Strangers

On a beautiful warm day in winter, two strangers walk by ignoring each other. There was a time when they used to know each other, love each other, but now they are strangers and forever they will be.....

He betrayed her, she betrayed him. He is a husband, she is a wife, and they are married. He lied to her, she believed him. He lied again, she believed him. He lied again, she believed him again. He lied again, and that was the lie she couldn't take. He betrayed her, she betrayed him. Now, they are strangers and forever they will be.....

He wanted her to respect him, and trust him, she couldn't. It was hard for her to respect someone she couldn't trust. It was hard for her to respect someone who lied to her. It was hard for her to respect someone who again and again jeopardized their union....So, she stopped respecting him. So she stopped trusting him....She betrayed him. Now, they are strangers and forever they will be.


She looks at him and realizes that their life is a lie. She looks at him and wonders how he could've done what he did. She looks at him and comes to the realization that she doesn't know him at all. The first night they met, they were strangers. From small talk conversation, they became friends. One morning, they turned into lovers, they became husband and wife, they played house, but they did not play fair. Now, they are strangers again, and forever they will be.


He wanted her to accept everything, the lies, the betrayals...He wanted her to still love her despites all that...He wanted her to cook her meals, do his laundry, clean his house, love him when he wanted to and overlook everything else....She tried for a while, but she got frustrated and that's how she betrayed him. Now, they are strangers, and forever they will be.

They ignored the Qur'anic verse which says: "they are your garments and you are their garments" 2:187). Garments to each other because they provide one another with the protection, the comfort, the cover, the support, and the adornment that garments provide to humans. However, this husband was naked, this wife was naked, they didn't have any garments and now they are strangers, and forever they will be.

She looks at the pictures of their wedding, their outings, their past. Faces proud, still and serene, happy one could say. She wonders how they used to spend their days, what used to make them happy. She wonders what their life was like at the time they took that picture. She can’t remember. It was the face of her husband, and her face but she couldn’t remember coz it’s been too long. She wishes she knew the two people on the photograph, their memories, and their hopes. But above all, she wishes she could warn them not to be together. Unfortunately, they were already strangers...

What is she going to do know? She had two options. She could do what women have been doing for centuries. They forget about passion,intense connection, trust,honesty and values. They settle for an empty marriage and lower their expectations.But she got to thinking about fairy tales. What if Prince Charming had never shown up? Would Snow White have laid in that glass box forever? Or would she have gotten up, spit out the apple, gotten a job and a health care plan and moved on with her life? The choice was hers, the consequences will be theirs, they have become strangers.

Once in a while, right in the middle of an ordinary life, a heart is broken. Could you pick up broken pieces, glue them together and pretend that the mended whole is as good as new? Isn't it better to let what's broken be broken, remember it as it was at its best than mend it and see the broken places?


Love is not about finding the right person, but creating a right relationship. It's not about how much love you have in the beginning but how much love you build till the end. Honesty and Trust are important in achieving that, when they are lacking it hurts the relationship, it kills the love. As, they used to say, love never dies a natural death. It dies because we don't know how to replenish its source. It dies of blindness and errors and betrayals. It dies of illness and wounds; it dies of weariness, of withering, of tarnishing......Love is not immortal.

That was the story of a husband and a wife, who on a beautiful warm day in spring, walked by ignoring each other. There was a time when they used to love each other, there was a time when they used to be proud of each other, now they are strangers and forever will be. That is the story of men. That is the story of women. It could very well be my story. It could be your story. But really, what is there to do when a husband and a wife become strangers?

Growing Your Love One Day At a Time !

Sumayyah Meehan gives green-fingered advice for success in the garden of love.

They are Libas (i.e. body cover or screen) for you and you are the same for them
(Surah Al Baqarah: 187)

Entering into the union of marriage is almost like walking into an uncultivated garden. Instead of the garden being full of lush green grass and brightly coloured flowers, it is simply a plot of earth! The garden will remain so until two loving hearts start to work on it with spades, fresh soil and a variety of seeds and saplings. Like a garden, marriage can be cultivated to produce the most gorgeous blossoms through good intentions and tender loving care!

Allah Almighty says in the Holy Qur'an:

And among His signs is this, that He created for you wives that you may find repose in them, and He has put between you affection and mercy. Verily, in that are indeed signs for a people who reflect.

(Surah Al Rum: 21)

Plant the Seeds
When Muslim couples enter into marriage, they begin their married life not knowing much about each other. Many couples make the mistake of simply getting down to the business of married life – cooking, cleaning and earning a wage. The situation itself is so daunting and scary that couples often avoid the vital communication that they need to start their marriage off on the right foot. Communication is the only way to plant the seeds of love in each other's hearts and eventually those seeds will grow into the strongest force of love to cement the union permanently. Both husband and wife should strive to find out everything about their spouse, even the most miniscule details like the name of the bully who terrorized them in school or what their most embarrassing moment was. The tiny details, as you learn them, are the very 'fabric' of the person you have chosen to share your life with. It is through those life experiences that they have come to be the person who they are today.

Remove the Weeds
Like a garden, there is no doubt that marriage is hard work. When two people, no matter how much love they share, are in a confined space together day in and day out, it is only logical that they will have disagreements from time to time. Those disagreements can be about silly things, like who left the cap off the toothpaste, or more serious matters like disciplining children. Regardless of the source, anger and discontentment in marriage (the unwelcome weeds that often sprout up in your otherwise pristine garden!) are to be taken seriously as quite often that can overwhelm a couple, so much so that one or both parties may decide to dissolve the union. Communication, again, is the best way to deal with those pesky marital disagreements. Couples must sit down in the beginning of their marriage and decide how they will handle each other when tempers flare. Will dishes be smashed? Will names and insults be thrown off of razor-sharp tongues? Couples who have been married for years can also sit down and redefine the way they argue. The aim of any argument should be that both viewpoints are expressed in a calm manner. Then the couple should come to a compromise so that both sides feel they have gained minor victories. Marriage is not a dictatorship where one spouse rules over the other. Rather marriage is a partnership where spouses unite for the sake of their families and more importantly for the sake of Allah.

Water Every Day
Like any garden, the seeds of love you worked so hard to plant need daily 'watering'. Without water, the seeds will never grow and existing blooms will shrivel and, eventually, die. The sort of watering that is required in marriage are actions that will build your spouse up rather than tear them down. For example, being grateful to your spouse and showing good manners are excellent ways to increase the love between you. Always remembering to say "Thank You" and showing respect when it is needed will go a long way to make your garden grow. Other ways might include adding a bit of romance to your marriage. Send your spouse a bouquet of flowers at work or fill their pockets with a bunch of heart-shaped candies (preferably not ones that will melt!) with a loving message attached. Being proactive and showering your garden with the vitality of good deeds will result in the success every gardener dreams about!

Don't forget the Fertilizer!
Unfortunately, even if you try everything to make your marital garden grow, it may only result in a few meager buds sprouting through the Earth. In this eventuality, one or both couples need to take immediate action (the fertilizer) to preserve the union of their marriage. Contacting the Wali, a local Imam, or even a Muslim marriage counselor can help couples move past the obstacles that are preventing them from achieving marital bliss and harmony. There is no shame in reaching out for help when a marriage is in distress. All measures must be taken to keep marriages intact, as divorce should always be seen as a last resort.

Lasting love and happiness in a marriage are not things that can be achieved instantaneously. Just like a garden, love needs to be cultivated and cared for lovingly with gentle hands, a kind word and an open heart. So go on, plant the seeds of marital bliss today and insha Allah, you too will enjoy a life filled with the beauty and satisfaction of a blossoming love affair with your spouse.