Having to leave earlier than usual, I made my way down the stairs, only to discover that it was jama’ah time, which meant that the musalees are coming in through the entrance I need to go out from.

Then suddenly, you know that strange feeling you get when someone is looking? When you’re looking elsewhere, and get that instinctive feeling to turn your head, and abruptly (and accidentally) your eyes meet another person’s?  

The protagonist was a young man, who didn’t seem to be very interested in the conversation he was supposed to be having.  

And then, to add some more drama, Kamal Udin’s “Illallah” begins playing –wait – can we change the soundtrack?   Ahmad Bukhatar’s Zawjati? Yeh? Cool. …And then everything else in the background fades away, and then, like the scenes from the movies….

(Okay this part didn’t really happen but doesn’t every girl wants to be the star of the show,  swept off her feet by her hero? )

“WOO-HOO!! Aaaayccchhh,” mouths my friend, waving frantically in her car from across the road.   (This part really did happen, and seriously, that brought me back to Earth.)

                                                      

Now, without dwelling on this for too long, if the guy was really interested, he could have (and should – fingers crossed) approach someone at the centre and do some enquiries.

But he didn’t and hasn’t. Which either means:

a) He’s already married

b) Not interested

c) Has a roaming eye

d) All of the above.

Lessons learned

1. When Allah SWT commanded the believing men and women to lower their gaze,  notice how before addressing the women, he started with the men first:

Say to the believing men that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty: that will make for greater purity for them: and Allah is well acquainted with all that they do. And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what (must ordinarily) appear thereof…"(Surah Nur)

And when addressing the women, Allah SWT told them (or us), that as well as lowering your gaze, do not display your beauty.

But seriously, a note to all men, if you happen to unknowingly, or unintentionally glance at a single sister, then be warned…and be afraid, very afraid….

(Cue theatrical music)

...you could get a LOT more than you bargained for.