TREASURE : ONE LIFE

LIFE… Never come to us with a Table of CONTENT INDEX, so I!

ONE LIFE THE TREASURE (KhazAnah) is a true-life story, just happening to stupid common men where he never thought that he would suddenly become supermen pirate instantly to protect the COFFER and its TREASURE.

It’s TRUE…

It’s REQUIRED COURAGE!!!

TO PUT PASSION OVER THE MONEY!

~Shahnawaz Malbari.

Professionally I am an ENGINEER, but I always wanted to be a scientist, doing experiments is my hobby. Still, never thought about I will get the chance to apply all my crazy ideas. ENGINEERING experience and Albert Einstein's theory, both!  

We all know about Albert Einstein's famous theory, E=MC2, and Newton's 3 (three) Laws of Motion. Like Bollywood Movie scenes and situations of three Super Stars: Shah Rukh Khan’s Chennai Express, Salman Khan’s Kick, and Apocalypto (2006).

A young man takes on a perilous journey to a world ruled by fear and oppression, as the Mayan kingdom faces its decline. And who doesn’t know about the Indian politician's strategy of Divide and Rule policy? 

I have utilized all of these; in my life, to rescue six lives not associated with me except ONE LIFE! 

I can define that ONE LIFE THE TREASURE(KhazAnah), THE BEST GIFT of Allah I ever received in my entire life.

And only for that ONE LIFE, the story writer & director is Allah, myself consider only a character of this story, and I have faith in Allah. 

We often get to read a story in this manner: Once upon a time. 

But my story started with an intense climax, which had several Questions & Answers along with CHOICES, as we see in popular Quiz TV program, ‘Kaun Banega Crorepati’ (KBC) hosted by the megastar of Bollywood, Mr. Amitabh Bachchan, with a difference, but quite crucial! I had not lifeline! 

It had Action-Comedy-Thriller and family Drama as a regular twist. 

And yes! There were villain a-la movies: The ever indulging four-people in one’s private life: what they will think about was the question, our elders usually ask when we try to do something out of the box. They try to control all our dos and don’ts, and they cause the sudden problem of extreme level, which is unknown to us, not planned, and never thought it would happen to me.

But somehow inside me, I was getting VERY excited about circumstances after I heard the statement from my wife MARYAM 

“I can hear the HEARTBEAT of little angel… ”

Listening to statement over the phone that evening, while talking with wife Maryam, who was in Mumbai, made me so much thrilled and energized and making my mind so peaceful, which I never felt so, in my entire life! It’s concise to my brain so powerful; it increased my heartbeat. And most important, it has given my life meaning! 

So it became my wish to share the story of One LIFE a TREASURE, to inspire, motivate and guide directions to NEXT generation, for them to understand that Life is full of TREASURE and nature’s PATTERN. You will never know which TREASURE will change your life OR which PATTERN of the environment will inspire you, so kept SEARCHING…

AS I always get INSPIRED by PATTERN of NATURE…

The most crucial part was why I am writing this story. 

The reason for writing this story was that it was over six months; I had come to Dubai.

Here Abdullah Musani, a friend of mine, asked me whether I was married. 

I replied: ‘Yes!’

He: ‘Love marriage or arranged marriage?’ 

I: ‘Love marriage!’

As he was an Engineer, habitually, he went in deep and questioned me!! 

He asked: ‘Did you run away from home to marry?’ 

I: ‘NO!’

He: ‘Not even run away with the girl to marry?’ 

I: ‘NO!’

He was tangled: ‘Wow! You had a love marriage & still, you didn’t run away from home and married?’ 

He got puzzled: ‘How’s it possible?’ 

He was simply unstoppable! 

He: ‘Was there a bike or a car or a bus in your Love story?’ 

I said: ‘Yes, it had all these.’ 

He was getting impatient: ‘Despite that, you did not run away and got married?’

I replied: ‘My dear friend! My story also had a train & a plane as well!! But still, I didn’t run away and married!

Instead, I made others run for me!! And made them run like nothing!!’

He was very much curious to know about my story. 

So I said: ‘Fine! I will narrate the story.’

And that inspired me to pen down this story.

But Allah is the BEST & PERFECT MASTER planner, and I realize that Allah had already started the script of my life, four-month fifteen days before in such a unique way that I had the ONLY one choice left with me, Either play hard to rescue ONE LIFE… or let the TREASURE go away! 

Playing hard was my thinking but believed me; it was more complicated than rescuing. 

Let me tell you something exciting but a real fact. 

There will be a TIME where you will feel like you challenge the LIFE and the RULE is, if you heartily desire THE TREASURE from LIFE, then you have to GIVE UP something, which is VERY CRUCIAL in your life and you have no rights for your terms & conditions.

In our life, at different TIMES, we THINK that everything is going WRONG, because what we think never happens. But we don’t REALISE that ALLAH is setting everything right for us.

  My story started with my flight to Dubai. The journey started on 16th August 2014 & ended on 5th July 2015 with a new beginning, as I began to this story from Dubai, I wanted to finish it in Dubai.

On 16th August 2014, I moved at 8.00 AM from my Mumbai residence, along with my wife, Maryam, and a colleague, who was keen to see how an Airport looks like, joined me to escort. 

The flight timing was at 12.25 PM, so we reached Mumbai International Airport at 09.15 AM. While heading towards the security check-in process, I looked at Maryam and noticed her face, filled with emotions. I could make out that she intended me not to go, her tears about to roll from her eyes saying: 

‘Please don’t go!’

I felt strongly something within, a strange feeling! I felt like hugging her for a moment, but I controlled myself, and said goodbye to her! Just because we were not alone and there was another person, to whom and the whole world, our marriage was top secret!

I went inside the airport, done with the boarding process. All the people who came to escort me started returning, including Maryam. 

Maryam had an appointment with a lady doctor at 10.30 AM, in a hospital in Thane city, for a routine checkup, a day before my trip. 

I was in touch with MARYAM continuously, taking an update about her medical checkup while processing toward boarding plane, the last update was at 11.55 AM about her sonography, and she was waiting for the report. 

I told her that flight is going to take off; I’ll call you once I reach Dubai-UAE and I switched off the phone.

During the three n half hour journey, I was thinking: My life filled with so many questions. My mind is desperately CURIOUS to find the answers to all these questions. I was getting eager every second of the journey, and I felt Goosebumps every time I thought of it! 

I reached Dubai-UAE Airport, cleared my immigration formalities, took the luggage and came out to the Airport. The Company’s pick up vehicle dropped me at Al-Quiz-Dubai at 15:30 hour (UAE time), as the Company provided the accommodation.

On reaching my room, I took a shower, dressed, and came down to buy the calling card, (for a moment I felt like the whole universe wants to know the status of Maryam’s report) and I called her to take an update on the state of the story. 

The phone rang for some time, and she picked up the call. I could hear too much of the chaos of vehicles and passer-Byers, giving me an idea that she was walking on the road. 

I ask her what the status of the sonography report is. It was indeed a million-dollar question for me at that moment! 

She was crying profoundly, and for a minute, everything got silent: I felt like there are we two and nobody else. I could feel the wind coming from her and touching my face, and I could hear the voice of breathing & heartbeat. I could count the moments, my brain could differentiate background sound and her voice, and I heard her very clearly, saying: 

“I can hear the HEARTBEAT of little angel…”

I felt like I got the answer to all my QUESTIONS. The search for peace in my life ended! There came a smile on my face, followed by tears from my eyes! 

Now the universe is waiting for my response.

This stage in my life was crucial.

I was fixing my mind to execute, whatever I wanted to do, under any circumstances in those 14 days. 

Right from day one, after I reached Dubai, in these 14 days, i.e., from 16th August to 30th August 2014, I had a whirlpool of questions. 

I took an A0 paper to jot down the plans and how to implement them. 

I have fragmented all the scenes into various parts.

· The first part it had was the beginning of my journey.

· The second part included what things I have to do after I arrived.

· The third part was how to share these matters with Maryam's family.

· The fourth part was how to tell my office colleagues. It was not how to say, but how to hide the matter from them and keep it a top-secret! And if any issue happens in the office, should not impact my employee’s life.

The reason behind it is that the girl’s father is a policeman and I had to deal with not just single police but possibly with the entire Police department! 

· The fifth was to save Maryam, my wife. 

· After that, I wanted to protect my family, particularly my mother, who was too difficult for me to tackle. 

I look at my LIFE in the form of TREASURE:

KHAZANAH: MY DAUGHTER’S NAME, THE TREASURE IN MY LIFE. It is THE BEST GIFT by ALLAH; I have ever received in my life.

   The purpose of gifting this story in the form of a Book to my loving daughter KhazAnah, so that she will for a lifetime, remember that her father has done something unique! 

When I landed in this scenario of days, I wasn’t scared but was thinking about what I should do so that I can execute my plans effectively and in time- bound to make this (marriage) a genuinely fruitful story. 

I was focusing on this job regularly. 

We married in September 2013, according to Islamic rites. Before marriage, name change formality also did. 

The Kazi did all the required paper works and marital formalities. 

We had kept our marriage a top-secret. 

We did not inform her family as her eldest sister was yet to marry, and hence Maryam had put this condition before me that till she gets married, we will not disclose our marriage to ANYBODY!

The above situation suited me as well since I was also not settled. The definition of being successful in life is becoming financially sound with a home, a car, etc. of his own. And I had none of them! Thus we preferred to keep the matter secret from everybody.

But something happened which we never thought of, or rather did not plan! 

On 16th August 2014, we realized that Maryam is pregnant! 

I was not worried or tensed, although. Instead, I started planning what next I have to do. My planning, which covered these 14 days in Dubai, involved Maryam, myself & Allah. I have a deep belief in Allah. I did not want anybody to get involved. I couldn’t afford it so! 

Every individual has a different mindset, and I was capable enough to resolve my issue on my own.

First of all, I told Maryam to have certain things very clear in her mind before our marriage!

The first thing I told her was: Do not think that I will save you! I mean, your mind should be open, efficient, and strong enough to tackle any consequences. I can guide you, but it’s you who have to implement when required. 

It will even include: 

· Whether I will marry you in court or not, and what will be the consequences if I won't marry you. 

· Whether to do an abortion, in case if it happens or not. If we birth a child, what we will have to do, etc. 

I was ready for any extreme issues like above, and hence they were prime subjects in my planning. I was looking for answers to all these questions, waving to my shore of mind and also those who might develop from incidences that will emerge unknowingly in the next 14 days.  

The better part of this situation was that I was not sitting idle, nor I had any tensions. My mind was positively working on it. That’s why they say: Be Positive! 

I took up that A0 paper and started writing the questions, waving to the shore of my mind, every day. You will wonder how I was going about it! 

Four gangs of people say you should think from both sides of the COIN, but the grace of Allah and thanks to my geometry teacher from the school I got the ability to think and plan in an inscribed circle! I have shown an image for your reference.

Usually, people advise seeing both sides of a coin to get a real perspective!

But my views, created by Allah and fined by Geometry teacher, say:

Don’t get round and round!

Look at the different angles to get every point of view!

I had my freelance Information technologies Corporate Training assignment schedule from 9 AM to 5 PM.

Post that, I stroll on the roads so that the leisure could refresh my mind, and I could think over and think of some positive solutions. On reaching the room, I noted down all the thoughts & decided to act accordingly.

I was thinking about everybody: Be it Maryam, her family, my mother, my other family members, and plan for everything which might pervert the scenes in the future. 

Looking at the possibility of getting married again with pressure from family members, I asked Maryam if she had any objection. I did not want to marry for my happiness, but to please my mother.

She was stunned and scared! We were already married, and now that she was pregnant, I was discussing these matters. I told her that it is allowed in our Islam religion to re-marry. Don’t be panicked as I have not proposed to any girl on the face of you, nor will I do so without any knowledge to you. 

But I am just asking you, as part of the solution to any situation, which might arise and compel me to re-marry! She took about 5 minutes & then she agreed to accept this condition, where I would be required to re-marry. 

I said, “Thank you for agreeing to cope with me, in case such a situation arises.”

So thus, I cleared one obstacle from the path, and the obstruction was my Mother, who would force me, for sure, to marry a girl of her choice. I was sure of this situation, as I was brought up by her in such a way that I could not make a decision on my own or overrule her. 

I was projecting scenes to all, but in the background, different things were going on. We see in a play, the actors were performing some action on stage, but the effort behind the curtain to control the movement on the scene is a different action! 

Only those in the background, who are supporting for effective implementation of the play to go on, know what they have to do practically, and none others realize it. Only the Director behind the curtain knows.

Although Maryam had agreed to my second marriage, in case if my mother rejects her and force me to re-marry, and as the situation demands me to convince Mother that I am not married to Maryam, but I did not want to do this. 

I learn from my mistakes and also from other’s mistakes. 

I have seen my father, who had married twice and had faced problems due to his two marriages; hence I did not want to repeat that mistake! I frankly don’t want to re-marry, I will stick to my wife till the end of the world, but still, I told Maryam: 'Be prepared for it.' 

I am now coming to the reason for this! My mother was my Father’s second wife! The first two sisters of mine are from my father’s first wife, whom we call Badimaa. I followed these sisters; the fourth child was again born to Badimaa, and the fifth and last one was born to my mother. Such is our family tree. So we are a total of 5 siblings!

Now I am narrating a dangerous part that had an impact on my love story!

The 5th son, my real and the youngest brother, married even before me! He, too, had a love marriage!! His love marriage had several complexities, like a Police case, a rental room, his wife not accepting the Islam religion properly, she was also not reading Quran and forced my brother to stay away from the family members. These complexities shadowed everybody’s life in my family, particularly my mother. In the year 2019 onward by the grace of Allah, everyone in the brother family live happily and following the path of Allah.

But my brother's marriage set an example for me; as I said, I learn from the mistakes of others. I told Maryam that whatever mistakes my brother and his wife have done, none of them you will repeat. She didn’t follow the Islam religion, but you will have to perform your duty and follow Islam religiously. You are not doing this for me, as you have accepted the doctrine willfully; you will have to follow it religiously, without any fault. Even if you have no strength or endurance to listen to others, commenting on you, or you don’t have the patience to accept what people say. You have to endure so that tomorrow when people like my relatives, neighbors, etc. question me, I should be in a position to face them and not get embarrassed. I want you to behave like a true Muslim woman. I know the atmosphere you reared in is entirely different from the one you are going to experience. I made it very clear to her that she doesn’t have to change herself just because she wants to stay with me, but adopt the Islam religion elegantly, from the heart once accepted. 

Even six months before our marriage, I had asked her for the umpteenth time, if she is sure to accept the Islam religion, and she honestly agreed every time I asked. She was very much clear with her mind. And after that, she had adopted Islam religion with its mannerisms. 

It’s not that I had asked her under any emotional pressure to accept the religion. Even after she agreed to accept religion, I gave her an additional time of six months to think over. And in this duration of six months, I had arranged two Muslim female friends, who knew all the rituals of Islam, to train her to be a perfect Muslim woman!

She completed her training within six months and posted that, she accepted the Muslim religion with required religious formalities gracefully. 

And we married on 5th September 2013. 

To be precise, I told her in January 2013, she thought over and agreed to comply in February 2013, and those two girls trained her for a further six months. She was happy in accepting the Islamic religion and learning all the mannerisms. She adopted it as her religion! 

The training ended before 5th September 2013, and she completed all the procedures of accepting Islam. After giving her sufficient time, and with her consent, 

AND WE GOT MARRIED!!

The brother’s issue had helped me in framing my mind as regards what to do & what not to do, in my case.

Although a twist in the story! Even after accepting the religion, she was scared! I said: ‘There is still no problem! I can give you a Talaaq if you need so. 

No issues!!!

All this happened between September 2013 & August 2014. 

But in these 14 days in Dubai, there were two things. First, Maryam has to learn what I had told her to learn in detail. So it will give me the confidence to face people. Second, I didn’t want her to follow the mistakes; my brother and his wife did. 

I said: ‘so you decide whether you are going to do what you are supposed to do, after accepting Islam religion or if you don’t intend, please make it very clear.’ 

I put up these points to her.

There are still more questions facing me. Days were passing of those 14 days. Questions kept rising: 

I had my office. I had to decide what I should say and what not to say there. How to tackle the situation if arise out of my disclosure. 

Next was Maryam’s family.

What will be the consequences when her father comes to know? He is a policeman. I was planning to prepare for the worst. 

What can happen? Worst come worst, I might get beaten up and locked in jail. My career would be screwed! What if I agree to continue my wedding with Maryam? 

I was working on these possibilities.

There was one more intricacy. Maryam's mother was a heart patient. How to take care of her? She might get another stroke even if she comes to know me by my name!! Maryam laughed at me when I shared this with her.    

The next intricate part was my mother. From Maryam’s point of view, I had no issue, whether to have her as my wife or not, she agreed to it. I could decide on it, 

I had an option there. If I continue, I knew how to tackle her parents. The road is open there. But I was not sure if she would be the only wife for me! My mother can create that situation, and I had to oblige her. 

I had solutions on what Maryam has to do in case the members outside my family and the other people, i.e., ‘Gang of 4 people’ who considers having the birthright to interfere in other’s private life, raise a question on Maryam or me or even my family. 

Similarly, I had to plan to deal with Maryam's family, to tackle office if any politician is involved or if the police are in the picture, what to do. 

I had answers to all these questions. But I had no clue whatsoever as to how to tell this to my mother! It was surprising to know how it took so long for me to tell my mother. I admit that I really couldn’t say anything to my mother for such a long time, and I had to wait till the time matured. 

There is a reason for it. I had this experience of whatever I thought of, was rejected by my mother. This situation was the practice since my childhood. Suppose if I have decided to go from a particular road, and if I find my mother standing mid-way to stop me from going ahead, I had to change the route as per her wish! Or I had to drop the idea itself! 

Let me put it the other way.  

When a baby elephant is tied up with an iron chain, no matter how much it tries to break, it cannot! Its efforts for a few years to rescue itself fail. It gets inscribed in its mind that it can never get rid of the chain throughout its life! When the same elephant grows up, it is tied up with a rope and not with an iron chain. Although it can break it with ease, it doesn’t try to break; it thinks that if it couldn’t cut it since its childhood, how can it break now? 

It doesn’t realize that earlier was a metal chain, and it has a breakable rope!

Similar thing happened to me! 

My family has brought me up with that bonding, similar to the baby elephant. I couldn’t change my path. Was always following what my mother used to say. Further, there was a story added to this situation between me & my mother. I had observed her during my brother’s marriage. He ran away to marry a girl of a different religion. I have seen what has happened at home. What mental pressure my mother had gone through. My mother was losing her hearing power due to mental stress, started using a hearing aid. There was a police case registered. The girl’s grandparents had paralysis. 

So it was a great concerning issue for me to handle these issues. Compared to my brother's situation, mine had more complications. Since his issue had already affected my mother’s health, she was too weak to digest another similar matter, and it would certainly further deteriorate her state, mentally & physically.   

In my IT field, we have a pattern to follow: 

When we face a task of higher significance to resolve, we have a system to tackle it. To start with, we first divide the task into smaller parts (Modules wise). Then we address them individually and merge them to execute. 

For me, I had a matter of more profound concern to tackle and to save Anah. 

Anah is the pet name of my daughter, and her real name is KhazAnah. 

Khaz means Individual and Anah implies patience.

KhazAnah means treasure!

You can sum up it as Shahnawaz Individual patience.

So I had in my mind how to protect my daughter. I was discussing with Maryam, make her realise that I am planning how to fix the matters. 

I was not thinking about anybody! I was thinking of myself, how to get out of these complexities! 

Yes! I was that selfish-minded then! 

Because I am simply a common man and not a God to save all, a common man with limited income support from the job, and practically no financial backing from family, to handle such risky issues. So my thinking to save myself was entirely rational. 

When I updated my chart, it had all these questions drafted, such as: 

Maryam’s love, her wishes, needs, happiness, grief, thoughts, and the thoughts of my mother, how the rest of family members would think & react, what others would think and how they behave. The chart also had the question about her father, who was a policeman for decades, his reputation, what he will think of & how he will react, how he will treat me! What is the planning & dreams of Maryam’s parents about her lavish marriage, what their rest of family members would think of, and what about her unmarried elder sister, in particular? Her sister’s wedding would hamper if my secret wedding is exposed, probably may not marry ever! 

I will also face trouble at my office. The police might interrogate the staff, and I might even lose my reputation, my business, my clients, and ultimately the office. I will ruin to dust! 

Thus I could foresee everybody’s expectations, wishes, problems, complexities, etc. 

I had lost my father in 2013, so I couldn't expect moral support from home, and my mother was worried about how she will comply with her duties towards marriages of rest children, in the absence of my father. 

This duty was an addition to the list of questions I had to handle, in my chart. 

There was another complication: It was my inability to refuse the wishes of my mother since my status was like that grown-up and chained elephant!

Because of the complications, I had with my mother, which arises during my brother’s wedding, I couldn’t decide how to share my situation with her. My mother always used to tell me: ‘DON’T DO THIS; DON’T DO THAT! What the Gang of 4 people would say! Etc. Since my childhood, I was listening to her ‘Gang of 4 people’ story. And I used to react and say: ‘bring those ‘Gang of 4 people in front of me I would choke them to death! 

I don’t know or care who those ‘Gang of 4 people’ are?’

After my father lost his business in the year 2008, he left Mumbai and left us as well and went to Kerela to Badimaa, his first wife!

He had no option left with him, but to leave us! 

These two ladies, i.e., my Badimaa and my mother, never met each other throughout their life, as long as my father was alive. You can call it an Indian woman’s mentality, challenging to share their marital status although it’s acceptable in Islam of multiple marriages. Here in India, the female has strong possessive feelings about her man. I would call it a continental difference. If you are in Arab countries, wives will look for another woman for their husbands! Not like in India or other Asian countries, where the wife will not only kill the husband in such cases but will kill even that second woman and finally herself as well! Such is the possessive mind, the Indian woman has. 

You can’t change it. One can do nothing in this matter. 

But my father never forced both his wives to stay together! He respected their feelings, independence, and privacy. What he did, he never kept the children separate. We all five siblings stayed together, which I liked very much. And I am grateful to my father for it! 

The above-cited family structure has helped me a lot to execute my plan, as he taught me a lot. 

I will come to that later.

So, I am noting down what I have to do about my mother, my family, her ‘4people’ gang, about Maryam, what and how they might do. 

For these 12 days, I penned down all the answers, and I was sure what I should do on the 12th day, and so also for the remaining two days. 

I had to decide whether I should stay with Maryam or not. 

When I viewed the chart I drafted, I thought everything is right. I was in a dilemma as I could not see anything or anybody wrong from any point of view. Everybody has needs, expectations, happiness, grieves. I could realize all of it. And on the 12th day, I had a question again in my mind, and I lost my temper and got up in frustration and said to myself: ‘Eh! Let’s leave this chart! I will go out and stroll.’ because I remember,

Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the FACE.

~Mike Tyson.

But I still had some hope!

I left my room, went to another room belonging to my friend, who was on his bed, about to sleep. 

I told him: ‘See! I won’t tell you my matter, but I want to ask you a question!” 

He said, ’Oh! You are not telling me the issue, still, you are asking me a question on it, or you want a solution for it? OK, proceed!”

‘See,’ I continued: ‘The right side of this issue is legitimate, and the left side of it is also correct. Neither side is wrong! Not even the slightest difference between them, nobody is wrong. All are legitimate in their stance. It’s like the right side of it and the left side, both are cent percent correct. In such a situation, I can’t decide whom I should select and how to go about it? Please give me some hint so that I will get an answer.” 

He replied: ‘Shahnawaz! I don’t know what topic you are discussing, but my manager told me once: ‘If you have any problem in your life, then view it from a distance, give it an aerial view! Don’t get unnecessarily plunged in it! 

View it from a distance! If you view it as a close-up, you won’t judge it accurately. 

Now I was considering myself as a 3rd person! This statement of his rang a bell in my mind! At this moment, I used all my experiences of life, and I remembered a point! 

I used to see Lord Ganesh's procession in Mumbai: How they bring the idol, pray, celebrate, dance, and take back, after a week, for an immersion. If I have to get an arrival view of the departure procession properly, the best way is to go to the terrace of a building. The aerial view gives you a minute detail of the scene. Who is doing what, what is going on Etc? 

So when my friend told me to see the problem from a distance to get a detailed view, I struck an idea! I was thrilled, jumped on his bed, kissed my friend, and advised him to sleep! And I moved out! I went back to my room, looked at the chart, pushed it away from me, and gazed from a distance! 

Things got rewind! Maryam’s expectations, her happiness, her grieves, my Mother’s expectations, her happiness, the views of her ‘Gang of 4 people’, Maryam’s mother’s expectations, her elder sister’s marriage, her father’s reputation, everything I could visualize. Everybody’s concerns I could feel. Just like a Kaleidoscope! 

Looking at these matters, among all the issues and people, I could not see the fault of that baby, the child; Maryam is going to give birth! 

The Baby knows nothing. Grieve, happiness, neither about the World nor about how it will end!

She doesn’t even know the importance of breathing! What I will teach her, guide her, and educate her, she will follow. She is not at fault in this entire matter of ours. If I have to rest people’s issues of happiness and grieve aside, will they be more important than the life of an unborn baby? 

And it struck my mind: that child is divine; the Baby knows nothing about the fact, the situation outside the embryo, right & wrong aspect of life. 

I fixed my mind! I told myself: ‘Save this child! Let everything else go to hell!’ 

I was over-joyed with the decision, which gave me immense pleasure! I got a path to move ahead! I said to myself: ‘Wow! What a decision!’ 

I patted my own back! 

Then I decided to stop viewing the chart, and now it’s time to act on it! I was firm in my mind in these 14 days, what I should do and what my priorities will be. 

Now it was crystal clear that Maryam is safe because of the unborn child, and I don’t have to part with her, and she will be my life partner! 

Yes! But it wasn’t clear if she could be my only wife or I will have a second wife! 

I had to give priority to my mother’s wishes and expectations also. 

I am putting my mother’s issue ahead of Maryam now, because of her precarious state of health. I started enlisting my actions of priority to implement; thus, I had to place my mother ahead of Maryam! 

I returned to India, met Maryam, and told her: ‘So this is the scenario! There is a possibility that I might need to re-marry, so don’t get depressed or sad. As regards your medication of pregnancy and post-birth care of the child is concerned, I will manage everything, OK, you will have no complaints from me, I promise!

Now the most important topic was how much time was left for pregnancy. 

So on 16th August 2014, I sent Maryam for sonography; the pregnancy period was now into 4months and 15days.

And I realized that it had crossed the limit! I cannot think of any abortion! What I did, I met the Doctor who did the sonography. There were questions in my mind that could only a Doctor can answer. I consulted the doctor for almost an hour. As I had Science faculty in my college, I was aware of pregnancy & the human body. I did my first year of college in Science, second in Commerce, and pre-graduation course, i.e., 13th year to 15th year, through Information Technologies!

