AL-KABEER (The Great)
"And intercession does not benefit with Him except for one whom He permits. [And those wait] until, when terror is removed from their hearts, they will say [to one another, "What has your Lord said?" They will say, "The truth." And He is the Most High, the Grand."— (Qur'an 34:23)
"[He is] Knower of the unseen and the witnessed, the Grand, the Exalted."— (Qur'an 13:9)
Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, "There are ninety-nine names of Allah; he who commits them to memory will get into Paradise." One of the names mentioned is Al-Kabir (the Great). (Sunan Abu Dawood, Hadith 1497)
Recognizing Allah as Al-Kabir instills humility, comfort, and motivation in individuals, encouraging ethical behavior and personal excellence. This understanding also fosters unity and peace within the community by highlighting a shared devotion to the greatest and incomparable God.
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)
In a world increasingly impacted by climate change, farmers in tropical regions struggle to maintain their livelihoods as crop yields decline due to heat stress and unpredictable weather. Soil health deteriorates, and extreme weather events like heavy rains and prolonged droughts become more common, leading to erosion and nutrient loss. As the seasons shift, habitats for countless species are disrupted, forcing animals to migrate or face extinction. Coastal areas suffer from rising sea levels, threatening mangroves and wetlands, and altering entire ecosystems.
Communities face severe water shortages as rivers dry up and water quality declines, exacerbated by pollution and harmful algal blooms in warmer waters. Health risks multiply, with heatwaves, food and water insecurity, and the spread of diseases disproportionately affecting vulnerable populations. The economic toll is immense, with losses in agriculture, fisheries, and infrastructure, necessitating substantial investment in adaptation and mitigation.
Rukia spent the night training in the garden until her body ached, brandishing her katana as though fighting a formidable unseen assailant. She was caught in her own world, unbothered by the snow falling onto her, making her skin tingle with the cold. The garden, once a serene place of refuge, had become her battleground.
She was used to it...
Used to the cold...
During the winter, she had been found in the forest by an unknown merchant and left at the Kuchiki clan's orphanage in Rukongai. According to the caretaker, she would have frozen to death if the man hadn't found her, as she was abandoned with nothing but a piece of cloth wrapped around her tiny body. That moment marked the beginning of her long, cold journey through life.
It was also during winter that she found herself lost in the bustling marketplace, unable to find her way back to the orphanage. She wandered aimlessly, her small figure lost among the throngs of people. She became hopeless, faced with an unkind world that seemed indifferent to her plight.
And during the winters, her newfound 'family'—other orphaned children—huddled together for warmth, sharing their meager resources to survive the biting cold. Yet, the harsh winters were unforgiving, claiming the life of one of her childhood friends. The memory of his lifeless body haunted her, a constant reminder of the fragility of life.
The cold had become a very familiar companion, embodying all her pain and emptiness. It seeped into her heart, freezing her emotions and hardening her resolve. She had nothing from the beginning, and every time she tried to hold onto something, it always disappeared—just like her childhood friends, Renji, and even parts of herself.
Suddenly the thought of failing the Kuchiki clan's expectations crossed her mind, making her heart tighten.
What did she know about having an aristocratic family... about having a noble brother...
Byakuya and the Kuchiki clan proved to be the farthest from the family she dreamed of. Despite being taken in by the prestigious family, she felt like an outsider, a burden. The cold formality of the clan contrasted starkly with her longing for warmth and acceptance.
But she had a duty now to fulfill... a debt of gratitude she had to repay...
She felt like an utter failure as she swung her katana, and it slipped away from her grasp.
Rukia stood still, unmoving.
A lone snowflake fell onto her forehead, as though to comfort her, its delicate touch a stark contrast to the harsh reality she faced.
Rukia smiled bitterly. What an irony...
Surah An-Nur (24:30):
"Tell the believing men to lower their gaze and guard their modesty: that is purer for them; surely Allah is aware of what they do."
Surah An-Nur (24:31):
"And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and guard their modesty, and not to display their adornment except what is apparent of it, and to draw their veils over their bosoms and not to reveal their adornment except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands' fathers, their sons, their husbands' sons, their brothers or their brothers' sons, or their sisters' sons, or their women, or their slaves, or male attendants who lack vigor, or children who know nothing of women's nakedness. And let them not stamp their feet so as to reveal what they hide of their adornment. And turn unto Allah together, O believers, in order that you may succeed."
Byakuya decided to exit his office after spending the time since Rukia left reading the executive reports of the Bakushin, trying not to think about how wildly Rukia was releasing her riatsu in their shared garden, causing the temperature to drop even inside his room.
He realized that what he felt during her confrontation with the hollow this morning, during her group mission in Rukongai, was a sign that she was on the verge of awakening her shikai.
Among the shinigami, only a handful of high-ranking officers achieve shikai.
