Hajja Sarai was sitting on one of the chairs in her spacious living room, speaking with authority while sipping from a can of soda. She put down the soda and looked at each of them as they sat on the carpet. She began to speak
"I know you don't know why I gathered you here, so I want you to pay attention and listen to what I have to say. First of all, you know that marriage brought you to this house, and you know who I am to you. I am the MOTHER-IN-LAW, not your mother. I have rules that I will set for you regarding living with my children. Whoever follows them will enjoy, and whoever doesn't will fall into a deep well. My greatest happiness is their happiness. I know you married them out of love, and I know each of you has ambitions to gain something from your husband. So, I want you to understand that marriage is a form of servitude, not a vacation. Don't think that because you have entered a realm that every woman dreams of, you can relax. You must be obedient to your husbands and wish them well. Also, you must respect their sister Zahra, make her happy, and avoid upsetting her. Now, Khadijah, don't think that because your mother is my friend, I will go easy on you. Forget that relationship and focus on your marriage."
She took another sip of her soda, adjusted her sitting position, and continued:
"And you, Salma, don't think that because you are my niece, you will get special treatment. And Amina, you are here for marriage, not to act like this is your father's house. All of you should forget any previous relationships and understand that I am your MOTHER-IN-LAW. I hope you are satisfied with my explanations. Finally, I wish you all well and hope you live in peace. If anyone is not satisfied with my explanation, speak now before I go to my room, as it is getting late."
They all responded with a "No" and each went to her section.
Salim, Adam, and Aminu entered together and knelt before Hajiya, greeting her. She responded warmly, blessed their marriages, and warned them to be careful as she was not ready to receive grandchildren yet.
They all widened their eyes in surprise. Aminu cleared his throat and began to speak:
"But Hajja, don't forget that one cannot plan their life entirely, and anyone who gets married aims to have children, as it is a fulfillment of the Prophet's tradition."
"How dare you speak to Hajja with such words? If you don't apologize now, you will face consequences."
"No, let him speak his mind. Today he got married, so he feels like we are equals. But he should know that nothing he says will make me change my mind."
"Please, Hajja, forgive me. I didn't mean to disrespect you; I just wanted to remind you. Please forgive me." Without waiting for her response, he quickly went to his section.
There, he found Salma sitting with her head in her hands, tears streaming down her cheeks. He quickly went to her, wiped her tears, and placed a bag in front of her.
"How did you find this page? Your comments will give me the motivation to continue."