Mona Lisa Eyes (Journal Entry from Ramadhan)

I entered the room and saw rows of black silhouette-like figures facing forward. They were seated on the fluffy burgundy carpet floor waiting for the call to begin... I was familiar with the scene... It repeated itself everyday of this past month... The figures were identical for the most part with very slight variations in size if you looked at the big picture... The heads were oval-shaped from the top and expanded into balloon-like bases at the bottom... If you looked a little closer, though, you would notice minor differences in the black fabric engulfing them... some a little shinier than the rest ... some with embroidered embellishments here and there providing a colorful contrast to the blackness in the room... some with glittery sequins distributing tiny beams of dancing light as a reflection of the ceiling's bright fluorescent bulbs...

I walked in and sat in the third row as the first two rows were completely filled... As I stood up, I caught a glimpse of her in front of me... Her face was almost perfectly circular except for her pointed chin. She had almond-shaped, slightly protruding sleepy eyes... "Mona Lisa" eyes in fact but with a subtle Southeast Asian tightness to them... Her complexion was clear and was of the most neutral of tones... not too dark and not too fair... Simply put, she was beautiful... And I had to quickly turn my gaze away from her because I caught myself incessantly staring into those "Mona Lisa" eyes...

Yes, she probably worked as a housemaid at one of the homes in the surrounding neighborhood... There she was attending "taraweeh prayer" that night. She was one of the silhouette figures and wore the black "Abaya" just like every other woman in the room. She sat, stood up, and prostrated to Allah with all the pride in the world. This time, she was offering her humility to Him alone. She was no different from anyone around her... She was in the most prestigious of homes, "Beit Allah", and was a distinguished invitee just like anyone of us... Subhan Allah, this time, it wasn't the marble flooring or the ornate high ceilings that lent itself to the prestige of the house she was in... She had left her “other” occupation outside the door and was here only to thank Allah and ask for His forgiveness through prayer…

Then I found my mind wandering for a few moments as I waited from the Imam to begin. If our eyes happened to meet while she was serving me a drink at a gathering in one of the many mansions of the area, would I have even noticed the twinkle in them...? ... She would have been part of the background just like the overly priced antique Aladdin brass lamp on the table beside me... I would have probably even forgotten to offer a simple "thank you" as she would move on with the tray to the guest beside me.... I would have been too engaged in meaningless "small talk" with the girl facing me... If she happened to complete serving the first round of drinks, she would probably be back with another tray of delectable finger foods… I would take one or two but, once again, I know that I would have failed to notice those Mona Lisa eyes…Why is modesty in the name of Allah so difficult when we all know that He is the ultimate possessor of all things great and small?

Story of the "Owner of the Two Gardens" from Surat Alkahf:

