The Soldiers' Father

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Hajiya Azeema laughed heartily.

> “Ah, you missed it last night! Fresh, hot news!”

Azmee leaned forward eagerly.

> “What happened?”

By now, the girls had finished their prayer and were seated on their mats, listening curiously.

Pointing toward them, Hajiya Azeema said,

> “Can you believe these girls are actually Abusufyan’s daughters?”

Azmee’s heart skipped — the words struck her like thunder.

> “Are you serious?” she asked, eyes wide.

> “I’m very serious,” Hajiya Azeema replied. “Everyone was shocked. These girls are truly Abusufyan’s children.”

Azmee turned to look at Sehrish and the others — their faces blank with disbelief.

Sehrish herself was confused; she hadn’t been in her senses the night before when the story was discussed. But Jahad had heard everything and knew the full truth — ever since Sergeant had whispered prayers for her recovery.

Azmee asked in amazement,

> “But how? Did Abusufyan ever marry before?”

In brief, Hajiya Azeema explained how Abusufyan had secretly married Abu and had triplets, all before the family knew anything about it.

Overcome with joy, Azmee could hardly contain herself — she kept smiling and talking nonstop.

> “Jahad! Is this true?” Sehrish asked, still stunned.

Jahad smiled, nodding.

> “Yes, it’s true. You weren’t fully conscious yesterday. We’ve suffered so much, never knowing we had such a big, honorable family. But through the will of Allah, we were reunited — in a way we never expected. I believe it’s the result of the prayers we’ve always made. Our mother first married our uncle Abusufyan, before that wicked Sayyadi came into her life…”

> “How could that be?” Sehrish interrupted, shocked.

Hajiya Azeema gently added,

> “It’s all true, my dear. You are the children of our own brother, Abusufyan. Your mother married him first before that cruel man Sayyadi took her.”

She then narrated in detail how their mother had lived in hardship — from their time with Aunt Katsina to her forced marriage with Sayyadi.

Before she finished, Sehrish fell to the ground in prostration, sobbing with joy.

So Abusufyan — the very man she had come to respect — was her real father!

No wonder she’d always felt a strange connection with Junaid; the bond of blood had been there all along.

Azmee, too, was moved to tears as Hajiya Azeema told her about Sayyadi’s cruelty.

> “I always wanted to hear Sehrish’s life story,” Azmee said, voice trembling. “So much pain they went through… That man was a monster! To separate children from their father, to make their lives miserable — such wickedness! Oh, this world…”

While she was still speaking, the door opened.

Abusufyan entered, greeting softly — and instantly, all eyes turned to him.

He didn’t notice anyone else in the room — not even Hajiya Azeema or Azmee.

His gaze locked only on the three girls kneeling on the prayer mat.

He stood frozen, drinking in their faces, his heart swelling with emotion.

The girls stared back, unable to move, trembling with a powerful urge to run and embrace him.

Could this really be their father — the man whose blood ran in their veins?

Hajiya Azeema finally broke the silence:

> “What are you all waiting for? Can’t you see your father? Go and embrace him — feel the warmth of your own flesh and blood.”

That was all it took — they rose shakily to their feet and ran to him.

Before they reached him, he spread his arms wide, gathering all three into a tight embrace.

He held them close, as if trying to pull them back into his very being.

Tears streamed down his face — and theirs too.

He had prayed for this moment for years, never believing he’d live to see it.

Now Allah had answered him.

Through sobs, the girls spoke together:

> “Abba…”

A shiver of peace and love ran through his heart.

With a trembling voice, he whispered,

> “Say it again… I want to hear it once more.”