Once upon a time in my little world, I
woke up daily to see his smiling face.
Don't get me wrong, there were days
when the look on his face was stern. I
should know because I was a lot of
trouble while growing up. This didn't
stop him from loving me or loving us
all. That was his way, his heart was
made of gold and had nothing but love
for all.
It was he who first taught me the
meaning of selflessness not by speech
but by action. He never was one to
discriminate. In his eyes, everyone was
the same, whether rich or poor.
Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala says; “O you who believe! Fear Allah and speak a word that is right. He will set right for you your deeds and forgive you your sins. And whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger has certainly attained a great achievement.” [ Sûrah al-Ahzâb : 70-71]
His Messenger (peace be upon him) also said : “Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should speak a good word or remain silent. And whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should show hospitality to his neighbor. And whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should show hospitality to his guest.” [ Sahîh al-Bukhârî and Sahîh Muslim ]
Even before I learned this from the
Quran and hadith, I had learned it
from his actions.
I could go on about him but the words
will never be enough and my eyes are
filled with tears and this screen is
blurry. I cry just like I do now every
time I pass by that pedestrian bridge
at Charity bus stop, you know that one
in front of the Armed Forces
Resettlement Centre? I cry because I
remember the first time I climbed it,
it was with him holding my small hand
in his for my first day in secondary
school. I cry because I remember a
dark night that I cried in my sleep and
didn't even know it. But he heard me
and came to me and found a remedy
for my tooth ache. I cry because I
remember how he always had a
listening ear and I know he can't hear
me again. What I have is memories and
I will keep them forever in my heart.
Memories of a great man, whose living
touched the lives of so many. An
honest man, a kind man, a good man
whose kind is truly hard to find.
You may wonder why I used 'know'
instead of its past tense 'knew' in the
title. It's because even though he's no
more, this heart of mine will know him
for as long as Ar Rahman permits it. I
called him Daddy. The father of my
heart, a father like no other.
P.S- Whenever our hearts ache due to the pain of losing our loved ones, let's always remember to say a dua for them as well as give thanks to Allah for making them a part of our transient stay on earth. Loss is painful, May Allah grant solace to everyone who has suffered the pain of loss.
