The promise

A Play in One Act

January 20, 2018UmmuHurayrah

CAST OF CHARACTERS

Balqees Shittu : A woman in her late thirties. She is a striving Muslimah who is willing to learn new things about her religion.

Umar Musa : An intelligent eight-year-old boy. Balqees’ only son.

Ibraheem Adedeji : A bright eight-year-old boy. Umar’s classmate and best friend.

………..

ACT 1

SCENE 1

The Musa’s living room.

Umar and Ibraheem are seen playing with toys and games. The room is tastefully furnished, with soft leather couches, beautiful paintings and Islamic calligraphy hanging on the wall. The home theatre fixed to the wall is on, but the kids pay no mind to it. Balqees is in the kitchen preparing a meal. Suddenly, Umar cries out in annoyance. Ibraheem has just broken his favourite toy.

UMAR
(on the verge of tears)
Now, look at what you have done! I told you to be careful with it.

IBRAHEEM
(apologetically)
I am sorry. I didn’t know

(Umar begins to cry loudly. Balqees hearing the commotion leaves the kitchen and enters the sitting room).

BALQEES
What is going on here? Why are you crying Umar?

UMAR
(sniffling amidst his tears)
Ibraheem spoilt my toy.

BALQEES
Sorry, my dear. I am sure he didn’t do it on purpose. You Know what? I will buy you another one tomorrow?
(Umar nods his head). Now stop crying.

(Satisfied that everything was settled, Balqees returns to the kitchen. The kids resuming playing and it seems all is forgotten until Ibraheem speaks up again).

IBRAHEEM
You’re lucky. At least your mum is going to replace your toy.

UMAR
(in a flippant tone)
No, she won’t. My mum never keeps her promises. She only said that to stop me from crying.

IBRAHEEM
(sounding surprised)
Really?

UMAR
Yes. She promised to get me a pair of shoes if I came first, last term. I did, and she did not buy me the shoes. She also said she would give me my own prayer mat to take to Jumu’ah, she didn’t. Anyway, I am used to it, so I don’t get my hopes up whenever she promised me something.

(Ibraheem shakes his head while listening to Umar. Balqees on the other hand, overhears their conversation and she feels bad).

BALQEES
(to herself)
I never knew that my son felt this way. They were only harmless words I said to him to make him better.

IBRAHEEM
Maybe we should tell your mummy about the hadith from Bukhaaree and Muslim that Ustaadh taught us at the madrasah: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “The signs of a hypocrite are three: when he talks he lies, whenever he promises, he breaks his promise and whenever he makes a covenant he proves treacherous”.

(Ibraheem whispers to Umar). So, your mummy is a hypocrite?

UMAR
Yes.
(Balqees is stunned. She resolved to change her ways, effective immediately. Blackout).

……….

ACT I

SCENE TWO

(The evening of the same day. Balqees walks into the living room carrying shopping bags. She calls out to Umar who is in his room).

BALQEES
Umar! Could you come out here, please?

UMAR
Yes, mummy.
(He walks into the sitting room and sits beside his mother).
Here I am. ma.

BALQEES
(She holds his hands and starts to speak in an apologetic tone)

My son, first of all, I want to say I am sorry. I had no idea that my unfulfilled covenants hurt you so much. I only uttered them to make you feel better or to push you to do better. I did not realise I was dashing your hopes by making promises I had little or no intention to fulfill.

(She sighs and brings the bags over to where they are seated)
Open the bags.

(Umar does and shouts excitedly when he sees what’s inside. A pair of shoes, a prayer mat, a replacement for his damaged toy and some other stuff she had promised and failed to get him a long time ago).

UMAR
Wow, mummy! Jazaakumullaahu khayran. I love them.

BALQEES
I am glad you like them. You see I overheard your conversation with Ibraheem this afternoon and I did not like that by my actions, I showed signs of hypocrisy. The items in the bag are the stuff I can recall that I promised you. If there are others; maybe items or things I said I will do for you; make a list and in shaa Allah, I will get them for you.

UMAR
Oh, mummy, you don’t have to do that. These are enough. I have forgiven you. Just promise me that you will keep your promises from now on.

BALQEES
I promise.
(They laugh and hug each other as the lights dim. Curtain).

“O you who believe! Why do you say that which you do not do? Most hateful it is in the sight of Allah that you say that which you do not do” (Qur’an 61: 2-3).

THE END.