nuffnang

Wednesday, March 14, 2007

A SOUL ABOVE THE BODY



Day became night, and night became day. My routine attending the English classes ended when I was accepted to enter an international university (but situated locally).
When I first knew about it, a mixed feeling occurred inside me. I didn’t know how to interpret the feeling. Though, I could tell that I was happy indeed. And maybe a little scared to go through a new journey in life.

I had to re-establish myself, find new friends, build new trusts towards all those strangers that I would meet at the university.
Life had to go on. And so the same with me. I looked forward to further my studies at the university with a new and fresh attitude. I wanted to put aside all my shyness. I wanted to learn more about socializing. I wanted to know how it felt like to have a boyfriend. (ha-ha).
The day when I registered, I came along with my parents. But I insisted that they should leave me immediately after they helped me carry up my belongings to my apartment (sha-la-la… apartment, eh? nice, eh)?
I wanted to be independent, and I really meant it. I wanted to prove that I am not a shy and timid teenager anymore. I wanted to open up, and be more friendly.
So, my parents agreed to my wish and they left me. Much to my surprise, I found out that once you’re left with nobody to rely on, you will soon discover that you have to depend on yourself.
I was amazed at how friendly and talkative I was. I felt very comfortable, and I felt glad that so far I had met a number of new faces. They were all very friendly too. I was relieved that I finally decided to open up.
My apartment was very cozy. 15 students lived in one apartment, but it was large and we didn’t feel crowded at all. Our apartment were equipped with a kitchen, a spacious hall, and double decker but very comfortable beds.

I was very fortunate because I was placed in a room attached with its own bathroom and toilet. Only two students occupied the room, me and a girl named Aishah (not real name, okay).
I thanked God, and I was very grateful. There were nothing else I wanted to ask. I felt very comfortable and happy living and studying at the university.
Aishah and I got along very well. We became best friends immediately. I felt as if Aishah was my own sister. We shared secrets that we never told anybody about. I couldn’t tell how happy I was being there.
Aishah told me that she had a boyfriend. But her boyfriend was way much older than her. And a sad thing to say, he was already married.
I wanted to tell her to dump him. I knew her relationship would not end in a blessing. But I didn’t want to break her heart so I just encouraged her to be strong and try to face the reality. And I told her to consider the consequences of being involved with somebody’s husband.
She accepted my advice, and we became closer than ever. We went for outing together, and usually we went window shopping. For hours we browsed through the many shopping complexes and looked at those pretty dresses and shoes.
Although we were very close, we were not in the same course at all. I was in the accounting stream while Aishah was in the law stream. We never attended the same class.
I often took brunch (breakfast + lunch) during break at about 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. At lunch hour, I would usually skip lunch and go back to my room to take a short nap before classes started again at 2:00 p.m.
One day as usual I went back to my room to take a nap. Aishah was there relaxing on her chair and facing the study table.
Because I was very tired, I just greeted her shortly and (boom!) I collapsed on the bed. Immediately I dozed off.
But something very, very frightening happened to me at that moment. It was the beginning of an eerie experience that really made me terrified.
As soon as I dozed off, I felt as if my soul was taken away from my body. I tried to move but nothing happened.

Suddenly, I heard a male voice. The voice appeared to be addressing his attention towards me. His voice was very powerful, loud and echoed throughout the entire bedroom.
He said, “For time’s sake, people are always in loss. Except for those who remind each other with patience, and to remind each other with righteousness.”
I panicked. The voice repeated his sayings, over and over again. I tried to read Al-Qursi, the powerful verse that can chase away all ghosts. But I was in a tounge-tied condition, and I forgot the exact order of the verse. The reading became a mess.
The voice laughed louder and louder. He said:
“Read… and read more. You can read as much as you wished, but you can never get rid of me.”
His voice was everywhere. My heart became weak and my body became limp. I was overpowered by terror, and I didn’t know what else to do.
Through the panic, I realized that Aishah wasn’t aware of what was happening to me. Immediately I knew that it must be a ghost’s attack and it meant personally to me.
I could clearly see Aishah, still sitting quietly on her chair and facing the study table. I couldn’t understand how I could see Aishah if it was true I was dreaming. At that point I knew that my soul was outside my body and it has to come back before it was too late.
I screamed out for help. I called Aishah repeatedly, begging her to help me.
But still, Aishah didn’t see anything. She didn’t know what was happening.
I cried deeply. What should I do? Aishah wasn’t a help at all, because she didn’t know! She couldn’t help me!

I knew I had to force myself to fight the ghost. Only I can save myself. There was nobody to turn to at that time. I had to do something. Anything. I was desperate.
I forced myself to be brave. I must. I focused my energy to fight the ghost. It was then laughing and my ears almost became deaf of its terrifying, loud and echoing voice.
I pulled myself together and started to read the Al-Qursi verse from the start. I started slowly, trying very hard to focus and making sure it was in the right order.
I knew each and every word in the surah is very powerful. It will burn every satan in the world if I pronounce it correctly and with confidence. And I knew the last line of the Al-Qursi is the most powerful.
When I came to the last line of Al-Qursi, I read it with all my heart and with the fullest confidence. I repeated the line over and over again without stutter.
Suddenly, the laugh stopped abruptly.
I felt a current of like electricity run throughout my body and it moved downwards towards my right leg.
The current moved towards my biggest toe and it escaped from my body through there.
Immediately I felt a huge relief.
My body was light again, not heavy like before. I could move again.
As soon as I opened my eyes, I jumped out of bed and hugged Aishah.
“Shanis! What happened? Why are you shivering so terrible?” Aishah asked, a little shocked to see my face so white.

“I’m scared. I don’t know how to explain this. But I feel as if somebody or something is trying to harm me. And I had the feeling that it wanted to hunt me for a bad reason. I’m scared, Aishah. Very scared,” I answered, still hugging her. At that time I felt I would only be safe if I clung to her.
“You must be dreaming. Just now I saw you sleeping