Crescent 105

"First, I've a question for you."Abdul Bâqi said, looking Mika'il straight in the eye,"What benefits does a Mureed get for being a Mureed?"His lips suddenly upturned in a smile. Then he added in a contemplative mode,"All in all, from what you've said, being a Mureed is the highest level a student could reach here in SLH.

They must have advantages over and above the normal apprentices, right?"

Abdul Bâqi's expression was unreadable. Mika'il couldn't tell what he was thinking, but he knew the guy was up to something.

"Na'am, but there are ranks among them too, the higher ranked get more privileges."Mika'il said, pokerfaced. Abdul Bâqi had not yet told him of his intentions; whether he'd join his father's halaqah or not. If he would join his father's circle, then good. If he wouldn't, then he was wasting his time with him..

At this moment they were headed towards the doors at the entrance. Mika'il explained,"SLH values respect for seniority and those above in knowledge.."His last words were said with a sour expression. It seemed he hadn't had a good experience with that one.

"The nine Mureeds in this school particularly wear the fez, which have tassels on them bestowed by the Doyens as a sign of rank; Rank Sidr are the top three, with a colourful tassel. The next three are Rank Zaytûn, with an olive-coloured tassel. At the bottom, are Rank Teen. They have a purple tassel.

The higher the rank, the more access one would have to the school's resources of knowledge and study reserves!

More scholars would acknowledge you and teach you if ever you needed help.."

Mika'il began blabbering on the endless privileges and the perks of being a Mureed. Abdul Bâqi's eyes were shining with each new mention. In Ustadh Inaayat's halaqah, he was one of the best five, nay – the most exceptional two, aside Zayn! Of course once he's come here, he must be among the top too! The opportunities for those at the top were always boundless!

"How do you become a Mureed, and what's the way of appraising their ranks?"Abdul Bâqi asked almost breathless, his eyes were filled with a zeal that awoke from the depths of his soul. He was unable to hold his excitement in anymore.

Mika'il looked at him, unsure as to what crazy ideas the boy was having in mind. He had just arrived in the school for Allah's sake. Nevertheless he answered,"The Marabout's hundred year old quest: The 1000 Profound Steps.."

After Mika'il had finished satisfying Abdul Bâqi's curiosity on the Mureeds of SLH and the quest used to appraise them, he once again asked his earlier question.

"No bro."Abdul Bâqi answered bluntly,"He's now my master, isn't he?"

"Really?"Mika'il looked like he wanted to cry, despite the joy and the happy smile radiating his face.

"Really."Abdul Bâqi had a serious look on his face. Internally he was laughing up a storm. Why give up a scholar who had trained with his former master for another? Sheikh Zeeshan was known to have topped the Qur'an tournament of his generation, hadn't he? If Sheikh Zeeshan was a Doyen without a Mureed, and he was Sheikh Zeeshan's new apprentice, all he had to do was become a Mureed. That way; more benefits for him and chances to acquire more knowledge as a Mureed, he still gets to study with a scholar that even his former master Inaayat had praised, and he'd still help his new master's circle flourish by becoming a Mureed. This was what they called killing three birds with one stone.

"But since the scholars are still at their summit, I'd like to see what learning under the Mureeds is like."Abdul Bâqi said with a delphic smile up his face as he marched gallantly into the hall, Mika'il at his heels. Only learning could excite him so.

•••

"Okay, so who can come and recite this verse for us according to the Tajwîd principles?

Don't be shy, we're all here to learn."The Mureed they had sat under said, his eyes looking around benevolently, at all the students seated beneath him.

Abdul Bâqi and Mika'il sat at the very edge of the large circle, from where they could talk without being noticed and also, survey what was going on in the circle. This was the circle Abdul Bâqi had spotted earlier, with the lanky student at the middle. He wore a fez with an olive tassel; Zaytûn. Abdul Bâqi thought.

"His name's Elder brother Sinan. He ranks Number Five among the Nine Mureeds, and is a direct apprentice of Sheikh Tariq, one of the Doyens of SLH, hence the numbers.

See the tassel he wears on his cap..?"Mika'il pointed discreetly at the dark olive tassel on the fez, which the guy leading the Circle wore with pride, then added,"I don't like him though." Abdul Bâqi rolled his eyes.

"Meaning I should not like him also?"Abdul Bâqi said levelly,"I can judge that for myself."

