Introduction 

“I don’t want to get married right now…”

Those were Naheed’s golden words, but she found herself being forced to marry a guy of her parents’ choice.

~

“Arranged Marriages are so old fashioned…”

Those were Feroz’s golden words, but he found himself agreeing to an arranged marriage.

~

Unwilling to be bound by traditional expectations, Naheed and Feroz never imagined themselves in arranged marriages. But as fate would have it, they find themselves facing a daunting new reality as they meet each other for the first time on their wedding day.

With tensions running high and uncertainty swirling around them, can they find a way to make this unconventional union work?

Follow Naheed and Feroz as they navigate the delicate balance between tradition and modernity, discovering the true meaning of love and commitment along the way.

This is a heartwarming tale of two souls brought together by circumstance, determined to carve out their path in life.

Characters

Naheed

The reluctant bride

Feroz

The reluctant groom

Farzana Begum

Feroz’s mother

Tara

Feroz’s sister

Nuzhat

Naheed’s mother

Nadeem

Naheed’s brother

Chapter 1 – The “Arranged Marriage” Proposal

Chapter 2 – The Nikaah

 

 

Feroz sat on the couch on the stage, he was nervous and a little on edge as he waited for Naheed to arrive. He had high expectations for their first meeting and was determined to make a good impression. His parents and his sister Tara sat next to him, but Feroz was still preoccupied. He was still not sure if he wanted to go through with an arranged marriage.

It was the night of their wedding, and they were meeting for the first time and were immediately at odds with each other. He realized that, despite their differences, they were both starting this new journey together, and he felt a surge of excitement for what the future held.

However, as soon as Naheed walked in the door with her parents, his nerves turned to annoyance.

Naheed walked into the room, her eyes scanning the space until they landed on Feroz. She was dressed in a stunning bridal outfit, a traditional maroon and gold lehenga that sparkled with intricate embellishments. Her hair was styled in a sleek bun, adorned with jasmine flowers, and her makeup was expertly applied to accentuate her natural beauty.

As she walked, she held her head high, exuding confidence and grace. Her steps were measured and graceful, her movements flowing like a gentle breeze. Her eyes were bright and full of determination, and her lips were curved into a small smile.

Feroz couldn’t help but be struck by her beauty. He had never seen anyone look so stunning, so confident, and so self-assured. Despite his initial annoyance with her independent spirit, he couldn’t help but be drawn to her. She was pretty, almost perfect as she walked confidently. Naheed approached him, and he could see the arrogance in her eyes.

“Who does she think she is, coming in here with that attitude?” he thought to himself, taking in her confident stance and independent air.

Tara rushed to the bride and helped her with the bridal outfit and get up on the stage. Naheed walked slowly, and gracefully and sat next to Feroz. Feroz sat up straight, expecting Naheed to greet him.

But she didn’t.

The family disappeared getting the imam and the witnesses for the nikaah. Alone and awkward, Feroz chose to break the ice.

“Assalam Alaikum,” Feroz said, trying to keep his tone light and friendly.

Naheed gave him a curt nod in response.

“Walaikum Assalam,” she said curtly.

Feroz felt a surge of irritation. He had expected a warmer welcome, not this cold, detached demeanour. He expected Naheed to say salaam and start the conversation. At least she could have shown some warmth when she replied. He did not want to marry this girl, now her attitude only irked him more. He decided to take control of the situation and assert himself as the leader in this relationship.

“Listen, I know this is a new and unfamiliar situation for both of us, but I want to make sure we’re on the same page,” he said, a hint of annoyance creeping into his voice. “I expect you to follow my lead and respect my decisions, especially in public.”

Naheed raised an eyebrow, a flicker of defiance in her eyes.

“Excuse me? I’m not some obedient puppet. I have my own thoughts and opinions, and I won’t be told what to do.”

Feroz felt a surge of anger, but he pushed it down. He couldn’t afford to let his temper get the best of him on their wedding night. He took a deep breath and tried to regain his composure.

