Virgin Widow
Eps. 1

Adhan isya passed, changing chants of crickets and the tweets of night birds. The moon rattled with the flickering of stars. Abak, Mother, and Uncle Hasan talked in the living room that was not adjacent to the kitchen. They talked about my matchmaking with the son of Abak's acquaintance.

A few days ago Mother had conveyed the matter, for me there is no problem being betrothed to an unknown person, as long as the chosen soul mate has good morals and religion. Because I think marriage is not just about bringing two people together, it's about building a civilization.

A civilization built by respecting, loving, and strengthening each other, and is in the same goal, which is to achieve the blessings of the world and the hereafter.

A man in Islam is placed as a leader for women, as well as responsible for giving up some of their property and obliged to keep women and their children from hellfire. If the husband does not understand his position as the person in charge, then the household sakinah, mawaddah, and warohmah will be swept away in time.

Household is likened to a ship sailing on the high seas, if the skipper and helmsman do not understand the coordinates and direction of the wind, then the ship will sail maybe even be shipwrecked, the consideration is that it is better not to hitch a ride on the ship.

No parent wants to be wrong in choosing a mate for his child, because after marrying the child they have loved and they are educated will go to a new world in his life. Living with a man she had never known, living in the sacred bonds of marriage, even became a service to her husband.

The mother is one of those parents who will never want her child's household to be like hell. That's why Mother and Abak are very selective in choosing prospective daughters-in-law. Several times the betrothed that came was rejected for various reasons, they think the person does not deserve me. The mate chosen for me must really be a leader in navigating life together later.

Until one day we were visited by Mr. Rahmadi's family to ask my willingness to be a son-in-law, they really hope I will accept this proposal sincerely, not because of coercion or matchmaking.

Mr. Rahmadi is very meritorious to our family, he is a very sincere person in giving without asking for a reply. Mr. Rahmadi once saved Abak's life when an accident caused Abak to lose a lot of blood.

Abak was lying on the road when a car hit his motorcycle from behind. Instead of helping, the driver fled and left Abak lying in a very sad state on the road.

Mr. Rahmadi works at Sawahlunto City Government, every day he commutes from Sijunjung to Sawahlunto. When the incident happened he would go home to Sijunjung, and find the victim of a hit-and-run lying on the road that he would pass. The car he was driving was marginalized then immediately descended to rescue the victim.

Embedded humanity defeated its status and position which is quite good. Mr. Rahmadi did not care if his clothes were wet with the blood of Abak who was still dripping, even he himself who lifted Abak's body into the car, until the hospital he did not hesitate to say that Abak his brother, who was his brother, even though he did not know Abak, Abak's name was also known from the ID card stored in the wallet.

It was fortunate that Mr. Rahmadi found Abak who still survived despite critical because a lot of blood came out of Abak's head that leaked. Abak survived after a critical period of three days.

During Abak in the care of Mr. Rahmadi always took the time to see the state of Abak in his narrow resting hours. Not just visiting, almost every day we are always brought food and fruit, even all Abak care costs are paid without our knowledge.

The accident that befell Abak brings its own wisdom because after the incident we have a new brother and like to keep the friendship. They often visit the house just to bring souvenirs, especially if Mr. Rahmadi often served out of town. On the contrary Abak also often visited his house to deliver a little garden produce such as fruits and vegetables or others.

Both of my parents were very respectful of Mr. Rahmadi, they were very impressed with his kindness and sincerity. Actually when the accident happened to Abak, I was studying at a university in the city of Padang so that I was not very familiar with their families and also with their children who would be betrothed to me.

He was named Zaid, had studied abroad, precisely in England. That's all the information I got from Mom. Unfortunately I did not ask further about the university and the majors he took in the UK. Maybe Mother also did not ask this to the Zaid family because Mother did not like nyinyir.

Some of their Zaid photos were sent through Mom, at least so I could make up my mind after seeing her face drawn. My mother assured me that Zaid's religion was good, and so was his morality. Abak and his mother met several times during a visit to his house.

“The child is polite and pious.”

“When Thursday we go there, he does not want to eat the cake that I brought. But instead it was kept he said to open. Isn't that right, Bak?” Abak nodded and Mother looked back at me.

“His daughter is humble too, Sah, she is not arrogant with the wealth of her parents,” Abak seasoning to make it more delicious.

Physical form and good looks are not very important in determining a friend, the most important is religion and faith. What about love? Love is a miracle that God bestows upon man, and I believe it is unpredictable and palpable, it can only be felt.

After marriage, I will learn to love Zaid as he is, because one of the wonders of love is that it can come at any time. So what's the worry for? There are lots of happy couples out there when that love grows after the marriage contract. Even more friendly, it is halal to go where and hold anywhere.

After completing his education, Zaid returned to Indonesia and now works at one of his family's expedition companies. Mother said, Zaid was a very generous person even he also became a regular donor of several halfway houses and orphanages.

He said again, Zaid never prayed at home but in the mosque, and many more good Zaid who was used as a powerful weapon ensnared me by Mother and Abak. Who wouldn't be amazed by such a good guy? And which woman would not want to have a companion to life as perfect as Zaid?

In the photo, Zaid looks white and handsome, a thin beard adorning a slightly crooked chin with thick, neatly arranged eyebrows fencing his sharp gaze. Subhanallah. So beautiful is Your creature, O Lord. Who will be my soul mate in the afterlife? Which favor of the Lord shall I deny?

A man of choice comes from a distinguished family, educated, and understands the science of religion. So there is no room for me to reject this match. I firmly believe that a good woman will have a good soul mate, and that Allah is All-Knowing and All-Wise in all things, including in the statutes of men, and it was written before the soul was blown into the mother's womb.

“So how, Sah?” Mom looked at me shortly after Father and Mother Rahmadi left our house.

“If according to Mother and Abak this is good for me, God willing I am ready.”

“Abak does not force this matchmaking, Sah. If you have any objections, it's okay to be honest. Abak and Ibu will not be angry, because that will live it you, not us,“ this time Abak is serious.

“If according to Mother and Abak he is good and can be a priest to me the world and the hereafter, I am sincerely betrothed. I beg you to rida and pray Mother and Abak, so that you can get through everything.“ I kissed Mom's hands full of service.

Mother hugged me lovingly, her tears dripping down my back which was still in her arms. There is a sense of haru and gamang in the heart, if indeed he is my destiny can I be a good makmum for him? Because the duty of the wife is not only the kitchen, mattress, and well, but jewelry for her husband.

The decision to accept Zaid has been through my long discussion with my Lord through the Istikharah that I did a few days ago. When the clue came, no one was able to hinder, and this decision also made Uncle Hasan come home.

Their conversation came to a halt when a cup of hot tea I put on the table, a plate of hot goddocks joined in as a treat in a slightly sordid conversation. In the Minangkabau custom before the marriage contract there are several times the negotiation process involving the nuclear family as well as the extended family of both parties. Uncle Hasan asked me to listen when the next round of negotiations will take place.

“How about Thursday only, Dik?” Uncle Hasan the mangosteen heard Mother's advice.

“Good too, Ni, let me tell Datuk Parpatiah later. If it can be agreed on Thursday, when is the right time we carry out the weigh tando.” event

Tando weighing is an exchange event for a valuable item from both parties until the marriage contract is completed. This process aims to tie the promise of both the bride and the family so that no one avoids matchmaking. If either party refuses, then the family must redeem the tando that has been submitted according to how many agreements have been decided in the event.