Dowry

Fathima had raised her daughter, Mehreen, with great difficulty. Even though the eldest had reached marriageable age, the younger siblings were still attending school. Through the acquaintance of the mosque's teacher, a marriage proposal came. The groom, Shareef, worked in the electricity department and belonged to a decent family with no questionable reputation. At home, he was the only son with three sisters, all of whom were already married.

After discussions and visits, the nikah was fixed. As soon as the marriage was arranged, the groom and bride began exchanging phone calls. Many nights were spent sleepless, talking until dawn. The wedding day approached. Fathima had saved some money through chit funds and loans. Additionally, kind neighbors and mosque members helped. Thus, the nikah was held.

When Mehreen entered her new home, she felt as if she had arrived in paradise. Back in her own home, due to poverty and hunger, she rarely had proper meals. Her mother would only give her food if there was anything left after feeding her younger siblings. But here, she could eat whenever and whatever she wanted. A good home and a loving husband awaited her.

Before the wedding, Shareef had promised Mehreen that he would take her to Dubai. Since she didn’t have a passport, they applied for one, which arrived after a month. Post-wedding and celebrations, Mehreen assumed the Dubai trip was unlikely, but Shareef surprised her with flight tickets. She could hardly believe it.

On the day of Mehreen's departure to Dubai, her mother and siblings visited. Seeing Mehreen’s current life brought immense joy to her mother. “How fortunate my daughter is,” she thought. Mehreen bid everyone farewell and left for the airport with Shareef. It was her first time visiting an airport and boarding a flight. Although excited, she was scared and held tightly onto her husband’s hand.

When the flight landed in a city of towering skyscrapers, she was overcome with fear—she knew only Malayalam. Her husband’s presence was her only solace. That night, they stayed at a beautiful hotel. Mehreen woke up to the sound of her husband talking on the phone. He asked her to quickly get ready as they were going sightseeing. That day, they planned a two-day, one-night trip to the desert. Mehreen was thrilled. She had only heard about deserts in stories, and now she was going to see one.

The travel group included many families, but Mehreen couldn’t find anyone who spoke Malayalam. Despite her fears, her husband’s presence gave her immense courage. Arriving in the desert, they rode a vehicle resembling a motorbike but with four wheels. The vehicle sped through the dunes. Shareef drove one, with Mehreen seated behind him, as they zipped over the sandy hills. Later, they rode camels. Mehreen marveled at how dreams she never even dared to have were coming true, all thanks to her loving husband.

By evening, the desert cooled down, and they felt the chill. Everyone returned to the tents, where they enjoyed exotic food and drinks, including grilled meats and fish—things Mehreen had never seen or tasted before. In the center of the gathering, a woman performed a dance, with pearls tied around her waist swaying to her movements. Her attire barely covered her body.

In one corner of the gathering, a game was underway. Most participants were Arabs, along with a few Europeans. They were playing cards, with money piled up as stakes. Shareef felt tempted to try his luck. Mehreen didn’t object. At first, Shareef began winning and credited his wife as his lucky charm. However, as time passed, he started losing money. Finally, in desperation, he pawned his passport to an Arab man for cash to continue playing. Unfortunately, he lost again.

He now faced a dilemma: how could he return home without his wife? Mehreen couldn’t understand much but saw him handing over his passport. The Arab man, instead of keeping the passport, demanded Mehreen as collateral. “Return with the money, and you can take her back,” he said. Shareef, overwhelmed by the situation, returned to his homeland, leaving Mehreen behind.

The life Mehreen once thought was a dream had now turned into a living nightmare.