Abdul Bâqi had an affinity to people with merit of excelling at what they did best, especially when it came to those on the path of seeking knowledge. Naturally he developed a loathing when others who hadn't achieved as much, talked down upon them. For someone like him who was seen as being among the exceptional, he alone could understand what struggles those at the top had to undergo to reach whichever heights they reached.

At the end those who never had witnessed their long nights spent in industry, their struggles and their sweat, the night oil they burnt, but only saw them shining at the top, yet had the gall to defame them. He remembered the first time Zak entered Ustadh Inaayat's halaqah, and the stares the boys subjected him to. He had felt for Zak, and he felt for this guy too, even if it was against Mika'il with whom he had become acquainted.

"Good point, countryman!"Mika'il whisper-shouted back at him, not the least bit disgruntled. He rather had a goofy grin up his face.

"You at the back!" A crisp voice sailed to them, clear in the silence of the students all around in the circle, among whom none had offered to demonstrate the recital.

They had been caught.

"Me..?"Mika'il pointed to himself, doubtful he was the one. Rarely does anyone pay attention to him in SLH. Even if they did, it was to slight him on being the son of a Doyen who had gotten his position through the back door. Long has he been among the bullied here in SLH. Not being from the nobility, but being admitted on the basis of coming from a scholarly family, had worsened his case. He was either the subject of bullying or he was completely ignored. So he had kept a carefree smile and minded his own business here in SLH.

Consequently, his only friends were from his Baba's circle. The Mureeds were no different, at least those he personally knew – and Sinan was the worst to him!

"Ta'al."Sinan's voice was solemn, his expression, unsmiling.

The slender index finger that was pointed had specifically marked him as the target. There was no other person he was pointing to. Even though he and Abdul Bâqi had both been conversing earlier, the Mureed seemed to ignore Abdul Bâqi completely.

I'm dead. Mika'il gulped.

"Na'am you, Mika'il."The Mureed added, when he saw Mika'il was reluctant to get up, still pointing at himself. All eyes turned to the back of the circle, including Abdul Bâqi's, as though he were one of them spotting the intruder.

Sinan was a Mureed and under the ward of a Doyen of the school. Even though this was not their circle in the first place and Mika'il was the son of a Doyen as well, as long as he wasn't a Mureed himself, he was obliged to respond. The students shuffled, making space for him toward the circle's center. Mika'il got up with a stoic expression on his face. His previous grin had wiped off completely as he walked to Sinan's position in the middle.

There was a board in the middle where a verse was written in cursive Arabic.

Abdul Bâqi watched the whole scene in amusement. Apparently, Mika'il was famous. He couldn't imagine every student here knowing everybody else's name. But for Mika'il to be even known by a student of a higher class, it was telling! The simple fact of being known by a Mureed, told of Mika'il's popularity. He wondered though, whether it was of the positive kind or not. This brought his mind back to the question of why Mika'il's Baba's circle had so few members even though he was quite an extinguished Sheikh.

Well, answers do come in due time, don't they?

The Mureed held a vague smile as Mika'il stood by his side.

"Everyone, we've the son of our honoured Sheikh in our circle today. Why don't we give him the honours of giving us a pointer or two."The Mureed said, amidst jeering remarks and rowdy guffaws.

It seemed as if they suddenly had a good show to lighten up the mood.

He does look like a pierrot standing there just like that.. Abdul Bâqi thought with an amused smile. He had propped himself up, his elbow relaxing on his lap as he sat in a cross-legged posture. Apparently he himself was enjoying the scene unfold.

"Why don't you help us, O wise Mika'il. Recite the verse for us, applying the correct ruling regarding the Tajwîd."

Not wanting to spend anymore of his time being the center of unwanted attention, Mika'il gave the Ta'awwudh under a breath, and then with a Basmallah, he recited the ayah in a low voice, a frown on his face. Abdul Bâqi was wondering whether he was the same boy who was jabbering just a while ago.

"Dhãlikal Kitaabu laa rayb.. Fiihi Hudal-lil-Muttaqîn."

At this Sinan cleared his throat noisily,"That was a good try, Mika'il. I don't blame you for not knowing. You're not a student from one of the thriving circles after all." Mika'il paled even as the entire circle rang with raucous laughter.

"The correct recital is:

Dhãlikal Kitaabu laa rayba fiih.. Hudal-lil-Muttaqîn."