The science I learned in the first year of my college helped me. I was fond of researching the human body. Chemistry & Physics were my favorite subjects. 

So I asked my first question, perhaps a weird one: 

‘Doctor, when the belly is noticeable in pregnancy?’ She said, ‘after 5th month, but if the height of a woman is relatively shorter, the belly is noticeable even before the 5th month. If the height is higher, say 5.7, in that case, the stomach is prominent from the time of 5months & 15 days onwards! I started my calculations; even an expert man will be surprised looking at the kind of calculation I was doing! 

Behold! Now I will tell you what I did! It’s a big story! 

It was 30th August 2014, and the pregnancy stage was already into the 5th month. 

I said: ‘Doctor! Considering Maryam’s height & weight, how much in inches, her belly will noticeable?’ 

My question was weird! I was considering belly size in inches! As she (doctor) was about to tell me, I intervened & said: ‘I am OK with variable stats also, no need of static reply!’ This explanation would help me plan when I can extricate Maryam out from her parent’s home. I was trying to make my side siner. The Doctor replied that on five months & 28th days to be precise, the belly would be noticeable, considering her height! I was thinking: ‘Oh, I got 28 days left with me’!!!! 

I was relieved! It’s enough time for me on hand, since earth completes one round of travel around the sun in 24hours, and for me, this period of 28 days is more than sufficient! 

I thanked the Doctor and went to Maryam, told her that she needs to change her dresses! She has to change from Jeans & T-shirt to lose clothing like Salwar Kameez. She can continue wearing them until I tell her to stop wearing them. She started wearing those loose dresses. And due to her height, she was lookinhad g like a normal woman and no view of pregnancy at all! Just like a normal lady! It was surprising that she was going to her parents for 28 days, staying there, visiting my office, and literally, nobody still came to know that she is pregnant! I told her to stick to the practice of wearing loose salwar kameez, I will buy you an extra set, but till then, wear them for these 28 days, so that it keeps your body free and nobody will notice the pregnancy or increasing body weight.’ 

It was like sending her to a lion’s den and asking to stay safe there! 

What if the parents notice? I told her to stay for those 28 days with her mother, as I was not sure, post that, where she will be waiting! I did not have any alternate arrangements! Till then, she had to stay with her family members. She was working in my office, traveling from her home to my office. 

She was working in my office before our wedding, and that is where our love affair spurred! As there were girls already working in my office, her parents allowed her to work. My activities were growing. One of the two girls was a Marathi girl named Dhanashree Jawle, a Corporate Trainer. In case when it was not possible to attend an IT Product training session, I was sending Dhanashree Jawle to conduct a training program with Wipro, HP, L&T, ATOS, Delta in India, since she was an experienced staff, compared to others. 

I am citing this activity since it is part of my story, so, therefore, it is necessary. The Vendors contact me, and I have to go there, clear the Interview personally, or sometimes, I used to do the training through telecalls if required. The Interviews, in many cases, were attended on a telephonic call. But Dhanashree had to visit the vendors in Mumbai personally because she was relatively a lesser experienced as compared to me. Based on the Interview, she used to get an Assignment; accordingly, she had to proceed to Delhi, Hyderabad Etc. 

I told Maryam to tell all the activities of Dhanashree to her father.

So I was like arching arrows in the dark. I had no planning as to what I was going to do; how I will tackle the entire situation together and use them. I did not skip any single moment. I have to utilize every hour, every minute, and even every second of all the remaining 28 these days!

There was a reason why I knew the importance of seconds. I have experienced the value of 30 seconds, from an incidence of my life. I was calculating these seconds. I was implementing the situation with planning, or I was playing as per the case arising.  

So the planning was, Maryam should wear those loose dresses and hide pregnancy at home for 28 days. There was a motive behind this. The job profile of Dhanashree is to be shared by Maryam with her parents. During this time, somewhere before the 16th of August, when I was unaware of Maryam’s pregnancy, I was staying at Bhiwandi, an outskirt of Mumbai. I sent Maryam to Andheri, a suburb in proper Mumbai, for the training job, so that she is aware of the job profile of Dhanashree. She was there for ten days of training. But she didn’t succeed and failed in an interview, as she was weak in English.

As I said, my story began on 16th August 2014. But God had started the story, four & a half months before.

Let me explain how! Before I knew about the pregnancy, during the Ramzan festival, which was one month before 16th August, she maintained Roza, i.e., a fast for the entire month of Ramzan. The fast keeps the baby in embryo healthy, the blood remains pure, since there is no waste of food in the abdomen, and it keeps the stomach clean. The entire month of fasting is not only for Allah(God). If you refer to the human body, as I said earlier, science subject was my favorite, we eat for 11 months, and there is a lot of waste gathered. Still, if we keep Roza (i.e., fast) for a month, our body system becomes so clean and healthy, that we have the least chances of getting sick! 

Fasting helps cure cancer, as well!

So due to Roza, the embryo became healthy, free of body waste. Her training started ten days before the Ramzan and lasted for the next ten days, i.e., a total of 20 days. It is the period when a pregnant female gets giddiness. Her training period was on, and I was unaware of pregnancy (if I were aware, I would have got her aborted, but Allah knew that I am a cunning man, and I would have gone for it!! 

So He didn’t give me a chance to go for it, and I came to know about it at a stage of fourth months & 15 days; thus, I was left literally with no choice of abortion. Since it was above three months, the chance of aborting the baby with pills was gone! 

Medically, you have to consume pills within two months. The doctor can do the abortion before the 5th month, according to the Doctor. Some people take a risk even after the 5th month, but it’s quite dangerous for the woman.  

During those 20 days with that giddiness, she continued the training. It became her routine to get up at 6 AM, catch an auto to Thane station, take a crowded train to Ghatkopar, and catch an automobile again to Andheri. Initially, all was well. But 3-4 days later, she felt giddy on the train and started sweating. She sat down; somebody offered chocolate to maintain blood pressure. 

She told me about this incidence on the 5th day. I got misunderstanding that since she is traveling in severe conditions, which may be the cause of giddiness. I told her: ‘It happened with me as well,’ to relieve her of any tension. But it can never happen to me, and I was wondering why did I say that? Lol!! 

Even she had a feeling that due to tough traveling and putting excess efforts in the job, which she did for the first time, it might have caused giddiness, and I was thinking alike. But God was thinking something different, and nobody knows what He thinks! 

I told her to start eating what is useful during traveling. I told her to start a healthy diet to withstand tough traveling. This diet suggestion was due to the consequence of her giddiness in traveling. Such a strange coincidence of suggesting diet required for the state she was in, and we both were unaware of it!! When a lady is pregnant, the family members take all possible care like, start a different diet, control the movement, the way of living. I started the same thing to withstand the traveling pressure and stress of the job, not knowing the pregnancy!! See the game of God!!

 I told her not only to change the diet but to change the mode of traveling also. I suggested her take an auto from Thane to Andheri directly and do not bother about the expenses. I also arranged juices, fruits, and organized a stock of healthy food at the Andheri office! At home, before leaving in the morning, I suggested she consume two boiled eggs and black tea. In case if she travels by train, I told her to have a chocolate. With this diet, she was feeling better. As Ramzan followed, during this journey, she became healthy due to Roza. 

During the training period and the Ramzan, which spanned for about a month and a half, she remained healthy. Her face started glowing because of Ramzan's diet, and a pregnant woman gets a natural glow as well!

But she failed in the training. I told Maryam to tell her family members about Dhanashree: what her job is so that they are also aware. Those days, Dhanashree had cleared her interview, so she was planned to visit India. 

Thus, my first day of planning had the Doctor as a topic of the subject. 

The second & third days were of Dhanashree, as the topic. 

Maryam’s daily travel now did not disturb her health & it was under control. 

Now it was time to extricate Maryam out of her parent’s house. In these 28 days, I could bear rest things, but I was keen to extricate Maryam before her family members notice her pregnancy. 

Till now, only we both were aware of the story and of course Allah! 

Now it was the time due for Dhanashree to come into the picture, time to share this secret!  

I called Dhanashree in a mall and narrated her entire story. She was shocked to hear that Maryam is pregnant! She was almost going to hit me like a boxer who uses the punching bag to run, but I pleaded with her to stop and listen to me carefully and that she can beat me later as much as she feels, for the moment, help me! 

She questioned: ‘What kind of help?’ I said: ‘nothing serious to worry about, but there can be a possibility that Maryam will tell her family members about you going to Hyderabad or Delhi for a training session, and I will too have to accompany her. 

So perhaps her father might speak to you. 

Dhanashree Jawle was Marathi speaking, like Maryam. It was a plus point for me. I told her: ‘If Maryam’s father calls you, you don’t speak in Hindi but speak in Marathi and he will feel trusted. The language does make a difference in India, so I used it as a tool. She asked me what to say. I replied: Nothing much, but say that we both appeared for an interview, I got through, but Maryam couldn’t, and so a second Interview will be held for her in Hyderabad or Bangalore. I told Dhanashree to be ready with this answer. Dhanashree did get a call from Maryam’s father, asking for details as expected! She informed him that the Interview, after Mumbai, will be now at Bangalore or Hyderabad. The job will be in Mumbai, but an interview will be in either of these cities. 

 Dhananshree convinced Maryam’s father with her explanations, which was my brain work! Although being a policeman, he would never show that he is satisfied. We just kept our fingers crossed. Somehow, we have to get Maryam out of the house. 

Getting her out of the house was going on, consuming days. Finally, a moment came, where I told Maryam that I need your help. I am planning to extricate! There was other planning in the background too. Besides the planning, concerning Dhanashree & Maryam to be executed, there was other planning as regards office-related matters, which I needed to attend. This planning for 28 days was to save Maryam & the child. After Dhanashree told Maryam’s father as per plan, despite a day passed, but he did not respond! 

So my next move was this: I told Maryam, ‘Today when you will go home, create an emotional drama! Say: “I have to do this job! I have to make money, my career.” But you have to do this drama before your mother. Be sure that you do it in the absence of your father! Otherwise, you will surely land in trouble! Later, your mother will convince your father. Leave that job to her! 

It worked as we planned. And Maryam managed to do the same, somehow, and her mother agreed to that! She permitted her to go!! And she promised to convince her father also!

Maryam was in such a happy mood that she came to me and said: ‘Mother has agreed!’ 

But now Maryam had a new surprise for me! (Something was unexpected of her, at this stage). 

Maryam now wants to marry, not fleeing away from home! But she wants to marry as per the complete rituals of marriage! 

I was stunned! As if thrown out of the world! Taken aback!! Shell shocked!!! The shock of my life!!! 

Was it a comedy she was doing? I asked: ‘Who is making you run?’ 

She said: ‘No! I don’t want to marry that way!’ 

I said: ‘Oh look at the time we have in our hand, and you are saying you want to marry as per the rituals?’ 

I was almost out of my head for a moment. I was like defused, like a restarting machine. What the hell she is talking about? My entire planning would go haywire. She was adamant that her parents should traditionally wed her, with Heena/ Mehendi, on her palms, and with a paternal sendoff ceremony! I felt clueless! 

I wondered: ‘What can I do to this lady? And this was her first condition of the marriage!’ 

The situation put me in between a well, a creek, fire, and those ‘Gang of 4 people’ licensed to question other’s private life. Several troubling issues already surrounded me, and now she is coming up with this fancy idea of marriage as per tradition, including a paternal sendoff ceremony!! 

I didn’t know whether to cry or laugh! 

I somehow controlled me. I said: ‘Ok, let’s see!!’

I could think further about what she couldn’t. So I called one of those two girls who had taught her everything about Islam rites & rituals. The Eid festival was on the 15th, and the Bakri-EId festival was also nearby. 

I had a way out in my mind. I asked that girl, Shabina, ‘Can you come here with Mehendi applied to your palms?’ Shabina obliged and arrived within two days. Shabina Shaikh was the first investor in my M/s. HKMARYAM company, Maryam saw the Mehendi on her palm and exclaimed like a child, at once: ‘I want similar Mehendi on my palms! I want same Mehendi on my palms.’ I told Shabina, ‘Buy a Mehendi cone from Altamash Cone shop and apply it on her palm, right now! 

I knew what to do further. We had EId and Basi-EId. So I was projecting that on the occasion of these festivals, Maryam had applied Mehendi like Shabina. 

While Mehendi was applied, Maryam started talking with me as the Mehendi color was getting darker. She said: ‘Oh, how much you love me!’ 

I said to myself: Oh! Can you realize my love only after fulfilling your requests? The love has gone out of the window now. No issues, I can bear this for you. As you are pregnant, I wish you should remain healthy and stress-free!     

Another day passed. And both her parents arrived at my office! Unexpectedly! Her mother came first to the office, and her father followed later. I praised myself as I had done so much drama and planning for her father to come to me! He was going to talk with me, and for all his questions, I had planned everything minutely, so I was well prepared for his issues. I was aware when her father comes, what exactly I have to project him. Being an IT man, I had the Interview letter kept ready, in Word format, and a booklet showing all the assignments I had so far and my traveling details to all those places, from where I get assignments. I told Maryam to show all these ‘Documentary Proof’ to her father. He was being informed about Dhanashree and me, along with that ‘ Documentary proof’ so that he gets trusted that this man, i.e., me, is a genuine person, sending staff to different locations for interviews. 

Later, he will come to know who and what is Shahnawaz Malbari! He is not just a Muslim guy but a decent guy as well. Not a crook! He does International traveling for the sake of business. 

Earlier even my mother had a thought about me that I am a smuggler or something like that, as I was a frequent International traveler, going out of India, as she or any of her relatives had never traveled even within Mumbai! Her son was traveling to Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai, Bangalore, Puna, Oman, Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Africa, etc., so they had a misconception about me that I am a smuggler doing illicit activities! Ha Ha! And I wanted dearly to change the impression they had in their mind and change it gradually. Because, if I project all the topics and proof at once, they will find something is fishy about me, so to show everything that matters, expose step by step.

Hence I told Maryam: ‘Please don’t discuss all the issues together at once, in this meeting. Just show them these few documents. And more important, show your salary slips, to convince her father that his daughter is working in a safe atmosphere. 

When she told her mother about me, her mother questioned: How much he earns! Typical question by mothers, eyeing boys for their daughter!! Ha Ha!!

Maryam replied: ‘Not much, just a Hundred Thousand per month.’ Her mother was shocked to hear: ‘A Hundred Thousand a month? And you say it’s not more? It’s too much!’ She was surprised. 

I was doing business those days, not a job like what I am currently doing, and I had all these assignments showing my business.   

I wanted to project Dhanashree from a business point of view and to make her family know about what Shahnawaz is. 

My diet management for Maryam also continued.

Her father was in the office for about half an hour, talking to me.

’Shahnawaz! What is your profile? What’s about these Interviews, Training, etc.? 

I replied ‘Sir! It’s a training task, and she will have to go to Hyderabad. If she clears it, she will get a job of undertaking Training for others, but in Mumbai. Later she will leave this Bhiwandi job and join a new position in proper Mumbai.

I told him she needs to do up-down to attend job in Mumbai.’ I was simultaneously studying her father’s facial expression and was skeptical if he would permit his daughter or not.

I said. ‘It won’t be a daily traveling within Mumbai, but when she gets a task, she can do the same from this office or even from her home! You have already seen her working from home earlier. He nodded: ‘OK’, Then followed some more questions, like how to go, when to go. I said, ’Sir, I will update you in due course of time. I am asking you now because I needed your permission. Once you permit, I can speak to the concerned in those cities and fix her Interview. The date, they will give, I will update you, Maryam has to go there, a couple of days before and offer Interview. And this will be for two days and post it; she will return to Mumbai. I will send money for the train tickets to you for her to-&-from traveling.’

I deliberately said train ticket, not flight ticket as I had IRCTC booking facility.

Thus, during the period from 30^th August to 11^th September, I completed all the tasks of Dhanashree & Maryam, convincing her mother, etc. I had completed these tasks in

11 days. The execution of planning for 28 days is still pending. So in these 11 days, I have arranged to get Maryam out of her house.

And this was exciting planning.  On 12^th September, Maryam’s father escorted her to me, with her baggage! I was deliberately standing out of my office.

He said, ‘Here you are! Take her with you and proceed for traveling!’

I said to me: ‘Thank you, Sir, for giving me such a statement. J’

After her father left, I murmured in Maryam’s ears: ‘Maryam! I have fulfilled your wishes! You have Mehendi in your palms, and your father has just given you a paternal sendoff also, which you wanted so seriously’ J is that OK? Now no more complaints!! I have fulfilled all your wishes! You did not say: I should come on a horse with Sehera on my face and you will be in bride sari, I am sorry J’

I was laughing aloud, showing a fit of false anger and she too busted in a laugh.  Both of us were laughing for a long.

Finally, I extricated her in this manner and that too in these eleven days!!

Now, in these 11 days, I arranged for a home in Mumbra, Mumbai’s, suburban on the outskirt of the city, with a Muslim pre-dominated population. I selected that location since my friend named Mehrunisha was staying there with her entire family, a big family. Although I got Maryam extricated and since I have still not made a comfortable situation where Maryam could join my family, I chose another home for the time being, with a similar living atmosphere, so that she will not miss her family, which again is not a good sign for her health, and I did not want it. Because it was sure she would lose her family badly, as time passes, she might develop a strong desire to go back to her family and do something that could defuse my whole planning, which I NEVER wished, something I would not accept. Besides, it will also affect her health. So I choose living accommodation with a Muslim family around.

 I tried creating a secure living atmosphere for Maryam at the new location. Nobody knew where we are staying. The reason for all this is, those in office had a belief that Madame, as they called Maryam in office, has gone to Hyderabad for an Interview. Her parents too had a similar conclusion.

But the fact remains, she was in Mumbra as I wanted her to stay in a family atmosphere.

In those 11 days, I could visualize a couple of things — the newly renovated home. I was taking for her, different from a typical rented old house with lesser facilities. I felt like I am purchasing a new home. And I wanted that feeling for Maryam to get, as that would please her psychologically. I too was satisfied with it, and I fixed the deal with an Estate Agent for a Security Deposit of Rs. 24000/- and monthly rent of Rs. 6000/- & his commission equal to 1-month rent, as per the market practice.

I was keen on shifting Maryam at the earliest. But the new place required cleaning, getting the necessary stuff, vessels, a double bed for her to sleep, etc. to fix at the proper home. I stressed the need for free space for Maryam in the house. So I did not dump it with extra furniture. I took care of significant cleaning work there, hired a person from my office for my assistance, placing stuff in such a way that it could not cause hindrance, and moving for Maryam would be easy. Thus the home was ready from all perspectives. The new home was in a position to live before the extrication of Maryam from her parent’s house!

I shared the photos of a neat, clean and spacious home highlighting the sufficient space, for Maryam to move. I instructed her to do all the light work at home so that she will not have any medical issues later.  

We scheduled to make a Home-entry on 12^th September. With a chant of Bismillah, we both made a home entry. It was a small Entry ceremony. Further, I donated homemade food to a nearby Durgah.

We felt pleased. Now this point was clear. Maryam was secured there, in the homely-like atmosphere, although without her parents. The second point was it was near Mehrunisha had a big family and Maryam would never miss her own family. There was another reason for taking the help of Mehrunisha and her family. I knew Mehrunisha from the time I was doing my IT course, her family members adored me too much, and her mother treated me like her son. There is a reason behind this.

During my course in IT, Mehrunisha, who too was doing her IT course, accidentally lost her one sister. I always felt that I have a sixth sense of power within me. Whenever I think that my friends are in trouble or problem, or they are unfortunate, requiring my need, I get an instinct that somebody is in trouble and needs my help. Hence I immediately approach them and start discussing their problems and try to resolve them. That’s what my nature is. During the entire course, I never made a single call to Mehrunisha. But I don’t know why, on that particular day, I got up at 8 AM and felt like calling her. So I left home and went to a PCO and called her:

‘Salaam Alaikum! I just thought of you and felt that you need some help. Is there any matter? Did anybody say anything to you? I feel you are in some trouble; please share if there is something.’

But she did not reply or could not say anything and instead she started crying over the phone! As all the relatives surrounded her, I could hear the background crying noise! She said: ‘Shahnawaz I can’t talk to you now. I am going to Kurla; I will catch you later.’ I said ok and cut the line. Two days later, I came to know that she had accidentally lost her sister!

I scold her: ’Next time don’t do this again! Whatever is the situation, be frank enough and share with me your problem. I can think of any solutions, which can cushion you.

If there is any issue in the family do tell me, I will come and try to solve the situation, as best as I can. You are not a particular person to keep the matters within you.’ So she felt a bit better.

Later, there came another crisis in her life. She had to hospitalize her mother for some critical ailment, and her father was in Saudi and to get permission to go back, he would consume time. It will practically take a day or two or even more for him to be present here. But here the situation was of an emergency, time was scarce, and everyone was needed to be on toes. And there came a moment of blood requirement for her mother, obviously an emergency! They weren’t getting the required blood, even from her family members and known people.

So without any hesitation this time, she called on me and told me that her mother was in a hospital and her blood count was reducing. So she requires blood, in an emergency, and they were not getting the same from anywhere. Time was clicking out. I asked her blood group, which did not match mine too. And I remembered an incidence when my mother required blood, due to a reduction in blood platelets. And I realized that there is a procedure in Blood Bank that you need to donate your plasma, irrespective of any blood group, against which we get the blood required by us. Thus they get a new stock of blood, and in return, they can give us the required blood. I had this experience.

So I asked Mehrunisha to inquire with Doctors in Ghatkopar, where her mother was hospitalized, about the availability of a Blood Bank. Go & and collect the required blood and in return, I will go there the next day morning and donate my blood. That will save crucial time! Time was the most critical factor, which is always in such incidences. If I had to travel to Ghatkopar, it would consume a lot of time which was, in no condition acceptable. So I too spoke with the Doctor at Blood Bank and assured him of my blood donation the next morning as we were running out of time and requested him to hand over the required blood group. He noted my name & contact number, and based on humanity, gave the necessary blood to Mehrunisha. I fulfilled the needed procedure of blood donation early the next morning.

This incident had a significant impact on her entire family. Thus I was there, helping in need of time, whereas nobody else was in a position of assisting the family.

As they say: A stitch in time saves nine!

Her father, on his arrival from Saudi, thanked me a lot. I replied, ‘No issues Uncle,’

I had to arrange the blood which I did, not a big deal. Your mother required it!’

It was a slip of my tongue, and I corrected ‘Sorry, I mean Mehrunisha’s mother required it!’ I fixed it in a bit of faltering way, which made him laugh too.

This incident had increased respect for me in her family to a great extent. Her entire family now knew who Shahnawaz was. I didn’t know how big her family was. But the big family knew me now, what I am!

With this incident, I preferred to share the plight of my love story with them before I could tell my own family! So comfortable I was with them, I felt that secured. I too addressed her mother as my Mother.

So I told her family about my marital life and also sought their help. I said this deliberately after extrication because I did not want to trouble anybody, including Mehrunisha’s family.

I did not want to accept anybody’s advice or any interference in my plan of getting Maryam extricated from her parent’s home since I had my full proof of planning with lots of thinking. No matter how well-wisher a person is, he/she has a different pattern of thought, differing from my habit of thinking and my marital state was highly secretive. So I did not want any divulgence. I just wanted matters restricted between Maryam, me & Allah.

I disclosed this issue with the people as and when the time was due to share with the concerned person.

We did a home-entry procedure on the 12^th & I told Mehrunisha’s mother on 15^th, i.e. three days later. She caught my ear and slapped me as well. Well, as a mother, she did her duty! I had no grudge! So I said, this is the scene and here is your daughter-in-law, please take care of her, I am moving!! J

With this, I had a relaxed situation in the best way for me from the worries of how and who will take care of Maryam. I am always grateful to this family, who cushioned my life.

She was visiting this family regularly and was practicing Islamic rituals, which every Muslim should know by heart.

Things were happening as planned. I was attending a Mumbra issue from 1^st September till 11^th September.

I had settled Maryam at the new home, but I need to think of me now. I was thinking about how to make myself safe. I was going as per the sequences, and it was now my turn, as Maryam’s father was in the Police Department!

My next plan was to speak with a Lawyer to legalize my marital status documents.

I wanted the lawyer to legalize my marriage as per the Indian Government Marriage Act, i.e. to register our marriage. I approached Dhanashree’s husband about this matter, but he hesitated. That phase had given me minimal time, so if anybody is doing anything for me by hook or crook, I am ok, but if he is not doing anything, I take up the matter myself and finish it. I can’t afford to waste my time. So I was not waiting for others to action if there is a delay I initiate.

I shared the matter with Dhanashree’s husband as she knew it. He agreed to talk to a lawyer, but he took a day and did not revert.

So I decided to go to Thane.

I was not looking for a lawyer in Bhiwandi, my local area where I stay, because Bhiwandi is a place where Hindu-Muslim riots often take place! It’s that sensitive. I mean it’s like a source of a troubled river. If I approach any lawyer here or even a typist or a clerk, they will come to know about this case of a Hindu-Muslim marriage and would mess it. One can imagine the horrible situation it could generate. It was that explosive. Thus I dropped the idea of a local lawyer. I went to Thane, 20KM away from Bhiwandi which was much-developed city comparatively, you can say 20 years ahead of Bhiwandi in every matter, like city infrastructure, thinking pattern of people, their standard of living, etc.

So in Thane, I looked for a lawyer and got one named Adv. Aasif Pathan. As it’s said, if you search honestly, you can get Khuda also. I got a lawyer who will help me. When I saw a signboard with his name & telephone number, I called him and asked for an appointment. He asked the matter, I said it’s a matter of love marriage, and I want to meet you. He agreed. We met in the Court but in isolation. He asked me ‘Why did you come to me and not approach anybody in Bhiwandi, as you are from there?’ I told him how sensitive the matter is. He said, Ok, describe me in detail the entire issue. So I put forth the whole point, with minute details, and told him what I am doing and have done so far. I made him aware of my complete planning. He asked me: ‘Why I took such a big risk?’

I answered: ‘For my child.’

He got ready to take up the matter, and the reason behind it was he too was married a non-Muslim woman! J

He advised me: ‘Remember one thing! This issue is so delicate that despite the girl admit that she loves you and that she is standing with you, but once under parents' pressure, the girl might back out and you might get beating land into jail! Your love will fly like a vapor! So play it very safely. Not every girl has courage, especially in front of their parents. I have a lot of experiences in such cases.’

So he guided me with some vital instructions:

No 1: ‘Tell the girl to give in writing that she is adopting the religion on her wish, with her sense and pleasure and not under any pressure;  

No 2: She will give in writing on a back-dated Stamp paper that she is changing her name to Maryam, willfully.

