it! Even if spirits or demons try to claim me, I will never utter a word against this marriage. This union was orchestrated by Daddy; the marriage bonds are not in his son's hands to sever at whim!
More than anything, I belong entirely to Daddy—he can do with my life whatever he pleases, because I know for a fact he will never do anything to harm me. He is the one who made me a HUMAN BEING! He is the single entity on this earth who stood by me and transformed me into a real person! If it weren't for him, I cannot even fathom what my life would look like today, considering that when I first opened my eyes to real awareness, I had absolutely no one left in this world.
So, Inna, for Allah’s sake, do not dare bring this topic up to him; it will deeply distress him. I am telling you right now, with my full heart and conscience: I LOVE IBRAHIM...! I deeply honor and protect the sacred marriage vows that bind me to him, even if he despises me, and even if I never get to look upon his face or live under the same roof with him for the rest of my life.
None of you truly understand! You don't know the monumental role Daddy played in saving my life. You all simply opened your eyes and saw us together today. He is the person I cherish and respect above all others! No matter what I do for him, I can never repay the immense sacrifices he made for my life. Inna, I am telling you something I have never confessed before: I was once completely broken—I was entirely deaf!"
She stopped, wiping away a flood of tears as her mind raced through the painful memories of her past. She continued:
"He is the one who sought out medical treatment until I was completely cured, using his own health, his vast knowledge, his precious time, and his deep pockets. He gave me an elite education equal to—and in some ways exceeding—the education he gave his own biological children.
As if all that weren't enough, he took me and married me to the son he loves most among all his children, at a time when my life was on the verge of ruin because I came from an impoverished background and carried a chronic ailment.
Just because the boy finds me unappealing and refuses to return, you want me to ask Daddy to dissolve the marriage? No, Inna! Don't you dare start. I would rather die and waste my entire youth away under Ibrahim's marriage vows, protecting his honor and dignity. So please, Inna, never bring this up again; it will break Daddy’s heart."
"I absolutely will bring it up!" Inna retorted sharply. "Go ahead and insult us, throw it in our faces that we didn't support your life when you were a child. On that front, I have no words to argue with you. But I have a voice before Allah! The kindness and charity that Doctor showed you will receive its ultimate reward from the Almighty.
His past kindness cannot be used as a justification to trap and ruin your youth. Nowhere in Islamic law is such a thing permitted, unless he did it for selfish reasons rather than for the sake of Allah, just to force his son into an unwanted marriage. What is this compulsion? There is no compulsion in Islam!"
Rayhanah’s response, delivered through a loud, agonizing sob, left Inna completely stunned:
"Inna, if you are thoroughly tired of staying here with me to wait for Ibrahim... you are completely free to pack your bags and return to Takai. I will live here entirely alone. By the grace of the Almighty, nothing will consume me in this house... if you refuse to help me remain obedient to my Daddy...!"
Inna stood up in a blazing rage, shouting, "So that’s how it is, right? Fine!" She began aggressively pulling her clothes from the wardrobe, stuffing them into the giant checkered woven bag (Ghana Must Go) they had arrived with.
Before Rahane could even finish crying, Inna had fully packed her bag, wrapped her shawl around herself, hoisted the heavy load onto her head, and marched out toward the door.
As if injected with a sudden shot of adrenaline, Rayha bolted after her. She managed to catch up with her right at the front exit of the living room, grabbing the bag and clinging to it while weeping as if her soul were leaving her body. Inna pulled one way, and Rahane pulled the other. It was during this intense tug-of-war that Allah brought Dr. Mansur to the house; consumed by their heated argument, neither of them had heard his car pull into the driveway.
"Subhanallahi! Subhanallahi! (Glory be to Allah!)" was all the doctor could exclaim.
Inna Juma could not even bring herself to look him in the eye, as his natural dignity and commanding presence (kwarjini) completely overwhelmed her. She lowered her head in silence, while Rayha, straining under the immense weight, managed to drag the heavy bag back inside.
Rahane could hear him out in the hall, gently pleading, smoothing things over, and speaking to Inna Juma with the utmost respect. This only increased her guilt regarding her grandmother. With great effort, the doctor successfully guided Inna back into the living room.
He sat on a sofa facing the elderly woman, who sat on the carpet, completely lost as to how to explain the sudden rage that had driven her to attempt fleeing the house without his knowledge. No matter what Rayhanah had done, she was still just a child; Inna should have waited for him to arrive so he could address the issue, scold her, or correct her.
Inna remained silent just as Rayha walked back into the room carrying a serving tray loaded with fresh juices, grapes, peaches, and pears. She pulled a small side table over to Daddy’s sofa and arranged the refreshments before him.
Completely at ease, Dr. Mansur began eating the fresh fruit, raining continuous blessings upon Rahane as if he hadn't bought them with his own money. She went back to the bedroom, fetched his phone, and placed it on the table.
He let out a sigh of deep relief, saying, "Ah! So this is where I left it! Losing a phone is a terrible thing—not because of the device itself, but because of the critical matters stored inside it. Rayhanatu, please go to your room; I need to speak with Inna privately."
"Yes, Daddy," she replied, standing up and heading into her bedroom.
He drank a glass of cold water, adjusted his posture, and said, "Now, Inna, I am listening. What exactly did your partner-in-crime do to offend you so deeply that you thought of abandoning her and leaving?"
