AL-ALIYY / AL-ALEE (The High)
"Allah – there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of [all] existence. Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Who is it that can intercede with Him except by His permission? He knows what is [presently] before them and what will be after them, and they encompass not a thing of His knowledge except for what He wills. His Kursi extends over the heavens and the earth, and their preservation tires Him not. And He is the Most High, the Most Great."— (Qur'an 2:255)
Ibn Abbas reported that Allah's Apostle ﷺ used to supplicate during the time of trouble (in these words): La ilaha illallahul-Adhimul-Haleem. La ilaha illallahu Rabbul-'Arshil-'Adhim. La ilaha illallahu Rabbus-samawati, wa Rabbul-ardi, wa Rabbul-'Arshil- Kareem. "There is no god but Allah, the Great, the Tolerant, there is no god but Allah, the Lord of the Magnificent Throne There is no god but Allah, the Lord of the Heaven and the earth, the Lord of the Edifying Throne."[Sahih Muslim 2730a)
Recognizing Allah as "Al-Ali" (The Most High) instills inner peace, humility, and ethical guidance by reminding believers of His supreme authority and wisdom, encouraging trust and gratitude in all circumstances. This understanding also provides strength during adversity and fosters unity and mutual respect among people.
Islamic term meaning:
auzubillah minashaitan ni rajeem (O Allah, I seek refuge in You from the accursed Satan)
astaghfirullah (I seek forgiveness in God)
auzubillah (I seek refuge in Allah)
In sha Allah (God willing)
Subhanallah (Glory be to God)
La hawla wala kuwata illa billah (there is no power and no strength except with Allah)
bismillah (in the name of Allah)
alhamdulillah (praise be to God)
Allahu Akbar (God is the greatest)
Assalamu Alaykom wa rahmatallahi wa barakatu (Peace be upon you and God's mercy and blessings)
Ma sha Allah (God has willed it)
Byakuya held his wife tightly in his embrace, to the point that one might misunderstand his affection as obsession. But who can blame him when everyone wants to take her away from him? Most of them want to have her because of her status, and some even want to eliminate her altogether. In the past, he had failed to protect her, and now that she has returned to him, he will not let her go. Not even the game could separate them.
Hence, with his 20% share in the game, he instructed the developers to change a setting in the system to enable him to meet and marry his wife in the game as well. In the past, those who played ended up with their spouse in the game, resulting in their previous relationships eroding as they found new love and friendship through the experience of playing together. He would not let this happen.
Unbeknownst to him, this decision would provide the rebels with the opportunity to hack into the system and corrupt it. The truth was far more sinister, as the shadowy group staged the removal of Eric and replaced him with a new king.
Zanpakuto Survey: Zabimaru
My hero of choice is charismatic, spontaneous, and fiercely loyal. They thrive in social settings, bringing energy and enthusiasm to every interaction.
My hero values personal connections and emotional authenticity. They are empathetic and intuitive, able to understand and relate to others on a deep level. This hero's actions are driven by a sense of compassion and a desire to protect those they care about. They inspire loyalty and camaraderie, forging strong bonds that withstand the tests of time and adversity.
Despite their spontaneous nature, my hero possesses a hidden strength and resilience. They are adaptable and quick-thinking, able to navigate challenging situations with grace and determination. This hero's unwavering loyalty and courage make them a beacon of hope and support for their friends and allies, embodying the spirit of friendship and camaraderie in their heroic journey.
The redhead stood in front of his army, his eyes bloodshot.
"It's time," he declared ominously, as the tattoos on his jaw moved when he clenched his teeth. Revenge was painted all over him.
Rukia finally decided to return to the Kuchiki manor after realizing that the sun had set and the dark, starless night had already engulfed the sky.
She briefly remembered her encounter with the nobles that afternoon. It was her instinct not to show her weakness in front of them, knowing that such bullies will worsen if you let them trample on you even once. She had made that mistake when she was younger in the orphanage, hence she learned to fight back and stand her ground, realizing time and again that she was right. Being weak in Inuzuri would get you abused and killed.
Byakuya felt Rukia's unstable reiatsu the moment she stepped inside the gate of his manor and reluctantly remembered his conversation with his grandfather and the Spirinobu. Although they didn't directly state their intention, he knew what they wanted him to do, but he would not, for the sake of Hisana's last will and his promise.
Not long after, he heard Rukia knock three times on his door.
"Assalamualaikum, Niisama," she said behind the door. Her soft voice filled Byakuya's office and reverberated in the dimly lit room.
Byakuya was about to get up from his chair and open the door but decided against it, turning away from the door to distract himself from her presence. Unconsciously putting up a wall, though he wished not to, it felt instinctual. He knew that getting closer to her was not good, a conclusion that contrasted with his promise, but he couldn't afford not to do it.
After all, he found himself helplessly entranced by her. The fact that she looked exactly like his beloved had confused his heart from the very beginning.
She is NOT a substitute.
"Wassalamu alaykom wa rahmatullah wa barakatu," he answered after some time. "Enter."
Rukia bit her lip upon hearing his stoic and emotionless voice. She then slid open the shoji door, and saw Byakuya's back turned towards her.