Abdul Bâqi saw Mika'il stare out at everyone with a stoic look, and laughed internally. It just reminded him so much of one guy back at South district halaqah, with his first debut in their halaqah. Even though you could tell he was anxious inside as the other students directed towards him foul stares, he still walked through without showing weakness towards them. Zak.. He mused, a lazy smile on his face.

For some reason, the senior Sinan held Mika'il by the shoulder, preventing him from leaving the stage where all could see him. He began to disparage the boy's Baba's Circle. Even whilst doing that, his glance kept on lingering on Abdul Bâqi as he looked around.

Oh~ So I've been spotted too. Perhaps he knows me! The smile never seemed to let off Abdul Bâqi's lips. If he didn't get what the senior Sinan was implying as he talked and cast casual glances over to his side, he'd be a fool.

Abdul Bâqi already knew that with his reputation as Sayyidul-Quraa' fii haadha Zaman, most of the Qur'an circles and their scholars would be seeking to enlist him as a member. He just did never guess even a paltry Mureed would be trying this hard.

The Mureed, Sinan, continued talking about the necessity to choose a Circle of better tuition.

"Not all Circles are the same, brothers. Even here in Sky Legacy Haven, you have to choose the right circle if you want to advance by leaps and bounds in Dîn studies.

And you ought to choose the right company too."He said this with an air of finality, looking with derision at Mika'il who was silent, looking at every other person with a reticent expression, except Abdul. Abdul Bâqi noticed. With how he had previously been excited about Abdul Bâqi joining his Baba's halaqah of Qur'an which had so few people, he must have been so much embarrassed with the humiliation just now. It was especially demeaning with all the other students from Sinan's circle staring at him like that, with complete and overt derision.

Everyone's looking down on him, and probably his father too.. Abdul Bâqi thought, his smile growing by the second.

His actual first day in a circle of Sky Legacy Haven, and the students were already showing their rotten personalities.

Bakh! Bakh! Bakh(Wonderful)! He laughed internally, imitating his former Ustadh – Al Iskandarî. His mind travelled back to the first day Zak entered into Ustadh Inaayat's circle.

Though he was that good for their Ustadh to tell him to sit amongst them - the top four at the time, the boys from the halaqah still looked down on him. What Abdul Bâqi hated most was when people were not given credit for their ingenuity, especially by those who really had nothing to offer. None of them came forward to try, and yet when someone else tried, they used him as a mocking dummy.

He didn't know why he thought back to that day with Zak.

People might take it that he looked down on others, but he never actually. He respected hardwork and strength. Anyone determined enough to make it to the top with hardwork, had to be accorded his due. And one thing was obvious - Mika'il had been right. He had not made a mistake whatsoever.

Sinan was either being petty and wanted to show off, or —he was a downright Jaahil! Abdul Bâqi scoffed inside.

Without thinking about it, he raised his hand and proceeded to talk without so much as being called to do so.

"Actually, he is correct."

Mika'il was stunned. His eyes flipped up to the dark boy, making signals to immediately cut it off. He knew he was in a helpless situation, but that didn't mean he should also drag his father's apprentice into the shame. Who would dare to challenge a Mureed!? A person who stood at the top of all students in SLH and stood as the representative of a Doyen of Sky Legacy Haven!!!

No matter how you looked at it, this was a Mureed. They held considerable power right after their very own Asaatidhatuddîn!

He simply wasn't a figure to contend with!

"What?"Sinan's eyes narrowed at Abdul Bâqi, making a frigid silence to suddenly descend on that circle like a blanket of ice and hail.

As if by instinct of danger, all the students previously surrounding Abdul Bâqi had shifted, exposing the malefactor, the person responsible for the words.

They all stopped whatever trifling they might have been engaged in which may have made them previously pay attention only hafly to the discourse, and now focused fully on the new development. There was not one wandering mind left in that gathering!

Not bothered by the sudden highlight and exposure, Abdul Bâqi stood up and walked to the circle's middle, where Sinan and Mika'il were both standing, fixed with incredulity. He placed a hand calmly on Mika'il's other shoulder which immediately stabilized him from his previous tremors caused by Sinan's upbraiding. Abdul Bâqi's lips faked a smile as he looked calmly up Sinan's unbelieving face, asserting once more, slowly punctuating every word,"I said you were wrong in saying that Mika'il is wrong, when actually the verse could be recited both ways."