He prepared an agreement between Maryam & me, got it signed by Maryam and told me further to keep it strictly safe with me! It stated that Shahnawaz Malbari will be only a caretaker, not a husband, and that he has no responsibility of what-so-ever of the girl and she is accepting the Muslim religion on her wish, and not without her knowledge or under any pressure.

He said: ‘Please keep it with you only; you don’t know when you might need it. It doesn’t express your selfish intentions but to check the girl! So that she doesn’t misuse it in any situation, or back out in the future!

I realized that I don’t have reason to disbelieve a lawyer as they have much experience due to several similar cases they face, whereas for me it was my first case. They have enough experience in different circumstances, but the story is more or less the same. To type this legal paper, we approached Bhiwandi, where no one was accepting to type! Because the statement declares that the Hindu girl is taking Islam religion. In Bhiwandi, the situation was like a Muslim can sue a case against a Muslim, but if he sues a lawsuit against a Hindu, even an FIR is not registered. They will advise settling the matter at our level, amicably. And if a Hindu lodges a complaint against a Muslim, it will be accepted. That was the situation prevailing there, then.

Thus my case was weak. I thought of solving the issue myself. I just removed the socket from the power and the plug was Maryam. I replaced her maiden Hindu name, with Maryam & got myself safe! My plans worked out!

I fixed my marriage date for 11^th October. I had settled the matters with a lawyer, and also a Policeman from Thane, who became a casual friend of mine, due to my frequent visit there.

Now I looped a Doctor, a Police, and a Lawyer in a string.

I had done with matters related to me. Now I had to deal with issues associated with Maryam’s family!

The new police friend shared a piece of smart advice!

He said: ‘Shahnawaz, in such cases, apply the policy of divide and rule!’

In India, we see this in practice by politicians, a British gift! Separate the Hindus & Muslims to gain political benefit.

‘If you do it,’ he said, ‘you can use them against each other so that they will attack each other and destroy.’

That’s what the Government had done so far.

 I being an IT student, need to bring a level of this strategy a little lower. There is a system in the IT field; if you give your Interview in UP, you will not get a job in the same State, be it any International company, I.e. Wipro, Tata, L&T, or any Corporate. Rarely one gets the situation in the same state where he has given the Interview. In almost 98% of cases, you get a job in a different state/city.

The reason behind it is, you may have political or social influence in the State you are staying in, but if you shift to a different state, you cannot utilize your impact there. You have no option other than doing the job and earning money. You become powerless, that’s the system prevailing. I have seen these being an IT student.

The above situation clicked my brain. I will make Maryam’s father powerless before revealing everything to him. So the next strategy I decided, was to tell Maryam to take the onus of informing entire matter to her parents, and further, I said to Maryam that I will not involve in it, but will guide you on what to do. Thus I stayed back and pushed her ahead. She agreed. I told Maryam how to proceed further.

Things happened as planned during 12^th, 13^th & 14^th September. The first point was, we extricated Maryam on the 12^th, and the second point was renting a home.

Now two days are passed.

According to her parents, their daughter was in Hyderabad. She had an interview on the 13^th & 14^th and will join the job on 15^th in Mumbai. I told Maryam:

’Speak to your parents and tell them that for the time being, I got the job here in Hyderabad and that I will have to stay here for some period! If you wish, you can come to meet me. But I cannot begin in Mumbai since my training is on. By saying this, tell him that it will take 15 days more. You have to plan things in this way. Tell them in such a way that they cannot think or get a chance to meet you, but instead wait till you return.

So she called her parents and said: ‘My interview was successful, but I got a job in Hyderabad, instead of Mumbai and this job is temporary. And for training purposes, I will have to proceed to Bangalore!

Not only this gave us some time but also an excuse for training; her parents did not think of coming to Hyderabad at that moment. ‘Shall return to Hyderabad from Bangalore, the moment my further training gets over.’ She also added.

And it worked! They said: ‘OK, take care of yourself, and be in regular touch with us over the phone.’  I didn’t stop her talking over the phone. J

She extended time by talking over the phone for a further ten days, without her parents visiting her! I told her what next to do.

So thus, we lessened the expected pressure from her parents. But we didn’t tell them anything. 

On September 15^th, Maryam completed five months & fifteen days. I went to the Doctor. I discussed with her about development, her lifestyle, and her diet. She (doctor) said, ‘Let her travel till the 7^th month. After that, she cannot travel, but she can do petty work at home.’ 

I was worried. Somehow, I managed 28 days, and now this new period!

Now she completed five months and fifteen days. During the period from 15^th September till 30^th September, she was learning Arabic, staying with the family of Mehrunisha, learning to cook, learning several new things.

As I was planning to fix the date of the wedding, I also started saving money. The reason for saving money was based on the fundament of Albert Einstein’s theory of E = mc². Energy is equal to the mass square by two circumstances, i.e. time. 

What I mean to say is that if you double the amount of mass & time, you get energy. 

Now I will tell you how I used this theory in my case.  M is Money, C is the time which I doubled, and, i.e. I worked at three different places for 12 days.  The first task was to extricate Maryam with the help of Dhanashree; the second was to take a rented home for her, and the third was to fix the date of our marriage at the same place. And last but not least, I saved the reputation of her Police father. I also zeroed the possibility of a Hindu-Muslim riot by not referring to Maryam’s maiden name. The fact remained that Maryam had changed her Hindu name, beforehand.

So with money, I doubled the time and increased energy. I could do several things easily. Albert Einstein also said that time is not absolute. Time takes its course. The time differs in different places and for different people. It runs for you, but it runs differently for others.

I applied this theory carefully. I have arrived now at this stage. I have settled matters of Maryam’s family, cases of Maryam, and myself.

Now the matter related to her mother was pending.

But before it, it’s a turn of my family.

Here I wish to define the time. This Time brings moments of happiness for one and grief for another. Time is never absolute.  I used the time from the perspectives or viewpoint of all. You can see how I managed the time from aspects of Maryam, her father, Dhanashree, the Lawyer, the Doctor. Thus I managed everybody’s time. Everybody is concerned with their time, but Khuda takes care of everybody’s time. I mean to say, we should not think over the time but utilize it at the time it is required to and NOT waste it. Although I am not a Khuda yes, I can say for sure, like a Director, I was executing this story, knew who and what will do at what time. Thus I used the equation of theory, meticulously.

Now the time was due to share this story with my family members!

The rules are written, but one must know how to read them. If a person can read, he can guide others about what is written.

Now I will tell you how I used it in my story. I firmly believe that all the matters or rules are written for us to read and understand.

Let me explain this with two examples.

No.1. Assume I am driving a car. And if I get a red signal, I know I have to stop the car, on amber I have to slow down my car, and on the green, I have to proceed. It’s written, though by the Government, but it’s written. So what if I don’t stop the car at a signal, what will happen? Either a traffic Constable might catch me, or if I am lucky enough, I will go through or worst to occur, I might meet an accident. 

So the moral of the story is if you do not do anything, it will have its impact, not thought of or different than what you think. If you stop at a green signal, those behind you will start honking; and will be angry with you. On getting amber, you can keep your car aside and stay calm!

The above is the first example of written rules.

Now we will come to another example!

No.2.In school, we have 40 to 70 students in the classroom. And besides the class teacher, we have different teachers for respective subjects. You will notice that out of these teachers; you will find one teacher who is anxious to help a weaker student. He does it from heart, but don’t charge money, provided if the students approach him/her. One teacher might help the student, charging him, and the other will help the student, free of charge. The teacher will help a student who approaches the teacher by giving IMPs. The teacher knows which IMPs might appear in the exam paper.   

But the teacher does not know anything about the other subjects, taught by other teachers. What he will do is give the IMPs of the other topics, not like that teacher, who willingly helps the student with the detailed questions possibly might appear in the exam papers. Based on nature, the teacher follows or behaves and will give the IMPs or complete items.

The same happened in my life. My mother and her ‘Gang of 4 people’ the family members, like that student who has been given only IMPs, for increasing marks approach those who do shortcuts or you can say they are doing black magic to accomplish what they dream of,  without effort even though it is forbidden in Islam and described as Haraam, i.e. unacceptable!

Do not keep anything to replace Allah or compare anything with Him, who has created this universe, heaven, and hell. If you want something, ask Him and not these people who do the black magic or a shortcut to gain something desired. Nothing is achievable without hard work, mentally or physically.

As I said earlier that Islam allows more than one marriage, but he has to respect the feelings of a woman. Pray Namaz, ask in Dua, but do not make any comparison. Still, as I said, although they have written the rules, people don’t read or follow them. They do because they are not confident or are in a shattered mind or are impatient to the extent that they don’t believe in God!

This fear or mistrust was in my mother’s mind. She felt that Shahnawaz is doing something wrong, because:

No. 1: As I wasn’t in front of her eyes all the time.

No. 2: During these 12 days, my mother had visited my office. And she saw Maryam there! As it’s said, an experienced woman gets a hint by merely looking at a woman, of any significant changes in her body. On seeing Maryam, her doubts increased. Since Maryam had completed five months & six days and her way of getting up, sitting, walking, etc. had changed. My mother noticed this, and her doubt was confirmed. She shared it with other family members.

What she & her ‘Gang of 4 people’ did, they went to a person, who is like that teacher, doing shortcut or black-magic. Such a person is called Tanggal in Malayalam, doing black magic.

Here I am giving an example & will continue the story. Suppose if the teacher, who is helping the student for higher marks, by providing IMPs, is caught by the Principal or by another teacher, how this teacher will defend himself?

He will say: ‘This student had approached me for the help, I didn’t go to him!

I just gave him the IMPs, nothing more. Now it’s up to him whether to study or not. What is wrong done by me?’ Smart pleading, we can say!

Same way, people have two categories, those who do according to your request and not by their wish. But they help you. So, on the Day of Judgment, when Allah asks, ‘How did you help him? Why did you help him with black magic?

The shortcut is considered as Haraam in the Quran so that he will reply to Allah: ‘You have given me the power to understand, the power to see, the power to read. These people came to me, and I am simply helping them with a path to adopt. I did not act on my own; it was he who did it.’

Now I will quote an Ayat of the Quran which reads like this:

‘On the Day of Judgment, the man will tell Allah that the Shaitan or the devil had evoked me. Under his influence, I selected the wrong path. I did sin, and I deviated from the true path, which was the fault of Shaitan!’

Now, how the Shaitan will defend: ‘I am not bestowed by Allah that I will drag you on a wrong path. I am blessed by Allah only to give an invitation. I invited you, but then why did you follow? My job is to invite, and I am not empowered to drag you or force you on an incorrect path. I can’t drag you or pull you holding your hand; I can only invite you. Why did you accept my invitation? That means you have more trust in me than Allah!’

So the moral is that the Human Being has a Choice. The choice or decision gives him an option to select which path he has to proceed. The whole remaining life depends upon this choice of track.

The first thing, I was very much clear with this term of Ayat of the Quran.

Secondly, I had experience in my life and third was this - what my mother & relatives did, visiting Tanggal.

I will now cite the 4^th example. It's about my father’s story.

My father was known as a Bhai, a word for a local gangster, with scores of people working under him. He was trading in illicit business of drugs like Charas, Ganja, etc. & Gold as well. He wasn’t consuming it, although. He was in this illegal trade even before his marriage, as he did not get anybody to guide him to choose the right path.

At the age of 15, he came from Kerela to Mumbai; he created his Empire of the illicit trade in the above activities. Later, after the birth of the youngest brother, Saju, he gave up the illegal activities and opened up a tea stall and converted it into a Restaurant. He acquired a Grade in the business, and that might have inspired me at some point in time, how to attain heights in business from scrap!  

But as far as I am concerned, I shaped my life based on my capabilities. 

I will tell his story during his younger days, which he shared with us.

A pregnant lady was living next door, who had some pains one night. My grandmother woke my father up and told him to go to the Tanggal (Black Magician) to get a Taweez (Locket) so that this pregnant lady will get relieved of pain. Imagine a person like my father who is always in high temper, not believing in these superstitious matters, prefers to order people, is waken up at midnight and is asked to go to a Tanggal whom he never believes, and get Taweez for a lady who is not even related to Grandmother or him at all, just a neighbor. But still, he went like an obedient son and brought a Taweez!

A couple of months later, the same neighbor lady delivered a healthy child. So my granny invited Tanggal for lunch as a gesture to thank him. He came home accepting the invitation but was a bit confused and asked the reason!

Granny reminded him that Khadar, i.e. my father, came to you, in a night, a couple of months back for a Taweez, as our neighbor pregnant lady was getting some pains. The same lady has delivered a healthy baby now. Thanks to you, she did not have much labor pain since then’!

Tanggal, who was eating that time, stopped eating and said in a surprised tone: ‘Khadar! He NEVER came to me at all!!!’ 

At that moment, my father revealed that he had picked up a stone from the road, wrapped in a cloth and gave it to his mother!!! 

Since then my father was named Khadar Baba!! J

Thus I got all the experiences mixed, like No 1, school life stories, No 2, funny stories of my father he shared with me, No 3, the Ayat I read, No 4, the experience of the world. I had these experiences by 14^th November 2014.

I told Maryam that my entire experience, knowledge, ability, skills, strength all are used and exhausted. Now if I have to live my life, I need to re-start it in a new manner, I can’t live in the old style. That’s what happened to me. 

Back to the story:

My mother and her so-called ‘Gang of 4 people went to a Tanggal and discussed the matter. My life was already scripted and shaped by now. This Tanggal, having a Jinnat under his control, and the Jinnat having the Power to capture or read my script, ‘conveyed’ to Tanggal (that’s how they believe), what has happened with me so far. Thus my mother and her colleagues came to know about my entire life scripted so far. What I did, as I said earlier, removing the socket from the power, so that there will be no electricity. I removed Maryam from the picture. She was at a place, not known to anybody and she believed to be at home, so informed! She was neither with her parents nor with me; she was already out of Bhiwandi; nobody was aware of her whereabouts. Since Maryam was not in the picture, neither my mother nor her ever interfering ‘Gang of 4 people’ could find out her location.

The reason why this so-called ‘Gang of 4 people did not dare to question me was, when my father left our family at Bhiwandi in 2008, as he suffered a substantial loss in his business, it was me who was taking care of my mother. These ‘Gang of 4 people, the people from our Building and entire colony, looked at me as a mad and useless boy doing silly things, behaving abnormally, e.g. if somebody tells me to do a particular work, I will explain to him how this to do in a different way, not the way he thinks so that he won’t accept my ideas. But I do it in my way only.

I will cite an example here: After my studies, I told the mother that I would search for a job myself, but she replied that it doesn’t work the manner you think, I feel you have to bribe people to get a job. My mother has these thoughts. I said I would search for a job myself. She said, no! Take this Rs.2000/- and give it to the concerned person, a middleman, who arranges a job for people. He will provide you with a new job. As she being my mother, I couldn’t say anything. What I did, I went to that man, gave him the money, and he set me for an interview, but I failed. So the money got wasted, and I too didn’t get the job.

One month later, I went to the same Company directly and not through that middleman. Since the Employer or Interviewer was different, I cleared my interview and got the job. I asked my mother: ‘why did you waste Rs.2000/-? 

I would have sorted the matter myself, at least keep some trust upon me! But you didn’t listen to me and wasted that money and that too in this difficult situation it was so dear to us.’

So this was an experience for my mother to get. And yes, she now trusts me!   

Now let’s turn to the matter of those ever interfering ‘Gang of 4 people’ of my mother. When my father left us, we were financially in a critical condition. One day, we all were at home, and my mother was there, I was also sitting, and one of that ‘Gang of 4 people’ came home. The person said: ’Aunty! Your son has gone insane! You better admit him to the mental hospital of Agra!’

One can imagine the situation!

I had completed my Graduation but was jobless and the person who is earning, telling us this shit! Imagine how bad my mother would have felt!

I just kept quiet. But I hoped my mother had realized what worth the gang is. Secondly, the group which went to Tanggal, none of them helped us in the critical time we had gone through.

It was me who started from zero and brought these current days of prosperity.

I even proposed them to be an investor in my projects. Two of them also agreed to invest in observing my activities, which were progressing.

But one beautiful day, they had a quarrel within themselves and canceled the project & withdrew as an Investor and told me that they wouldn’t invest anymore! And I incurred a loss of Rs.80,000/-, which was a massive amount for me in those days. I bared the loss because I knew that

TIME has more VALUE than MONEY.

If I lost Rs. 80,000/-, as of today, I was competent to turn it into a profit of Rs.80 Lakhs. But those days, they left the project as they misunderstood that the increasing volume of the Project, it required more investment, as it was my habit of taking a more significant project and not a smaller one. As they did not believe my skills to handle the growing business, they got scared of the possible massive loss in the future, which according to their belief would be sure to occur. But I kept silent.

Hence they had no guts to approach me, as they didn’t stand with us in our worst time.                       This incident is a LESSON. The people who don’t stand by with you in your worst time, you don’t allow them in your prosperous days as well. And never forget the person who is standing with you in your worst time. This matter was indeed a big lesson.

So they were doing this without my knowledge, i.e. meeting the Tanggal. And they had no guts to face me.

They were doing a new job for me looking for a girl for my marriage. Maryam wasn’t there in the picture, as ‘discovered’ by the Jinnat of Tanggal, as her location was not known to anybody. None was aware of it in my family.

I made good use of this situation and made them run to see a girl for me, literally. Although they were aware that I am consuming their time, I made them feel that I have trust in them and secondly, I made them believe that I have no interest in Maryam anymore. Maryam was there at Mehrunisha’s family at Mumbra. But still, I was going with this ‘Gang of 4 people’ to Kerela, to see a girl for me so that they will feel that I am obeying them.

It was a funny scene: Maryam was in Mumbra, and I was looking for a girl to marry me in Kerela!  This gang was taking me to various girls’ houses; we were having marriage talks with their families! The group spent money on petrol, car, and food for me along with my Kerela journey tickets. I was enjoying and making them run! J This was going on for the entire September, October & November! Because I had to spend the remaining seven months on hand!!  The gang was looking for girls for me, and I was rejecting them one by one, almost 10 of them!

Finally, I selected one girl and completed the Engagement ceremony; we exchanged the Engagement Rings. I couldn’t tell this to Maryam, or else she would be stressed. I finally informed, her 40 days after Maryam gave birth to KhazAnah!

The reason to hide this Engagement from Maryam was that I was waiting for this engagement to break! Nothing was wrong with the girl, belonging to a decent family, but somebody was praying for me. Any guess, who? Yes! Maryam!

God answers a mother’s prayers immediately! It worked indeed for me.

What I used to do was, I planned and executed and played according to the situation, and if somebody is pulling my legs, I still play avoiding him. If somebody doesn’t cope with me, I do that work myself. I was working on my plan. Although Maryam was praying and Allah was planning best for us, but still I was working on my project because I didn’t want the Gang to know what is going on in my life. I was behaving as if I am with them, obeying them, travelling with them; I pretended to act like I am part of them. And my mother too was proud of me; she felt I am an obedient son! Although she was sure that there is something wrong going on. But I changed their view of looking at situations. Situations were misleading and created by me. J

Now I decided to end this drama, by saying yes to the marriage.

In Kerela, a massive amount of Dowree is given, in the form of gold, in marriages. Typically it’s between 50 tolas to 100 tolas of gold. (Ten tolas is about 116 grams). Sometimes other precious gifts are also offered, such as a car, etc. Even the poor farmer, having problems with livelihood, will give you at least 25 tolas of gold. Such is the necessary marriage custom over here. But there are some conditions too.

Here, years before the engagement, the same girl’s uncle, who was a close friend of my deceased father, met & told him that he could arrange 50 tolas of gold as Dowry. And my father agreed to it. But now post engagement, when he met my mother and maternal uncle, he told them that we could get only 25 tolas of gold! He changed his words as he saw that now our family has become weak and we don’t have our father!

Due to our poverty status, he reduced the Dowree from 50 tola of gold to 25 tola! 

The Dowry system works in this pattern. The rates vary as per the financial situation of the groom!

When I came to know that he reduced the Dowree, I backed out saying I won’t marry! It was an opportunity to break the Engagement with this excuse. And Maryam’s pray worked!!                           

In Islam, Dowree is acceptable for the reason that it is purely for the safety of the bride and is given to the bride only and not to the bridegroom. We too gave 75 tolas of gold along with a Santro car to my elder sister, on her marriage.

Later she disposed of both the gift and bought a new house, making the future secured. 

So this is given to the bride and not to the bridegroom, as financial support for the future of the girl if she faces a difficult time. There is no objection to the Dowree system, but the intention is to give it or reserve it for the married girl to be useful for her, by her, and in her difficult days if she faces. The Dowry word is for this system in society. It’s like you give it as a Dowree and we take it as a gift. Thus the Dowree is defined. 

So when my mother told me this, I said I don’t want to marry! This man is going back on his words now, so we can imagine what he will do after my marriage. They will ruin my married life. I stuck to the point: These people, who are not firm on their promises and go back on their words, how can I have relations with them? How can I trust them? I can’t think. On this decision of mine, we had a meeting with that ‘Gang of 4 people in their Kerela home, with my mother & me. The meeting lasted for one hour, and they were trying their best to convince me how the girl is appropriate for me, and that I should marry her. One more point they pleaded: ‘You are getting elder day by day! It will be difficult to get a girl like this. She is best for you!’

In Kerela, nobody allows a girl to marry a man who is getting older. They had tried their level best to convince me. It looked to me that they were doing a Hercules job, trying to pull down the moon on earth to please me, just like a boy in love, making similar promises to his girl, something like that. Like a salesman, who tries all his gimmicks to convince a customer to buy his product, and once the deal is over, whatever the buyer does to the product; is not the salesman’s lookout. In the end, my mother’s friend, whom we call Badimaa as well, not my father’s first wife, said: ‘Shahnawaz! It’s you who will be marrying. So it’s you who has to take care of the girl.’

I got the point. I yelled ‘Badimaa, if I have to take care of the girl, why not let me do it in my way? Why you all are taking so much pain?’

Having heard this, everybody got clicked what the Tanggal said, hinting them that I have something else in my mind, which got confirmed further. On this, the Badimaa said, ‘Come with me, I have some work for you, and she took me out of that room. She asked me the expected question: ‘My son! If you have anybody in your mind, please tell us!! We will arrange the marriage with the girl of your choice!’

On this, I said ’Badimaa, let me settle Maryam first, after that, I will fulfill all your wishes and marry whoever you say.’

See the catch in my words!!  

Although I was talking about my wife, Maryam is also the name of The company I am running!

The fact is the name is M/s. H.K.Maryam, but we all call it Maryam. And it was the name of my grandmother also! My father had opened a restaurant way back, named Maryam, in 1975. After 33 years in 2008, he wound up the restaurant, as he ran into a considerable loss. I build the office therein 2009, with the same title but now the activity was IT-related, and the Maryam title has continued since then. 

So I said firmly: ‘Badimaa! Let me settle Maryam first. Post that, whoever you choose, I will marry the girl. She thought I am talking about H.K.Maryam, and I was, in reality, talking about my wife, Maryam! J

As I don’t lie but simultaneously don’t expose the cent percent truth as well.

Thus I did the same here! The rest gang asked me what I have in my mind. I told them again, let me tackle Maryam first; they continued convincing me, why! These things can remain in your life later as well, at least marry now as you are growing elder day by day! I reiterated: Let me do ‘this’ first! I was giving them half statement which had a half-truth! 

At last, I disclosed that I am going with Maryam and I am not interested in this marriage!  They were shell-shocked as if a horror struck them as I was putting my point now.

‘You people do not understand what I am saying,’ I continued, ‘It’s not my fault! You people are misunderstanding something else! You people are taking up this marriage issue’.

They said: ‘Oh! You were talking about this all these days?’ 

I said boasting, ‘Yes ‘J J

They lost their head; verbal confrontations followed because I was rejecting girls, and they had spent lots of money. They even tried their best to convince us on Dowry matter. But by now, I became more firm with my decision, with an excuse of that Dowree matter!

Now I had more guts with a solid reason to back out, and it was their fault.

I firmly said: ‘What can you do if I deny this marriage? I have not eaten up your father’s money or anybody’s.

I have created my empire on my abilities. When my father left us in Mumbai, it was me who took the care of my mother. Further, when we lost him, it was me again who continued taking care of my mother. It was me who stood by her, and it was me who created my business out of zero to today’s heights, on my strength and abilities. AND NOT YOU! You didn’t bother to help us in that critical period!

I am allowing you to stand in front of me because you are close friends of my mother. Otherwise, I would not have spared you!

I am talking in descent words so you, please listen to me patiently. You are free to do whatever you can do. Let me see what your capacity is! What you can do to me?’

I repeated these sentences 4-5 times in a higher tone! At last, they realised that I am not going to listen anymore! I waited till the moment got cooled. And then I left the room once everything cooled down!!

Now it was my turn of taking care of Maryam. I was in touch with Maryam although, since I was making the journey up & down to Kerela, attending issues there and also remained in contact with Maryam regularly. I preferred being with Maryam more than with these people and their nasty intentions. Thus I was attending petty works in Mumbai and making these people run for me in Kerela as well! I changed the point of view of my mother and this gang and did not allow the matter to escalate out of my hand to keep Maryam safe, and also sent a message to all of them that I am not interested in the marriage!

This event went on till the end of October.

Now it was the turn of Maryam’s father.

Tackling him was not that easy either! Because the duration of ten days of Maryam’s training was getting over. We escalated matters for these ten days, but now it was getting over.

I informed her family that she is not coming back to Mumbai; at least I had projected accordingly.

Now a new issue is going to rise, which will increase the pressure! Maryam started facing questions like, why are you not returning? What has happened? How your job is going on, where are you eating, etc. So they all are already up with these questions, building up pressure on Maryam. But where is Maryam? They don’t know that she is in Mumbra, Mumbai.

I was looking after the entire medical checkup such as Ultrasound, observation of baby’s health, Maryam’s exercise, the hospital selection, etc. since it’s required to book the hospital in advance. So the Doctor assesses and concludes over the expected date of delivery. The Doctor told me the date of birth! For Ultrasound, the doctors called me in the room to have a look! There was a sticker stating “Don’t ask for the sex of the child.”  I was ok and happy to have a girl or a boy; ‘anybody is suitable to send on MoonJ’ I said to myself. After showing the movement of the baby on the screen, the doctor left the room. I turned to Maryam, who was on a bed and I said: ‘Maru, I feel it’s Miss Prosperity! A baby girl! And I laughed. Being a science student, while watching the baby on-screen during an ultrasound procedure, I had some feelings that it’s a baby girl! It was just a wild guess, but. I was arching arrows in the dark, as it’s said. I repeated ‘It’s Miss Prosperity, a girl.’ The doctor returned for the remaining formalities.

As we were with the Doctor, Maryam’s father called on my mobile! I was highly surprised! Even the father-in-law is anxious to see the granddaughter! What a coincidence of call!

