chapter 22

Hashim ko sadma aur gussa hua. "Tumhe pata hai iska kya matlab hai? Beizzati...log kya kahenge?""Kaisi beizzati? Yeh unka faisla hoga, humari ghalti nahi. Kuch nahi hoga, yaqeen karen: chand dino tak log baatein karenge aur phir sab bhool jayenge. Baba, aap bekaar mein fikar kar rahe hain," usne ghaflat se kaha, apne walid ko razi karne ki koshish karte hue."Tumhara dimagh kharab ho gaya hai...aisi bakwas kar rahi ho. Ab please jao," Hashim Mubeen ne sakhti se kaha uski taraf nafrat se dekhte hue.Imama wahan se chali gayi, dil kharab ho gaya: us raat usay mushkil se hi neend aayi. Agle din wo wapas Lahore chali gayi. Uske walid ne is maamle mein usse phir baat nahi ki, aur usne bhi is baat ko apne zehan se nikalne ki koshish ki. Usay ane wale imtihanat ki tayari karni thiUske walid ne is guftagu ko khatam nahi samjha tha. Wo bohat ehtiyaat karne wale shakhs the. Jab Tehreem ka school waala waqia hua tha, toh unhon ne Imama ke liye fikar mehsoos ki thi. Ye waqia itna sanjeeda nahi tha, lekin ehtiyaat ke tor par unhon ne Imama ki mangni Asjad se pakki kar di thi. Unka maan na tha ke naye rishtay ka taaluq Imama ke shakk aur shubhat ko door kar dega, aur wo sahi sabit hue, Imama ne Asjad mein zyada dilchaspi dikhana shuru ki aur apne mazhab ke amali kaamon. mein bhi hissa lena shuru kar diya. Lekin jo baat Waseem ne unhein batayi thi, usne unhein hila kar rakh diya. Wo andaza nahi laga sakte the ke Imama ne Islam ko kis had tak samjha hai, lekin unhein dikhayi de raha tha ke uske aqeedon aur nazariyat mein ek wazeh tabdeeli aayi hai. Yeh sirf unke liye nahi balki poori family ke liye fikar ka baals tha.Wo chahte the ke wo unki badi betiyon ki tarah taleem yafta ho, aur zyada bhi kyunke uski shaadi us family mein hone wali thi jo apni taleem par fakhar karti thi: Asjad khud bhi chahte the ke Imama achi taleem hasil kare. Hashim Mubeen Imama ki taleem ko shaadi tak mukammal nahi kar sakte the-jitna bhi wo chahte the-bina is faisle ke peechay ka wazeh sabab diye.Wo chahte the ke Asjad aur uski family ko pata na chale-woh Imama ke shakk aur sawalat ko qabool karna mushkil samajhte the aur uski Asjad ke sath shaadi ki zindagi khushgawar nahi hoti. Ek taraf, unhon ne apne ghar walon ko is mozu par baat karne se sakhti se roka aur doosri taraf, unhon ne Imama se guzarish ki ke wo aqalmandi se kaam le.                        .....♡......Imama apne mojudgi ko Sabiha ke lectures aur Jalal se mulaqaton mein itni ehtiyaat se rakhti thi ke yeh baat uske ghar walon ke samne nahi aati thi. Raaz rakha ja sakta tha kyunke Imama ne Javeria aur Rabia ko bhi andheray mein rakha tha; warna afwahein phailti aur Hashim Mubeen ke kaanon tak pohanchti. Wo is bare mein mutmaeen the, lekin Imama ke rawaiye mein jo khafi tabdeeli aayi thi, usne unhein pareshan kar diya aur unke zehan mein is masle ka sirf ek hal tha ke uski shaadi kar di jaye. Unka khayal tha ke is se unki zimmedari kam ho jayegi, is liye unhon ne yeh achanak faisla liya..                         .....