IN A SINGLE DAY

Written by: Princess Amrah & Rabiatu sk msh
Group: ~~Two Hands Writers~~
All praise and gratitude belong to Allah, the Most High, the Almighty. May peace and blessings be upon our leader, the Prophet Muhammad (SAW), and his entire lineage. As we begin the writing of this book, we pray for the guidance and will of Allah the Almighty to see it to its successful completion. We hope that the message we intend to convey reaches the entire Muslim Ummah, as well as non-Muslims.
This story is purely a work of fiction. It was written to highlight the dangers of attending wild parties and visiting places forbidden by the Islamic faith. It is not intended to slander or insult anyone, but rather to expose the negative consequences of such actions.

Abstract (Introduction)

This is a story revolving around certain servants of Allah who turned partying into a daily lifestyle—something as essential to them as drinking water. They sneaked out at any given time without their parents' knowledge, only to later face severe life crises and a level of regret that came far too late to be of any use. May Allah guide us upon the straight path, and may He grant us the ability to take heed of the lessons within this book.

But if you know you scare easily, don't read it. (Lol..😊)

Page 1

Time: 8:00 AM
She was lying across her soft royal bed. Her phone was plugged into the charger, but she was still actively typing away on it. Suddenly, she sprang up in pure excitement, shouting, "Yesss! I'm glad to hear that, woooo!" before settling back down to continue her chatting.
A handsome little boy walked into the room, pouting as he said, "Big sister Afnan, Mommy is calling you."
Annoyed, she snapped, "I'm coming!"
"But big sister Afnan, Mommy said—"
Interrupting the boy, she cut him off, "Affan, tell her that I'm coming right now!" He walked away, glancing back repeatedly to see if she was following, but even as he left the room, she hadn't moved. She was completely absorbed in her chatting.
Seeing that Afnan still hadn't appeared, Mommy sent Affan back. They crossed paths right at the doorway, and Afnan hissed, "Keep moving, you little gossip, I'm right behind you."
With his lips jutted out in a pout, he walked ahead while she followed closely behind.
"Afnan, aren't you going to Islamic school today? Affan has been dressed and waiting for you for ages, but you've refused to come out," Mommy questioned.
"Mommy, I'm not feeling well," Afnan said with a dramatic, whiny pout.
"What's wrong with you?"
"Mommy, it's menstrual cramps."
"Oh, I'm sorry, dear. Go lie down and rest. I hope you've taken some medicine?"
"Yeah, Mommy, I took some."
"Okay, may Allah grant you health. Affan, just go and tell the driver to take you. Tell Afnan's teacher that she won't make it, but maybe she'll come in the evening if she feels better."
Affan headed to the kitchen, picked up his lunch box, and walked out to the car.
Afnan returned to her room and immediately resumed her chatting. She muttered aloud to herself, "Always bothering someone about Islamic school. I'm not even going this evening anyway; I have Kerry's birthday party to attend."
She quickly typed into her group chat: "Arewa Stars, sorry for the silence, wallahi Mommy called me pretending I had to go to Islamic school."
One of the members of the Arewa Stars group replied, "Hahaha, so what did you tell her?"
Afnan messaged back, "I told her I was dealing with severe cramps."
A guy in the group sent, "Lol... Afnan, you are something else! Anyway, let's finalize the dress code color for later."
Sally chimed in, "Oh, it's already settled. We are wearing ash, pink, and black. I've even called the decorator and informed him of the colors."
They continued their lively chat, filled with excitement and plotting the bad habits they intended to indulge in at Kerry's birthday party.
Suddenly, Afnan rushed out of her room in a panic. Looking through her wardrobe, she realized she didn't have the required colors for the party.
"Afnan, what's wrong?" Mommy asked, observing her panicked expression.
"Everything is fine, Mommy. It's just about our practical materials. The teacher said the sales close this Monday."
"But Afnan, today is Saturday. Do you really think you'll find anyone there today? And besides, didn't you say just yesterday that he only told you guys to buy them?"
"Mommy, he actually told us since last week, I just didn't find out until yesterday."
"Okay, do you have money on hand, or should I give you some?"
"Mommy, you'll need to give me more because I don't know exactly how much I'll spend, and I don't want to run short."
"Alright, open my side drawer and take whatever will be enough for you."
Overjoyed, she headed into the room, took a substantial amount of cash, and came back out. "Can you drive yourself, or should we wait for Abu to come back and take you?" Mommy asked.
"I can drive, Mommy," she replied, grabbing the keys and heading outside. She walked over to the parking space of their large house, opened a cement-colored Mercedes-Benz, and got in.
She drove straight to Feenat's house. After greeting Feenat's mother, she walked into Feenat’s small bedroom.
"I hope you remember that Kerry's birthday party is today. And I know you don't have the color code, which is why I came to pick you up so we can go buy something for you."
"Oh, Afnan... honestly, I'm not going to this party. I'm already praying for Allah to forgive me for the ones I attended in the past, because we are just piling heavy sins upon ourselves. Plus, all the lies we tell our parents just to go and disobey Allah... Honestly, just go ahead without me, I don't want to go."
Frustrated, Afnan stood up abruptly. "Oh, is that what you're saying? Fine, I am going straight to your mother right now to tell her everything you've done in the past. And wallahi, I will even add some fabrications to it, and I know she will believe me."
Feenat's face fell into an expression of desperate pleading. She knew her mother's strict nature; it would take very little for her mother to ban her from attending her school or going anywhere else entirely. Her mother protected her fiercely.
Seeing Feenat lost in anxious thought, Afnan pressured her further, "You better figure out what to tell your mother to defend yourself."
In sheer frustration, Feenat gave in, "Please, Afnan, don't tell her. I agree, I'll go."
Afnan flashed an evil smirk and said, "Oya, let's go."
Feenat put on a floor-length hijab. They met her mother in their modest living room. "Ummah, I'm accompanying Afnan to Maryam Khalil's house, but we won't stay long."
"Okay, safe journey. Give my regards to Hajiya Zainab, and make sure you come back quickly so you can head to your Quranic memorization class (Tahfiz) by twelve o'clock."
"Insha Allah, Mommy, I won't be long."
From there, they set off for AA BOUTIQUE to shop for the clothes they would wear.

