In memory of…..

Occasionally do I meet my beloved dad, and each time I do we embrace each other and share the love, hugs n kisses… Today was one of those days….. on a journey where all my siblings were waiting for my parents to join us, I get down from the car and walked towards the direction of my dad n mom were coming… They were about to join us from a different place, and I was filled with joy to see them (so were they) coming after a tired walk and we fell into both others’ arms to exchange the love n hugs…

Well, this was just another short meeting…. a meeting of say less than 60seconds, something I cherish in my ‘dreams’ in the last 11 odd years…..

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“Dear,….” my father addressed my mom lovingly…..“please fasten the buttons (of the sleeves of my shirt)…. I’m going to meet my LORD….. and let me try to be handsome…”

“I turned my face to the ONE who created the heavens and earth… I invite you to the true path… to the path of submission to the ALMIGHTY LORD……” he addressed a couple of medicine students (who were friends of my sister, who was in her 3rd year MBBS program at that time), who had accompanied my sister to the room to have a last chat with my dad…. so was he, he had commanded respect and made friends from all classes of the society… and always held firm to his faith…

Earlier, he had woke up in the middle of the night and had asked my mom to pen down his final advices to each one of us… mom and we seven siblings…. to me, he said, “study well, don’t be upset about the events, clear ur exams with good scores.. ………..” and among these advices… to my youngest brothers, the two lovely innocent kids of 10 &12, he pointed out, “yaseen, shakir… Allah (God) will look after you…..” and he asked the elder four of us to “be kind to your younger three siblings…..” these words were always scripted in my heart…. and I firmly believe that this had played the better part in transitioning me to be a better human-being…

Yes, it was faith, and only faith that kept alive the mental strength in him throughout his life, the last 10months in particular… (The doctors had predicted just 2-3months ahead after a failed attempt to work upon the killing disease, but God had decreed another 7-8months)…. Little wonder, he was given the right intuition by the Almighty at the right time, at this vital moment around the switching of lives…

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Last week, while chatting with one of my younger brothers… I was about to pen down some of the advices of our beloved dad… and it fancied my thoughts, “brother, whatever accomplishments you achieve, you are missing the one person who might have been happier than any other mortal….” so was he, a phenomenon of love, care and possessiveness… he was our mentor, he was our friend, he was our teacher……. and much more…

By the grace of the Almighty, we – as a family – had moved ahead and had our share of moments of happiness, bad times and other events in our lives…. But, we had missed him… a lot, a very lot….. In particular, my beloved mom who was widowed in her late 30’s…. alas, that’s what life is….. but our faith has not died out and we eagerly look forward to the final and everlasting rendezvous in the life hereafter…

Eleven long years had passed…… But, he has never died out from our hearts… and never ever will…. we sincerely pray… may Allah (God) bless his soul….