"Konbanwa, Niisama," she started to say, almost choking on her words. The atmosphere in the room was very unpleasant for some reason. Feeling unwelcome and small compared to Byakuya's presence, Rukia wasn't someone who constantly compared herself to others, but for some reason, she felt like a tiny shadow. "I have successfully entered Squad 13."
An uncomfortable silence settled in the air before Byakuya decided to speak.
"Did you achieve a rank?" he asked emotionlessly, despite having demanded that the Gotei 13 never promote Rukia Kuchiki to any rank, ensuring her safety and well-being at all costs. He had initially wanted to keep her in the manor but decided against it upon further analysis.
Rukia's lip quivered as her throat felt dry all of a sudden.
"I failed to achieve a rank, Niisama," she stated with a firm voice, as though the fact that she had failed and brought shame to the Kuchiki clan didn't affect her.
Byakuya immediately noticed the sudden drop in Rukia's reiatsu, realizing that her control wasn't sophisticated enough to hide her emotions. Although it tugged at his heart, her safety remained his top priority.
"Very well," he stated stoically. "You may leave."
Rukia bowed her head. "Arigatou, Niisama," she said barely above a whisper before she got up and closed the door as she left, feeling her chest constrict.
As she walked towards her room, she felt an overwhelming sadness in her heart, recalling what she had said to the Shinigami.
She had been adamant that she knew her path and where she belonged, that she was Byakuya's sister.
But the truth is, she felt like a traveler who had lost her way, not knowing where she came from or where she must go, where she belonged...
The room was dimly lit, casting long shadows on the wooden floor where the Hanabira family sat discussing pressing matters. The patriarch, Hanabira Kaito, wore a stern expression as he listened to the latest reports about the flooding that had devastated their territory and spilled into the Kuchiki domain. His daughter, Hanabira Nobuyuki, paced the room, her frustration palpable.
"The floods have ruined our crops and left many homeless," Kaito said, his voice heavy with concern. "We need to coordinate with the Kuchiki clan to manage the relief efforts and rebuild the affected areas."
Nobuyuki stopped pacing and faced her father. "Coordinate with them? They'll just use this as another opportunity to undermine us. They've always looked down on us."
Before Kaito could respond, the sliding door slammed open, and Hanabira Emi, Nobuyuki's younger sister, stormed in. Her face was flushed with anger, her fists clenched at her sides.
"Father, I can't stand it anymore!" Emi blurted out. "The Kuchiki bitch... she's insufferable!"
Kaito raised an eyebrow. "Emi, what are you talking about?"
"The Kuchiki princess," Emi repeated, her voice trembling with rage. "She's so arrogant. Despite her first appearance and lack of rank, yet the shinigamis in my squad are all captivated by her. While she completely ignored everyone and trains alone even after everyone else takes a break. She's such a show-off and narcissist, acting cold and aloof as if she's trying to be mysterious or something."
Nobuyuki's eyes narrowed. "I didn't know the Kuchiki had a sister."
Kaito's expression darkened, and for the first time, he admonished his daughter sharply. "Idiot. She's adopted from Rukongai."
Emi's eyes widened in shock. "That street rat dares to look down on me?!" she yelled as her anger flared.
Kaito sighed, rubbing his temples. "Enough, Emi. This is not the time for petty rivalries. We have more pressing issues at hand."
"But Father," Emi protested, "she's making a mockery of me. How can we stand by and let her—"
"We will handle this with dignity," Kaito interrupted, his voice firm. "The Kuchiki clan may have adopted her, but we must focus on the welfare of our people first. We will address the political implications later."
Nobuyuki nodded slowly, understanding her father's wisdom. "Father is right, Emi. Our people need us now. We can't afford to let our personal grievances cloud our judgment."
Emi bit her lip, struggling to contain her anger. "Fine. But mark my words, Father, I won't let her arrogance go unchecked."
Kaito gave a curt nod. "For now, we'll focus on the flooding. We need to ensure that our people are safe and that we can recover from this disaster. Once that is under control, we'll deal with the rat."
Ichigo and the hollow fought intensely at a distance as Rukia observed from behind a wall far away. Suddenly, Chad called her and inquired about what was happening while holding the birdcage safely in his arms.
"I am sorry... because of me... you and mister got hurt," the bird suddenly said sorrowfully. "I just wanted to bring my mom back to life..."
Rukia's eyes widened. "Did someone tell you that you can bring her back to life?" she asked ominously.
The hollow howled as he bragged about killing the boy's mother and trapping the boy's soul in the bird, promising to bring his mother back to life if he let him chase him for three months.
Ichigo instinctively pictured the suffering the boy must have gone through after losing his mother and being chased by a maniac. Angered, he was determined to eliminate this bastard at all costs.
But suddenly, a huge gate carved with skeletons and emanating immense energy opened and swallowed the hollow into its fiery depths.
"A'uzubillahi... What is that?" Ichigo asked, bewildered.
"Hell," Rukia ominously stated. "There are hollows that can't be cleansed by zanpakuto as their dark aura inhibits the 'soul' because of their heinous crimes while they were still among the 'living.' Hence, they are claimed by it."
to be continued...