Page 2

Once there, they began sorting through the colors. Afnan's eyes caught a stunning hot-pink top-gown with subtle touches of black. The chest area was quite revealing, beautifully styled with large floral patterns. The back of the gown was slightly longer than the front, and it featured asymmetrical sleeves—one long, one short. It was highly form-fitting, perfectly accentuating a woman’s hourglass shape. (As for me, Amrah, I’d say this kind of beauty is best kept for married women; on the day she wears it, the husband wouldn't even think of going to the office... lol).
Once she was satisfied with her choice, they began looking for Feenat's outfit. "Please, Afnan, I don't want anything that exposes my body. Find me something modest," Feenat pleaded.
Afnan replied angrily, "Wallahi, whatever we find is what you will take, and you must wear it!"
Feenat fell silent and simply followed behind Afnan as they walked through the boutique. With great effort, they finally found an ash-colored gown with pink accents. It was a decent, A-line gown that flowed down to the floor, featuring a turtle neck and long sleeves. Feenat felt incredibly relieved by this choice, knowing she could wear it comfortably.
They moved over to the jewelry section, which displayed an array of trendy necklaces, earrings, and bracelets. Everything at AA BOUTIQUE was top quality. Afnan selected a beautiful, delicate chain, and Feenat chose a similar one. They paid for their items and headed back to the car to go home.
Filled with anxiety, Feenat looked at Afnan and asked, "Afnan, what lie am I going to tell Ummah later when it's time to leave?"
"That's your business. Figure out what to tell her. As for me, I'm picking you up at 5:00 PM, so make sure you are fully ready by then."
They both fell silent for the rest of the drive until they arrived at Feenat's gate. Afnan personally took Feenat's clothes out of the shopping bag. Stammering, Feenat said, "Afnan, please keep these clothes with you. I'll change when we get to the venue. If I take them inside now, Ummah might ask to see them, and knowing her, she might suspect something."
Without saying a word, Afnan simply nodded, revved her engine, and drove home.
Time: 1:00 PM
Setting: Ruky's House
"Mommy, it's locked in! There's another massive party today!" Ruky exclaimed.
The woman she addressed as Mommy smiled and said, "You, Ruky, never get tired of partying. Every day you're either here or there. Wherever there’s a celebration or party, you're always present, right? What kind of party is it today?"
"Mommy, it's Kerry's birthday party, and we are her best friends! If we don't go, who will?"
Mommy replied, "Well, that's true, you're right. But make sure you dress to impress, because I know everyone will be looking their best today. I want my youngest daughter to be the most beautiful person at the venue. Charge your iPhone fully so you can take lots of pictures."
Just then, a sweet, clear voice spoke up from the doorway, "Haba, Mommy! When are you two going to repent to Allah? When will you stop encouraging Rukayya in these bad habits? Aren't you afraid of death? Death can claim you at any second; it doesn't give a warning before it arrives."
In utter irritation, Mommy snapped, "Rumaysah, what business is it of yours? Since I realized you aren't progressive or modern, have you ever seen me involve you in these activities? Wallahi, you better watch it! Don't you dare bring your bad omen around us when we are having our conversations."
Rumaysah fell silent and said nothing more. However, deep in her heart, she deeply condemned the lifestyle of her mother and her younger sister, Rukayya. Their father was in his grave, yet instead of dedicating their time to praying for him, they were entirely consumed by sinful habits. With these heavy thoughts, she went into her room, utterly repulsed by their behavior.
