Her eyes tell a story of long restless nights, a life of worries and hardships punctuated by periods of grief and despair. They have now become cloudy, yet they betray her many private lamentations. The times spent in solitude, praying to her Lord, seeking His guidance and assistance.
I haven’t seen her in a few years but I can still picture her. A small, frail woman, her head covered with a traditional Madrasi Ruhmal, her face etched with the saga of her life, a face that seems to reach out at you from the covers of National Geographic. Unending pain, struggle, suffering and hard labour. Decades of continuous toil and lack of basic health care have wreaked havoc on her body. Her limbs forever sinewy have now grown weak. Amazingly she is still mobile, still capable of fending for herself.
Not one to beg or complain, she continues to persevere in the face of the hardships that befall her; Quietly aware of the litany of broken promises, failures, short comings, shallow words, lies and deception of the political establishments. Her seemingly unending patience in the face of years of tribulations has fortified her faith.
Strangely, as I contemplate the death of her son Mohamed Shamshudeen Haniff at the hands of the police, I find myself more accepting of the inevitability of his demise than the questions surrounding it. The grief at the loss of Shamshudeen is overwhelmed by the sense of suffering of those close to him, his mother in particular. I feel for her today as I did yesterday. My heart weeps at the thought of her continuing ordeal yet I am comforted that no one bears a burden greater than it has the scope to bear. Weak of body strong of faith, she is MARIAM, mother of Shamshudeen.
Profound is the sense of dignity I know Aunt MARIAM would display in these very trying times. Being ever cognizant that her faith is tested and strengthened through these ordeals, she takes solace and draws comfort in the words of her Lord from his glorious Quran: Q:2: 152 – 157
152: Therefore remember Me, I will remember you. Give thanks to Me, and reject not Me.
153: O ye who believe! Seek help in steadfastness, and prayer. Lo! Allah is with the steadfast.
154: And call not those who are slain in the way of Allah “dead.” Nay, they are living, only ye perceive not.
155: And surely We shall try you with something of fear and hunger, and loss of wealth and lives and crops; but give glad tidings to the steadfast,
156: Who say, when a misfortune striketh them: Lo! we are Allah’s and Lo! unto Him we are returning.
157: Such are they on whom are blessings from their Lord, and mercy. Such are the rightly guided.
May the Almighty forgive Shamshudeen and make him of those that enter paradise and may he continue to bless and guide my dear Aunt Mariam.
Jay Mobeen
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