He asked what is going on! I said: ‘Sir, it looks like Maryam’s job is getting fixed in Hyderabad, so I request you to please do one thing. Please go to your daughter, see where and how your daughter is staying, what’s her work. Then you decide whether you want her to continue there or not. But whatever work she has done till now, she will get remuneration for it.’

He asked for the mode of travelling. I replied by plane!

So what I did, I reduced his strength of action. The information or the situation of his daughter I am telling him; is out of his reach, in a different city, a different state, and far away from his city.

I will relate it to Point No. 1.

No 2: I am talking about such a city where nobody either knows him or me.

No 3: There is this theory of equivalent force, whatever goes upwards up to a certain height with a certain speed or power; returns with equal rate.

So here I lessened his passion for meeting his daughter.

I just wanted to call her father and none else, but to my surprise, her mother too, in the heat of emotions said. ‘I am also coming!’

So on 11^th October, Maryam was completing seven months, and before that, I wanted all the travelling of Maryam to finish. Besides, I tried to complete tasks like her sonography, her rest medical checkup, her home, the safety of the baby, my Marriage certificate, all these tasks I was completing within these available days.

I wanted to make her and the baby, safe from all the perspectives — the date, 11^th October, was scheduled for my registered marriage. Accordingly, I did further planning. I told Maryam, ‘call your father and ask him to come here on 13^th October.’ By that time our Marriage is over, and I have a Marriage Certificate on hand by 11^th, we will reach there in Hyderabad on the 12^th, and her father will arrive on the 13^th. I told her: ‘Talk to him, convince him, by hook or crook, after you move from here, for Hyderabad. You won’t have to travel anymore; I managed the extension of 4 days. No issue, but you will have to take the required care of health.’

Then we started deciding. I explained to Maryam how to deal with her parents, what to say, what not to say!

My mother’s issue was sorted out, and so also Maryam’s parents. Her mother dropped in the picture unexpectedly, but no problems. I told them I would arrange for the tickets.

Now the exciting part was, they were boarding a plane for the first time in their life. Maryam revealed this.

I laughed to myself, thinking this will be their first as well as last flight. Whenever Maryam’s parents see a plane in future, they will remember me, for their whole life!  

Now the situation is that Maryam is in Mumbai and according to her parents, she is in Hyderabad. Till October 11^th my wedding was over, all related documentation too was done, I had a signed, sealed & registered Marriage Certificate on my hand and all her medication procedures too were going on smoothly. To get enrolled in an Islamic way, I also got papers from Mosque issued by Maullavi, based on registered Marriage Certificate.

Now it was all official and nobody could challenge me as regards the marriage! The reason is the girl has accepted the religion of Islam willingly before the wedding and is not under any pressure, secondly, she is already pregnant.

I booked an air ticket for 4^th October and gave it to her parents on 13^th, the day of travel.

Her entire family members had a belief that Maryam is calling her parent by air to see her; this spread like a fire in the jungle. J Some were jealous, some were happy, as nobody in the relatives travelled by plane. I had no intention to call her mother as I knew that she too is a heart patient. But she jumped in the picture!

Initially, I had in mind to call her father by train. But then since they both were coming, I thought they should arrive by flight, be happy and then I will ground them, with a shock!!  They won’t look at a plane in their life! I laughed. J

It took some time, and the reason was that the time has durable healing power.

I could have given them flight tickets on the 4^th, but I first created an atmosphere of happiness of going by flight. I wanted that happiness prevailing to last for all these days. Next, they were enjoying the pleasure and pride for the belief that their daughter has arranged flight tickets with her earnings, and they were telling this to everybody in families and relatives. So you can imagine how different happiness was for a heart patient! That’s why I did not want to curtail that atmosphere of joy they were enjoying and deliberately gave air tickets a day before departure and thus not to cause any concern to the heart patient. That’s what I think:

I don’t care if it’s not proper. I arranged tickets through Maryam, and this worked.

I told Maryam, ‘now you will have to handle the matter on your own.

On the evening of October 11^th, I booked train tickets of Duronto Express, an AC train, from Mumbai to Hyderabad. Maryam too had never travelled through the AC train, but now with the advent of a child, she got this opportunity for the first time! The daughter brought the moments of travelling by an AC train for Maryam. She might have travelled with her parents on a regular train earlier.

I thank Allah for that with the arrival of our daughter; she got a chance to travel in an AC train along with KhazAnah. Maryam too agreed to this point.

So on the 11^th, we completed our wedding activities with some shopping, before leaving for Hyderabad. I told Maryam’s father that the driver would come to you to escort you to the airport. If you want to pick me up from my office, you will have to go there; if that is not comfortable for you, the driver will pick you up right from your residence! No issues!

He said he prefers the office. Hence we arranged accordingly.

So we started our journey on October 11^th. During travelling I told Maryam that I had done enough for you and your family, henceforth nothing I will be able to do much, now it’s your turn.

The journey was comfortable, and we reached there the next day. We got to the Hotel room. It was a nice hotel with superb amenities.

I had been to this city earlier. It was during my IT training in Hytech City Madhapur, for about a month or two. I knew about the Hotels, the availability of healthy food, etc. I don’t know the reason for keeping a name like Madhapur, but when I reached there, my observations were: It’s a city of girls.  

I had arranged two separate Hotel rooms for her parents and us but in adjoining rooms. We sat together, in our room I repeated: ‘See, from here onwards, you will have to handle the matter. Convince your parents by hook or crook, do anything but do it. I am making plans to take your mother away from you both, with an excuse of luggage to a different room. Meanwhile, you talk to your father and convince him and don’t give up!

Her parents reached on 13^th.

Earlier, we spent the whole day on 12^th at the hotel room, to discuss & do further planning again. We also had a city ride for some hours.

Finally, the day came: The 13^{th of} October! I had nothing to do, all that Maryam had to do was to take charge of the situation & my duty was to observe and guide her. 

‘Maryam, please don’t get hyper tensed, keep your nerves cool, as this might cause high Blood Pressure’. I made her aware, ‘Don’t worry; I have removed all cut-outs of electricity. So nothing will happen to you, the child or me.’

‘I have tabled all the points before you; all you have to do is to perform!

Here I wanted to share one more aspect. It’s about my mental state. From the time I was planning in the office for these 12 days, right from getting Maryam extricated, while planning with Dhanashree, while taking new rented home, and in the same duration talking with Lawyer, Policeman, Doctor, I was in a tensed state.

But Maryam’s one statement put me in such a relaxed state that I felt now I could win the whole world. When I was sitting at my office in Mumbai and scratching head with a pencil, she came at around 10 PM, and told me: ‘Shahnawaz, whatever you will do, it should be right, I will always be with you for that!’

I executed all my planning & moves. It is said, for a drowning person, he even finds support with a piece of wood. This statement of hers was something like that piece of wood! I also used to watch motivational videos during those days.

And I realised that this execution of the game is not suitable for an individual, so it’s time to ask Allah for His help!

You won’t believe it, but I started reading Namaz, not a regular task for me! I was taking the help of Allah. It’s He and none other who can manage, I believed. I started reading Namaz. Although I trusted Him, I executed my plans with accuracy.

I went to the airport along with Maryam. She was wearing a Burkha! I told her to remove it before her parents see; otherwise, they will get an attack on the spot!

So she removed.

The construction of the Departure was above the structure of the Arrival building. I was thinking otherwise!

They were standing down. And we were standing above!

Now there was a funny scene: They saw Maryam, and they saw me also standing next to Maryam! They got puzzled! ‘What this person is doing here? J They were confused. I approached them and explained: ‘I came here for my work, and when Maryam told me that you both are coming to see her, I thought of meeting you also!’

I preferred to keep silent further. When Maryam’s mother saw her, she got her doubt confirmed in first sight! She was looking at her daughter a month later. And Maryam was looking different, physically. As she was in the 7^th-month stage of pregnancy, it was noticeable. When her mother hugged her daughter, she got further confirmed that her daughter is pregnant!!!

There was a pin drop silence, for quite a long time. The parents were shellshocked!!

I realised the situation. I told Maryam in a lower tone - ‘stick to the plan.’ I knew things would go against plan; hence I left the site. I took the trolley and came out. I stood at a distance and left them behind.

I had done enough on my part; now, it was the turn of Maryam to handle the situation. I was only worried that this scene doesn’t put Maryam into any stress and that they also do not harm Maryam. That was my primary concern.

We approached the Airport bus stop having a shuttle bus service, going via Madhapur. As we reached near McDonald, what her mother did was something unexpected! She removed the Pallu or dupatta (long scarf), with which Maryam had covered her belly so far!

Oh, my God!! Now there is a twist in the story!!!  It was an unbearable situation to handle for us! Her mother burst into tears. She started weeping badly. The way Maryam was walking, the way she sat at the bus stand, all that confirmed her mother and that’s why she removed her dupatta at bus stand!

I had taken her father to buy tickets, I gave him the money and told him to stand in queue and collect the cards, and I went to the mother & daughter, unaware of the dupatta scene, and told Maryam to go to her father. That was my plan to separate her from her mother. But by the time I took her father to the ticket counter and made him stand in the queue for tickets, her mother had already unveiled dupatta from Maryam’s belly. That’s it!

As I realised seeing her mother bursting into a cry, I immediately dropped the idea of going by bus and called for a cab, as I did not want any scene to create on the road. I made them sit in a taxi on the back seat, and I sat next to the driver and started reading the Kalmas (Quran Ayat)J

I started praying to Allah, ’Do whatever! But save us! Please have mercy upon us!!’

I started reading all the Kalmas(Quran Ayat) which I learnt in my childhood J

It was a journey of one hour & fifteen minutes and throughout the tour, I was only reading Kalmas and slightly looking in the rear glass mirror, which I had turned it for me, it is supposed to be for the use of cab driver! In between, perhaps her mother tried to raise her hand on Maryam, but Maryam stopped her, saying ‘I am pregnant, please be careful’!!

Her mother was highly frustrated and started complaints: ‘How could you do this? etc.’

Everything was going on, we get to see in Bollywood movies, and one can imagine, everything was happening there, nothing more left. What an emotional turmoil!!

A situation, we could not imagine how worst it could go! Unexpected! But I tried my best to control.

I was worried about two things: neither Maryam should face any pressure, nor her mother should get another heart attack. Financially, my situation was also not that good. If her mother gets another stroke there, I will break financially.

I was hastily reading the Kalmas. J Praying: ‘Oh, Khuda! Things are in your hands; please save us!’ I read innumerable Kalmas; I can read one Ayat in one n half a minute, so one can calculate how many Kalmas I must have read in that journey of emotional torture lasting one hour & fifteen minutes!

The crying scene was going on. There was no stop!!

But her father was surprisingly silent, totally calm! As if he wasn’t there at all! At last, we reached the hotel. I paid the cab driver. By now, he too realised what the scene was! He glanced at me curiously. I told him to take the money and leave us instantly!  

We reached the rooms. We booked Marayam’s parent’s room next to ours, as I did not want their disturbance in my sleep!! I spoiled their rest, but did not want them to spoil mine!! Ha Ha. J

From the time we left the airport at 8 PM till we reached the rooms at 9.30 PM, her mother was crying non-stop! I ordered for dinner, as I felt we must eat food, no matter whatever the situation we are in, as her mother was a heart patient and under medication. Eating & taking medicines at the required time is of utmost importance. Skipping food and taking pills empty stomach would also create medical complications. So I told Maryam: ‘Feed her and give her the tablets.’

We were all in their room; I was standing near the door, Maryam was sitting on the bed beside her mother. Her father was sitting on a chair, smoking cigarette, as he was too under immense stress.  

Her mother continued crying: ‘How could you do this? Why did you not think about us?’ I closed the door and stood near it in a relaxed pose clasping hands behind like we do in the parade. I was standing there for two long hours, did not move an inch!!

In these two hours, on one occasion, I almost burst into laughter. But with great difficulty, I controlled myself and did not express. It was very tough for me not to laugh.

The reason was the question her mother asked: ‘Who is the MAN? Who is the father of the child?’

I said to myself: ‘Oh! The whole story is over, and yet she is asking who the father of this baby is?’

It was like after hearing whole Ramayan, and one is asking who is Sita to Ram?’

I wanted to laugh loudly; I patted myself for controlling me and said to me: ‘This is wonderful!!!

Maryam opened her mouth and replied in a soft tone, directing her finger towards me:

‘He is here! Standing ’!!!

They got another blow!!

They would have accepted a non-Muslim, even if he belongs to any other cast or creed, it could be digestible. Her mother burst into cry further, more wildly:

‘You did completely unacceptable!!  Simply unacceptable!!! A Muslim man???’ She screamed.

The weeping & the anger increased.

 I didn't fit in any of her father’s list of eligibility to be their son-in-law.

Now it was 2 hours passed. I told Maryam, ‘please handle them.’ I felt that it’s enough time to heal the situation to some extent. I was waiting for them to calm down.

Even the blood takes time to calm down, and I was giving that much time, by standing there for two long hours, speechless! I could realise the hyper moments are getting colder.

It was now 12 in the midnight. So I told Maryam: ‘Please take care of them, I am going to my room to rest!’ I wasn’t aware of what were the talks went on after I left the room.

But her father did say in between the chaos of these two hours; ‘Son! If you would have said this in Bhiwandi, you could imagine what could be your state there!’

He almost threatened me!

I just replied briefly, ‘Yes, Sir, I am aware! That is why I didn’t tell anything there because your daughter is now pregnant and she is my responsibility, my necessity. And the condition she is in, I cannot think of leaving her. And you know me since my childhood.’

I just wanted to consume one minute. I spoke the least I should, and what was necessary, nothing more than that.

He will not listen to others for more, in that state of mind of utter grief. Because I know, when one is grief-stricken, he will not have any interest to listen to others; he will express his feelings and wish people to hear him.

I continued saying: ‘Sir, because she is pregnant, I did not want to tell you in Bhiwandi. You know me since my childhood. You have seen me progressing from zero to this level. I don’t have bad habits of smoking, drinking liquor or that of a prostitute. Whatever is there it is all open to you; you are aware of my business. I have made my new property out of this business, in Kerela.’

His next question was: ‘Will you continue to abscond like this?’ I said “For what to run? I have come here for you, I wanted to tell you the fact and post this, and we will shift to my Kerela home.’ I didn’t plan for Kerela, but I said so to create faith in them and divert their attention from the scene they were in! I had already my plans to move to Mumbra and not Kerela!

‘I will buy Mumbai tickets for you, and we will proceed to Kerela.’ I told them.

I had planned to move them back as early as possible.

Then he said: ‘OK!’ I immediately said, ‘You all, please be comfortable. I am arranging a dinner for you.’ So saying I went to my room, Maryam followed me; I gave her xerox copy of our marriage certificate, thinking that the older man would tear the original text in the heat of anger if I give him. I had planned for that as well.

I was relaxed, had my dinner and went to sleep. J

Maryam came to my room and said: ‘Oh! You are sleeping?’ I said: ‘Handle your family drama; I have done my duty. You can go there and take care of them.’ She said: ’Nice!’

There, her father too was awake, and her mother continued weeping, which she started from 8.10 PM onwards, more than 4 hours! I had no clues, as to wherefrom she gets so many tears!

Finally, all was cool. I had already arranged food for the parents in their room.

They expressed their wish to move to Mumbai immediately. I said: ‘Sir, if you don’t mind, there is a train to Mumbai tomorrow afternoon; you can catch that train. If you wish to stay for a day or two and go, do tell me so.’ They said, ‘no, we will leave tomorrow.’ I told them that I am booking flight tickets for you; departure time is at 7.00 AM. Maryam’s parents were adamant on moving early morning.

All were up by 5.30 AM the next morning, as it was a disturbing night for them.  

As there were no morning trains to Mumbai, I quickly booked flight tickets, probably their last flight journey J. Looking at the limited time on hand, I promptly booked a cab to the Airport. We escorted them, and we returned to the Hotel.

Maryam had stayed in their room for around 4-5 hours more in the night; I am not aware if they slept, she knew it. It was her turn to convince and cool down her parents, which she did! For me, my conversation of 1 minute was enough. My duty got finished there! She did convince them properly, and they were cool enough. It was like their teeth biting their lips! They could say nothing.

I had requested them to stay overnight and to start next day morning together. I had planned that they would proceed from Hyderabad to Mumbai & showed them that I, with Maryam, will move to Kerela. But I wasn’t moving to Kerela, as I had already rented a flat in Mumbra for both of us to live rest our life, peacefully.

Although they departed from Hyderabad the next morning with the cooled mind, as scheduled, they were clueless for sure, how they will now face the rest family members, other relatives and neighbours. It was the most disturbing moment for them. They were in such a trauma that they could not reveal anything!

For two long years, they kept on telling the whole world that their daughter is doing a job in a different city! And did not give any details of hers to anybody!!

Nobody was aware of their daughter’s whereabouts. She did not turn on any of Hindu festivals like Raksha Bandhan, Holi, Diwali etc. The family managed to handle the relatives for a year with false excuses! Later all were questioning Maryam over the phone, on every festival: ‘Where are you, why are you not coming on any of the festivals for so long? What sort of job you are doing that you cannot come on festival days?’

They also kept asking her parents: ‘Why she is not coming on any festivals, what is the job not permitting her to come even on festivals?  How much she is earning?’ The typical Gang of 4 people! 

Whenever Maryam was discussing this matter with me, I had only one reply: ‘It’s your parent’s duty, don’t drag me in the matter. When things are normal there, I will come there.’ 

Whenever she talked about the topic, I was telling her the same thing. Finally, two years later, they revealed to their family members everything! By that time, KhazAnah was two years old; none was aware that Maryam had a daughter! And suddenly they were exposed to the fact that she is married and having a two-year-old daughter!

Currently, Anah is four years old, i.e. on 16^th January 2019.

But I knew that they would accept us, for the reason that their daughter is leaving a happy married life. Although I did not fit as son-in-law from any angle for her parents, the fact was their daughter was happily going. But they had kept a condition for me: Maryam will not wear a Burkha, obviously for hiding identity!

Believe me: I had to bear this for three long years! 

As regards her elder sister was concerned, she remained unmarried for reasons of Dowry! But I instructed Maryam to keep her family matters away from me. The reason for me to be in Dubai was, I had promised Maryam certain things. For us, it was more important to focus on what we needed to do.

I said, ‘After we settle this issue, I will sit in my house and call everybody from your relatives, to beg pardon of or will convince or will talk to, whatever is needed to do, and to whomsoever, it is concerned, I will do it.

We had decided that Maryam will not be with me in Dubai, till 16^th January 2019, and after that, she will join me which was due to a promise I made to her.

And I had to fulfil it. But I also decided that I will meet my family once every three months, for about 20 days.

There was a reason for my frequent visits. I had come across to a fact from the history chapters, with regards to Islamic wars, where the Sardars, i.e. army chief were sending their soldiers back to their families, once in every three months. The reason was one should not be away from family for more than three months, that’s what I believe. Those who are away from home, I feel should apply this pattern!

So I considered myself like a warrior, and I visited my wife & daughter, every three months to get rejuvenated. That would please Maryam, and my daughter too would get her father’s love.

Currently, Maryam is staying with my mother, in the house, which I built Kerela.

Coming back to the story, as regards handling Maryam’s family issue was concerned, I told Maryam that one part of the Chess game is over and now two parts of it are left, i.e. I am done with her parents, now it’s my office, the staff and most important is my mother who is attached to that ‘Gang of 4 people’.

It’s not a joke; this twist was most tricky and risky. As of now, everything I managed with some ease, but this new twist had put me in such a soup; it was challenging to handle.    

I had kept the matter of living at Mumbra was highly secretive as we did not want any problem or any untoward incidence facing us.

I had kept Maryam hiding from everybody. As I said earlier, the reason for the problem was Maryam; hence I was holding her in at an unknown place, and nobody could trace her!

Further, I had to take care of my financial status also. My budget was getting disturbed; hence I had to finish matters at the earliest, to save the time and time is money, you ill agree.

This first part of my planning was getting over now. I wanted to finish off this first part of the game, as soon as possible, since this matter was consuming my budget.

I had explained & convinced her parents and sent off to Mumbai at the earliest.

We stayed further for the next three days in Hyderabad. During these three days, I started my planning for the tough time ahead, the most challenging part of the chase game! It was a more difficult situation arising ahead for us.

In Chess, if you checkmate the King, your game is over. So, I did not target her family nor her sister and or relatives. Meaning to say, I did not take the responsibility of disclosing about our marriage to all these members.

I targeted her parents, i.e. I disclosed the matter to them so that they will take care of telling rest of their family members, i.e. sister, brother, uncles, aunties, and neighbour and to all and I need not bother it.

I saved my energy, time & money to pass on the duty to her parents and avoided facing entire family members and relatives, myself. So thus, I executed matters to this level which I completed. I need not bother about them. I did what I wanted to do, showed them legal documents, i.e. marriage certificate. My job was over!

Her father had asked me a question that night, in the hotel room: ‘Will you keep absconding like this for your entire life?’ I replied a fake answer that we will proceed to Kerela, where I have my property. Factually, I could not go to Kerela, as there was a massive pile of work pending for me at Mumbai. I had to now concentrate on handling my office staff and also to disclose the matter to my mother. So I had to focus these issues now.

By the end of October, Maryam was in a seventh-month stage of pregnancy!

As I said earlier, I was in touch with everybody, i.e. Lawyer, Doctor, Policeman etc. so that I remained updated continuously with each & every development. So, on contacting the Doctor, she advised me that I should not allow Maryam to travel beyond her 7^th-month stage. Whatever travelling I need to do should be done before this stage of 7^th month.

So after some site seeing in Hyderabad, we did further planning and moved for Mumbai.

We left Hyderabad and reached Mumbra in Mumbai. Now I had to handle my Investors, friends, colleagues and the staff working for me in my Bhiwandi office. These individuals were manageable for me, but the most challenging part of handling was, my mother. My mother was a big question mark for me.

Now the situations prevailing were like; do or die since my finance was in risk.

The fact was that the Investors who were funding me, I was diverting the same money to this personal matter of mine. Instead of injecting the finance in my business, I was utilising it to save Maryam and avoid any issues that could land her in any trouble. All her medical reports, her nutrition, I was managing with this business Cash Flow. I was answerable to my Investors also and was preparing myself to answer them. In the 60 days, i.e. during September & October, the time I returned from Dubai to Mumbai, I deputed a close friend of mine, named Salman as care-taker of my Business, whom I could trust to carry on or take care of my business in my absence. But I was not aware of him or his character or any issues, related to him. I heard later that he was running after a girl! Instead of taking care of my business, he was keen on his matters of a girl!

My office set up consisted, in the beginning, of 4 outdated Computers, a black & white printer with no Internet connectivity. But in due course of time, I increased the setup of 70 Computers, within three years, to be precise! But with that old setup, I was able to clear my office rent, electricity, staff salary & I was also supporting my family. And above all, I could even manage some savings! Such healthy was my Cash Flow! And that has also attracted my new Investors too.

But when I handed over the Business to Salman, as a caretaker during September & October, I began to realise the problems arising due to him, by the end of October.

By the end of October, I had to pay the rent from my pocket, and he was not generating enough funds to pay the office rent, despite the setup I had.

I also had completed one part of the chase game, i.e. revealing the matter to Maryam’s parents. But the situation in the office was getting worse as the finance was not getting generated; there was no Cash Flow.

I was wondering why the money is going from my pocket?  Till now, the situation was such that whatever fund I instilled in my business from Investors, I never had to contribute even a single penny from my pocket for any activity of the Business. With the sound generation of Cash Flow, I went on increasing the PC setup, created a cabin, new table and office infrastructure.

But after assigning the office responded to this person for two months, with the setup of Rs.5lakhs to prosper, from the flourished business, which could earn him money from all corners, he came to me at the end of October to report that there was no generation of the fund at all!

Salman excused that there was a severe fall in the customers during this period, and as a result, there was no business getting generated! 

I realised that this person is completely misguiding me!           

I had an experience of this business for the past three years, and I was fully aware of how much cash flow I could generate in the period of 12 months from January to December.

I was aware of day-to-day transactions also, so I had an idea of how much turnover could be, month-wise. I was also aware of the expected inflow and outflow of the Fund in October. But this person is trying to teach the Boss, the Business!

When I had to pay to the owner of the place, where I was doing my Business, a monthly rent of Rs 10,000/- from my pocket, I realised that this person is a crook and will finish me! My situation was that I several life matters; I had to give maximum time to Maryam, my mother and spare time in convincing her family members. In these two months, I tackled not only the matter of exposing our marriage to Maryam’s parents, but I also managed the pregnancy tests, her living accommodation at Mumbra. Same way, I too needed to make efforts and support my family members to fulfil what they wanted me to do for them, and for that, I needed time & fund. So I realised that Salman would ruin me, forget other matters, I won’t be able to pay even my Landlord, the monthly rent. Despite that, I was trying to motivate & convince him with dos & don’ts of the business and run it in my absence.

Now the month of October was over, and November started.

So as the part of motivation, I infused some more fund to make the office look more attractive with interior decoration, to attract new customers. As they say, to earn money you have to invest your money! I installed an Air-Conditioner, changed the table, made one more cabin etc. Although enough money I Invested till now, still I dared to invest for new infrastructure. My office was the only place where I could generate Cash Flow. This cash flow was the single source that could support Maryam & me and also pay off profit and returns in the form of instalments to all my Investors. By that time, I had borrowed about Rs 7 lakhs from my Investors, friends and the market. So I had to distribute my time at my office at Bhiwandi as well as home, at Mumbra, which became my daily routine to attend the office & the home.

Luckily, about a year before in November 2014, Maryam did some saving and purchased an Activa bike then. This facility had eased my daily up & down travelling from Mumbra to Bhiwandi, and it saved my precious time as well. It was tough travelling of about 30-40 kilometres a day for me. I hired a helping hand from Mumbra, who accompanied me during my daily up & down. As I had doubts on my deputy, i.e. Salman at the office, I entrusted this new helper from Mumbra, a task of keeping an eye on Salman at the office. By the grace of God, I got this kind natured person. I thus backtracked the business!

So from August to November, in these four months, I was still clueless about how to reveal the matter to my mother!

My position or relation with my mother was like the baby elephant who was tied up with iron chain which it tries throughout its childhood to get free but finally got registered in its mind that no matter whatever it does, it cannot get free! So since my childhood, whatever I wished to do or take any decision, I faced my mother standing as an obstacle for me. She was objecting on any and every issue and as a result, either I need to divert my way or change my decision or give up the effect.

I had no guts to cross her or overrule her. Thus I was reared since my childhood. She was my mother, and I never rated her wrong.

Here, I did not do anything wrong but got married after getting Maryam converted into Islam with her consent. It is scripted in the Quran, that for marriage, a Muslim girl is better than a non-Muslim girl.  