“I just want to make sure we’re both on the same page,” he said through gritted teeth.

“Neither of us wanted this marriage, so we are on the same page,” Naheed said without looking at Feroz.

Feroz looked sceptical and at that moment Naheed knew that neither of them was willing to give this marriage a chance. Despite their families’ hopes and happiness, this marriage was headed towards a rocky start.

Feroz spotted Farzana Begum, his mother who was smiling at the bride and the groom with a glimmer of hope in her eyes. He just hoped they could find a way to navigate this new life together.

Feroz and Naheed looked at each other with a mix of frustration and resignation. They both knew that they had no choice but to go through with the arranged marriage, even though it was the last thing they wanted.

To the onlookers, however, Naheed and Feroz were a perfect example of a modern-day couple. Both were from well-educated backgrounds and had managed to carve out successful careers for themselves. And now, their families had chosen them for each other to spend the rest of their lives together. As the families readied for their nikaah ceremony, the excitement amongst their families and friends was palpable.

The wedding venue was a vast marriage lawn, beautifully decorated with colourful lights and flowers. A large and well-manicured lawn, it was the perfect backdrop for a perfect wedding. The stage was bedecked with a mandap and decorated with bright flowers and colourful fabrics. On either side of the mandap, there were chairs for the close family and friends of the bride and groom.

Naheed looked stunning in a traditional red and gold lehenga, adorned with exquisite jewellery. Her face was radiant and her eyes sparkled with joy. Feroz, too, looked dashing in a classic black sherwani and a red turban.

The nikah ceremony began with the recitation of verses from the Quran. Then, the imam recited the Islamic marriage vows and declared the couple husband and wife. As the imam recited the prayers and officiated the nikaah ceremony, Feroz and Naheed couldn’t help but feel resentful towards each other. They both knew that they had been forced into this marriage, and they couldn’t wait for it to be over.

The families were unaware of the animosity between the bride and groom. Everyone congratulated the newlyweds and showered them with blessings.  Naheed and Feroz were then asked to sign the nikah papers. After signing the papers, the couple was asked to exchange rings, as a symbol of their union. This was followed by the exchange of gifts and words of advice from the families of the couple.

The nikaah ceremony was a beautiful amalgamation of modern and traditional values. After the ceremony, there was a grand feast, where the guests and families celebrated the union of the couple. The guests rushed to the food counters while the family members went off to attend to the guests.

~

With the family members off to attend to the guests, the bride and the groom were alone on the stage. It would have been the perfect chance for them to break the ice, but neither of them wanted to talk. Feroz was annoyed by Naheed’s independent spirit and Naheed was annoyed by Feroz’s overbearing personality.

Naheed shifted uncomfortably in her heavily embroidered dress as she stood alone with Feroz on the stage. He towered over her, and she could feel his intense gaze on her.

“So, this is it, I suppose,” Feroz said, breaking the awkward silence.

Naheed’s eyes darted up to meet his, and she raised an eyebrow.

“What do you mean, ‘this is it’?” she asked coldly.

“Well, we’re married now, aren’t we?” Feroz replied, his tone matter-of-fact.

Naheed rolled her eyes.

“Yes, I know we’re married. I meant, is this all you have to say to me?” Naheed asked.

Feroz’s lips quirked up in a smirk.

“Oh, I’m sorry. Should I be reciting poetry or something?”

Naheed scoffed.

“No, I don’t need you to recite poetry. I just expected you to be a little more… I don’t know, friendly?”

“Friendly?” Feroz repeated, his eyebrows raised. “We just got married, Naheed. I think we have a lot more to worry about than being friendly.”

Naheed frowned, feeling a sudden urge to argue with him.

“Well, excuse me for wanting to at least try to be polite.”

Feroz’s expression softened, and he took a step closer to her. “Okay, fair enough. I’m sorry for being so blunt. Maybe we can start by telling each other a little bit about ourselves?”

Naheed pursed her lips and shook her head as if to show her disappointment.

