At that moment I felt as if the whole world and life itself had left my heart. Only Allah could have planned something like this.
I remembered the story my mother once told me about how she met my father and how they eventually got married. Their union had been filled with many destinies and trials. My father treated her with love and honor, clothed her well, and brought her into his family even though they never truly welcomed her.
He always told her to be patient and promised that he himself would be her husband, father, and family all in one.
And indeed he fulfilled that promise—more than she ever expected.
But just when she needed him most, the same God who blessed her with such a man also took him away from her. Who else could do such a thing except Allah?
---
Abdullahi’s Decision
I raised my head and looked at my brother Abdullahi, who was holding my mother’s hands and wiping away her tears while comforting her.
My mother kept praying for him and thanking him for standing firm and refusing to obey our uncles.
Abdullahi said softly:
“Be patient, Ammi. This is our destiny. By Allah’s will we will never be disgraced. As for this house, we will leave it for them. No one lives forever in this world. One day we will all step into the house of the hereafter.”
My mother replied calmly:
“That is true, Abdullahi. Since I lost your father I have learned patience. There is nothing I cannot lose anymore. My only prayer is that Allah protects you all even if I am no longer alive.
And may Allah never make me regret becoming a Muslim.
Since I accepted that Allah is One, then I have chosen correctly. I left even my parents for Allah’s sake, and I believe He will never disgrace me.
Be patient with whatever life brings you. Allah is the One who writes destiny for His servants. Once it is written, no one can erase it.
InshaAllah within a month we will find another place to live.”
---
Leaving the House
I walked around our house slowly, touching everything and thinking about how we would leave it in just thirty days.
Tears filled my eyes when I remembered how my life began in this house and how everything had suddenly changed.
I whispered:
“Allah, thank You. Please strengthen my faith and help me endure whatever destiny You have written for me.”
After walking through the house, I went to look at my father’s cars.
I touched them gently as memories of my father filled my heart. I remembered how he used to plan everything for our future.
Then a thought suddenly came to my mind.
“What if we sell Daddy’s new Jeep and use the money to buy back the house from our uncles?”
---
Selling the Car
I went to Abdullahi’s small shop and told him my idea.
His eyes lit up.
“That’s a very good idea, Zahra! Why didn’t Ammi and I think of that?”
When we told our mother, she agreed.
“Never underestimate a child’s idea,” she said.
Soon the Jeep was sold because it was still new, and the money was enough to help us.
But our problems were not over.
When the thirty days our uncles had given us ended, they returned.
Abdullahi asked them to let a real estate agent value the house so we could pay them and keep it.
But our uncle mocked him.
Eventually they agreed to accept nine million naira.
Abdullahi withdrew the money from the bank and gave it to them.
But after taking the money, they laughed and said:
“These papers we gave you are fake. The real documents are with us. If you want this house, bring another nine million.”
They had cheated us.
---
Forced Out of the House
Soon they began throwing our belongings outside the house.
My brother Abdullahi fell to his knees begging them.
“Uncle, please don’t disgrace us. We have nowhere to go.”
But they insulted our mother and accused her of stealing the money.
Finally they locked the gate and drove away.
We were left outside with our belongings scattered on the ground.
---
Life at Mama’s House
We had no choice but to take our things to Mama, our kind neighbor.
She allowed us to stay in her shop because there was no room inside the house.
The shop had two doors and even rats lived there.
That was where we slept together—my mother, my brothers, and I.
Mama was angry when she heard what our uncles had done.
She told my mother:
“You made a mistake by giving them money again. If you had taken them to court they wouldn’t have treated you like this.”
But my mother remained patient.
Mama helped us greatly. She and her husband supported us with food and kindness.
It reminded me of a Hausa proverb:
“Do good today and you will find it tomorrow.”
Because when Mama was once struggling, my mother used to send her food every day.
Now Mama was returning that kindness.
---
Moving Again
Later we found a small house for rent in Kofar Marusa, but we didn’t even have money to pay the rent.
Mama paid it for us.
The new house was very poor—mud walls, no tiles, and only two rooms.
My mother, my brother Sulaiman, and I shared one room while Abdullahi stayed in the other.
Life became very difficult.
Sometimes we didn’t even have food.
One day my mother cooked bean pudding, which I disliked very much, but I forced myself to eat it because I knew we had no choice.
After eating it, all three of us—my brothers and I—got stomach pain and kept running to the toilet.
My mother had to buy medicine for us.
---
Abdullahi Starts Driving
Because life was so hard, Abdullahi asked our mother for permission to use her car for transport work, carrying passengers between towns like Kano and Funtua.
She agreed.
That work helped us survive.
But little did we know that even that red car would bring another destiny into our lives—one that would shake us even more than the ones before.
---
Abdullahi’s Struggle
Driving passengers every day under the hot sun made Abdullahi thinner and darker.
But he always told me:
“Don’t worry. Life has only two endings—either it leaves you behind, or you leave it behind.”
He was trying to take my father’s place in our lives.
---
Another Problem Begins
One day I returned from school and saw Abdullahi’s car parked outside the house earlier than usual.
When I entered the house, I found my mother sitting quietly with worry on her face.
I felt fear immediately.
“Ammi, is everything okay?” I asked.
She replied:
“Abdullahi is sick. And I don’t even have money to call a doctor. Go to Mama’s house and borrow two thousand naira for me.”
