Five year old Asghar jumped out of the car as soon as his father parked and slammed the door. “Sorry,” he apologized, running into the flat where his aunty lived. He had been taught not to slam doors, but to close them gently. Today however, he was very excited and could not contain his excitement. A surprise awaited him at his aunt’s home. His mum has told him that his aunt’s baby had arrived, but refused to tell him any more saying, “Wait and see for yourself.”

He just couldn’t wait to see whether it was a boy or a girl. He was sure that one of his cousins would be disappointed. Maimoonah had been praying for a sister whereas Anwar had been praying for a brother. He couldn’t wait to see whose Dua (prayer) was accepted. Asghar closed the door leading to the foyer and raced for the lift, where he planned to wait for his parents. He reached the lift panting hard and was sorely disappointed to see a sign that informed:

[LIFT OUT OF ORDER. PLEASE USE THE STAIRS.]

“Oh no!” thought Asghar anxiously. That’s a lot of stairs for a small child like me.”

Moments later, his parents calmly arrived. Taking stock of the situation, his mother simply said, “Well, let’s begin the climb.”
“But mom,” he said, “It will take ages. Aunty lives on the seventh floor.”
His mom smiled at him encouragingly and said to him, “Let’s just think of it as a form of exercise. We’ll make Zikr to pass the time.”

“What Zikr shall we recite?” Asghar asked.
His father suggested, “Let’s recite: ‘Allahu Akbar’ (Allah is the greatest), for that is the dua to recite when ascending any place.”
They recited “Allahu Akbar,” aloud and Asghar was astonished at how soon they arrived at his aunt’s door. He asked to be allowed to press the buzzer and his father lifted him up.

He told him to press only once and wait. He wasn’t to lean on the buzzer until someone opened for them, for that was rude. Asghar pressed once and his uncle shortly opened the door. His parents conveyed to him their congratulations and their duas for the new arrival.

Asghar rushed on ahead. He was simply too curious to wait a minute longer. He knocked gently on his aunt’s door and when told to enter, did so. What he then saw made his eyes nearly pop out of their sockets. On the crib alongside his aunt’s bed, lay two little bundles. One was covered in pink and the other in blue.

“Can you believe we have twins?” Maimoonah asked.
“Isn’t this just great, Asghar?” asked Anwar, his eyes shining in delight.
Asghar however, was just too stunned to answer. He simply stared from one baby to the other. He turned to his parents who had just entered and at last found his tongue. “Wow!” he said “What great daily news to tell the guys tomorrow! This was a real surprise.”

Asghar watched as his father kissed his sister on the forehead. He teased her about expecting a jumbo sized baby and said he had not been expecting twins. Asghar’s mother smiled at his aunt and handed her a giftbag containing baby clothes, saying: “These clothes are for you to use for the babies. When the babies have outgrown them, you may do with them what you feel is best.”

His aunt thanked her saying: “Jazakallah Khairah.”
Asghar’s parents then lifted and carried a bundled baby each, made dua for the babies and praised them by saying, “MashaAllah”. Asghar also got to carry one twin on his lap, with his father’s assistance. It felt really, really incredible.

A little while later, they had tea with biscuits, his mother had brought along. Soon it was time to leave. They left after exchanging salaams and then headed for the stairs. “Must we start reciting, ‘Allahu Akbar’ again?” Asghar queried. His father replied that when ascending one recited ‘Allah Akbar’, however when descending one recited ‘Subhanallah’ (Glory be to Allah).
Asghar and his parents softly made zikr of ‘Subhanallah’, and before long had reached the bottom of the stairs.

He still couldnt get over what a wonderful surprise it had been. He was just itching to tell his friends at school, he now had twins in his family. Werent they going to envy him!