As soon as she left, the two broke into loud laughter. Mommy asked, "What time is the party?"
"It's by 5:00 PM, Mommy, but I know it probably won't start right on time. It might extend deep into the night."
"Where is it holding?"
"Mommy, even I don't know yet. They want to keep it as a surprise for us. Only Sally knows the location because she was the one who sent the decorator, and I think they are already done setting up."
"Alright, that's fine, my daughter. What about your outfit?"
"It's pink, black, and ash. I already have those colors. If I didn't, Mommy, I would have asked you for money ages ago."
"Excellent, my baby. May Allah take us to that hour. You can take my car later; I don't want anyone looking down on you or treating you with disrespect."
They high-fived each other, and Ruky smiled, "That's my Mommy! That's why I love you always."

Page 3

Time: 1:30 PM
Setting: Iby's House
"Big brother Mukhtar, please will you lend me your car later?" Iby asked.
"What do you need it for?" his older brother replied, without looking up from his laptop.
"Brother, I need to go somewhere."
"Does this 'somewhere' not have a name?"
"It has a name, brother. I'm going to see a friend."
"You're just going to see a friend, and you can't take your motorcycle? It absolutely has to be a car?" his brother asked, finally shifting his gaze to Iby.
"Brother, why do you always treat me like this? My older brother has money, and I want to take pride in that, but you never favor me. Why don't you want to see your younger brother rolling with the big guys?"
In sheer amazement, Mukhtar stared at Iby. "Oh! So that's how you see it? Well, since that's the case, I am definitely not giving it to you. Go find a loudspeaker and announce to the world that I refused to lend you my car despite owning several. Let's see who will do anything to me about it."
Iby stood up and began muttering complaints under his breath.
"What did you just say?!" Mukhtar demanded furiously.
"N-n-nothing, brother, I didn't say anything," he stammered quickly.
Time: 2:30 PM
Setting: The House of Shareef and Shareefat
Shareefat was lying on a long couch, completely restless. She was incredibly stressed because she didn't have the right clothes for Kerry's party. Hearing footsteps, she quickly looked up to see who it was. Seeing it was Shareef, she let out a heavy sigh of relief.
"Reesha, thank goodness, I've been waiting for you," she said.
"What is it?" he asked, looking at her.
"Let's step away from this area so Mommy doesn't overhear us."
They left the living room and walked out toward the house gate.
"Reesha, the truth is, wallahi, I don't have anything to wear later. I know you have your outfit ready, so please, what am I going to do?"
He burst into a hearty laugh, pointing his finger at her. He laughed until she grew thoroughly annoyed.
"Alright, Reeshat, what do you want me to do now? Just go and borrow something."
Scowling further, she replied, "Wallahi, if I had anyone to borrow from, I would have done it already. I refuse to be the only one left out when everyone else is wearing the color code."
Shareef reassured her, "Don't worry, I'll go find something for you right now. But you know I'm terrible at picking women's clothes, so you'll just have to accept whatever I buy."
She looked at him intently, "Oh, Reesha, please just take me along with you."
His eyes widened. "If I go out with you right now, what excuse will I give Mommy when we want to leave again later tonight? Just be patient, I'll look for something beautiful. As long as the color matches, that's what matters, right?"
"Yeah, that's true. Reesha, please, just make sure it's nice." With that assurance, Shareef left the house, and Shareefat went back inside.