Inna wiped her eyes with the edge of her wrapper, her heart aching for Rayhanah. If the girl's biological parents were alive, they would surely have intervened in this directionless marriage.
She muttered, "She is the one who told me to leave."
"Rayhan?" he asked in utter shock. "Over what?"
Without waiting for her to answer, Inna poured out the entire story, detailing her argument with Rayha and every word the girl had spoken regarding him and her marriage to Ibrahim.
As he listened, Dr. Mansur began to weep silently, the tears welling in his eyes as he repeatedly wiped them away with his handkerchief. His love and immense respect for Rayhanah multiplied tenfold in his heart. At the same time, he was deeply moved by Inna Juma; she had proven to him that there were people who genuinely loved Rayhanah for who she was, without any greed for the luxury surrounding her. She was simply fighting to secure a stable, functional future for her granddaughter.
With his voice trembling with emotion, Dr. Mansur said, "For the sake of Allah and His Prophet, Inna, please exercise just a little more patience. Everything is coming to an end very soon, Insha Allah. I am the one who tied this knot, and by the grace of the Almighty, I am the one who will untie it. I will personally track Ibrahim down wherever he is in the world and demand that he write a formal release of freedom for Rayha. But before that..."
He pulled out two international passports and handed them to her.
"Just as I explained to you the day before yesterday, the day after tomorrow you will both depart for Singapore. Rayhanah will continue her advanced education there, while I proceed to Chicago. I will not leave your side until I ensure Rayhanah achieves complete independence—whether through marriage or divorce, she must get her education. The only reason I haven't taken drastic action until now is due to certain domestic crises at home that I needed to settle first. Thankfully, I am finally gaining control over them. Please have patience, Inna."
Inna felt a deep wave of relief wash through her soul. However, she added, "That is well and good, and may Allah choose what is best. But as for me, I cannot travel to a foreign land where there is no widespread knowledge of Allah and His Prophet, unless it is Mecca or Medina. So please, Alhaji Likita, remove me from this Western plan of yours so I can remain here and finish my days in sound faith. How can a married woman, with her husband's vows still tied around her neck, cross oceans into another world entirely just for Western education? And that too without her husband's explicit permission? Look into this matter very carefully, Alhaji."
Dr. Mansur couldn't help but laugh gently at how passionately and sincerely Inna was arguing her point.
He explained, "Inna, times have changed. Today, both husbands and wives pursue knowledge side by side, since Allah placed no limits on learning, so they can support and honor one another. Do not restrict Rayhanah... you have no idea the vast intellectual gifts the Almighty has blessed her with.
I am telling you, RAYHANAH has a massive future. Allah has endowed her with a unique destiny and a brilliant brain that he did not grant to my other children. My instincts tell me her life will not end in obscurity. But that future can only be unlocked through the advanced, deep education that runs the modern world—specifically her field: computer science.
The best thing you can do for Rayhanah right now is to offer her continuous prayers, love, and the same unshakeable encouragement that Iya Bilki used to give her. That is what she needs from you until Allah straightens out her affairs. I am not being rigid either; if Ibrahim has no valid justification for cutting off communication with me, and is doing this simply because he rejects my choice, I swear by Allah I will dissolve this marriage myself, even if I have to take it to a court of law. Rest your mind, Inna."
Inna’s heart filled with joy. He added, "Now, do not let her know that you told me the reason behind your fight. Go and comfort her, tell her you overreacted and that you realize you were in the wrong. I will head home now. Start packing the clothes you will both need right away. We will be flying out tomorrow night. I will personally accompany you to Singapore and I won't leave until Rayhanah officially steps into her first classroom. From there, I will head out to find Ibrahim. Rest easy, Inna. Allah is everywhere, and wherever you perform your worship—even in the cities of Singapore or anywhere in Asia—Allah will accept it. If you don't go with her, who else will comfort Rayhanah in her loneliness? Who will cook her meals before she returns from classes? Who else will dedicate their time and life to her if not you...?"
2. Narrative Dynamics & Analytical Insights
1. The Supernatural vs. The Psychosomatic
A fascinating literary device in this chapter is the contrast between Inna Juma's traditional worldview and Rayhanah's intense psychosomatic reaction. When Rayhanah mirrors Ibrahim’s voice, her grandmother instantly suspects spirit possession (Aljanu). In reality, the author uses this to show the overwhelming, almost supernatural impact Ibrahim's voice has on Rayhanah's subconscious, triggering a physical fever. It highlights her deep, suppressed romantic connection to a husband she has never truly known.
2. Rayhanah’s Code of Absolute Loyalty
This chapter provides a profound look into Rayhanah's moral character. Despite being abandoned for ten months, she fiercely defends Dr. Mansur and her marriage vows. Her dialogue, "He is the one who made me a human being... I was entirely deaf!" reveals the depth of her gratitude. She views her marriage not as a romantic entitlement, but as a sacred duty of obedience to the man who saved her from physical disability and rural poverty.
3. Progressive Islamic Patriarchy
Dr. Mansur represents a highly progressive, enlightened figure within Hausa literature. While Inna Juma argues from a traditionalist standpoint (questioning how a married woman can travel abroad for studies without her husband's permission), Dr. Mansur reframes education as an Islamic necessity for self-actualization. His determination to dissolve the marriage himself if Ibrahim continues his unjust abandonment shows his commitment to justice over rigid societal expectations.