Silence took away every bated breath. If at first they were silent, now, they had stolen the peculiarity from a graveyard. Deafening silence!

Abdul Bâqi's resonant voice rang through,"One can decide to place the pause before the word 'fiihi' or after it. It doesn't really matter, as long as you make sure to pause only at one place where the Ta'aanuq Al-waqf appears on the Mushaf."

Following his words, the hearts were now oppressed by stifling silence. There were words upon words of shock to be exclaimed, but no one knew how to articulate them! They were just too shocked to speak their confounded minds right now. No one wanted to be singled out and noticed when a deathly challenge to a Mureed had been made.

Whether it was intentional or not, for some unknown reason, Abdul Bâqi's voice had risen a notch higher so people from the nearby circles heard it. They all went silent in tow with their leading apprentices who stopped to gape in shock. Then as suddenly as it had overtaken the gatherings, it was broken.

"Is somebody challenging a Mureed apprentice!?!!"A shocked voice sounded, booming through their region of the hall and resonating beyond. Nobody knew who said it, but it was probably one of the seated students as no one could trace the origin of the voice from the masses of students. Due to the nature of the sudden shock, they didn't even have a mind for it.

Like a butterfly effect, the sudden unexplainable silence in a whole group of circles in that one region of the hall, had cascaded to envelop the rest in the wake of the voice, and like a tidal wave, it flooded the minds, crashing upon them, leaving them to think on the loudly spoken words – just for a moment.

Like a switch turned on, a deafening buzz of noise arose all over. Majority of the circles present in their region of the Myriad Circle Hall had been stirred and had already conveyed the message to those further away. All the circles farther had paused in whatever they were doing to look over. Cacophonous discussions held the hall prisoned, and all attention was drawn to the circle in which Abdul Bâqi was in.

"How brazen! Who's this guy? To actually think he would speak to a Mureed like that?!!"

"Ay! He's the guy called Sayyidul Quraa of our generation from the GQRC two years ago!

Perhaps he thinks he's a match for our Mureeds!? Nice dreaming!"

"Is he seeking to court death..? No one ever dared to challenge a Mureed in these halls of Sky Legacy Haven. They are given respect just like the scholars themselves!"

"This is not something you see here everyday in Sky Legacy Haven. I'm waiting to see what form of heavenly retribution will descend upon the boy from the backwater city!"One voice smiled, in amusement.

"This is Sky Legacy Haven—not a countryside halaqah on a backwater island. There are unspoken rules here. What does he think he's doing??!"

The sudden and shocked murmurs battered the hall.

"Are you challenging me, Rustic?" Sinan quirked up an eyebrow, his voice dangerously low. Abdul Bâqi looked at him levelly, no sign of fear present in his eyes. Now that I've stood up to you, you suddenly decide to show your true colours.

How delectable! Well then, let's see how this goes! He chuckled,"I'm only stating an open fact here, elder brother. As students of Knowledge, it's welcomed. No?" Internally, he was laughing up a storm. He seemed unperturbed to everyone watching. Meanwhile everyone seemed to be holding back a bated breath at his reply, as though waiting for a heavenly retribution to descend. This guy was just too brazen!

Mika'il felt his heart drop to his stomach, staring at his new companion. He didn't know whether to be grateful or to berate him for being foolhardy. With his father away in the scholars' summit, there was no one here in Sky Legacy Haven he could run to for help for this bumpkin who didn't know what he was doing. He was simply courting death, and seemed all too relaxed about it. That was the most frightening part—he seemed not to think he would face any repercussions whatsoever.

"Oi, countryboy!"A voice called out through the bedlam of voice,"You must be the new student around here. The islander from the jinn town.

You probably do not know the rules, but you cannot speak with an apprentice of a Doyen like that."

"Why not? If he's wrong, am I supposed to shut up? The Dîn does not advice keeping silent in the face of someone blatantly spreading falsehood now, does it?"As much as their tribe valued amaanat, it also valued truth. Abdul Bâqi was taught right from a young age that; If a mistake was made in private, then it had to be corrected in private. But if it was made openly, then it could be corrected openly, to avoid the masses from following a wrong path. Sometimes to protect the honour of a person, one might correct him in secret with the condition that he clarifies himself to the public. If not, they had to be censured. In this case, the Mureed had publicly disgraced a student who was at no fault, even bringing his master into it. Abdul Bâqi's sense of justice could not stand for this vileness.