Page 4

This was the state of things across the homes of all the Arewa Stars members. Everyone was scrambling to secure the dress code for Kerry's birthday party. Joy filled their hearts. They had anticipated this day for a very long time. Despite the many parties they regularly attended, Kerry's was highly anticipated because she hadn't been raised in Nigeria; she grew up in America.
She knew all the latest trends in sophistication and style. Furthermore, her parents went above and beyond to ensure she got everything she wanted. In fact, she had traveled to Dubai just to have her outfit custom-tailored for tonight's party, and everyone was expecting her arrival today since evening was drawing near.
Time: 3:20 PM
The flight carrying Kerry landed safely at the Aminu Kano International Airport in Kano State. She was practically shaking with excitement as she exited the aircraft. She couldn't predict how long the drive from Kano to Katsina would take, and she absolutely detested "African time" when it came to her events.
She walked quickly out of the terminal, searching for her Dad. Sure enough, she spotted him in the distance, dressed in a sharp black-and-white suit, scanning the crowd for his only daughter.
She ran into his arms, hugging him tightly—the kind of intense hug a wife might give her husband.
"Welcome back, my daughter," her Dad said with a warm smile as she stepped back.
"Thank you, Dad! But we really need to hurry. Time is passing, and I know my friends have already started preparing."
"Alright, let's go, dear," he replied, and they headed out.
They walked over to the parking area toward a spotless, brand-new white Toyota Corolla. He pressed the remote key from a distance, and the car unlocked. Kerry took the front passenger seat. After she settled in, he closed her door, walked around, and got into the driver's seat. He accelerated quickly out of the airport, eager to get his daughter to Katsina as fast as possible.
"I missed you so much, Dad! It was only a five-day trip, but it felt like a whole year without seeing you guys."
"We missed you too, my Kerry. Especially your Mom; she was almost in tears wanting to follow you. I had to do a lot of consoling before she accepted to stay."
"Dad, please drive faster, this speed isn't enough!"
He stepped on the gas, accelerating the car so fast it felt like it was about to take flight, all just to keep his precious Kerry happy.
Time: 4:34 PM
Kerry and her father finally arrived in Katsina. Only then did she turn on her mobile phone. Instantly, she was flooded with notifications from the Arewa Stars group chat. They had been trying to reach her to confirm if she was back, wanting to avoid the stress of getting ready if she hadn't arrived.
She turned on her mobile data and opened WhatsApp. The Arewa Stars group chat was right at the top. Reading through the massive wall of text, she saw everyone worrying about her silence after all the party plans had been finalized.
A slight smirk crossed her face as she typed: "Don't worry, Arewa Stars. Allah has brought me back safely. Proceed with the preparations right from where you left off. My birthday party is definitely happening—no backing down, no stepping back!"
The group immediately erupted with joyful replies. She logged off WhatsApp and called Deezee Makeover, telling her she needed her services immediately, before heading into the shower.
She didn't waste any time and was out of the bathroom quickly. She opened her trolley bag and pulled out her dress.
"My goodness, look at this stunning masterpiece!" Sister Rabia exclaimed upon seeing the gown. As for me, the author, I was utterly speechless at its pure magnificence.
It was a long, floor-length, body-con gown with high slits on both sides. The sleeveless dress was hot pink, heavily embellished with large, glittering rhinestones that shone like gold. It featured a deep V-neckline beautifully bordered with intricate embroidery and stones. Right across the chest, the rhinestones spelled out: "AM PLUS 1", encircled by a gorgeous floral design. The back of the gown featured the words: "IT'S KERRY", styled just as beautifully as the front.
"Incredible!" was all I could utter. I can't even fully describe the sheer beauty of this dress; if I were to detail every single aspect, it would take up ten pages. Just close your eyes and picture how stunning it must look (lol..).
Suddenly, a young maid rushed into the room. She dropped to her knees respectfully, her head bowed, waiting for permission to speak.
"Go on," Kerry said with a dismissive, arrogant tone.
"Madam, you have a visitor."
"Let her in," she replied curtly.
The maid exited just as quickly as she had entered. Kerry let out a loud hiss of annoyance just as Deezee walked into the room.