وَاضْرِبْ لَهُم مَّثَلًا رَّجُلَيْنِ جَعَلْنَا لِأَحَدِهِمَا جَنَّتَيْنِ مِنْ أَعْنَابٍ وَحَفَفْنَاهُمَا بِنَخْلٍ وَجَعَلْنَا بَيْنَهُمَا زَرْعًا ﴿٣٢﴾
32:
Set forth to them the parable of two men: for one of them We provided two gardens of grape-vines and surrounded them with date palms; in between the two We placed corn-fields.
كِلْتَا الْجَنَّتَيْنِ آتَتْ أُكُلَهَا وَلَمْ تَظْلِمْ مِنْهُ شَيْئًا وَفَجَّرْنَا خِلَالَهُمَا نَهَرًا ﴿٣٣﴾
33:
Each of those gardens brought forth its produce, and failed not in the least therein: in the midst of them We caused a river to flow.
وَكَانَ لَهُ ثَمَرٌ فَقَالَ لِصَاحِبِهِ وَهُوَ يُحَاوِرُهُ أَنَا أَكْثَرُ مِنكَ مَالًا وَأَعَزُّ نَفَرًا ﴿٣٤﴾
34:
(Abundant) was the produce this man had : he said to his companion, in the course of a mutual argument: "more wealth have I than you, and more honour and power in (my following of) men."
وَدَخَلَ جَنَّتَهُ وَهُوَ ظَالِمٌ لِّنَفْسِهِ قَالَ مَا أَظُنُّ أَن تَبِيدَ هَذِهِ أَبَدًا ﴿٣٥﴾
35:
He went into his garden in a state (of mind) unjust to his soul: He said, "I deem not that this will ever perish,
وَمَا أَظُنُّ السَّاعَةَ قَائِمَةً وَلَئِن رُّدِدتُّ إِلَى رَبِّي لَأَجِدَنَّ خَيْرًا مِّنْهَا مُنقَلَبًا ﴿٣٦﴾
36:
"Nor do I deem that the Hour (of Judgment) will (ever) come: Even if I am brought back to my Lord, I shall surely find (there) something better in exchange."
قَالَ لَهُ صَاحِبُهُ وَهُوَ يُحَاوِرُهُ أَكَفَرْتَ بِالَّذِي خَلَقَكَ مِن تُرَابٍ ثُمَّ مِن نُّطْفَةٍ ثُمَّ سَوَّاكَ رَجُلًا ﴿٣٧﴾
37:
His companion said to him, in the course of the argument with him: "Dost thou deny Him Who created thee out of dust, then out of a sperm-drop, then fashioned thee into a man?
لَّكِنَّا هُوَ اللَّهُ رَبِّي وَلَا أُشْرِكُ بِرَبِّي أَحَدًا ﴿٣٨﴾
38:
"But (I think) for my part that He is Allah, My Lord, and none shall I associate with my Lord.
وَلَوْلَا إِذْ دَخَلْتَ جَنَّتَكَ قُلْتَ مَا شَاء اللَّهُ لَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ إِن تُرَنِ أَنَا أَقَلَّ مِنكَ مَالًا وَوَلَدًا ﴿٣٩﴾
39:
"Why didst thou not, as thou wentest into thy garden, say: 'Allah's will (be done)! There is no power but with Allah.' If thou dost see me less than thee in wealth and sons,
فَعَسَى رَبِّي أَن يُؤْتِيَنِ خَيْرًا مِّن جَنَّتِكَ وَيُرْسِلَ عَلَيْهَا حُسْبَانًا مِّنَ السَّمَاء فَتُصْبِحَ صَعِيدًا زَلَقًا ﴿٤٠﴾
40:
"It may be that my Lord will give me something better than thy garden, and that He will send on thy garden thunderbolts (by way of reckoning) from heaven, making it (but) slippery sand!-
أَوْ يُصْبِحَ مَاؤُهَا غَوْرًا فَلَن تَسْتَطِيعَ لَهُ طَلَبًا ﴿٤١﴾
41:
"Or the water of the garden will run off underground so that thou wilt never be able to find it."
وَأُحِيطَ بِثَمَرِهِ فَأَصْبَحَ يُقَلِّبُ كَفَّيْهِ عَلَى مَا أَنفَقَ فِيهَا وَهِيَ خَاوِيَةٌ عَلَى عُرُوشِهَا وَيَقُولُ يَا لَيْتَنِي لَمْ أُشْرِكْ بِرَبِّي أَحَدًا ﴿٤٢﴾
42:
So his fruits (and enjoyment) were encompassed (with ruin), and he remained twisting and turning his hands over what he had spent on his property, which had (now) tumbled to pieces to its very foundations, and he could only say, "Woe is me! Would I had never ascribed partners to my Lord and Cherisher!"
وَلَمْ تَكُن لَّهُ فِئَةٌ يَنصُرُونَهُ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ وَمَا كَانَ مُنتَصِرًا ﴿٤٣﴾
43:
Nor had he numbers to help him against Allah, nor was he able to deliver himself.
هُنَالِكَ الْوَلَايَةُ لِلَّهِ الْحَقِّ هُوَ خَيْرٌ ثَوَابًا وَخَيْرٌ عُقْبًا ﴿٤٤﴾
44:
There, the (only) protection comes from Allah, the True One. He is the Best to reward, and the Best to give success.
وَاضْرِبْ لَهُم مَّثَلَ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا كَمَاء أَنزَلْنَاهُ مِنَ السَّمَاء فَاخْتَلَطَ بِهِ نَبَاتُ الْأَرْضِ فَأَصْبَحَ هَشِيمًا تَذْرُوهُ الرِّيَاحُ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ مُّقْتَدِرًا ﴿٤٥﴾
45:
Set forth to them the similitude of the life of this world: It is like the rain which we send down from the skies: the earth's vegetation absorbs it, but soon it becomes dry stubble, which the winds do scatter: it is (only) Allah who prevails over all things.
الْمَالُ وَالْبَنُونَ زِينَةُ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَالْبَاقِيَاتُ الصَّالِحَاتُ خَيْرٌ عِندَ رَبِّكَ ثَوَابًا وَخَيْرٌ أَمَلًا ﴿٤٦﴾
46:
Wealth and sons are allurements of the life of this world: But the things that endure, good deeds, are best in the sight of thy Lord, as rewards, and best as (the foundation for) hopes.