Free Ravi the Unknown Prince by Rookmin Cassim

woman had told me back home.
    I had noticed that, to believe in one God and be kind to parents were always mentioned together and sabr [patience] was mentioned many times over.
    I asked my South African friend again and he told me, that it was an important reminder to people whether Muslim or non Muslim and he went further into more detail.
    There were certain rules that we must abide by if we want to enter into Paradise.
    It took me nearly a year to read the Quran twice over and asked as many questions as possible.
    That night I was going to tell Ahmad that I had made my decision to accept Islam with-out any doubt as a way of life.
    When we left college, we decided to take a shorter route home and that nearly cost us our lives.
    While we were walking and conversing three young men came out from a parked car and pointed a gun at us.
    They were looking for money, presumably to buy drugs. We emptied our pockets and handed over the US dollars that both of us had in our possession.
    One of them was cursing and telling the man holding the gun to shoot us.
    My heart was beating so fast it could have easily flown out from my chest.
    I thought I was going to die in a strange country and that my death had brought me to this place.
    My friend said to the guy holding the gun, “Before you shoot us can we say our last prayer for today.”
    “Go on, he yelled and don’t take too long.”
    Ahmad prostrated on the concrete side walk and I did the same. We kept our heads there for a moment.
    I was saying to myself “Oh God help us.”
    Then I heard the slamming of the car doors and the screeching of the tyres as the car sped away.
    Ahmad tapped me on the shoulder and said, “Get up, my brother they are gone and what was it you were going to tell me?” he asked.
    I was still shaking and he seemed calm, as though nothing had happened.
    “Why are you so calm, when we were about to die?” I asked.
    “I am used to this type of scenario in South Africa,” he answered.
    Then I told him that I was ready to accept Islam and that I had decided to get circumcised first before I took the Shahada [testimony of faith] and then added one Muslim name on all of my personal documents.
    “I am happy for you my brother,” he said and he gave me a hug as we parted that evening.
    A few days later, I told uncle Ismael and Maymun and they chose Hasan as my first name.
    Two months later I accepted Islam and began to learn how to pray and the Surahs [chapters] in the Quran.
    Uncle Ismael was impressed with how much I had learned and knew, and he would come upstairs to hear me telling the stories of the past nations as mentioned in the Quran.
    I continued to work and study and to make regular visits to the Mosque in our locality for prayers and Jummah Salah on Fridays.
    My knowledge of Arabic was very limited and in my spare time I would learn surahs with Harun and uncle Ismael.
    That Ramadhan we all fasted. It was something new to me but I managed with perseverance and determination.
    After three years in America, Asma now 18 years old had a marriage proposal from Ali’s younger brother Ishaq.
    He worked in a science research Laboratory. He was ten years older than she was, but her parents agreed all the same, now it was up to her.
    She was doing well in college, and was hoping to make a good career for herself.
    She became confused over the proposal and came upstairs to see Harun for his opinion and advice.
    Harun asked her if she liked Ishaq and felt comfortable with him, she said yes, that he was polite and respectful and was easy to please.
    “He is a good guy Asma with a good job, you would not find better in New York. Dad checked him out so what is your problem?” he asked.
    I was sitting there listening to the conversation when she said, “I like Hasan.”
    I was thinking, who is Hasan and did not realise that she was talking about me.
    “Hasan is already interested in a girl back home and he is still studying. Don’t let dad hear you say