I did not disobey this in any way! Thus according to the Quran, I did not do anything wrong. If anybody questions me: Why did you marry a non-Muslim girl, I can say I indeed married a Muslim girl, and I had the documents to prove, since, before marriage, Maryam had already accepted the Islam religion fulfilling all the requirements, adopting all the mannerisms of the Muslim faith and post that, we married. So I was sure that I wasn’t doing anything wrong as per Quran, but still, I had a fear, how my mother is expecting her to be an obstacle in my path of marital life will react.

I had cleared all the issues, which either I expected or unexpected, I resolved with planning, even if I required to change my plan at the eleventh hour. My offices would have the impact, problems with my wife’s parents, were all resolved and calm by now.

Now we were around the end of November. My office infrastructure work was getting over.

At this point of time, I thought I shouldn’t beat the bush around but reveal the matter straight away to my mother!

I built up my courage to be in a position to share this secret with her.   

Tanggal is empowered to destroy people, at the behest of a person approaching him, which he acts as a solution to a problem or complaint put up by person approaching him. Thus is the belief people had about him. They do not do it on their own but request by the complainant. If he takes his personal decision to destroy merely on hearing the problem of the complainant, on the Day of Judgment, Allah will ask, ‘Why did you destroy the life of the other person, on your own?’ So what they do is, when a person approaches them with his grievances and urge him to eliminate a particular person, he having grudge with, as a solution to his problem, Tanggal obliges him and fulfil his wish by giving him the guidance of what he should do. So on the Day of Judgment, Tanggal will defend to Allah that: ‘You have although empowered me to act on Your behalf to advise the complainant, and this person had urged me for a solution by asking me to eliminate the person, he wanted to. Therefore I followed his request, and it was not out of my wish but his request.

Further, when the complainant tells Allah that because of this Shaitan or Satan, I chose this wrong path or did the sin. On this, Satan will defend himself by saying that I am not empowered to catch your hand and force you to adopt a wrong path. Allah has not permitted me or allowed me to do so! I can only guide you with the solution. Why did you accept it? You should have thought over how you will defend yourself on the Day of Judgment! Thus the Tanggal will protect himself!

It’s like if I invite you to my home for lunch, it’s up to you whether you should accept my invitation or not. I cannot drag or force you to my house. Why did you take my request? It’s purely your mistake!

In my case, the Tanggal had already informed my mother about my marriage. Despite this, I was running around for the past four months for another girl for the second marriage, accompanied by those ‘Gang of 4 people’. The Tanggal could not make out, as I was not on my regular route but the unknown road, not within his or anybody’s knowledge or range. I mean to say that I had kept it a top-secret where Maryam was staying. So Tanggal, who on knowing about the facts which complainant provides, takes his decision and advise the complainant to follow. But since he did not realise Maryam’s whereabouts, she was safe.

My mother and those ‘Gang of 4 people’ waited to know when I will reveal my secret marriage. But still, I was not disclosing to my mother and was going on my path as per my planning of listening to her instructions to look for another girl. The Tanggal told my mother, to wait for another couple of weeks, and that her son will himself approach you and tell you about it. She had a deep faith in Tanggal and believed what he said is always correct! He disclosed to my mother that I am married, but none had any guts to come forth & question me if I am married or not. Nobody, neither my family nor my mother’s family, could dare to approach me, asking about the marriage. Because I never took the help of any of these people, I shaped my life on my own from dust to sky.

When my father left us in the year 2008, I set up my empire on my own. And from my mother’s point of view, I was the only person taking care of my family. Youngest brother too was out of the picture. Since 2008, I took care of my mother during that difficult period of 5-6 years.

Even till now, my mother is with me, staying in my Kerela home.               

It’s not that I did not take any help from anybody, as you do not get degraded on asking for help. But in return, we have to give similar service for that person as well, so that the relationship along with respect is maintained. I never hesitated for seeking any help from anybody. Although today I am in a healthy financial state, by the grace of Alamdullah, I still approach friends for help.

These matters do make a considerable difference in life.

So when I asked mother’s ‘Gang of 4 people’ for help, they failed in helping me when my father left us forever. Now when the time has come for them to approach me and question me to confirm what the Tanggal had said, they had no courage to contact me, knowing how they treated me in my critical days. Despite this, my mother had permitted them to question me, so they took up the matter and approached Tanggal instead of asking me directly and were also looking for a girl for my second marriage!

Thus, by the end of November, I was going to Kerela with them to look for a girl, in a bid to divert my mother’s mind or make her feel assured that whatever the Tanggal updated her, was not correct. I was portraying them that I am not married and is just obeying her and those ‘Gang of 4 people’, to marry a girl of their choice.

Hence as part of my planning, I fixed a girl, did the Engagement ceremony as well.

I had already told Maryam that I have to look for a path to move ahead, not to stop at one spot. It’s the rule of this game, NEVER STOP. Even if I am required to marry another girl, as a part of a solution, I will do it. So from Allah’s point of view, I am not a sinner to re-marry, since it is permissible. I am not flirting with another girl, without knowledge of Maryam, but marrying according to the customs. Thus I am not doing any injustice to the other girl. I am reading and following what the Quran quotes. 

I finished with matters of Maryam’s parents and the case at the office. Thus I fixed the 1^st & 2^nd part of the game, and now it was time for the 3^rd part of the game.

By now, I realised that I am not capable of tackling this 3^rd part of the game, on my own. So I started praying. Yes J

I was sure that if anybody can help me playing this third crucial part of the game, it’s none other than Allah Himself! It’s out of human being’s capacity. Now I am confronting with His power! I mean, I had to defy the Jinnat’s authority, which is bestowed by Allah. Some people make misuse of the energy in the form of black magic as a short cut to achieve the benefits of their dream. But still, it’s empowered by Allah which I can’t deny. Even if I believe the existence of black magic, the Jinnat possess, I have to adopt the path of Allah and His power. Hence I started doing Namaz, Roza and reading Quran, defying the authorised strength of Tanggal / Jinnat. So I decided to tackle His power, through prayers to Him to challenge His power bestowed to Tanggal! As the matter was concerned with Him, and He only will guide me to handle this, without Him, my efforts would be ineffective. I was very much sincere in these Namaz, Roza & reading the Quran.

It was around the end of November, and I was obeying mother’s decision, going places with her people, looking for a girl.

During one of the Girls looking ceremony, they told me: ‘Look at this girl and choose!’ I asked, ‘Where is the girl? I can’t see her; my spectacles also broke.’

Such were my ridiculous excuses!

I had told them to arrange this event in the afternoon, in daylight, since my spectacles broke in the train travelling. Due to this reason, I could not see correctly in the twilight; I required sunlight so that I can see the face of a girl!

But for some unknown reason, they had arranged the event again in the evening!

Now see the funny part: The girl is looking at me, smiling! But I could not see her correctly with my eyes! I had my vision number -2!  And also, it was twilight.

I couldn’t see the girl correctly J. The scene was funny; I could see only her glittering teeth J. It was a small house with limited natural light.

They were poor people, a low-income family.

We came out; I said: ‘the girl is fine, but Bhaijaan(Brother),’ I said to one of them, ‘I have no issue with the girl, but the issue is with me! I have no specs, and I told you to arrange the event in the afternoon. I couldn’t see the girl at all!’

They said: ‘Oh no! You couldn’t see her?’

I said ’No! I didn’t see her at all!!

Again they asked:  ’Oh You can’t see?’ 

I said,’ No! I can’t see!  What can I do?’

‘I couldn’t see her face. I told you specifically that my specs are broken & hence to arrange this program in the afternoon! Despite that, you forgot and arranged it at this time! They don’t have proper sunlight in the house also!’

It was a full comic scene; one can see a similar drama in a Bollywood movie, quite hilarious! I was giving them an idiotic and funny type of replies and motive was not to accept the girl!    

Thus I avoided the first girl J I enjoyed it but! Poor girl Haha J

The 2^nd team was friends of my father, as my mother had told every known person to try getting her son married!

These people were stingy. They didn’t initiate their money for expenses! Using my cash & petrol, they were going places for a girl for me! And I was like: ‘Oh, nice! Using my money, you are arranging a girl for me!’

This time it was afternoon, luckily! The girl and I were standing face to face, merely a distance of hand, to measure the height, as the girl is not supposed to be more heightened than a boy. To me, she looked much better. I liked her behaviour. So I thought, I shouldn’t get stuck at one point but keep moving ahead as per my plans. So I proceeded, no matter what was the path.

This time I said yes to this girl! But I did not convey this to Maryam, as she was already pregnant and might not bear any stress. Instead, I told her that I am going to select a girl but requesting you to pray that this Engagement or wedding foils. Let’s rest everything to Allah. It’s He who pairs the bride and bridegroom. I told her that if it’s destined for me to marry again, be it so, and if it’s not intended, I will not marry again, you will be my only wife’.  

Now this girl’s relatives started inquiring about me & my family: What is the boy doing, how much is the earning, whether he has any property in Kerela, etc.

My purpose of doing all these; was to divert the mind of my mother and to convince her that whatever I am doing, I am obeying her, doing for her good, making her feel that Tanggal’s information is incorrect that I am married.

This second girl’s relatives started investigating me and ‘discovered’ that I have NO property in Kerela at all! Whatever is there; is owned by his brother!! On knowing this, the family members rejected me outright!!

The second girl is out!!

The reason behind this misunderstanding was that they came to my Kerela home to investigate whether I am the owner of the house.

Usually, when we investigate a person in such marriage cases, we interrogate the neighbours, nearby Pan-Patti Wala or a restaurant etc. and not his relatives. How is the boy, how is his nature? Is he addicted to liquor, or smoking, etc.? These are the common questions asked.

The reason for their misunderstanding was that the people nearby had seen only my brother monitoring the construction work of my home in Kerela and I was funding from either Chennai or sometimes from Dubai; I never visited a construction site, never gone there. So the neighbours and the people around got an understanding that the home was being constructed and owned by my brother. They believed that my brother is the owner! They had never seen me personally.

Further, they also heard that I am staying in Mumbai, which means that even the girl will have to settle in Mumbai post-marriage and will not be in Kerela, the 2nd reason.

So on these grounds, they rejected me!

Now it was the turn of the third girl! I, along with my brother, travelled by car on one morning, for about 250 KM, a journey of almost 5 hours, and reached a place of to-be-bride, at around 3 PM. This time I approved the girl and said I am ready to marry this girl. Before the program, her uncle, who was known to my mother too, told me: ‘Please select the girl yourself & don’t think of my status.’ I replied: ‘Alimama if that would be the case, I would have agreed for this marriage even without looking at the girl or coming all the way here. But earlier I had rejected this girl. So I have come here not just because of you, I have come here respecting my mother’s wish and my need. I am ready to marry this girl!’ I told him.

Now that I want to proceed with my plans, I did not waste further time.

We completed the rest procedures; sweets exchanged, and discussions about the Dowree fixed. Further, we all came out of her house. The girl’s relatives asked me the usual, but essential question: ‘Will the girl remain happy or not?’ Will she be staying in Kerela or not? Or will she have to live in Mumbai? We came out of the house by then and were walking ahead. I was standing at a distance of 10 meters from the girl’s members, and I saw her mother standing, looking at me anxiously. Now I could see her mother’s face full of worries, as I was wearing my specs. J

I could observe that the woman looked worried; I could see her face full of questions. Now I had the experience to study the faces of to-be married girl’s relatives!

I was getting vibes about how to react to a situation. I know they would inform these developments will be reported to my mother. And I too intended the same since I knew that Tanggal had told my mother of my first marriage, but still, I was showing that I am still obeying my mother and listening to her, whatever she wanted me to do, increasing her doubt on Tanggal.

I yelled from a distance and said, raising my hand: ‘Uma! (Mother), Please don’t get stressed, I will take care of your daughter.’(This statement I said in the Malayalam language) As all the family members were standing out, along with the ‘Gang of 4 people’, I said aloud in front of everybody and all of them heard this and looked at me with a bit of a surprise!

It was a promise I made in the presence of everybody.

I was carefree although, since I knew if I could handle much bigger risky situations (of Maryam) earlier, this is not that difficult to handle.

Later Alimama said: ‘I didn’t get what you said, but that small sentence simply wiped out tension from girl Uma’s face.’ 

I thanked God, saying: ‘feel so nice to remove somebody’s tension.’

Thus the marriage was fixed.

My maternal uncle, who was with us at this event, came with me to Mumbai, since he had his business and so also my brother who joined our journey.

Now it was the end of November, Maryam’s medical treatments were on. Office matters were going on smoothly, and the talks & transactions for this second marriage too were on. 

Back in 2013, the same girl was considered by my maternal uncle for me, and I had rejected her at that time when my father was with us. At that time, the girl’s uncle told my father, as I overheard him saying so:

‘I can arrange 50 tolas of gold for this marriage transaction from the bride as Dowree.’

I was aware that I would surely get this Dowree, keeping in mind my father’s status. If the girl’s relatives go down for lesser Dowree, it would be an insult of my Alimama.

The Dowry market works like this. The Dowry depends on the prosperity of the bridegroom.                  But now at this stage of life, my uncle, aunty and my mother, we all were weak and not that rich. When the girl’s uncle observed the current situation of ours, he said that the Dowree would be settled at 25 tolas of gold only!!

That stunned me! But I was also happy as it gave me an opportunity or reason to cancel this wedding! 

And I think, a mother-to-be, i.e. Maryam, had her prayers answered!!

Now I had a point; it was a chance to back out, an opportunity I was waiting so eagerly!

It was, indeed a golden chance as he was going back on his promise!

I was quick enough on my stance.

I questioned: ‘How come now he is saying 25 tolas, whereas earlier he agreed 50 tolas of gold to father when we had the prosperity in those days?’

 ‘If the girl’s uncle takes a turn around, even before the wedding, how the girl’s family members will behave with us after the marriage?’

I was saying sorry to God to defame the family and hurt the girl, but I had a golden chance to come out of this path which I did not wish to go ahead with, and I wanted a solid reason to justify my action for rejecting this marriage, not due to my issues, but due to her uncle, going back on his words. So the onus of blame is not on me because he intended cheating us! This incidence was sufficient reason for me to deny. So the message to my mother I was sending, that I am not marrying this girl not because I am already married but because this girl’s relatives are cheating us and it’s a question of my future, so I can’t have relations with this cheating people! The way they intend to deceive us, saying 50 tolas of gold to dad and now bringing it down to 25 tolas of gold just because our father is not with us and that now we were no richer. It shows how they are treating us, even before the marriage!

I continued: ‘Now, the girl and her family members look nice, but what if they show different colours in future? What if they change their approach to me?

They will disrespect me my whole life, just because we are now poor! They will ruin my life!’

Now I started taking initiatives. I asked mother, ’Why did you initiate the talks with these type of people?’ Now I was showing my importance to my mother. ‘Why did you initiate the talk?’ I repeated. ‘If Didi, i.e. the elder sister (elder daughter of Badimaa) or the brother-in-law, who are quite rich, would have initiated they would have settled Dowree for at least 100 tolas of Gold!’

I further told mother: ‘They have more experience in such transactions. Since the brother-in-law also took 75 or 100 tolas of gold from father, for his wedding. Why did you initiate in my matter? The girl’s relatives saw our state of poverty, and they quickly reduced the deal at 25 tolas! You reduced my status as a bachelor in the market! You spoiled my name on the market!’ But I felt sorry to blame my mother!

‘Now, I am not ready for this marriage as they are cheaters! I am not ready!’

I continued my arguments. ‘Please tell them I am not ready for the marriage!’

I told my mother firmly. And I closed the chapter.  

I was relieved as the third girl too was rejected, and this gave me much-needed respite, I required in this wedding case. The way I grounded Maryam’s parents, I applied a similar pattern to my family members! So I was successful in diverting the mind of my mother and rest family members, which was pre-occupied with an idea of wedding me off to a girl of their own choice.

I grounded them down all!

It was the end of November, and I was renovating my office.

I was engaged in training the staff, guide them on how to handle clients and I was generating Fund flow healthily, getting new customers also!

All the activities were going on, as per my planning.

When I was going to see a girl for me, my intention was how to act as per the situation, since they would report entire developments to my mother, I was aware of it. Hence I always obeyed them. Now I was done with it.

Now my entire focus was my office.

As my future tasks would be impossible without Cash Flow, I diverted the cash flow of office during the earlier period from August to October.

I needed the Cash Flow in November & December as well, as I had to take care of Maryam too, with increasing medical treatment expenses, as she was progressing in her pregnancy stage.

I had completed two matters: Completing the task of looking for a new girl in Kerela and taking care of office in Mumbai.

The third aspect to take care of was Maryam. She was staying alone in Mumbra after being extricated from her parents. I had set routine for Maryam to follow Quran and be under family atmosphere, for which I had arranged Mehrunisha’s family who had Uncle, Aunty, sister and many more, a big family. And with my frequent visit to her, she was never cut off from a family atmosphere, which was utmost necessary for her at this stage of pregnancy, since I cut off her from her own family.  

Allah’s mercy was there on her, for sure!

I believe that it is He who is arranging this entire situation, as it's He who operates His Creation; and He has directed scenes in such a way that the safety of Maryam and the baby was taken care of by the circumstance itself; like that Ramzan fasting matter!

I am just a tool for executing.

My father always used to say: Do a good deed and throw them into the sea! Thus the fish will eat and bless you! Meaning whatever good you do, forget expecting its return or result. Don’t expect a return from God for your deed. Just go on doing good things and never think of its benefits to you.

So Maryam was under the much-required family atmosphere, and that was a great relief to me. Mehrunisha’s family was taking good care of Maryam, and hence I was relaxed from her point of view and could concentrate on playing other parts of the chess game.

Now that I had rejected the third girl, on the grounds of the cheating over Dowree and was convincing my mother on my stand, trying to convince her that whatever Tanggal has said isn’t correct.

So my mother asked me: ‘now, next what?’

Now she doubted my actions noticing rejection of these girls.

The time was due now to tell my mother everything about the secret wedding!

So one evening, I took her for a long drive. My mother was also mentally prepared to expect that now I am going to disclose about my marriage, as she informed by the Tanggal! The Tanggal had given a script of Ayats of Quran to my mother to read and as an influence of which, as per her belief, I would initiate and tell her about my wedding.

She had a deep belief in Tanggal and the Ayat. And her faith got boosted when I all of a sudden took her for a long drive. I came to know about her deep faith from those ‘Gang of 4 people’ later.    

Let me put in detail about these Ayats: If somebody is under any lousy impact as a result of a person’s curse, so to remove that horrible impact, he has to read these Ayats of Quran for certain count, and they believe that it works!

It foils or breaks the harmful impact.  

So the Tanggal told my mother that ‘if you read these Ayats, your son will be out of all the influences of that girl, he has in his life. He will reveal his secret wedding to you, on his own.’ 

My mother thought that the time had come now, for her son to reveal about his secret wedding, as advised by Tanggal.

According to my planning, the time for me to tell my mother had also matured! So the moments from both the sides had coincided! When I took her for a long drive, her trust in Tanggal got increased manifold. I was wondering: ‘Oh, what a reason she had to believe!’ But I kept silent. 

Mother was waiting for my confession.

First, I took her to a mall, told her to buy stuff whatever she requires and also guided the spots where she can get things.

Later we moved from mall to Mumbra! I was trying to study her reactions on the face, what is she doing or thinking or what she wants to do.

I realised that she is losing her temper as I was taking the time.

On reaching Mumbra, I did not take her to my home. Instead, I took her to Mehrunisha’s home! I was planning that if she cools down at Mehrunisha’s house, I will take her further to my house! But if she doesn’t, I decided not to proceed further!

I needed planning at every stage and every moment of my life.

We reached Mehrunisha’s house!

Here finally, I told my mother that I am already married to Maryam!!

And that was like a storm!! Like a blasting nuclear bomb!!

She was like Kali Mata, furious!! She suddenly lost her faith in Allah! She behaved as if her religion, her relations, her world has ended.

She was angry that Tanggal’s information turned out to be exact!

She became angrier for the reason of secret marriage, not shared by me for so long!

I am her dear son, and it’s me who hide such a serious matter from her for so long! Her anger exploded. My mother had seen Maryam in my office earlier in August and got a confirmation on observing her that this girl is pregnant. It also annoyed her that her son was married several months ago and is telling me now!

Later, I disclosed to my brother Saju, who was in Kerela, over the phone.

‘I am married.’

He asked: ‘Why you did not tell this earlier?’

I said ’I was not in a state to tell anybody. Several problems cornered me. But now many of them are resolved, I have told you.’

He said ‘if you had told me this in Kerela, I would have handled the situation.’ 

I replied: ‘if I could not handle it myself, what difference would you make?’

Further, I said ’Now I have told you. Now the time has come to reveal all whoever is concerned and deserved to know at the time due.

I also called on one of the Gang of 4 people and told about my marriage!

And he too talked in the same tune: We knew it but wanted to hear from your mouth!  So I replied instantly: ‘Even I knew long back that you are aware of my marriage but wanted to see if you had any guts to come and question me.’ I said further:’ See you soon!!’

I can challenge anybody, do whatever he/she can do to me, I will be firm on my marriage!’

Here I was prepared to do whatever my mother, my family members, my brother and his family members, rest relatives and those ‘Gang of 4 people’ ask me to do.

I would abide with and not overrule any of their statement, except one thing, i.e. I won’t leave Maryam at any cost! I was deadly firm on not to leave her under any circumstances. I told my mother this and told her to register it in her mind!

She was highly disturbed. Her faith and her confidence upon me; all shattered!

I had set my mind: ‘You can tell me anything and everything to do, you force me to marry a different girl again, I will abide by you, but if you ask me to leave this girl,

I am incredibly sorry: I WILL NOT! 

I will not consider you then as my relative nor even as my enemy. Because I don’t forget my enemy and I don’t leave my relatives!

I didn’t say these to her but thought myself and was adamant on it. 

It was like a nightmare for my mother. She was profoundly disturbed, could not be controlled. She lost her confidence, her faith and trust. She felt suddenly helpless, found her all alone swiftly, trapped in a storm, devastated!

One can imagine her state of mind. She lost her husband long back, her the youngest son married in a situation similar to mine and that too to a non-Muslim girl, who had not accepted the Muslim religion, which was more disturbing to my mother.

She was already hurt as he was not staying with her.

So she was praying and visiting Tanggal regularly since my brother’s marriage, asking him to do something so that the elder son, i.e. me, will not marry a non-Muslim.

Her efforts were going on long back. Despite her trust & pray, she faced yet similar explosive situation. Again, another son got married to a non-Muslim girl, according to her belief, that too without her knowledge! Besides, I kept it secret for so long.

As they say, marriage happens as per destiny, so it happens, come what may!

One cannot stop it.

I have observed Nature, from the beginning; everything is scripted in this world, whether it is good or bad as I had mentioned earlier what you have to do at a road signal. Read it. You can’t stop at once place, whole life.  

I was so prepared, come what maybe, I was ready to face. Whether good or bad, boom or trouble. My life was in a similar state. I just wanted to clear this passage of my life. I never imagined how worst the days would be ahead.

I had a tough time in my life, struggling to arrange for food even!

I was suddenly into such bad days!

Now I started to calculate how far I can go with this situation, wherein I had to borrow grocery, milk etc. Although, I had a good rapport with these shopkeepers, how far one can drag these things for long?

So I calculated how many days I can sustain. If I don’t recover within that planned time, say 10-15 days, which I figured, there will be neither cooking gas nor any grocery in my house!

I had to do something to recover from this lousy face of my life.

I am coming back to that moment, where I disclosed my secret marriage to my mother at Mehrunisha’s house.

She was profoundly disturbed, so I called the ‘Gang of 4 people’ and told them that I had revealed my secret marriage to my mother. They replied: ‘She already knows it long back!’ 

I said to myself: Let these people get lost from my life! I told them: ‘I don’t care; I felt it was my duty to tell you, so I told you. I knew mom was aware of it, but you people had no guts to ask me.’

Before this, I want to share another incidence.                                                                                                          The ‘Gang of 4 people’ accompanied me in Kerela. In one occurrence, my Badimaa- not my father’s first wife, asked me: ‘Are you in relation with any girl? You are rejecting all the girls we show you!’

I used the truth in such a way that it was neither false nor a complete revelation.

She didn’t realise my truth. It happens with everybody.

I said: ‘Swear upon you, Badimaa, besides Maryam, there is nobody in my life! None has a place in my life! Let me take care of Maryam first!’ 

She misunderstood that I was talking about Maryam, the name of my Organization, I was running, but I was talking about my wife, Maryam!  So that was my nature, not to lie but also not to expose the cent per cent truth.

Nobody can prove that I am lying.

Throughout these days, if I would have revealed the entire truth, I would be ruined.

But Allah is the BEST & PERFECT MASTER PLANNER, as mentioned in the Quran:

“They plan, and Allah plans. Surely, Allah is the Best among planners.”

Quran 08.30.

Allah is the scriptwriter or Director of my story; I was just an executing actor, and assigning other roles to the relevant characters at the time they needed to perform.

Later I spoke to the son of my mother’s friend, and he too said the same: ‘We all knew in advance, we just wanted to hear it from you.’ I replied. ‘That is fine but now what next to do.’ I couldn’t ask him to speak with their mother as she was not in a state to say or listen to anything.

The whole day, I failed to make her understand, and it looked that she had lost her faith in Allah too!

So I thought, to impose the faith, to gain her trust in me, I will have to do whatever she wants to.

Thus a series of meetings, to deviate my mind, started.

The first meeting was in Bhiwandi.  Now the only way left to resolve this issue was through debates. First, it was the turn of my family members. 

So at Mehrunisha’s home, with the entire family of hers including her mother, aunty, senior aunty, all were watching this scene of emotional turmoil, heated words, bad words and all sort of madness going on, but nobody could say anything.

On the other hand, I was taking care that my mother doesn’t raise her hand on me, or she loses her self-control. I was accepting what my mother was saying, not arguing with any word of hers.

She wanted to go back home. I said: ‘Not today, we will move tomorrow.’ It was getting late, so I tried to make her sleep and also tried to cool down the heated atmosphere. Bad words continued; I was hearing and trying to keep calm. It was already 2 hours, and it clocked midnight. I thought I have cooled down the heated atmosphere by at least 1%, may not be even that. My mother was feeling sleepy, but she did not sleep. All were much disturbed, and my mother was most affected, angry to the highest level.

I continued telling the mother to rest and sleep, but she was adamant about going home at Bhiwandi, and she did not want to stay there anymore.

I tried convincing her that it’s around 12.30 AM and there will be no local trains running now. We will get up early in the morning when service resumes at about 4 AM. She continued saying, no I want to go home, and I was replying: ‘you have to stay here.’ So I put off the lights and lay down. But I was watching her reactions with eyes slightly opened!

