Tawakul (Reliance)

Sitting on a minaret out of the many minarets of Istanbul, overlooking the Bosporus, sat a
young man in his teens. Rukun ad Din ibn Mesud, was reciting the Quran in a beautiful
Mujawwad melody, moving from side to side, back and forth. Rukun ad Din had always longed
to explore, and sail around the Muslim world, meeting and studying with the many intellectual
scholars. Just as he raised his head and closed the Mushaf, Rukun ad Din spotted a large vessel
heading to the docks. He could see the young sailors pulling ropes and getting the ship ready to
dock. Rukun ad Din got up and rushed down the stairs, this was his favorite thing to do, to talk to
the sailors and inquire where the ship came from, and then inspect the merchandise bought
aboard.

By the time Rukun ad Din got there, a small bazaar had settled, and this one smelt like
mint and argan oil. “Salam! What interests you!” shouts a vendor. Already street vendors have
bought merchandise and were rushing their carts down the streets, deeper and deeper into the
city, chanting their prices which echoed around city. “Walaikum Salam! Nothing I’m just
looking around, what are you selling?” Rukun ad Din answers. “Come, look, I got all the good
mint. The finest of North Africa! I also have Almonds, Figs, Dates, and Pomegranates.” The
vendor picks up a piece of date and offers it, “Take it complementary, my pleasure.”
“Thank You.” Rukun ad Din takes the date and starts to nibble on it. “It’s sweet. I love it,
I’ll buy a branch.” Rukun ad Din exclaims. The vendor takes a branch weighs it and covers the
dates in a piece of cloth.
“One Sultani please.” The vendor pulls out a box of money. Rukun ad Din pulls out the
silver coin with the tughra of the sultan imprinted in it and puts it in the box. “Have a nice day!”
Rukun ad Din shakes the vendor’s hand and walks off.

As Rukun ad Din walked around he could smell the Moroccan Mint had become
Moroccan Mint Tea at one of the stalls. “Sample, sample. Go ahead try some!” chanted another
vendor. All of the vendors loved to give. They had no problem in giving out free samples. Rukun
ad Din strolled over to the tea stall. “Just take a small cup from this tray.” The vendor says. On
the tray were small sip sized cups with tea. Rukun ad Din picks one up and sips it. He finds it
good, but doesn't buy it.

“Peace be with you boy.” an old dervish had come and stood next to Rukun ad Din.
“And upon you be peace.” Rukun ad Din replies.
“Isn’t it a beautiful day? The sun is shining, the people are happy. Just think we are a few
men in this marketplace, buying things that have made a long journey here. We are prisoners of
our own city, these items, they travel freely.” The dervish’s words struck Rukun ad Din hard.
Traveling had always been his dream, but he had never thought of adventure this way.
 Deep in thought, Rukun ad Din paced back and forth in his house. The words of the
dervish seemed to repeat themselves over and over again in Rukun ad Din’s mind. “Should I
leave to travel, see the world?” Rukun ad Din had been asking himself this question for hours.
He had been thinking for such a long time that the only ones awake were those who were
remembering their lord when others were asleep. In the distance he could hear the adhan of Fajr
being called from one minaret to the other, and soon other mosques joined in. Rukun ad Din
looked out the window and saw candles being sparked one by one at every house. “My lord, my
Master, the Most High, Most Exalted, the Creator of the Heavens and the Earth. The One, the
Only One, The Most Merciful, The One Who Guides. Oh Allah send your salutations to our
Prophet Peace be Upon Him and Bless Him and His family and His followers. Oh Allah, Help
me, guide me. Oh Allah should I leave to go and get knowledge? I want to meet with the
scholars all around the Muslim world. If leaving is good then help me leave not of an intention,
except in the intention that pleases you. Only you my Lord, are the Most Wise. Ameen.” With
this Rukun ad Din’s heart felt a little ease, Rukun ad Din grabbed a jug of water and went outside
to make wudu. He took his long robe and fixed his turban and made his way to the Hagia Sophia
mosque.

After prayer, when the worshippers started to form circles and began to socialise, Rukun
ad Din found his friends sitting in a circle. “Assalamualaikum” Rukun ad Din joined them.
“Waalaikumussalam” they reply. “How are you?” they ask him.
“Alhamdulillah, how are you all?”
“We are good, Alhamdulillah.”
“Do you guys want to go somewhere for breakfast together?” Aybak, one of Rukun ad
Din’s friends asks.
“Sure, let’s go to the coffee house.” Abdus Salam says.
“Alright.” As the young men walk out a young boy offers some milk, coffee or tea with
naan. This boy works for a cafe, the owner of which sends his waiters off to feed worshippers
and the needy.
“No, thank you, but here take this tip.” Salah ad Din gives the boy a few sultani.

“Assalamualaikum,” the waiter greets Rukun ad Din and his friends.

“Waalaikumussalam.” They reply.
“What can I get you?” He asks.
“We will get 2 coffees and 2 Mint teas please. And a plate of butter, naans, kaymaks,
boreks, and olives please.” The 4 take a seat and talk about their plans and how business is going.

Rukun ad Din looks out the window, the pink and yellow sunrise started to break the
scattered clouds. Rukun ad Din feels a happy feeling rising in him, all the Muslim lands are the
same. The Almighty is praised. The people are hospitable, the culture is rich. “You know what I
will go with the flow when I find a ship. I will travel. If I miss my family and friends, I will come
home.” Rukun ad Din had said that out loud so loudly, that his friends were just staring at him.
“Oh, haha… sorry. Let me explain.”
After breakfast the 4 sat there talking about Rukun ad Din’s plans, but Rukun ad Din wasn’t so
interested. His heart was more filled with the gratefulness of Allah. “Alhamdulillah.” Rukun ad
Din whispered. When the 4 left to go back home, Rukun ad Din ran to the mosque and fell into
prostration, sujood ash shukr.