Byakuya closed his eyes. "A'udhu billah," he whispered.
He contemplated how hard it would be to halt her progress and keep her safe.
If only she were like Hisana... Protecting her wouldn't be as difficult.
Upon stepping out into the garden, Byakuya realized that the weather had returned to normal, so he decided to visit the hot spring hidden in the sakura garden not far away.
He took a leisurely walk, taking in the peace of the night as he thought about the problems faced by the different branches of his clan. It also occurred to him that severe flooding had devastated the Kuchiki and Hanabira border in the east.
Just as Byakuya neared the spring, he finally noticed a female body swimming in the shallow part of the spring, slightly hidden by the huge boulder.
His eyes involuntarily widened in shock upon realizing who it was.
"A'udhu billahi min ash-shaytan ir-rajim," he frustratedly uttered before quickly turning away and shunpoing back to his room.
"Rukia," he whispered as his breathing became labored, internally beating himself up for not keeping his guard up and forgetting his surroundings.
Being lost in thought, analyzing the calamities in his territory wasn't a valid excuse. And his body's reaction further tormented him.
The next morning, although still lacking enough rest and sleep, Rukia decided to cook something for Byakuya, contemplating how she should make an effort to connect with her new family.
In the kitchen, surrounded by the staff and her lady-in-waiting, she somehow felt better. Although they treated her so formally, at least their interactions weren't as strained as before.
Rukia helped prepare the dining room and waited inside for Byakuya to come and eat with her.
But as time went on, the food became colder and her confidence finally evaporated into thin air.
Suddenly, a servant approached her.
"Salam, Lady Rukia," she greeted politely. "Kuchiki-sama won't be eating breakfast with you."
Upon hearing this, Rukia felt her heart drop for reasons unknown. She politely smiled.
"Wassalamu alaykum," she replied. "Arigatou, Ayame."
Ayame exited the dining room, leaving Rukia to dine alone, haunted by her own thoughts and insecurities.
'Was he so disappointed in me...' her thoughts wandered into the abyss.
As she chewed the slightly chilled food, she remembered the first time she met him.
He was the one who asked her to become a shinigami...
And it filled her with hope that maybe he saw something worthy in her... but now she felt she had failed his expectations.
Rukia shook her head to dispel the thought, wondering why his opinion of her affected her this much...
She had never wanted to impress anyone before... But why did she want to now?
Given that Byakuya is her Nii-sama, the head of the Kuchiki clan, and the captain of Squad 6. But still...
Not long after, she finished her meal and quickly shunpoed towards her squad.
Upon joining the training in the field, she noticed the shinigamis from yesterday and promptly kept her distance from them, not wanting to have unnecessary confrontations.
Rukia focused her mind on the drills and only stopped training when the lunch break came. She immediately disappeared into the forest and found a spot hidden on the hill overlooking the Squad 13 training ground.
Lost in thought, Kaien suddenly appeared out of nowhere and offered her a drink.
"Are you okay, Rukia?" he asked before sitting a few feet away from her.
Rukia accepted the drink without saying anything, not knowing how to voice the loneliness in her heart.
"Was it Byakuya?" he asked all of a sudden.
Rukia remained silent. The light breeze slightly ruffled her hair.
Suddenly, Kiyone and Shintaro popped out of the bushes, drunk and teasing them.
"You're such a smooth operator, Kaien-dono," the pair exclaimed, pointing fingers at their vice-captain. "Dating Kuchiki-san in a secluded place like this!"
Rukia could only stare at them in embarrassment, not bothered by their drunken shenanigans, while Kaien chased them down the hill.
"How is it?" Ichigo asked Rukia, sounding worried.
"A'udhu billah... the 'soul link' has been severed," she said, analyzing the bird's situation. "It's too late for him to return to his body."
"No way..." the bird whispered sorrowfully.
"Shibata," Chad called out to the boy.
Suddenly, Rukia knelt in front of the birdcage with an enthusiastic smile on her face. "Alhamdulillah... don't worry, in Soul Society, there's nothing to be afraid of."
Her heart clenched upon uttering such words. Although Rukongai isn't entirely like Inuzuri before, and the situation has alleviated and greatly improved, but still...
"You will not be hungry there," she said with a smile. "9 out of 10... it's better in Soul Society than here," remembering the volunteering work she participated in to help her fellow Rukongai residents. The Kuchiki clan had expanded and even built schools and more orphanages in Inuzuri.
Ichigo sneered at Rukia. "MashaAllah... You're a freeloader here though," he whispered.
Rukia turned to him, embarrassed.
Ichigo suddenly smiled at the bird. "At least there... You'll get to see your mother."
Upon hearing that, the boy was filled with hope.
Rukia looked at Ichigo, surprised at his care.
Not long after, the boy bid farewell.
"Thank you for everything," he said with a tear in his eyes.
to be continued...