Mother was still restless. She got up and tried moving out of home! Now my mother was trying to play a game with me. All were sleeping, and at that time, she was trying to leave home. She didn’t know how she will reach home, but she wanted to go! I had another idea struck to my mind. I should not leave my mother alone in such circumstances, as she was a heart patient. No matter where she is, either with me, Saju-my brother or her ‘Gang of 4 people’. I saw that she was never left alone.

It was 1.15 AM now, lights were off, and she was still restless, trying to go home! I realised that she would not be stable here, so I told Mehrunisha’s mother, ‘Not to worry, I will handle the situation.’

By now, the mother was already out of the house! She did not even wear Burkha, as she thought: ‘why should I now follow religious restrictions when Allah has not listened to me!’ So she too thought of not following anything!  

Since I accompanied her, I was not bothered much.

We hired an auto. Again there was a pressure on my money!

Money had played a significant role to play in my life.

Finally, we reached Bhiwandi. I had no option to do anything, but to accompany my mother, as long as I can.

I asked Maryam to give me five days. ‘I will try to meet you in these five days; it may not be that easy to stay without you. So please don’t be worried. It was more important for me to cool down my mother. So I stayed at Bhiwandi for a day, but I could not extend my stay with my mother. As I had to take care of Maryam, I had to continue attending my office. I could not afford to stay or stopping at my mother’s home for long; I felt so. I had no time left to halt at one spot.

The first rule of the game is to keep moving. The rest rules are depending upon the situations developed. I was binding with the first rule, keep moving.

I started attending the office and meeting Maryam regularly for about a week. The situation at my office was also not getting improved; it was getting worse due to that person I hired, to take care of my business for a couple of months. He was ruining my business. He was utilising Cash Flow for himself! I did not act but was calculating till how long I can stretch this situation of down-trending finance, meeting all my expenses at the office and cater my needs at home, with saving I was having with me.

Now it was the end of November. I told Maryam: ‘I have told my mother about you, but if these situations, i.e. like the one at the office and with mother, do not resolve then by 14^th March 2015 next year, as per deadline I calculated, I realised that I would destroy. I will be a zero. So I have to now concentrate on improving the situation, not till just March, but I wish to drag on further till July. I told Maryam, looking at the financial strength and looking at the scene at the office and that of the mother, post 14^th March 2015 onwards there will be a downward trend for me.

Now the crisis started, the mountains of the problem began falling on me.

The first mountain: In the first week of November, my mother and her ‘Gang of 4 people’ took me to Kerela again to a Tanggal! Now mother and her gang were playing moves of chess with me, and I had to comply with them, with an only determination that whatever they say or do, I will do but not leave my wife!

We reached the house of Badimaa. Within an hour, Badimaa said: ‘Let’s move, we have to cut an ox. Let’s move; otherwise, we will not get our share’.

I knew what she intended. We even didn’t rest for an hour, nor had anything. Badimaa thought that I am not aware of what she meant to and that I am a fool believing whatever she said.

So I geared myself to see what they were capable of doing.

In Mobile, we have a silent mode or vibrate mode. Here for me, it was time to open a method; my father had: Mode of being aggressive, daring or being a hooligan, something like that. 

In other words, I had to behave like my father, as there was no option of resolving this matter through dialogues. So I had to show them that I am the son of ABDUL KHADAR MALBARI and you people have no matching strength with me! As they were clear in their intention of what they wanted to do, it was a the do-or-die situation for me.

If an opponent is ready to kill you, showing his intention, what we have to do?

Would you resort to dialogues? 

We all moved to the car; they made me sit in the car. My mother, younger son of Badimaa and her ‘Gang of 4 people’ also sat in the car. They drove the car with high speed, trying not to give me any moment to respond. But I realised that they are taking me to Tanggal!

I immediately realised what their intention was, since the speed of the car was much more than average. They wanted to give me no time to think over what’s going on or react, but I wasn’t that fool not to understand what was in their mind. So to deal with my planning, they too were thinking of a counter plan. Their motive was to wait for me, to talk further, as they had no courage to ask me.

Now that they all knew about my marriage, as shared by my mother, they did not wait at Badimaa’s house and forced me, in haste to go to Tanggal. Simultaneously, I was planning to be like my father: a hooligan, knowing the language of fights in a do-or-die situation, nothing else and be in a beast mode.

No discussion, no arguments! Just be aggressive and take action!

I had set my mind so!

On our way, I was thinking: I knew what I did. I was not wrong and that I had to stick to what I did. It’s my entire responsibility that I have to take care of my wife and to-be-born-baby. I was giving an option to my relatives whether they have to accept me or break with me.

I made it firm to abide with my wife and tell them this.

Finally, we stopped at an old bungalow. I saw Tanggal, who was standing there with his family members.  

Now I will brief about this Tanggal.

Earlier, he was merely a drunkard! One day, in a state of drunk, he went to a jungle. People believe that he met a Jinnat there! Possibly it could be his own created story.

Then he started doing the baba like a business, as we see in our country, spreading the story that he possesses black magic power and controls the Jinnat.

Let’s talk more about his interesting story:

Once upon a time, a rich man approached him since Tanggal was a popular person. The rich man’s wife wasn’t getting conceived for almost a decade. Now that this Tanggal was such a popular person, he said: ‘Go! You will be a father soon!’ That man believed him instantly with astonishment and left.

Next year, the man indeed became a father! He was so happy with Tanggal that he gifted this old bungalow to him!

The fate of the fake man!!  

What I heard about Tanggal I am describing here. I am not a believer of such Tanggals because, on the one hand, you claim to believe Allah, you talk of Quran, Rasool and think that He does everything for us and on the other hand, you have faith in Tanggal who works on these short cuts, called as black magic, which is nothing but behaving against doctrines of Allah. The fruits of your deeds mature at the right time. And these people go to Tanggal with an expectation of getting the fruit fast. It shows you don’t trust Allah. I would call these people as a hypocrite. These people are capable of spoiling somebody’s life, as they possess the Jinnat who can scan the life of a person, as they believe, on the complainant giving the name and location!

Hence Tanggal is being ‘respected’ by those people who are also saying they believe in Allah, Quran & Rasool. The Quran does not permit to trust anybody or anything other than Allah. But what a contradictory mind these people have, believing both!

It’s the tendency of getting benefits without hard work, a short-cut indeed, which never works, but they believe in such black magic for a simple the reason that they are so lazy expecting fruits without efforts or much before the due time, i.e. in a shorter time.

If these people can behave contradictorily, I am just exposing them.

How am I wrong? I am not.

It’s written in Quran that we can wed a non-Muslim girl, if she has adopted the Muslim religion, along with all the mannerisms, traditions etc. before the marriage. Was I doing anything wrong? I just followed the Quran. I did not breach the written script of the Quran!!  Despite that my family members had an objection to my wedding.

But when I am gearing up against these people, they are now placing this Tanggal, before me, who is acting basically against Allah and doing black magic only to spoil my life!     

I am a successful businessman, have maintained marital life through all ups & downs. So who the hell this Tanggal is interfering with my life? He cannot decide what I should do? Be with Maryam and child or leave them? He has NO RIGHT.

These Tanggals do all the wrong things, in the name of Allah as business to earn money and on the Day of Judgment, when the suffering man complains to Allah that this Tanggal has spoiled my life, on a complaint of a person, who wanted to harm me; the Tanggal will argue like SATAN! That he did not do on his own but on request of the complainant, who approached me.

He will defend: I did not do anything on my own. You gave me the power and the complainant who approached me; I helped him showing the way as a solution. This man came to me, cried, pleaded, requested and I told him to read what is written by Allah! (Which are available in the form of Ayats).

Coming back to the story:

We entered into the bungalow. I sat in a chair, in the verandah; my mother and all others went inside. The Tanggal told them to stay indoors, and he came out to me. I told him: ‘Hold! I will go to a nearby mosque, offer Namaaz and come back!’ So I went to nearby Mosque & prayed to Allah: ‘Here I come, oh Allah! Now it’s up to You to manage things! I have come here without any planning or preparation, so whatever the situation arises, You will have to take care of!’

So saying, I returned to that old bungalow and sat again on the chair in the verandah.

My belief based on my science knowledge:

If the life leaves the body and gets stuck to toe, it will restore!

The Tanggal came and sat before me on an opposite chair. He started his questions straightaway, trying to play pressure game with me!

‘Who is that girl? What is her name?’

As he did not take time and started asking me, I too said quickly with the same tone and confidence: ‘Maryam!’

He: ‘No, this is not the correct name! Tell me the correct name!’ He ordered!

He was talking in an authoritative tone!

I will join a reference here to continue with the story.

When he asked me to reveal the actual name, I remembered the story of my father, which he narrated about a neighbour pregnant woman, getting labour pain and on instruction by my grandmother to fetch a Taweej, i.e. locket from Tanggal, my father had tied a stone which he picked up from road to a cloth and gave his mother.

This incidence taught me how fake these beliefs are! It merely is nothing else than superstition. It is belief without a base! There were some more instances; I had experienced until the time I was with my father for about 25 years, which confirmed that these so-called magicians do not possess any superior power at all! When this story stuck my mind while sitting in front of Tanggal I realised that this man is a merely fake person and is not capable of crossing me, commanding me and that I should not trust him but Allah and myself, as my deeds were as per the written script in Quran!  

There was another fact that was striking my mind: Giving and taking a life is in the hand of Allah. The Quran says that He is the only one who gives us life and takes it back, and He also scripted the duration in between.

And this has encouraged me.

He further questioned me: ‘What is her real name? Don’t give me wrong names.

I know everything!’ He tried to pressurise me on seeing that I am replying his questions instantly, giving him an impression that I am getting controlled by him, which wasn’t so!                                    Here I played a game, as I was not afraid of him anymore.

Instead of Maryam’s maiden name, I told him her younger sister’s name, Surekha, which was very much identical to Maryam’s maiden name which was one aspect.

Number two: The younger sister was my girlfriend before I got attached to Maryam. Her nature was not befitting mine. She liked to spend money and enjoy and roam out of home most of the time. I realised that Maryam was more suitable for me; she wasn’t like her younger sister. Hence I made it very clear to the younger sister that you are not like the girl I prefer or my family members would accept, but yes, your sister is suitable for me. So I cannot go with you but wish to go ahead with your sister, instead. She agreed to it and allowed me to select the younger sister as my life partner! I never liked to flirt with girls for just enjoyment. No messed up relationships, I preferred in my life! I needed a girl who is keen on taking family responsibilities; take care of my mother and family members.

Facts are our bonding in our married life, which we shared cent per cent. She also knew what, in the past, there was between her younger sister and me. And she had a deep trust in me! 

Having shared my past with Maryam, my relations with her younger sister did not continue. Maryam was also aware of this, and she respected my thoughts.

I am coming back to the story!

I gave the name of Maryam’s younger sister, Surekha, to the Tanggal.

Again it was not a lie!

He proceeded: ‘Yes! Surekha! They are three sisters; their father is working as a Police. Their mother keeps ill!’ He was updated a lot!

It looked like all this information were provided by the Gang of 4 people!

I kept on nodding to all his questions.

Here, I will explain his modus operandi! If I took Dhananshree’s name, he would have caught me! Because they work based of the details and locations, provided by the people, who approach them, hence when I told him the name of Maryam’s younger sister he believed me since it was matching with his knowledge. According to him, Maryam was still staying with her parents and sisters. I neither lied nor gave him proper information!

He commanded further: ‘Come inside!’

He took me to a bigger room, where all the rest were present. As he was standing, I stood too! Now I was in a hooligan mode, by unfolding my shirt collar and saying in my mind: ’Yes! Come on! I am ready to combat!!’

I was in that beast mode, like my father! If the Tanggal raises his hand, I was ready even to slap him! I prepared myself to that extent! But nothing of that sort happened. Just a few heated verbal talks! He then sat on a chair, and we all sat down on the ground.

Now he started abusing the girl in all the available bad words, in a bid to convince us how unsuitable the girl is for me! Thus he completely disrespected a woman! He was tarnishing a girl’s image for no reason!    

He was talking about Maryam’s sister, with the facts he knew. But now he was abusing her! At one moment, I thought of even killing him, but I controlled my anger.

I kept on listening to the bullshit for two reasons:

No. 1: All these talks were within four walls and relatives and not in public. Had it been in front of outsiders or strangers, I would have killed him!

No. 2: If mere talks can settle issues, I was okay with it.      

It went on for about 20 minutes, and I just nodded.

I kept silent most of the time

, as I was sure that there would be no fights.

He then asked me a question: ‘Do you still wish to be with that girl?’

I replied with equal firmness, but in a higher tone: ‘It’s my decision!’

I was smiling! I knew which girl I should be with J. Thus I kept Maryam safe by keeping her maiden name safe. The twist here was, according to his belief, its Surekha, he was not aware of the name, Maryam!

I continued but with a higher tone! ’It’s my decision and none of your business!’ Now I was talking in dominating mode!

He continued with his questions: ‘Whom do you prefer? Whom do you want?

Do you want your mother or that girl?’

That was emotional blackmail.    

That annoyed me! Is he Khuda to ask such questions? I asked myself and then instantly, I decided to show him what he is, and where he stands.

Whatever happens with me, I will take care of my life.

I replied to him: ‘I want both of them!’ That was the decision of my life!

He was a bit baffled, not expecting this type of answer.

He said: ‘No, it’s not possible! You cannot have both!’

He continued to dominate me.

Again he was trying to impose his decisions on me.

I replied instantly! ‘That’s my lookout, and I will manage it! You don’t have to bother!’ All the present there were surprised by my beast mode!

Because I always believed that time is the greatest healer of any wound. Time also changes things; it has the strength of changing the Universe; they don’t remain the same for long. So my mother’s grief would also end in due course of time, I was sure.

Now I asked him in an authoritative tone! ‘Is there anything else left?’

I was pointing index finger to him, with that statement! My high tone made him realise that he can no more dictate me and that he should now be quiet. 

He replied calmly: ‘No, nothing!’ His tone was indeed changed!

Now I got up, but while getting up, I got cramps in my knee.

The reason is I can’t seat with folded legs for long! If I have to sit on the ground and eat, I will hold the plate in my hand and not on my folded lap, and with spread legs. I can sit with legs spread for a long time.

There was an accident which resulted in this medical issue. I had fallen from 4^th floor in my childhood! Miraculously, nothing much happened to me!

It was around 6 PM and within 15 minutes; my father took me through 2 hospitals. The first hospital refused the admission! But I got admitted in 2nd hospital.

By 8 PM, Doctor told my family to take me home, as he felt I had recovered and nothing much to worry. But my mother was indeed worried and requested him to retain me for two more days under observation. THAT’S MOTHER!

So I had no medical issues, except that when I sit with folded legs for a long time, I get cramps. As I was sitting here for about 20 minutes with folded legs, hence I got the pain while getting up. I started rubbing my knees while getting up; I was struggling. Having seen that, the Tanggal immediately turned to all those present there, and said: ‘See! When I went out to bring him in, I tied his legs with my superpowers and dragged him inside!’ LOL!!!!!

I was a bit upset with me! Why did I rub my knees in front of him; he was enacting it as an effect of his so-called black magic! I was watching him, as he was talking in the Malayalam language, thinking that I do not know it, as we were interpreting during entire the incidence, in Hindi with the aid of those who were present there, as Tanggal thought I staying in Mumbai may not know Malayalam.

(Three months after this incidence, after Ahna’s birth, I met one of those people, and I asked him, ’Is that Tanggal a Khuda to decide my fate?’)

As I was leaving the room rubbing my knees, he was quick enough to tell the attendees: ‘See my power!’  I said to myself, ‘Let you be in your own belief.’  

Now I knew that when circumstances close roads going up, the only path to move out is, we have to dive down and look for another way out. I am not a person to stand and wait until the closed-door gets opened. I mean to say that if one road is blocked, Allah opens ten more doors for us. Hence I decided, let’s leave this place instantly, and take a new path. Although at that moment, I didn’t know about the other track, I decided to move out. I waited and wanted to see what more worst these people could do to me.

Although he possesses the power to implement what a person request him to do, i.e. showing ways to Complainant to harm the other; In this case, me & Maryam. He could finish or remove Maryam, from my life based on somebody’s request, with given information, as he had power, so on the Date of Judgment, he could defend himself in front of Allah by saying that You had empowered me and these people had requested me to implement the power to solve their problems.

I just obeyed in guiding them the path. My role was over!

But when he asked me whom I prefer to stay with, whether mother or Maryam, I realised that even he couldn’t touch Maryam as she carries another life in her embryo. While he was asking me, I realised he could do nothing since he was asking and not doing anything to separate Maryam. He was asking! I realised that he wants my permission to action, and is not taking any decision on his own. So, if I say I want my mother, he would suggest ways to remove Maryam along with the unborn baby, with his black magic. So after 20 minutes, when he asked me, I replied in my way, which was unexpected for him.

And I instructed him not to poke his nose in my matter.

I realised that it was not my mother but the Gang of 4 people, who forced Tanggal to act according to their mind, forcing my mother also to get involved. I felt that my mother could not agree for such action; on her own. After all, she is a mother!

But her situation was depleted. A lady who has lost her man in her life, her youngest son, married in a way she would never compromise and left her.

As the Tanggal hinted her that I too married a non-Muslim girl without her knowledge and not living with her, she was in a delicate state of mind.

These ‘Gang of 4 people’ were pressurising her, so she was in a state of helplessness. She had lost self-confidence!

When a glass brakes, it is joined with glue. The state of my mother was similar to the broken glass, glued by these Gang of 4 people.

These ‘Gang of 4 people’ forced Tanggal to destroy the girl of my life!

Tanggal replied, ’She is a pregnant woman; hence I can’t do anything to her! I am also answerable to Allah! I can give you Ayat to read, that’s my duty. Nothing more I can do’. The fact was he realised that he could not do anything since he was not aware of her location, as her whereabout was in suspense.

Tanggal was confused with the actual maiden name of Maryam which had a similarity with her younger sister’s name, Surekha.

Here I want to say that when we refer to somebody’s name for the first time, one tends to forget if we do not hear again. And when we are in the highest point of any emotions, as everybody was there in Tanggal’s house, in state of high emotions, we tend to forget! Neither Tanggal nor others; could not catch the wrong name! As I had determined to save Maryam anyhow and was on the path of right and not mistaken, I was able to plan things as per the situation. I named of Maryam’s younger sister, intending to save Maryam and the unborn baby. Again, my intentions were divine, and that of those were malicious. And as my plans were divine, Khuda(Allah) always help such people. In the entire process, I made them realise,

I AM STUBBORN WITH DESTINATION (GOAL) BUT FLEXIBLE WITH PATH (SUCCESS)

After leaving the place, I was severely disturbed by what had happened. They challenged me, blamed me, attacked my conscience, and tarred my image along with that of a woman in front of all, for not doing anything wrong. Still, I preferred to stay calm. I proceeded and sat in the car. The Tanggal continued showing his importance, telling me to take care! I waved hands like a son of the GUN!

We went to a hotel for lunch, as I was feeling too hungry. After the train journey and reaching Badimaa’s home, they did not allow me to have anything. We even didn’t eat at Badimaa’s home. At lunch in the hotel, nobody was talking about the incidence.

We reached back to the home of Badimaa. I went straight away to sleep.

Next day I got up at 7 in the morning and was planning to move for Mumbai, as I knew my role is over and it’s no point wasting more time there.

I did my duty of revealing about my marriage to all the concerned people and the family members, at a time it was due. Hence I decided to leave for Mumbai. I checked on the net the timings of the train to Mumbai. I had a lot of experiences of several matters, handling myself ever since was I married; and that benefited me.

I was using this information as tools in executions of my planning wherever required. So now I need to move on quickly as Maryam needed me more than these people needing me. If anything was left for them to ask or advice, let them do so in Mumbai, I am not stopping them anymore. If they want to do any harm to me, after I leave from this place, they can go ahead. I decided to move to Mumbai anyhow. I made up my mind. I picked up my handbag, said bye to Badimaa, said Salaam Alaikum to my mother and told them, ‘I am going back to Mumbai! I have to go to Maryam, as she is pregnant and requires my help more than anybody. I have to be with her to take her utmost care. If you want to come with me now, you can; otherwise, you follow later.’

Now I was talking openly, without any hesitation. I wasn’t like that chained baby elephant, as I had declared my marriage to all and everyone, including my mother, which was the most challenging task for me.

My mother started weeping aloud. I said: ‘I am not leaving you, Mom! You can’t realise the situation, as you are just looking from these people’s point of view.

I am still with you. Try to understand me! I am not LEAVING you!

Let me make it very clear!’

I will be available to you at Mumbai; you can come and visit me, as and when you wish so. Now you are among these people so that you won’t understand me. You see how you handle matters here. I need to go to my pregnant wife. You won’t bother to see her, as you are under the effect of your ego. Allah Hafiz!’ 

So for me, there was nothing left there to wait for even a minute.

I left the place with a highly relaxed mind but injured heart. They had hurt my feelings, my conscience and that over-feared me. When a person is over-feared, he has no fear or tension.

I walked up to the nearby Bus Stop, took the bus to Local Station. From there,

I moved further to the Main station and then to Mangalore station. I did not make a reservation to reach Mumbai. I had done travelling alone several times, so it wasn’t that difficult to travel to Mumbai.  

Life resumed for me at Mumbra with my wife. My mother was still at Kerela, with the Gang of 4 people. Allah knows what they were they up to; No matter how bad they could plan, I was firm on my stand. Because I knew they could do nothing wrong to me as God never supports those who don’t believe Him and have a malicious mind. For me, I performed as per the Quran scripts, did my duty honestly. Whatever I wanted to do, I did, following the Quran. Whatever I wanted to inform the concerned, I did so in the manner in which I wanted to, at the time it was due, so that all were set at their places, having the information about me and they did not feel it necessary to act against me. I managed so far to take care of Maryam, the baby was also safe, her sister’s marriage was also not affected, and her Police father was also not defamed. I avoided the police case, learning from my brother’s matter. My mother too didn’t face any trouble with any police case. I also tabled the issue with that Gang of 4 people, by handling the Tanggal. I left my mother with the support of those people so that she somehow gets moral support she wanted in the manner. Thus she did not have any health issue.

My brother wasn’t affected by my matter too.       

In this entire story, I was always at giving end, contributing something or the other. And it was nothing else than myself.

I lost myself in the application and execution of entire planning.

My existence, my reputation, my conscience, my career, everything I applied, for, executing my plans.

Now it was time for my daughter to ENTER the story!

I had cleared all the hindrances for the baby for her to enter this world on the red carpet. The whole saga continued till mid of November, to be precise, 13^th November. By then, I completed playing my entire chase game.

I made the path for the baby to put her leg on a silkier red carpet! It was a perfect and secured arrangement without any obstacle. Nobody in the world could stop her now, except Allah! Whose Gift she is! It’s only Allah who can stop her and none other. Allah is the one who gives and takes life.

Now, a new page of my life started. I was living in this new life as a common man.

On 14^th November, I took Maryam to a hotel and narrated her entire story, as happened in Kerela. I told her that I utilised my knowledge, ability and experience to carry on this saga till here, to bring this baby safely, in this world.

Now, if I have to live my life henceforth, I will have to begin it in a new way, differently, not in the manner I lived it so far. Now it’s not possible!

Although I did not want to say, it just came out of my mouth. Still, I don’t know the reason for telling all these things to Maryam.

It was 27^th of November 2014, the day I can never forget in my entire life. (Day of the accident) 

As I said earlier, my life graph has nose-dived!

Maryam too started going for errands and doing some petty work at home.

I continued taking her for a stroll, for medical check-up etc. to avoid any complications in delivery. I was planning for a nearby hospital, in case of any emergency arises, since I did not want to waste any time. Time in such cases plays a vital role. There were good Hospitals in Thane also, but as I stayed in Mumbra, I had to look for a nearby hospital with necessary facilities. I started doing the procedure of booking a bed for delivery, the regular check-up in that hospital, checking her weight, baby’s health and all the other medications. Everything was going on smoothly! It was required to visit Doctor fortnightly for all these reasons. Once I returned from Kerela, I took up the entire responsibility myself. By the grace of Allah, I got a kind-hearted family of Mehrunisha, who were regularly doing these activities, till the time I was in Kerela. The life was going on, coolly.

But not so long!

One day, I was at home with Mehrunisha and discussing with her, about a new job, which I wanted to execute from home, and we intend to utilise this unique job opportunity to help my business prosper. Maryam had gone to the market, as usual. It was around 5.00 or 5.30 PM.

Suddenly, I got a call from Maryam! She blasted a bomb on me:

‘Shahnawaz!’ She said in a tremendous painful voice as she was in great pain and fear! :

‘I met an accident!!! A biker knocked me down!!!’

It was such disturbing news that I got shocked of my life! Felt like as if I lost all the energy. Even today, I am disturbed by merely thinking it.

I ran like a mad person. Her words were rolling in my brain: ‘Please come and save me! A biker has knocked me down!!’

Soon I reached the site, saw Maryam was laying on the ground on her left side.

By Grace of God, there were no serious injuries! Had the onlookers not been there to stop me, I would have killed that biker. I was hitting him like a mad person, in such a heat of anger and people were trying to separate us and stop the fighting. I wasn’t in my control; I even abused a policeman who got indulged in the scene, and I pushed him carelessly. But then I heard Maryam pleading frantically: ‘Please leave him, come to me!’ as she was in great pain! All these happened in a span of hardly three minutes. She was crying & yelling in pain and fear. Meanwhile, Mehrunisha too reached the accident site. I hired an auto and also noted the biker’s number plate and warned him, in the presence of the policeman, of severe consequences if anything goes horribly with my wife & baby!

‘You better pray for my baby.’ I warned him, and we proceeded to the hospital, which we had booked. Luckily, I had planned it. We all reached the hospital. I was consoling Maryam, ’Don’t worry, nothing will happen to our baby, the baby will be safe!’

But she disclosed with pain, something which was alarming! : ‘Shanu! The baby is not moving!!’ We all were stunned, shocked speechless!!

But its nature’s wonder! Because Maryam met an accident and the sudden jerk she got, had also feared the baby! Every life is scared of a risk to life. And in such case, the feelings of the mother directly affect the baby in the embryo. Since Maryam was crying, the baby was concerned. I sat next to Maryam and kept my palm on her belly.

Here, my 6^th sense clicked! I, being a science student, could feel something and I told Maryam: ‘Don’t worry, the baby is safe!!’ I said it with such confidence that she was immediately relieved and revived her hopes for best. When I told her with the highest level of confidence, she at once believed me, as her husband was telling her, who is a science student, she knew. It was more confirming statement than that of a Doctor. She believed that I am telling her the truth! She got psychological support, which she required severely, at that moment! She also remembered that during her first sonography, I told her it’s a baby girl. She, under that situation, asked me how I knew. I said although they don’t speak in the hospital, I know it, I will tell you later, how I assess.’