♡....."Jalal, mere walidain ne meri shaadi ka faisla kar liya hai... Asjad se, usne bataya. Wo pehla shakhs tha jisse wo Lahore wapas aane par mili."Magar wo tumhein house job mukammal karne dene wale the," Jalal ne hairani se kaha."Yeh hi unhone kaha tha lekin ab wo kehte hain ke mein shaadi ke baad apni taleem mukammal kar sakti hoon. Asjad Lahore mein rehne ki jagah dhund lega taake mein parhai kar sakoon." Jalal uski pareshani ko samajh sakta tha. "Kisi bhi surat mein mein Asjad se shaadi nahi kar sakti.""Toh unhe saaf saaf bata do, Imama-unhe kaho ke tum mujhse shaadi karna chahti ho, Asjad se nahi," usne faisla saazi se kaha."Tumhe andaza nahi ke wo kaise react karenge... mujhe sab kuch batana padega." Thodi der soch kar usne kaha, "Jalal, apne walidain se kaho ke mere walidain se baat karein. Unhe mere bare mein batayein. Agar mere walidain mujh par dabao daalenge, toh mujhe ghar chhorna padega aur mujhe tumhari madad chahiye hogi."Jalal ne maan liya; usne usay tasalli di ke wo samajh jayenge aur uske faisle ko qabool karenge. Pehli dafa, uske chehre par ek halki si muskurahat aayi. Wo agle chand hafton tak imtihanat mein masroof rahi aur Jalal se milne ka moka nahi mila. Jaise hi imtihanat khatam hue, Waseem achanak Lahore aaya usay ghar le jane ke liye. Usne usay heran kar diya."Waseem, mein aaj ghar nahi ja sakti. Mere papers abhi khatam hue hain aur kuch kaam mukammal karne hain," usne kaha."Mein kal tak yahan hoon; ek dost ke yahan ruk raha hoon, toh tum jo kuch karna hai kar lo aur phir chalna," usne jawab diya, uski aakhri umeed bhi khatam karte hue.Imama ne adhoore dil se maan liya."Apna sab saman bandobast kar lo," usne jate hue kaha. "Tumhein sari chhutiyaan ghar par guzarna hongi."Usne sir hila diya, lekin uska poora saman pack karne ka ya tamam chhutiyaan Islamabad mein guzarna ka koi irada nahi tha. Uska plan tha ke kuch din baad wapas Lahore chali jayegi-lekin wo ghalat thi.Wo apne ghar walon ke sath dinner table par thi jab uske walid ne poocha,"Tumhare papers kaise hue?""Bohat ache, hamesha ki tarah," usne jawab diya, chawal lete hue."Good! Kam az kam ab imtihanat ka tension nahi hai. Ab tum kal se shopping shuru kar sakti ho, unhone kaha.Imama hairan ho gayi. "Kaisi shopping?""Pehle jeweler ke paas jao aur phir furniture ke liye. Baqi ki tayariyan tumhare pace par ho jayengi." Imama ke sawal ka jawab dene ke bajaye, Hashim Mubeen ne apni biwi se kaha."Magar kyun, Baba?" Imama ne phir se poocha"Kya tumhari maa ne tumhe nahi bataya ke humne shaadi ki tareekh tay kar li hai?"Uske haath mein chamach uski plate mein gir gaya aur uska rang urh gaya. "Meri shaadi?" Usne apne walidain ki taraf yaqeen se dekha, wo soorat-e-haal ko samajh nahi pa rahe the."Aap yeh kaise kar sakte hain... mujhse pooche baghair?" Usne bechayni se dekha."Humne tumse is bare mein pichli dafa yahan hone par baat ki thi," Hashim Mubeen ne sanjeedgi se kaha.Maine mana kar diya tha. Mein...""Mujhe tumhari mana karne ki parwa nahi. Maine pehle hi Asjad ke ghar walon se baat kar li hai, unhone ghusse se usay tok diya.Table par khamoshi chha gayi jab unhone khana chor diya. Imama achanak khadi ho gayi. "Mujhe afsos hai Baba, mein ab Asjad se shaadi nahi kar sakti. Aapne shaadi ki tareekh tay kar li hai toh unhe kehna padega ke isay multavi kar dein. Warna. Mein khud unse baat kar loongi."Hashim Mubeen ghusse se phatne wale the."Tum Asjad se shaadi karogi aur usi din karogi jo maine tay kiya hai," unhone cheekh kar