"He committed a mistake so openly, why can't I make the correction here so that our fellow brothers don't go home with the assumption that what he said is right?"

"Bro, you could have corrected him privately."A voice said. It was one of the nearby apprentices.

"You're right. I might have done better. But he had also publicly defamed my master and his circle. If he defamed someone in public, he certainly doesn't deserve to maintain his honour.. Or what do you say? Elder brother Sinan,"Abdul Bâqi had a harmless smile on his face as he turned to the Mureed, but the words he said were vicious!

Silence took the hall at that. Every eye was glued on the two, anxiously waiting for the show to unfold. It was like a duel between two giants of knowledge. It had already spread round the identity of the guy who challenged Elder Sinan. It was none other than the Sayyid!

With the scholars at their rally in the topmost floors of SLH masjid, and the knowledge that every Mureed would side their own (They needed to do so for the order and respect accorded them not to collapse)—the silence was so thick that it might have been sliced by a knife.

One thing was certain, the newbie was not going to like one bit what was coming for him. Whether he was right or wrong, he should have shut up. Rank held the power here in Sky Legacy Haven.

"Hogwash"A voice spat. All eyes turned, including Abdul Bâqi's, his eyes squinting. A boy dressed lavishly with glistening rings on all fingers was up standing. He wasn't from the Mureeds, Abdul Bâqi could tell. Perhaps one of the Silkpants who is here because their family is nobility. He had expected a Mureed to stand up first though.

"That's Ikrimah! His father holds a high position in the court of King Dhul Qarnayn. Their family's loaded since the founding of the country!

Damn him! He does have his own pile of dirt. I heard he got a number of boys dismissed from the school, just for replying back to him."Abdul Bâqi heard nearby murmurings.

"And may I ask what was hogwash about what I said?"Abdul Bâqi replied immediately, perhaps due to some pent-up anger on the unfairness in this whole establishment. It was everywhere."Or do I have to break my language into simpler words that you may comprehend?"

"Y–you—"He looked like he was about to cry. No one had humiliated him like that, and that was his sore point. Stiffled laughter sounded among some people in the crowd. The son of the official looked around but all faces seemed solemn. He was a scion of a reputable family so no one wanted to get on his bad side. Not Abdul Bâqi though.

"You'll see!"He gave a cold harrumph, sitting down with an air of foreboding.

Abdul Bâqi didn't flinch. It now seemed like he was bent on making everyone else his enemy.

Naturally there were other Mureeds in the hall. They seemed to be disputing in their minds whether to come to the aid of their comrade or to keep their mouths shut. This was the Sayyid of Quraa' of their generation, crowned in the GQRC two years ago even if their team was later evicted. It'd be foolish to argue with him on a ruling of Tajwîd, especially when what he'd said was absolutely factual. It was obvious Sinan had either deliberately sought to make a case for Mika'il, or had not known it at all. Either way, Abdul Bâqi correcting him wasn't questionable per se, but he was becoming too arrogant for his own good. If this continued, he would undermine all their authority. They couldn't have that.

"Yaa Akhii"One of the Mureeds nearby called out, breaking the standoff and the tension in the room. The voice was gentle, like calm lakes and water. His appearance was graceful, and bore a sophisticated elegance.

"Ali?"Sinan whispered, as though his soul had been lost. This was his number one rival among the Mureeds. He couldn't be seeking to strike while the iron was hot, right?

The Mureed moved from his circle to where Abdul Bâqi and Sinan were standing and placed a hand on Sinan's shoulder, nodding at him with a gentle smile. If Sinan had not known better, he would say Ali was his sincere friend.

Ali spoke, his gentle eyes on Abdul Bâqi,"It could not be that our younger brother wants to challenge elder brother Sinan to the Marabout's century old quest, does he?"

Abdul Bâqi examined him for the split of a second. He said that softly, but the hidden intent couldn't be missed by the gleam in his eyes. Abdul Bâqi smirked. On the outside, he makes it look like he's here to rescue his comrade, but this is simply called, making hay while the sun shines.

What does he seek to attain by me challenging his comrade? A rise in ranks? Or the fall of his comrade in one..?

Whispers arose in the crowds...