Laila sat once more in her seat at the back of the hall, hunched up, waiting for the test paper to be given. It was an Islamic Studies paper; all about the prophets, and although she had studied really hard for it, she felt, as usual, as if she had forgotten everything.
She put her head down and sighed. This always happened… Suddenly, her eyelids began to feel heavy – it was probably the lack of sleep from last night’s late studying. Laila yawned and made herself more comfortable on the hard desk and settled down to sleep…
What was that?
Laila opened her eyes to an awfully flooded place, with trees floating about and the wind howling so much that she felt she would be blown right off. She was standing on the side, so the water wasn’t reaching up to her. Now, it lapped up beside her, and she was overcome with cold when a huge wave crashed, covering her from head to toe. She screamed in terror and called for help, but it was no use. She gasped for breath, and her head bobbed up and down the surface of the water. She managed to see people climbing trees, roof tops, and shouting things to each other.
Laila was very confused. What was happening? Quite suddenly, she realized that a large ship was about to swing into the water and a man was leaning out of it and shouting: “If you believe in Allah and His messenger then climb aboard this boat and you shall be saved!”
Realization hit Laila.
Of course! This is the Prophet Nuh’s Ark!
She ran to it, struggling against the wind and water that reached up to swallow her. She managed to swim through and reach the ship just as the ship took one last swing, moving slowly forward.
“No!” Laila screamed. “Wait, please! I am a Muslim, and I believe that Prophet Nuh is a messenger from Allah!”
The ship slowed down at hearing her cries and allowed Laila to climb into the opening of the Ark and went in, shivering and trembling from the cold. She saw animals of all sizes and shapes, amazed to see them completely free, with no cages or owners. From above the ship, she saw people’s arms from under the terrifying, deep water, and women’s voices weeping and screaming, and children crying. All these noises echoed around her, and feeling dizzy, she went around and around, watching the water disappear, as she fell to the ground and collapsed.
Nujoom Al Asar 
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