So all these instances, assured her that the baby is safe. Her nervousness and worries disappeared quickly! And I told Mehrunisha to take care of her and take her to the Doctor, as I am going down for some ‘important’ work and will come back in a short time! They both had a big question mark on their face!               

I told Maryam to calm and breathe deeply. So I gave her advice like a doctor.

‘The moments of crisis are over.’ I told her!

But I left the hospital and went to a nearby Mosque, opposite the hospital!

I went there to offer my Namaz as I felt to pray to Allah since the baby is Allah Gift and was sure that Allah would take her utmost care. As giving Life and taking back is in Allah's hands. I did Wazoo, read Magib Namaaz, did Salaam, asked for Dua (prayers for safety) and left the Mosque.

I returned to Maryam & Mehrunisha and asked them: ‘Did you go to the Doctor? What did he say?’

Maryam replied, “Even the Doctor was scared and worried, but assured us that the baby is quite safe!”

Maryam was shattered emotionally to a great extent; she hugged me tightly.

I said ’I told you. I have deep trust in Allah. And I asked her further ‘What did the doctor say?’ She replied: ‘Due to the accident, the baby was also scared and shrunk, but she is ok and not harmed in any way!’

I repeatedly said, ’I told you, everything will be alright!’ I was also much relieved.

But I was not looking at her; instead, I looked upward to thank Allah, He heard my prayers!

Now it was my Pay-Time. And to pay, I placed myself for this.

Now new people, connected to my office, started creating troubles for me. One of the Investors in my business created a scene to put me in a soup. My office was getting affected. I was feeling that the Gang of 4 people’ were doing black magic which resulted in these new problems. They were trying to bring me to the ground. The Quran says that even Hazrat Muhammad Sallallahy Alaihi Salam a deity too faced black magic in his life! I was just a common man; these things will happen to me as well. I was expecting what can be the possibility of solutions and come out of it.

Even I remembered a scene from Mahabharat. The enemies, Arjun was fighting with, were his blood relatives, half-brothers. Shri Krishna accompanied Arjun, who enlightened Arjun in the form of BHAGWAD GEETA that those who are standing before you are not your brothers; since they have come here to pledge a war with you, so they cannot be your relatives, but THESE ARE YOUR ENEMIES since they have come to fight AND kill you! So I also was equipped with whatever I saw, read, understood, and thought. All these I utilised in my case as my armaments. So I realised that those who are your own are not your enemies and those who are your enemies, they can never be your own because they have an intention to kill you!

The principle of war is to kill, kill and only kill. That’s it! Don’t think if the person before you is your relative since he has the intention to kill you, therefore you have to pledge a war with him/them and kill them.

Even I did the same. I tried to convince my mother and the gang of 4 people, make them understand, but still, when it came to my child and wife, I stood firm to shield them. So I concluded that now I have to settle the matters with love as a weapon of war, I have to use it as my armament! If I wished I could break relations, it was not happening. But instead, I learnt from my father to keep bonded the whole family. Still, he faced many severe issues in his life. And I felt that my problems are just nothing as compared to his. So I put up my condition that if I have to proceed, I will go ahead with my family.

I wanted to play and not to fight the war. I set a target date 5^th July 2015 as the end of the game; I was playing. I was struggling with these people for now over 6/7 months. Why should I give so much importance to them to continue the war with them? I did not do anything against Islam; instead, I followed Islam. And yet, they are fighting with me, with their black magic! Are they or their anger above the Islam religion? Are they more important than Deeds of Khuda?  So I decided that if I continue my job in Mumbai, I will break my relations with them, but if I get an opportunity in Dubai, I will try to make them understand phase by phase.

So the essence of the story was; now I had to lose myself, and by doing so, I have to recover myself. The reason to do so was to show the opponent that I have lost, and you have won. If I did not show that I surrender, the opponent would continue trying more fiercely and land me in further troubles. That’s why I declared that I accept the defeat. As I did not want to win this war, I wasn’t interested in the battle at all and not in its result.

I wanted to play the game, and I was interested in the result of it.

Everybody in my family, my mother, those gang of 4 people, the investor, all tried to break me, to separate me from Maryam. I was just interested in playing the game and get the result out of it.

And the best result which came on 16^th January 2015, and I wasn’t bothered a bit for anything else.

I had told Maryam about 45 days ago that the child will enter this world, on a Friday. So this is what I was showing them that I am breaking, losing the war, floored to ground, which was necessary to explain. Although I pleased them by showing that I have lost the battle, I was falling till I wished to teach them not because they were overpowering me. So I calculated the day, which was after the story gets ended on 16^th January 2015. My target date was after it, to stop showing them I am surrendering or falling to their waged war. I had already told Maryam that if we do not recover by 14^th March 2015, we will never recover.  

I had instructed my friends to inform me once my mother is back from Kerela. Because my belief was that post the accident, I will not face any further troubles.  But similarly, even the Gang of 4 people was thinking about how this man can overrule us. How could he dare so much to challenge us? As this person is challenging us, we will also not leave him. We will stage a war with him! But I had decided not to disown Maryam, under any circumstances and was ready to face anything! Practically anything!!

It’s the TIME which decides who is victorious.

But I enjoy playing the game; I am not interested in winning or sad about losing.

I show my nature this way.  

The moment my friends informed me when my mother returned, I went to see her! But she did not attend me as she was in anger yet. Whenever I meet her, she welcomes me by hugging, but she did not do so this time.

She was still angry with me and adamant on her stance, and so also I was. I waited there for a couple of hours, already informed Maryam that I would be late there.

At this stage, I finished matters of Maryam’s family members, mother’s Gang of 4 people’ and so also about Maryam and our child.

Now it was time for my office staff and to think of myself. Despite I gave temporary charge to Salman, to look after my office but noticing his malicious intention, I further hired a person to keep watch on him. Still, despite the seasonal period, i.e. November-December-January, there was no letup in the company’s progress. I decided to renovate my office and to get more business, to increase the Cash Flow, to get more income and to pay off my dues and also help run my family, because of slack, I was going through. I started calculating how long I will stay. I got the intuition that now I will have troubles in my office also.

I started realising as things were going out of my hand, my office staff not supporting me! I infused an additional Rs — fifty Thousand for this matter around December. 

My routine was to leave Mumbra around 10 AM, stay home with my mother for about 30 minutes and then proceed to my office. I wished I could have my lunch with my mother, but she wasn’t ready for it. I never mind that since I knew she was still angry with me.

Around this time, I faced new trouble at the office! I got a notice of a Vigilance case by Electricity Department, run by Torrent Power in Bhiwandi, for of illegal connectivity. When I got installed air-conditioner for the office, in my absence, the electrician had attached the supply wires to another connection, which I was not aware of somehow, since during that period I was engaged in Kerela. They fined me for Rs 1.50 lakhs. It was already hard generating money from the daily business and the Investor’s fund. Meeting up the expenses and refund to Investor etc. was becoming a great difficulty.   

Now I had to divert my energy in settling this matter with lawyers, the agents who decide these court cases, outside the court, ending at the lesser figure with their charges.

Besides this, I had another issue popping up in January.  Another case popped up, in connection with one of the investor, apart from the vigilance case. I will come to that later.

But here I want to mention one more case, rather an accident!

Yes, an accident!

As the path from Mumbra to Bhiwandi had become a routine travelling for me on my Activa, I was used to this entire path, its turning etc. I was also aware of how and when to monitor my speed, as I was travelling for about four months by now. I told the person whom I hired to keep an eye on the temporary caretaker, Salman, to accompany me on my Activa, later in the night, instead of going by his regular train at 7 PM, as he too resided in Mumbra. I told him we would have dinner, and then we will leave.

So we left at around 10.30 PM, closing the office. I was driving at a speed of 80kmph, as usual. There is a creek bridge between Bhiwandi Toll Naka & Mumbra, which I have to cross. On the deck, I accidentally slipped in that speed, before 400 steps from Toll Naka, towards Mumbra. I was using the same bridge for the past four months. I was aware of the road, its turn etc. Still, I slipped! But luckily I did not get any serious injury, as I was wearing my helmet. Now I was worried about my companion. So I looked at him since he did not have any helmet!! As he was with me, and as I told him to change his mind of going by train and accompany me, obviously he was my responsibility; I was answerable to his mother & grandmother. So I checked him thoroughly. The Activa skidded to a distance, away from us. He got some hurt. But there were no bleeding injuries, and I was relieved! But I was puzzled, even till date, when the Activa slipped on the left side, how did I injure my right leg?  And in that speed, man’s body would be pilled of skin, but I got injury only at one spot.

So when I started walking, I realised that I am unable to walk properly, as I had severe pain due to injury in the leg. My right thigh portion had massive skin pilled off, and I could see the flesh inside. It was a severe injury. But the miraculous part was that my colleague, who was not wearing a helmet, was still not injured, seriously at all! Just a few bruises he had. 

I was unbelievable!!

I gave a big sigh and looked upward, asking Him: ‘Is there anything more written for me?’             

I realised that the war has begun with this third issue, post-Kerela visit. Further, I checked the spot and came to know that there was some sand on the road, causing the accident.

After assuring that my colleague is also safe, we left the site.

I did not disclose this incident to Maryam as I did not want her to take any tension. Right from my childhood, I had umpteenth injuries, and I was hiding it from family members for days. I felt from the 4^th floor in my childhood, as I mentioned earlier. Once I fell from a running truck, I kept hiding this from everybody. But one day as I was resting with Bermuda pants, my mother noticed it. Sometimes my dress has a blood mark, giving an idea to mom that I got some injury! I never wanted anybody in the family to have any stress. But Maryam came to know from my limping way of walking.

Since the companion was from Mumbra, I asked him the hospital or clinics there where I can do the dressing. We reached around 11 PM. I told the doctor to avoid any surgery but apply Hydrogen Peroxide, ointment and bandage. I also told him to give me some pain killer. Being a science student, I knew what to do. He just needed to clean the injury, which had some clay also. And clean the outer part of the wound with Dettol and do the dressing as first aid.

I was advising the Doctor, how to do the least dressing and not make it noticeable and in the least expenses also, as I wanted to save money too. J

He must be thinking, who is the Doctor here! J 

I escorted my colleague to his residence and instructed him to be quiet as he was not injured.    

I continued going to the office with a limping leg. Maryam soon realised as I was limping and the jean trouser, I was wearing was torn. But I avoided visiting my mother. I did not want to tell her anything. But her Gang of 4 people’ who were keeping a watch on me to see what I am doing or what I am into, to assess how their black magic is working on me.

Thus their ‘informer’ told my mother that her son is limping.

A baby girl asked me the reason of limping, and I knew why she was asking.

So I replied: Nothing! I just got hurt on right thigh as I met an accident. I knew this information would reach my mother soon. And so also, her Gang of 4 people came to know.

And my mother indeed called me in the evening! I thanked her. She asked me: Is this the way you are going to bring? (She mean to say, my wife, I feel so she meant to ask this).

Allah plays the game in such a manner! NO PAIN, NO GAIN!

That’s how Allah plays. Relatives will ask you when you are in pain. That will make you realise who is closer to you and who is not. He gives you the lesson in this manner.

Mother started: ‘How are you?’ She didn’t ask me, how are you, my son! So I also replied in a similar tone: ‘I am still alive! Tell your Gang of 4 people, that I am still alive! I will never quit fighting! Tell them! And keep the phone down’. I was also rude in talking to my mother!  

Now that I realised, we are at war; I was not hesitating in expressing. I continued: ‘Do you want to say anything else? When you have time, I shall meet you. Please don’t worry, now put the phone down!’

There started the war; I did not want to show my pain, as that could encourage the opponent, waging war with me. But I was adamant on my stand.

Let’s now talk about the Investor.

He invested a fund of Rs. 1.5 lakhs in my business, in September 2014. I was weak in doing the required paperwork formalities and also in writing. Due to this reason, I joined IT. Even in the school days, I was so slow in writing language exams; I could never complete my papers in the given time.

I did not complete the required paperwork at the time of taking fund from him. I did not follow the proper procedures I should follow. We did an Agreement to this effect, for which I did not do the Notary. I just took a cheque in my Current Account, which was my grave mistake.

The terms decided was I would refund his money, with a profit of 20% in August 2015.

But he approached me in January 2015, 8 months before the due date, with demand for his entire money. I invested half of his fund for the growth of business and half for my matters and home. And as per my planning and calculations, I was sure to return his entire money by the end of the period, i.e. August 2015.

I had also shown him my working of projected profit, and I did mention that I will refund his entire money within a year, as per the Agreement. The purpose of doing renovation was to convince him that I am trying my best to increase the business; I also brought xerox machines on rental basis and some more computers even. My Business started growing as well. Thus as per my planning, I had convinced him about the progress and that I will refund his Investment, as per the Agreement within a year.

But he approached me, 7-8 months prior! I told him that since I have invested your entire money, I have no money left with me, to give you at this moment. The agreed time is the year ending in August, for which still 7-8 months are left.     

At this moment neither I can repay you by at this stage, not I can withdraw money from the market.

There was no such condition written in the Agreement.

I was not clear as to why he came to me just five months after. I had also mentioned in the Agreement the schedule of a generation of money from my business. But the severe mistake I did was I did not notarise the Agreement.

After him, his family members, his friends, all started visiting me asking for the refund. I was puzzled why these people are coming to me? I made it very clear even to them that I cannot return the money before the expiry date, i.e. in August, under any circumstances. I kept on telling them: I do not have any cash on hand; whatever is there is invested, in the form of my office, the infrastructure, machinery, as you can see.

Further, he called a Press Reporter, who was a social worker, to create a pressure on me. When his friends failed to convince me to refund the money, his family members tried to get the money back. And when they failed, in comes a Press Reporter, highly influenced person, tried to pressurise me further. His father was a hooligan. I just pretended to be scared but did not deter.

So far the police did not come to my office in Maryam’s case, but now the police have arrived in the picture, because of these people. The reason for the cops visiting my office was neither Maryam nor my child and not even Hindu-Muslim matter, but the idea was that I was not able to return the money of an Investor at the time he demanded and not at the time, we agreed on this. Since legally, as I did not notarise this Agreement, he realised that he could threaten me to get money back at the time he wanted. I noticed that he is not suing me legally; instead, he is bringing people, his friends, family members, and now this so-called Press Reporter, trying all gimmicks to pressurise me. When this Press Reporter was in my office to discuss the matter, my cabin had a CC TV camera. Noticing this, that fellow did not continue his talk, instead called me to a nearby Restaurant. I told my remaining staff to be in the office and the person who was close to me, like a right-hand, told him to come with me and do the secret recording of the proceeds of the meeting, we are going to have in Restaurant, as they avoided the record here. But he did not do his job correctly, so it wasn’t useful to me!

The proceedings at the restaurant were:

‘Where did you invest the money?’

I repeated the details. But the man asked me to prove with my Bank Statement, which I kept ready. The copy of cheque deposited, Statement, transactions in my statement, so also in his account, which I demanded earlier.

During discussions we had, I realise that the Investor had withdrawn Rs 3 Lakhs, from the Bank Account of his family members! He used Rs 1.5Lakh for his matter. Now the entire Bank statement was revealed to the person he sent. His report showed he had given Rs 1.5 lakhs to me and rest money he withdrew at phases, from Thane ATM. I said these transactions are not reflecting in my statement also. Its crystal clear that he never gave me money. I told that person, now you ask him what he did with these additional withdrawals. You check his account; There are some withdrawals from an ATM from Thane. If he is telling you that he has given me Rs 3Lakhs, these papers show he is talking false. I have not taken any cash. You can see my records. You could ask him to produce a Receipt of such colossal cash payment, which I must have issued in case if I received.

Nobody can ignore taking cash receipt of such huge amount! So it’s clear that he has given me only Rs 1.5 lakhs and not Rs 3Lakhs. Now you question him about these withdrawals, which are not reflecting in my documents. I just made a mistake that I did not do Notary of the Agreement. You can see my papers. You can see these petty cash deposition in my Bank statement, which is my business income. I have to file IT Return, so I have to keep my records up to date. Thus I made my case very strong and silenced that man.   

Now I came to know that the amount of Rs. 1.5Lakhs which he spent on somebody, he wanted to recover it from me, by investing Rs 1.5Lakhs with me and that too by 5^th month! Therefore, he came to me in the middle of the Contract, to get the return of money to his family members, and put a curtain on his mistake. The reason for approaching me five months after and seven months before the end of Agreement was that his sister’s wedding was due in February. Since the family was saving money for this wedding, the members now came to know that there is no money in Saving Account and that he had withdrawn Rs 3 lakhs, projecting as an Investment of entire Rs 3 Lakhs! He told them a story that he had invested money in my business with terms of doubling the investment within five months, before the wedding occasion! And hence he was pressuring me to release the funds in January. He was trying to blame me to cover himself so that the family members will not realise what he did. Whatever money he disbursed, he was trying to establish that he had given me the entire cash withdrawn. He was trying to show everybody that it’s me who has taken the full money.

So besides bank statements, I showed the copy of Agreement showing the repayment scheduled in August, along with 20% as Interest on Investment.

‘This person of yours,’ I further told the Social Worker, ‘wants the money to be doubled in just five months. Even a Bank won’t do this! How can I agree to such non-viable terms? Instead of Banks annual rate of 7 to 8%, I am giving him a return of 20%. We have agreed this 20% at the end of the Agreement period, and he is asking double of his Investment within five months, is he gone insane? Or he thinks I am an idiot?’ I said in a raised tone!

‘It’s a business deal and not gambling; I am not a gambler.’ I told him further.  

Although he was trying to pass on his mistake on me, with these documents it got proved to all of his friends/relatives and the Press Reporter that the Investor is telling lies and stands exposed.

I immediately said: ‘Shall I move? Is anything else pending? Tell me, if so.’

They replied: ‘OK, you can go, we will talk to him!’

Now that all those people realised, the Investor was utterly wrong. Looking at the wedding occasion and the urgency of money, they cooked up another plan!

They plotted that I took the money deliberately, they will get their cash anyhow, by hook or crook and they will close my office if I don’t repay the money! Quite oppressive!

His mother came back to me and started crying, so also his father. I was wondering why these people keep coming back with this drama? I was not clear what the reason was. I lost my temper a bit and told them to leave my place and that I will not repay the money now!

Now he sent some local Social Worker cum Gang of 4 people named Mahendra Gaikwad, who has a business of forceful monitory settlement, with their commission, in similar cases of confrontations. That’s how they work.

I was looking upward to Khuda: What a time phase I am through? On the one hand, there is an issue of the convincing mother, then the case of Vigilance, the accident and now these Investor & hooligans. I was facing matters from all directions. Is there anybody or anything else left to battle for me? But I was not losing any courage, solving issues with dialogues.

The confrontation was not the key, but the dialogue is, what I believed as a solution. As I mentioned earlier, I lost myself in a bid of saving people and attending issues.

These hooligans, who came to my office, were prepared to beat me, and forcefully close my office. I made it very clear to them; if the office is closed, I cannot repay the money. You can forget it outright. Now I went to the Police Station, to file a complaint, on the advice of a lawyer, who had processed our Wedding issue.

He replied: Give me a copy of FIR and leave the matter to me!

I was not scared. If these people are doing hooligan activity, I will approach the higher authorities. I had taken money with a mutually signed agreement and that I have not murdered anybody.  I told them if you raise your hand, then you better forget the money. If you can resolve the matter through dialogues, I am okay with it. Otherwise, you can loot anything or do any harm to me; I will not give the money at all. So they cooled down a bit but being hooligan, they did not show it. The Gang of 4 people which included that Press Reporter, had one fellow who was staying in my area. I asked him: What are you doing here?

I proceeded with the complaint formality with the Police. While registering the FIR, they questioned me, and I narrated them that I had taken money as an Investment in my business and these people are forcing me to repay the money at a pre-mature date and for that, they shut down my shop, forcibly. How can I earn money and repay them? So I request you to help me open my shop. I am ready to pay their money by drawing from my business only, as agreed by us in the Agreement because it was so calculated, but how can I with the closed office? They are closing my roads. I expressed my willingness to pay, but as per the Agreement, we signed.

So the Inspector asked me the person’s name. I replied: Nishant Parwez, he wrote the name in the FIR along with the story. He took his telephone number and called him: ‘Are you coming to the Police Station? We have this Shahnawaz Malbari, whose office you have forcefully shut down. He has come here. So you too please come here and we will sort out the matter.’ On this, the fellow disconnected the line. The Inspector found it fishy, so he called again, and the line was engaged. So I caught this point and said: ‘Sir, this is his problem! As he is on the wrong side, he is avoiding facing. Now the Inspector realised his fault.

But there came a twist! It is strange to notice that the Police change the names in FIR also, once written. The Inspector knowing that I am a Muslim, he realised that a Muslim is filing a case, so he asked me: Who is the opposition party?

Is he a Hindu or a Muslim? I replied: ‘A Hindu!’

On hearing this, the other police whispered to this police: ‘Hey this is the case of HM, (Hindu-Muslim). Let’s not take it officially but solve it the other way!’ I overheard him, and the Police said: ‘let that person come here; we will settle the matter outside. I was thinking why these people are dragging religion in this matter! The case then dragged on for a long, long time.

Now let me tell you that Maryam’s father had served in the same Police Station for 25 years!

And I was here, not for a case of Maryam our Hindu-Muslim issue but something else.

Somehow my name got involved as Police case for the fault of others. Since the Investor was on war with me, I had to combat him. The opponent will try to get all my information for getting my weak points and use them as tools to war.

So when Nishant Parwez visited the Police Station, he was ready with all my background. He found out Maryam’s name and that her father was Mr Shankar Jadhav, serving in the same Police Station. He told the police that I ran away with Police’s daughter. So on realising where the matter will get stretched to, the police asked me where my office located is. He noticed that Mahendra Gaikwad is a Social Worker from the area where I had my office! Therefore he called that fellow. Mahendra Gaikwad had a setting or his ‘business relations’ with the police. It was regular for him to visit the Police Station.

When he arrived, the police stood up and shook hand with him. Gaikwad, seeing me, asked me, ‘Why am I here, this is my routine place of a visit,’ he said, in a bid to pressurise me. I replied: ‘No issue! It’s my first visit!’ I was talking fearlessly. It's essential, on such occasions to show that you are not scared of anything.

It was Friday, I remember as I had to offer Namaaz, and they did now allow me to go out of Police Station as if I was a culprit for them. They couldn’t put me behind the bars as there was no FIR filed, the one they wrote, scrapped it on realising its HM case!

Hence I too thought of applying my source. I called my father-in-law, narrated him the entire scene and requested him to help me out, using his influence. Instead, what he did, as he couldn’t be angry with me, he called Maryam! Started shouting at her: To what type of man you married! Maryam, in return, called me. I said: ‘I am here, in the same Police Station since morning.’ I told her to calm down and ignore what your father said to you, for the time being. Now it’s important to settle this issue. We will talk later about your father’s complaint.’

The whole day passed. My father-in-law did come there but decided to stand outside of the Police Station. He was exercising his power or influence, from outside of the Station. As he had worked there for 25 years, he was utilising his influential position, after all, it was a matter of his son-in-law and knowing that I was not wrong anywhere, but not got entangled unnecessarily.

This matter dragged on for 4-5 months, up-to April-May. Now I was financially so weak that I had to get my grocery on credit, which I could manage for three months, because of the trust they had in me, knowing me, my nature and also my International business connection. I also called on my flat owner earlier, asking her to help me in paying him to rent as I occurred loss in Business due to crook Salman leaving me in the financial soup. I asked the lady owner to deduct rent from my Security Deposit for the next three months. ‘As it will take another four months for me to recover from this mess, and then I shall return you the deducted amount, to cover up my Deposit.’ She obliged me. She had a good impression of we both and had told me if I get another family, like ours for her another property at Kausa; she will be happy. She had shown trust in me; that’s what benefited me when I requested her to give importance to my words. She obliged!

Thus cash was scarce for three months. I had to keep my Activa on a mortgage with Mahendra Gaikwad so that he will force me to pay money to the Investor and to release my Activa. They were pressurising me to give him money under any circumstance, but I made my mind that I will NOT pay him money until August. I kept on telling all his men and the Police, time and again.

In this entire case, my father-in-law exercised two influences, No. 1, his service to this Department of 25 years, and No two was, he was close to Mahendra Gaikwad also, both being Marathi, they were friends, and Mahendra had several jobs done with the aid of Maryam’s father, so far. The father-in-law knew what the strength and weakness of Mahendra Gaikwad. By standing out of the Police station and not being in service any more also, he instructed the police on duty, that no police will raise hand on me. I started realising this, as they were raising their voices but not the side! Now I could read the situation and understand this fact. I realised that neither Gaikwad nor the Investor and not even his family members or the so-called Press Reporter did not have guts to quarrel with me. They were trying all their abilities to pressurise me, like statements of Gaikwad:

No. 1- this Police station is a regular place for me to visit;

No.2- this Muslim man had run away with daughter of Hindu Policeman, and it’s a clear Hindu-Muslim case!

I replied with equal firmness.  ‘Don’t’ drag my matter; it has nothing to do with this case. We are here to talk about Rs.1.5Lakh issue and not my marriage.

I further said: ‘I am respecting the daughter of the Police. And the daughter of Police, who is my wife, is happily staying with me and we have a daughter too. All her relatives also were happy. So don’t drag the personal matter here. On the other hand, this man is defaming the daughter of a Police.’ I told the Police. I was utilising strategies of words!

I continued: ‘Will you accept this defamation of a Police’s daughter for no reason?’ I asked the Police straightaway. ‘Please don’t drag personal matters,’ I repeated. So the police also realised the situation.

This situation made me so confident, and I utilised this fact as a force to calm them for another six months!

As they realised that despite trying to make this man scared, he is not affected in any way, as neither they could jail me for non-filing of FIR nor they could raise a hand on me due to my father-in-law. I was ready to debate with Prime Minister even, and such was my mind setup! I was prepared mentally for any worst situation. Their modus operandi of the Police is such that they utilise the time, the fear atmosphere, question man in a high tone. They also do the beating inside the jail, but I was lucky not to face it, thanks to my father-in-law and their inability to register the FIR.

As the Constable realised that I am not giving up, the matter was taken up by the Inspector. He too realised that I am not giving up. So now the issue was moved to Commissioner’s level. 

They tried the whole Friday, to establish that I was wrong. But I was clear and correct and was using the documents to prove that I was not wrong. 

Bhiwandi city, being part of Municipal Corporation, has 3 MLAs instead of normal 1MLA, hence had an additional Police Commissioner, especially for the town, and posted at the same area. He had a separate cabin with a nameplate outside.

It was going to be 1 O’clock and the time to offer my Namaaz. I asked the Police if I could leave to offer Namaaz, but they refused!