kaha."Yeh insaaf nahi hai!" Imama kareeb aansu bahate hue boli."Ab tum mujhe batogi ke insaaf kya hai aur kya nahi-kya yeh sach hai?" Wo ghusse se bole."Why are you forcing me when I'd told you I don't want to get married now?" Imama ro rahi thi."Because I have the right to do so!" Unhone us par cheekha.Usne jawab nahi diya. Apne daant pees kar aur ghusse se bharpur, wo kamre se bahar chal diye."Please baith jao aur apna dinner kar lo," Salma Mubeen Hashim ke peeche gai."Mein usse baat karti hoon. Itna ghussa mat karo-wo sirf jazbati ho rahi hai."Jaise hi uski maa kamre se bahar gayi, Imama ne Waseem par hamla kiya. "Get out! Get away from here!" usne cheekh kar kaha, usse door dhakelti hui."Why? Maine kya kiya?" Waseem peeche hata."Tumne jhoot bola aur dhoke se mujhe yahan laaye. Agar mujhe Lahore mein is baat ka pata hota, toh mein kabhi tumhare sath wapas Islamabad nahi aati.""Maine wohi kiya jo Baba ne kaha tha-unhone mujhe mana kiya tha ke tumhe batane se ke tumhe ghar kyun bulaya ja raha hai. Mein sirf unke hukm ki pairwi kar raha. tha, Waseem ne apni safai di.Toh jao aur unke sath baitho-tumhara yahan kya kaam hai?" Imama apna gussa mushkil se rok rahi thi.Waseem bina kuch kahe chal diya.Apne kamre mein aakar, Imama apne bistar par baith gayi-zameen uske pairon ke neeche se nikal gayi thi. Usne kabhi nahi socha tha ke uski family uske sath aisa karegi, itne sakht tareeqe se apne nazariyat par qaim rahegi. Usay ab tak yakeen nahi aa raha tha ke yeh sab uske sath ho raha tha: uska dil doobne laga."Mujhe is surat-e-haal ka samna karna padega; mein haar nahi maan sakti. Mujhe kisi tarah Jalal se rabta karna hoga, jitni jaldi ho sake; usne apne walidain se zaroor baat ki hogi. Mein usse baat karke koi rasta nikaal loongi," usne socha jabke wo apne kamre mein bechaini se chakkar kaat rahi thiRaat ke aadhe se zyada waqt guzarne ke baad, wo bahar aayi ke Jalal ko phone kare.Usay pata tha ke uske walidain aur bhai behen so chuke honge. Usne Jalal ka number milaya: phone bajta raha lekin jawab nahi aya. Usne agle aadhe ghante mein kai baar koshish ki lekin koi faida nahi hua.Wo Javeria ya Rabia ko phone nahi kar sakti thi kyunke wo hostel mein thi. Phir, Imama ne Sabiha ka number try kiya. Uske walid ne jawab diya aur bataya ke Sabiha apní maa ke sath Peshawar gayi hui hai ek family shaadi ke liye; unhone kaha ke wo agle din wahan se chale jayenge."Peshawar?" Imama pareshaan ho gayi."Agar Sabiha ke liye koi paigham ho to main use bata sakta hun," usne peshkash ki "Nahi, shukriya, Uncle, usne dheere se kaha. Usse kya kehna tha-woh phone kaat diya. Uska dil mayoosiyat se doob gaya soch kar ke Jalal se rabta na ho saka. Usne phir uske number pe call kiya, lekin kisi ne receiver usse cheen liya-uska baap tha. "Tum kisko phone kar rahi ho?" uski awaz bahut sambhal ke thi"Ek dost ko," usne jawab diya, usse dekhte bina. Usne usse nahi dekh sakti thi aur Jhoot nahi bol sakti thi."Main tumhare liye number dial kar dunga," usne kaha aur 'Redial button dabaya, aur receiver apne kaan ke pass rakha. Imama use dekhte huye paled ho gayi. Thodi der baad usne receiver wapas rakha: wazahat hai, koi jawab nahi tha. "Tum iss dost ko iss waqt phone kar rahi thi? Kaun hai yeh dost?"    Continue ✍️✍️✍️