Nadeem watched his sister Naheed and her new husband Feroz with a sense of satisfaction. He assumed that they were chatting happily. He knew Naheed had apprehension about this marriage,

Nadeem had been worried about Naheed’s reluctance to go through with the arranged marriage, but now as he watched them from a distance, he felt hopeful that everything would work out. but he was glad that the two were putting an effort to know each other.

From where he stood, it looked like the newlyweds were chatting and laughing with each other. Nadeem smiled, feeling relieved that they seemed to be putting in an effort to get to know each other. He had always known Naheed as a strong-willed and independent woman, and he could only imagine how difficult this must be for her. But seeing her trying to make the best of the situation made him proud.

As he continued to watch them, Nadeem couldn’t help but wonder what the future held for the couple. He hoped that they would be able to overcome their differences and build a strong and loving relationship. But for now, he was content to watch from afar and take comfort in the fact that his sister was not alone in this new chapter of her life.

Unaware of people watching them, Feroz sat on the couch on the stage, staring at the woman in front of him with a mix of anger and disgust. This was the woman that his parents had chosen for him, and he couldn’t believe how different she was from him. She was independent, headstrong, and seemed to have no respect for tradition.

Naheed glared at Feroz, her fists clenched at her sides. She couldn’t believe that she was being forced to marry this arrogant, overbearing man. He seemed to think that he was better than her, and she couldn’t stand the way he looked down on her.

Tara watched as Naheed and Feroz talked tentatively on the stage. Despite the initial tension between them, she could sense a glimmer of hope in their conversation. As she watched them interact, Tara’s heart swelled with happiness. She had been the one to convince Feroz to go through with the arranged marriage, and she was relieved to see that her brother had made the right decision.

Quietly, she stepped back and found a quiet corner where she could observe the ceremony from a distance. Her thoughts turned to the newlyweds, and she prayed for their happiness and success in their marriage. Tara knew that the road ahead wouldn’t be easy for them, but she had faith that they could overcome any obstacle together.

With a small smile on her lips, Tara whispered a silent prayer for the bride and groom, wishing them a lifetime of love and contentment.

As Tara made her way towards the stage, Nadeem also walked up to the stage. The two of them exchanged a nod of recognition and then proceeded to congratulate the newlyweds.

“Congratulations, Feroz, Naheed. You both look stunning today,” Tara said with a wide smile, eyeing the couple.

“Thank you, Tara,” Feroz replied with a grin. “I owe it all to you for convincing me to go through with this.” He whispered to his sister. Tara took that as a compliment.

Tara chuckled, feeling a wave of warmth spread through her chest.

“Oh, it was nothing. I’m just happy to see you both happy,” she said.

“So, are you happy?” Nadeem asked Naheed.

Naheed nodded in agreement, a hint of gratitude in her eyes.

“I guess,” she whispered. “I’m not sure I would have made it through today without your support.”

Tara, who had been observing their conversation, chimed in with a teasing grin.

“Well, I’m just glad Feroz finally found someone who can put up with him,” she said jokingly.

Feroz rolled his eyes. He knew that his sister was teasing him. A small smile played on his lips.

“Hey, I resent that.”

They all shared a good laugh, and for a moment, the tension that had been lingering in the air dissipated. As they chatted about the ceremony and the reception to follow, Tara and Nadeem felt a glimmer of hope that perhaps, just perhaps, Naheed and Feroz’s marriage might turn out to be something truly beautiful.

More guests came on the stage, so Nadeem and Tara left the couple alone.

“I am so happy for them,” Nadeem noted as he stepped down from the stage.

“Me too…” Tara said.

Little did they know, that their initial perception of the bride and the groom was far from the truth.

With this initial animosity towards each other, Naheed and Feroz could not possibly spend more time together.

It was a day to be remembered by everyone who attended it for a long time—except for the bride and the groom. Naheed and Feroz made the perfect couple and they finally tied the knot and started the journey of their arranged marriage.

~~~

You can read the complete story here. 

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Shabana Mukhtar