Friends that you can have

I have two people in my class that I would consider to be my close friends here. My coffee buddies to be exact. One is a Greek girl while the other is an Arab from Saudi Arabia.

Before coming to UK, I had never thought that I would ever be talking to a Greek, much less be friends with one. To me then, Greeks were ancient people that lived in textbooks and mythology stories. So it felt quite a novelty for me to be talking to one. I got excited as well when my friend taught me the Greek's alphabets, which are the symbols that we used in our Maths and Physics equation. Ulu tak? Heh.

Meanwhile, my Arab friend had changed totally my perception of Arab women. She doesn't wear the abaya and niqab in UK, but though her clothes are quite modern, they properly cover her that she can just pray in them (which is what she normally does). She's like a normal girl, who loves watching movies, knows most of the popular songs, even worked as a Network Engineer. I would say she is quite like me in this sense, hence why we get on so well. But the more I got to know her, the more that I admire her. And I think that she is truly a blessed person. For one thing, she was born and grew up in Makkah. That alone had me green with envy, masya Allah. Recently, while we were studying together, she mentioned in passing that she memorizes the al-Baqarah. My jaw literally dropped. If someone I know tells me that he/she memorizes Yassin, I wouldn't have blinked an eye. But al-Baqarah??? The longest surah in the Quran?? Masya Allah, la haulawala quwwata illabillah.

Last night, after reading The Tea Drinker's post on him meeting the descendents of Sy Abdul Qadir Gailani r.a., it suddenly triggered me to ask her one question -

"Are you by any chance related to Bani Hashim?" I asked her last night.

"My mother is," she answered, oh so casually.

My jaw dropped again. Wow. I mean, really, wow. In my circle of friends, a blood relation of the Prophet Muhammad s.a.w.?? I am still in a daze over this recent knowledge.

She also told me that her mother is coming over to UK soon so I'll be able to meet her.

I am really, really looking forward to that.

TeaD, thank you, thank you for your post that had triggered me to ask this question. :D