Page 5

Deezee bowed low to greet Kerry respectfully.
"Thank you," Kerry responded coldly, sitting on the edge of the bed.
"Can I start?" Deezee asked politely, treating Kerry with the reverence one would show an elder.
"Yes, you can. I want an extraordinary makeover—something you've never done for anyone else before. I will pay you fifty thousand Naira if you do a perfect job. Blend pink, ash, and black."
Hearing that amount of money, Deezee's eyes lit up, and she grew eager to please. "Put on the dress first, so we don't accidentally ruin the makeup or the outfit while putting it on later."
"Good idea," Kerry agreed, sliding into the magnificent gown.
They began applying the makeup meticulously. Kerry was already a naturally beautiful girl, so she looked stunning even without it; with Deezee Makeover working on her, the transformation was spectacular.
Time: 4:45 PM
Setting: Afnan's House
After finishing her makeup and putting on her outfit, Afnan threw an abaya (after-dress) over it. She sat down and began debating how she was going to sneak out, considering she had told her Mommy earlier that morning that she was sick.
She picked up her phone and dialed MD. He picked up on the very first ring.
"MD, I have a problem," she said, leaning back on her bed.
"What's wrong, beautiful?"
"I can't think of a good lie to leave the house. I told Mommy this morning that I was sick so I could skip Islamic school. Give me an idea, please."
He was silent for a moment before replying, "Wow, I see. Let me call you right back."
He hung up and began racking his brain for a plausible lie Afnan could tell her mother. "Yes!" he exclaimed as an idea hit him. He called her back, and she picked up instantly.
"MD, what is it?" she asked anxiously.
"If you've already done your makeup, wipe it off. Put on an abaya and throw a large hijab over it. Force yourself to cry heavily and claim that Esee’s father just passed away. Say you just received the call and need to go there immediately. If she insists on coming along for the funeral, find a way to stop her."
Afnan was thrilled with the advice. "This is exactly why I love you, MD! Out of all the Arewa Stars, you have the sharpest brain." She hung up, feeling highly satisfied with MD’s plan.
Time: 4:50 PM
Setting: Feenat's House
Ummah was seated on her prayer mat. Ever since completing her Asr prayer, she had remained there reciting her litany (dhikr). Feenat slowly walked into the room, trembling with fear. She knelt down beside her mother, unable to utter a word.
Deep down, she deeply regretted joining the Arewa Stars group, but she knew that once anyone joined, they could never leave. She felt immensely guilty looking at her mother, who labored day and night to give her a proper moral upbringing.
Seeing Feenat sitting silently beside her, Ummah set down her prayer beads. "Safeena, what is it? You've sat here before me but haven't said a single word."
With great effort, Feenat managed to stammer, "Ummah... earlier, after Afnan left, she called to tell me her mother was rushed to the hospital. She is very ill, and she’s scheduled for surgery tomorrow. I'd like to go and visit her."
"Oh dear, that is terrible news. You should definitely rush over to see her. Extend my warmest regards and prayers to her." She reached into her purse, pulled out three hundred Naira, handed it to Feenat, and said, "Use this to buy her some fresh fruits, and take this extra two hundred Naira for your tricycle (NAPEP) fare."
Tears began to flood Feenat's eyes. She felt an overwhelming wave of guilt and pity for her mother. Why did she have to do this?