The Weight of Destiny
At that moment I felt as if the whole world and life itself had left my heart. Only Allah could have planned something like this.
I remembered the story my mother once told me about how she met my father and how they eventually got married. Their union had been filled with many destinies and trials. My father treated her with love and honor, clothed her well, and brought her into his family even though they never truly welcomed her.
He always told her to be patient and promised that he himself would be her husband, father, and family all in one.
And indeed he fulfilled that promise—more than she ever expected.
But just when she needed him most, the same God who blessed her with such a man also took him away from her. Who else could do such a thing except Allah?
---
Abdullahi’s Decision
I raised my head and looked at my brother Abdullahi, who was holding my mother’s hands and wiping away her tears while comforting her.
My mother kept praying for him and thanking him for standing firm and refusing to obey our uncles.
Abdullahi said softly:
“Be patient, Ammi. This is our destiny. By Allah’s will we will never be disgraced. As for this house, we will leave it for them. No one lives forever in this world. One day we will all step into the house of the hereafter.”
My mother replied calmly:
“That is true, Abdullahi. Since I lost your father I have learned patience. There is nothing I cannot lose anymore. My only prayer is that Allah protects you all even if I am no longer alive.
And may Allah never make me regret becoming a Muslim.
Since I accepted that Allah is One, then I have chosen correctly. I left even my parents for Allah’s sake, and I believe He will never disgrace me.
Be patient with whatever life brings you. Allah is the One who writes destiny for His servants. Once it is written, no one can erase it.
InshaAllah within a month we will find another place to live.”
---
Leaving the House
I walked around our house slowly, touching everything and thinking about how we would leave it in just thirty days.
Tears filled my eyes when I remembered how my life began in this house and how everything had suddenly changed.
I whispered:
“Allah, thank You. Please strengthen my faith and help me endure whatever destiny You have written for me.”
After walking through the house, I went to look at my father’s cars.
I touched them gently as memories of my father filled my heart. I remembered how he used to plan everything for our future.
Then a thought suddenly came to my mind.
“What if we sell Daddy’s new Jeep and use the money to buy back the house from our uncles?”
---
Selling the Car
I went to Abdullahi’s small shop and told him my idea.
His eyes lit up.
“That’s a very good idea, Zahra! Why didn’t Ammi and I think of that?”
When we told our mother, she agreed.
“Never underestimate a child’s idea,” she said.
Soon the Jeep was sold because it was still new, and the money was enough to help us.
But our problems were not over.
When the thirty days our uncles had given us ended, they returned.
Abdullahi asked them to let a real estate agent value the house so we could pay them and keep it.
But our uncle mocked him.
Eventually they agreed to accept nine million naira.
Abdullahi withdrew the money from the bank and gave it to them.
But after taking the money, they laughed and said:
“These papers we gave you are fake. The real documents are with us. If you want this house, bring another nine million.”
They had cheated us.
---
Forced Out of the House
Soon they began throwing our belongings outside the house.
My brother Abdullahi fell to his knees begging them.
“Uncle, please don’t disgrace us. We have nowhere to go.”
But they insulted our mother and accused her of stealing the money.
Finally they locked the gate and drove away.
We were left outside with our belongings scattered on the ground.
---
Life at Mama’s House
We had no choice but to take our things to Mama, our kind neighbor.
She allowed us to stay in her shop because there was no room inside the house.
The shop had two doors and even rats lived there.
That was where we slept together—my mother, my brothers, and I.
Mama was angry when she heard what our uncles had done.
She told my mother:
“You made a mistake by giving them money again. If you had taken them to court they wouldn’t have treated you like this.”
But my mother remained patient.
Mama helped us greatly. She and her husband supported us with food and kindness.
It reminded me of a Hausa proverb:
“Do good today and you will find it tomorrow.”
Because when Mama was once struggling, my mother used to send her food every day.
Now Mama was returning that kindness.
---
Moving Again
Later we found a small house for rent in Kofar Marusa, but we didn’t even have money to pay the rent.
Mama paid it for us.
The new house was very poor—mud walls, no tiles, and only two rooms.
My mother, my brother Sulaiman, and I shared one room while Abdullahi stayed in the other.
Life became very difficult.
Sometimes we didn’t even have food.
One day my mother cooked bean pudding, which I disliked very much, but I forced myself to eat it because I knew we had no choice.
After eating it, all three of us—my brothers and I—got stomach pain and kept running to the toilet.
My mother had to buy medicine for us.
---
Abdullahi Starts Driving
Because life was so hard, Abdullahi asked our mother for permission to use her car for transport work, carrying passengers between towns like Kano and Funtua.
She agreed.
That work helped us survive.
But little did we know that even that red car would bring another destiny into our lives—one that would shake us even more than the ones before.
---
Abdullahi’s Struggle
Driving passengers every day under the hot sun made Abdullahi thinner and darker.
But he always told me:
“Don’t worry. Life has only two endings—either it leaves you behind, or you leave it behind.”
He was trying to take my father’s place in our lives.
---
Another Problem Begins
One day I returned from school and saw Abdullahi’s car parked outside the house earlier than usual.
When I entered the house, I found my mother sitting quietly with worry on her face.
I felt fear immediately.
“Ammi, is everything okay?” I asked.
She replied:
“Abdullahi is sick. And I don’t even have money to call a doctor. Go to Mama’s house and borrow two thousand naira for me.”