The opposite party, the Social Worker- Mahendra Gaikwad, the Investor, his family, his friends, the Press Reporter all had successfully framed me as an offender with the wrong charges. So the Police were not allowing me to leave Station, as they considered me as an offender, anyhow.

So I met the Commissioner, posted there, asking him to provide a constable, as it will take just 10 minutes to offer my Namaaz. Initially, he hesitated and denied. 

I noticed that although Mahendra Gaikwad, who was sitting with me in front of the Commissioner, who had a significant influence with the Police staff outside the cabin, since he was treating them as friend and did not have any respect out of fear, which generally a common man has for the Police; I realised that he did not have similar relations with the Commissioner. So I thought if Mahendra Gaikwad, by using his tactics with the Police staff dragged me and held me to the Police Station, why should not I utilise my tactics and show him my strength.

All those present there were aware that I was son-in-law of a retired Police, which did not allow them either to raise their hand on me nor they could file the FIR against me as it will become a Hindu-Muslim case (the H-M case, as they refer briefly, always), I was fearless as I was son of Khadarbhai, and also I was correct on my side with enough support of documents. 

So I decided to use a tit-for-tat policy.

I started a conversation in English with the Commissioner. English has become a tool to calm the opponent and make people listen to you carefully, in India! He was indeed listening to me calmly, instead of using the speech of high tone. He understood that I was not an offender, based on the Documents I was showing him. The Commissioner realised that this person is not a layman. I talked to him for about 30 minutes, before asking his permission for Namaaz.

Whatever information the Gang of 4 people had shared about me in their complaint with the Constable, Inspector, etc., I shared the same with the Commissioner so that the fact remains synchronised. I further asked him after showing him all the documents, ‘Please tell me where my fault is! I have reinvested the money he has given, and it was agreed by him also to take the refund with 20% of profit by August 2015, on expiry of Agreement. It is all written and consented by both of us. I am still saying that I am ready to pay him, I don’t deny from paying it, but not now since we have decided so. Now the money is reinvested in the business. I don’t know why he is shouting and making these scenes at this point.’

Mahendra was listening to all these and was realising that this man is not a natural person to conquer. It was again a warlike scene, as they created an atmosphere to break me; I too was utilising my ammunition, as I got an opportunity where the Commissioner was calmly listening to me. I got this opportunity for me to counter-attack, why should I let it go?   

I further told firmly to the Commissioner that ‘Sir, I want to tell you that these people have shuttered down my Office, where I could do business and earn to refund the money given by this man. But they have forcedly shuttered down my office. How do I make money to repay them? They can’t understand this simple thing! I don’t want anything else; Please instruct them to release my shop, I will be able to repay them. It’s not a small amount. It will take time to generate their Investment along with profit, which we had scheduled and agreed. I am ready to give in writing the same at this very moment, to repay them, as per schedule. I have no mal-intention to cheat them.’ 

The Commissioner realised the matter and requested me to go out and wait. ‘I will call you again.’ He said.

This approach boosted my morale! I realised that the tactics, the Police staff was utilising against me are not employed by the Commissioner, and I showed him all the relevant documents to justify my arguments.

I was in high spirit.

When I came out, I gave a hard look at the Inspector, the constable, the men of Mahendra Gaikwad, the Press Reporter, the Investor, his parents & family members, to all. I was thinking if the Commissioner is listening to me, who the hell you people are, was my stance! And the fact that the police can’t put me behind bars, as they did not file the FIR. The Lawyer informed me, who executed my marriage certificate work. Further, due to my Father-in-Law, they couldn’t even beat me. So there was no threat of any nature to me in the Police Station. Nothing to fear.

For them, I was like a thorn, stuck in their throat, which neither they could swallow nor could vomit.

Keep trying, NEVER GIVE UP, was my mantra!

I can depict my situation in a picture, where a heron is galloping a frog, the frog’s mouth is in heron’s beak, but the frog is choking the throat of a heron with its forelegs. And the title of the picture is NEVER GIVE UP!

So they were not able to either gallop me or throw me out.

The Commissioner was not interested in pressuring me.

Due to non-FIR, the staff couldn’t bar me;

Due to my Father-in-Law, they couldn’t beat me!

As time passed, I approached the Commissioner for permission for 10 Minutes to offer Namaaz, in company with the constable.

But he still denied although he went for Namaaz! He returned within an hour. During that period, I went to the 2^nd floor of the building. I asked for drinking water. Somebody gave me the water; I did my Wuzoo (ablution) and started offering my Namaaz, standing and looking upward, in front of the attendants!

The reason for me to look upwards, I was conveying to Allah, to thank Him for saving me. They noticed that I am a staunch religious follower, following the rites properly so that this man can do nothing wrong.

As I was coming down, I noticed my Mobile battery was draining. My father-in-law was at that time, speaking with Maryam, was scolding her for marrying a wrong person, like me! In return, she called me asking not to involve her father in this matter. I replied: Don’t worry, I do not include him. He is standing out of the Police Station! 

As my mobile battery was draining, I called upon Salman with his mobile, to the Police Station. It was an old mobile. I inserted my Sim in his mobile so that I can use mobile. In other words, I never got stuck up anywhere.

It was now 2.30 PM. And there was no conclusion.

They asked again, ‘whether I am paying money or not. I said ‘I am ready to pay, but what can I do? You are not allowing me to go; I am ready to sit here. You tell me what should I do?’ I put the ball in their court. 

All those who were hearing me now started realising that this person is too stubborn and that he will not easily surrender. They thought I am like that frog, in the beak of heron.

It was now going to be 5 PM, and still, I was adamant on my stand, and it was time for the police staff for the changeover.

So the Commissioner said, whatever is the issue, please settle at your end, amicably. I said: ’Fine! You should have said it earlier!’ I said to myself.

I asked: “Should I leave, Sir?’

So I left with Salman on his bike around 5 PM. The matter was alive, not closed. I had gone through lots of harassments like torture, kidnapping and they even called me in the midnight, even threaten to shoot; It seemed no end to my troubles. They also threaten me to cut into pieces, when they called me in midnight. I only replied: ‘I am not worried about being killed, but then you better forget the money in that case.’

It happened indeed at one time: At 9 PM, some people came to me and said: ‘Mahendra Gaikwad has called you.’ They came to escort me! I went with them.

When I reached there the man wasn’t there, but his nephew was, who manages petty work of Mahendra. He threatened me: ‘I will cut you into pieces!’ I replied: ‘Ok, please do two things. Allow me to offer Namaaz and do whatever you want to do. But then remember that if you kill me, you better forget the money. He was trying his way to pressurise me. So I called my Father-in-Law, told him what this Mahendra Gaikwad’s man is talking to me, threatening to kill me, please speak to him and explain him. He calmed that nephew!

Again it was an issue of police-thief. Since as I was relative of police, that person trying his level best; could not stand before the police. His approach changed, from threatening me to talking politely to my Father-in-Law! I liked that!

Nothing could happen; only my time of two hours got wasted. I asked: ’Should I leave; you people are just holding me and not allowing me to do any work. I met the same fellow couple of years later, near my office, while I was taking care of my daughter. I shook my hands with him with high spirit.

I asked him: What’s on?’

He asked ‘where are you?’

I replied: ‘Dubai!’

I spoke in an authoritative tone. The quality in me was that I was the son of a hooligan.

So my approach was: Eh you don’t dare me, I am the son of Hooligan.

I also had blessings of a renowned politician, Mr Waqar Momen, and he was in Ministry of Chief Minister of Maharashtra in 1984.

So I had the blood of a hooligan, a policeman is my relative; I am having blessings of Allah (Khuda) and pupil of a renowned politician. And these people, who are simply nothing to my status, are threatening me!  My struggle to fight with them was on.  It was my battle to save my family and me. I was firm not to bow down. My purpose was to play and win the game.

This torture prolonged for about 50 days.

Now we are coming to another problem.

The Torrent Power Company imposed the vigilance case. I had not enough Cash Flow to handle issues of my personal life. They had removed the Electric meter. So there was no power in my office. I had many computers, xerox machines in the office. But what could I do when I do not have the power supply.

Being an engineer, I had done a setting. During the time of setting up an office, I planned what to do in case of electricity failure or if there is a scene where they uninstall the meter. What I arranged was to bring supply wires from 4 different directions, at one place. So if supply is disturbed from one location, still the electricity is available from rest locations. This scene is typical in Bhiwandi. I had arranged this for future power failure.

So when they removed the meter, I started the supply from the backside, wherefrom I had done the wiring. Now the Board became more vigilant, keeping an eye on me and took snaps/videos to establish that despite the meter is cut, I arrange the power supply, and thus I am an offender and strengthen their case further. So instead of landing in more trouble, I did not open the office.

The infrastructure, like a couple of xerox machines, was purchased from the money funded by another Investor. So if he doesn’t get a return on this investment, he too will stand before me demanding his return.

There were 3 Investors. A Sabina Shaikh invested Rs 3Lakhs, a friend of mine (GYANESHWAR KURLE) spent Rs 2 Lakhs, and this cheater fellow invested Rs 1.5 lakhs.

Now that all those who were creating troubles for me were cool and I got an opportunity.

I applied my mind! I told Nishant Parwej to give the office key as I want to remove some documents from the office. I had said the supplier of Xerox machine, a couple of months ago that one device is not working and to arrange for a replacement. So the time had matured for approval and replacement at the moment at the time of closure of my office!

So I told Nishant that my xerox machines are reaching office by tempo, please give me the keys to open the office for unloading. They won’t keep the device out of the office. If they stay outside and if it gets robbed or spoiled, who will be responsible, the keys are with you; try to understand and give me the keys.

I got the keys; I sat in the office, going through papers, as I opened the office after a long time. When the vehicle came, I unloaded the machine.

The people of Nishant Parwej questioned me: ’Are you buying a new machine? They thought that I got money to buy new xerox machine! I explained: ‘I am simply replacing the non-working machine with the working one. It’s purely replacement, nothing else. I am not doing any idiot things. Had I got the money I would have first removed you all.’     

The Investor had kept his man to keep an eye on me there to report what I am doing there to keep an eye to know how I am functioning without the permission of the Investor.

I told them, I am putting a new machine and returning the old one, I want to check the documents. Please leave me alone; there is no point in standing here as there is no electricity; please allow me to do my job!

So they left the site. There was a paan vendor near my office, who was acting as an informer for this Gang of 4 people. He too had to go somewhere, so he closed the shop and went, maybe for lunch. It was a golden opportunity for me offered by Allah.

I immediately told the tempo driver: ‘Look! The machine you brought, and these two machines I have to upload them all in your vehicle. I will pay you extra Rs 100/-‘

I, in no time, uploaded the other two machines, out of which one was not functioning, and told him to take all of them to my friend’s house, who had supplied these machines. The driver was hesitant of diversion of his route. I told him the place is on the way of your course. You don’t have to enter any different road or lane but on your way. Just unload, and I will manage the rest. He was observing the entire scene at the office, so he was hesitating. But I requested him to help. He agreed later, and we uploaded three machines of around 60 KG each, it was quite tricky. I locked the office, kept the keys with me and rushed to my friend’s home, who invested money in getting xerox machines.

I told him: ‘I am giving you two machines and some money. I don’t want to spoil any business relations with you, take these machines and cash; we will settle the account later! You can sale these machines too, or you can do some business with them and recover your money and if you have any service issue, here is the contact number of the supplier, he will help you, technically.’

I quickly came back, opened the office hastily, as those people had left the scene. I had called Salman meanwhile, to uninstalled Printer, Monitor, CPU, Laptop, Desktop, which all were belonging to a school as part of a Project entrusted upon by the school; I returned the PCs to the school. It was the same school where I completed my education. So it was a matter of shame for me, as the Principal, the teachers were looking at what is going on with me. They could see the state of mine. But I returned whatever machineries I had taken from school.

The men returned at 5 O’Clock and saw the stuff was missing. They started quarrelling with me. I said ‘I have returned stuff to those who had given me temporarily. Now whatever you are capable of, you can do!’ I told them straight away.

Now I had cleared all the dues, in cash or in-kind, related to the office. As of now, I have paid back the lady landlord, the entire money by the beginning of 2019. The friend who gave me Rs 2 Lakhs, I gave him some cash & 2 xerox machines, promised to settle balance later, I cleared it as well.

I was bit released of the stress of dues.

The moment they returned, I immediately handed over the keys and left the place immediately, to avoid further verbal confrontation.

Now I was not going to meet them personally, would be available only on the phone!

The Investor did call. I replied: ’Keep the phone down, stop nonsense calls, whatever due was to my other Investors, I cleared them. I had given you time for repayment, but you created unnecessary scenes. Go on whatever you are capable of!’

The Press Reporter, who was with them, later asked me once, over the phone: ‘Aren’t you afraid of anything?’ I replied, ‘Sir, I do get scared, but I am the son of Kadarbhai, don’t lose my courage, that’s my problem. I am a warrior.’

So he realised how stubborn I am.

This matter lasted for a long time. Now the Police Department moved out of the scene. They could not put me behind the bar, nor they could beat me. And they were also not getting money. So they closed the chapter.

Now there came 4^th problem. The man who was staying in our area, who had arrived earlier with these people, when I went to file FIR against the Investor, he filed FIR against me, being a Muslim, which was acceptable for Police, weird! Making a case against me that I entered his house and tried to molest his wife!

He put it this way: As this man, i.e. Shahnawaz can do anything to him because he is helping his friend. nasty

Such was his complaint!  As a safety measure, he made an FIR and kept a copy with him. Probably was afraid that I might take revenge on him, in future. So, if anything goes wrong against him in future, he can sue me. What a nasty character!

Now he too left the scene, besides Police. The Press Reporter also was out of frame. Mahendra Gaikwad too, in June, was fed up with the standstill scene, as he wasn’t getting any money, decided to give up this matter.

But I said: ‘Sir I request you not to leave the matter! Since you know the entire fact, so please don’t leave the matter.’ But he didn’t pay attention to me, and his followers took the matter in their hand. They all were spending Nishant Parvez’s money for their all expenses, during the period from January to June.

This gang was only calling me at regular interval and directly threatening me.

Beyond that, they could do nothing! Mahendra revealed that his men had spent his money around Rs 20 Thousand!

Once I had gone to court for some stamping matter, somewhere in March or April, I met him along with his mother and brother. There he pleaded me, that he has spent so much money and that he is not getting anything, so please close the matter!

I was still adamant on my stance: ‘Sir, I can’t repay so soon. I can pay as per the Terms agreed, please try to understand me. I am already in a tight situation, as you closed down my shop. Now, what to do? Still, I dare to promise repayment by August-end, despite you wasted my precious time. You have to think over it.’

It was somewhere at the end of March.

But the 1^st half of January was such a critical phase for me; only Allah is aware of how I had tackled those days, how I ended it.

I was working as free-lancer, since these people had taken my passport as well, one of the steps taken to make me surrender.

But I was having my Aadhar Card and Pan Card, to travel within the country.

Domestic travelling was possible.

I was getting assignments, but the payment wasn’t getting released.

So when I got a new ten days assignment from Chennai.

Here, the Investor had called me and asked me: ‘Where are you?’

I replied: ‘Chennai.’    

He asked, frantically! : ‘What are you doing there?’

I replied: ‘I am working here. You people are not allowing me to do any work and closed my office, forcefully. I have to work somewhere. You don’t take any tension; I am not running away. I am returning within ten days.’

They felt that I had run away.

So what they did, they sent a legal Notice through a Lawyer. This first Notice addressed to me, reached my mother! She called me 3-4 days later telling me about the notice and that it is a legal notice.

I replied: It’s OK, please do not worry. I am coming.

Maryam was still at Mumbra.

Now I decided to fight head-on! No other tactics were left.

Now only the rounds to Court were left. 

So I called him and asked: ’Where are you?’

He said: ‘With lawyer.’

I said ‘Ok I am coming to your lawyer!’

So I returned from Chennai.

This entire matter of my post-marriage incidences has made me accustomed to reacting instantly to situations arising, that I told friend, Gyaneshwar Kurle, to book my flight ticket from Chennai to Mumbai immediately even though I did not complete my Chennai assignment, which usually is not my practice to do. As a result of which the manager of the Company, who gave me the task, sent me an SMS intimating me that he is quite enraged with me and have filed an FIR for leaving the Assignment mid-way, without his permission.

I was polite enough to reply to his SMS: Ok, sorry and noted Sir!

I straightaway met the Investor’s lawyer and spoke with him in English, for two long hours. I narrated him the entire matter.

The lawyers are good at reading people.

I said: ‘See if you stretch the matter, I too will reach, you will suffer, so I. You can earn income from your client, go ahead! Whatever procedure you feel is proper, you can go forward. Now that you have understood, who I am, and I have realised what you are? I have got you in these two hours. You know what I have done in these six months.

You dare to send 2^nd & 3^rd Notice; I will see you in Court!’ so saying I left his office! It was an open challenge!

Coming back to the scene of Gaikwad matter, as they were in heated moments, they confiscated my two-wheeler.

My situation further worsened. I couldn’t do up & down to Mumbra. And they forced me to agree to make a payment, in writing. I told him my vehicle cost is

Rs 80,000/-, its EMI is due.

Now the vehicle wasn’t with me, so the Bank people, whose work is to recover from borrowers, had a question as to whom to approach. 

When they called me for EMI, I said I am now bankrupt, you have shuttered down my office, the vehicle is not with me, I will give you the address where the two-wheeler is, please get it collected from there! So when I gave him the details of the location the vehicle was, the person said: ‘Oh! Where the hell you have kept the vehicle, with such hooligan?’

Now the Bank man was from Bhiwandi, the vehicle was in Bhiwandi with Mahendra Gaikwad, who was nothing less than hooligan, and I am telling Bank person to pick up from there.

So he avoided the procedure. Now the vehicle is with somebody, EMI interest got increased. And I could not release vehicle!

So they had taken my passport, my vehicle and they forced me to give in writing that I will be paying the amount, which they specified, and Nishant Pervez’s brother took me on his bike, to Notary for registering the document.

At this situation I remembered a filmy dialogue of Actor Govinda’s film, where he says, if you have to catch or beat somebody, you shouldn’t come alone! Otherwise, you will get trapped.

But Nishant’s brother met me alone. And I was arguing with him:

‘See you are on a bike, so don’t be over smart! You can do anything! You might be Mahendra Gaikwad’s man, but right now, you are all alone, and you are driving. Write the amount I decided; I will not pay a penny more! Otherwise, I will tear the paper right here!’ I said blatantly! ‘Neither I can do any harm to you, nor you can touch me!’

 On reaching the Notary office I told him, you people have taken my Passport, my vehicle, closed my office, forcefully. He called Mahendra Gaikwad and asked me to speak to him. I told Mahendra; ‘Tell your man to write the figure I am saying. I won’t pay a single penny above that. Write clearly that you have retained my office keys, my passport, write its Serial Number, my two-wheeler, write its number, all in the document and above that I am giving my cheque of Rs 1.5 Lakhs, mention all that with due date, when I will pay the money, you will return everything you have taken from me, including the cheque and documents.’

But he insisted on giving the cheque without a date.’

I initially hesitated but then gave the cheque without a date!

What he did: He filed a legal case of cheque bounce, by depositing the cheque.

He played a nasty game with me and for this reason for him to visit the Lawyer.

But I too played a smart game by giving him a cheque leaf of an Account, which was long closed by me! He went to Bank only to realise that the Account doesn’t exist!

He questioned me. I replied ‘you did not allow me to write the date, that’s why I gave you Cheque from different Account.’

There were heated arguments following.

Next day I gave him cheque from different Account, i.e. from State Bank of India, with a date! I noted that cheque number in the Notary paper, with an instruction to return this cheque when I refund the cash on the due date.

Now I was in a problematic state, as I did not have a bike. My office was closed, but I was taking up a job on a freelance basis and was travelling.

As I always say: I never stopped anywhere. But unfortunately, from mid-January till April, I did not get any assignments. 

During the period of Maryam’s pregnancy, I told her that the baby to born is a girl! The reason to feel was although I am in the fire, I am not getting burnt, that’s what Khuda’s blessing was! Although I am not a Khuda, I was strong enough to, judge or guess things.

I also told her that the baby would be born on a Friday! 

Although I was not sure about the date, I had a feeling that this will happen, what I guessed. I was getting an intuition.

Despite these hard days, I had preserved a fund of Rs 40,000/- in the Bank, for the delivery and post expenses.

There was no stoppage of hardship; I went through. Some are so unbelievably stupid, hard to believe, like the one I cite here.

Once I wanted to withdraw cash of Rs. 2000/- from ATM at a place called Kausa, in Mumbra, about 5/6 KM away from Mumbra Railway Station. I faced funny co-incidences where, either due to technical problem or for other unknown reasons,

I could not get cash! I tried at ATM on Kalwa Station; I could not. I went to Thane station also and was so determined that I was ready to go to CST.

Finally, I could get cash from ATM opposite Thane Railway Station. In the process, I travelled for almost 25 KM, for a task of 5 Minute!

I was so prepared that, as life is playing games with me, I made up my mind to play with experience! Problems poured from all directions.

We did a few errands on 15^th, and Maryam wished to have Paani-puri, the last wish of her, before the delivery.

On the same night, at 2.30 AM, i.e. 16^th January, the Amnion busted! I was a bit panicked. I was all alone and was worried whom to I call. It was such a trauma for me. I never faced troubles to this level in my life; I met in those two and a half hours.

I bared all torture, harassment, police cases, my office getting closed, and there were moments where I might have got a beating. I became bankrupt too. My career was at stake; I was losing my respect. Nothing of these broke me like I was at the time of that night. I felt so helpless that night that I had lost my mind.

I was feeling so angry on this Gang of 4 people; I wished to kill them.

But I did not express my feelings to Maryam.

I arranged for a bike, took Maryam on the bike to the hospital. I was driving speedily and reading Kalmas. I was angry with street dogs, running and barking at us.

Such was the state of mine. As my father once told me that a moment comes, where our position is at the dog’s place, and the dogs are at our site. I was getting the same feeling.

We reached the hospital. I just prayed everything goes smooth. I was looking for some help. God gives courage at such a stage; He is excellent.

I went back to Mehrunisha’s home, her aunty was sleeping, and I did not bother to wake her up. I approached her mother and told her the matter, and she instantly came with me. I consider getting these ideas at such stressful is like getting power to sustain such crises.

And the blessings were for Mehrunisha’s mother from a sinking heart. She not only helped me but also boosted my morale! While going back to fetch Mehrunisha’s mother, the nurses told me that there could be a cesarean delivery; I replied, ’don’t worry, it will be a routine delivery, she is a too strong woman!

Go for routine delivery, please!’ I returned with Mehrunisha’s mother at around 3.30 AM. Maryam was there all alone for about 90 minutes!

It took a further 2 hours and finally at 5.18 AM, I heard the crying voice of my daughter, it was like a heavenly feeling. I felt like I am in a silent zone. My mind was full of divine pleasure. I can’t express this in any words!

Whenever I faced any troubles in future, I think of my mother and also open that imaginary door which has that moment of extreme joy of life, the baby has given me. This door always accompanied me, my entire life. If I have to proceed further with tranquillity, I look at my daughter.

I was now no more afraid of anything. Whatever the Gang of 4 people did with me, I feel it’s merely a tiny thing to happen with me. I came to such a situation, where I became fearless, due to the Gang of 4 people.

  Let’s lock that time: 5.18 AM, January 16^th 2015.

“I can hear the HEARTBEAT of little angel… ”

I felt as if all happiness in the world were showering on me.

It was a feeling of serene peace!! 

Mehrunisha’s mother told me, ‘It’s Khuda’s miracle! A baby’s delivery is not that simple.

It’s a Life is coming out of another life!’

At 5.20 AM, I called Maryam’s mother to give her the happy news. But she was a bit saddened! Since she had gone through such experience that her mother-in-law had always taunted her due to giving birth to 3 daughters. 

She did not respond to my statement that I got a baby girl. She was longing for a baby boy, as she was mentally tortured, so in her personal life.

People are still expecting to have a baby boy and not a baby girl. But conveniently forget that it’s in God’s hand, who have made our body such a way that it decides who will birth.

Mere thinking of boy is a stupidity. And if everybody gets a baby boy, as per their wish, humanity shall be extinct.

Gauging her painful reactions, I replied, ‘if I have to send my child to Moon, what difference does it make? Be it a boy or a girl. I am happy; a girl is Allah’s prosperity. It makes no difference. Instead, I am thrilled.’

After Anah’s birth, I got an assignment on 24^th January, and I went to Dubai.

But the assignment wasn’t completed. It was a 5-day Assignment, but within two days, they told me that they couldn’t go ahead with this assignment. They said you could enjoy Dubai. I was almost free for two days, and I returned on the third day back to India. They had already booked a 5-day assignment with my flight, accommodation etc. But the job was given up in between.

So I in a bid to earn money had to go to Dubai, from Mumbai leaving a newly born baby, hardly 7-8 days old and her mother in that condition, where they needed my presence, the most. I left them and went to Dubai, and still, there was no money in my hand. So the struggle of fighting the problems continued, but I was determined not to leave fighting the problems. I decided and said

MARK MY WORD I WILL NEVER GIVE UP!

It’s a message to all those people with whom I was involved and even to the entire universe!

The story continues with another heap of troubles, but Allah had given me my daughter(Barakat), who gives me serene happiness all the time and my father advise, whenever I faced problems and boosted my courage to tackle them, be them any of any nature, tackling the Hooligans or even ATM withdrawal.

I got rejuvenated with the peace I got from my daughter, every time I faced these troubles. I got THE path giving eternal peace to my mind while walking on it.

We will move on to another Book, where I am facing new critical problems and

If I planned to achieve and execute then none on this earth can breach my planning, but if my planning get breach or override then my IMAAN and GRATITUDE get HIGHER because only Allah can overrule and override my plan.

I am THANKFUL for all my School Teacher’s and Principle to teach me the lesson of life and guided me to approach everything in LIFE with DISCIPLINE and RIGHT ATTITUDE.

I am THANKFUL to my Father-In-Law for supporting me in my critical time.

I am THANKFUL for my friend GYANESHWAR KURLE to support financially & DHANASHREE JAWLE, having the patience and belief in ME.

I am THANKFUL to SABINA SHAIKH for having the trust and investment in my company.

I am THANKFUL to Mehrunisha’s MOM and her family for taking care of MARYAM and my DAUGHTER.

I am THANKFUL to Mr.Waqar Momin Ex-Minister of Maharashtra to become my mentor, so the moments were manageable with date & time, I remember.

When MIND is weak, the situation is a PROBLEM; when MIND is balanced, the case is a CHALLENGE; when MIND is STRONG, the situation becomes an OPPORTUNITY.

~UNKNOWN Author

Now I was ready for the NEW DISASTER situation (OPPORTUNITY).

AND I THANKFUL (Shukran) TO ALLAH