Walking in Abu Dhabi Part 1

Whenever I arrive in a new place, I try to find out about the history and I take a walk or two - very long walks. My first long walk on the Island took seven hours, zigzagging my way along the island, walking each street stretching the half the width of the Island. As I walked I took note of places I might need to know in the future. Walking often bore unexpected fruits. Gifts from Allah.

It was September and the weather was the hottest and most humid I had ever experienced. I was drenched in sweat and getting tired so I decided to walk just one more street - Hazza bin Zayed Street. I walked a past a sparkling new shopping mall – al-Wahdah Mall, then I walked on a little more and there it was...I had found an Islamic book store. Alhamdulillah for venturing down one more street! The book store had a modestly stocked English section and I checked out what books they had. As soon as I had stopped walking I fainted against the wall and remained there for a few minutes. No one noticed Alhamdulillah and when I regained consciousness, I asked the shopkeeper where I could find some Muslims.
I asked in my best Arabic, but the shopkeeper had no idea what I was saying, so he called a customer who had just entered the bookstore and asked him if he spoke English. The brother did speak English, and very fluently.

The brother wore a big beard and thawb and his wife wore the same type of khimar as me, the first time I had seen anyone wear this style since I had arrived in the country. The brother and I looked at the ground and I asked him, "Where can I find the Muslims, you know, real Muslims."
The brother laughed and then replied, "I know what you mean, wallahi sister, I don’t know where they are, but you can meet my wife." Which I did, Alhamdulillah and she turned out to be a very good and knowledgeable sister.

The first time I visited the sister at her apartment it was Ramadan. I did not realise that I was invited to break fast with her that night, I was under the impression that I was just dropping in briefly around thuhr time. We prayed together and after a conversation, I got up to leave and the sister was surprised. "No, no, no, you are staying for iftar," she told me. I felt embarrassed because if I knew I was coming for iftar I would not have arrived at her house so early.
The sister went off to deal with her children and while I was waiting in the majlis I fell fast asleep. I did not wake up until I heard the adhan for the asr prayer. I was now very embarrassed. Not only had I arrived so early not realising I was staying for iftar, but I had fallen asleep for three hours!

I apologised to the sister for my unscheduled slumber, and she smiled and said ‘sahtan’. It was probably a good thing for her because she could get her house in order without having to entertain a visitor.

The sister had cooked up a huge spread and encouraged me to eat until I had to say 'no' to her. I thought I might be sick. Movement had become difficult. I had definitely broken the rule of the three thirds hadith – instead of leaving one of the thirds for air, it too was full of food.
After praying isha, I headed home. Too much eating made me too lazy to walk to the bus station, so I opted for a taxi. No more walking for this day.