Dear Beloved Brother - In Memoriam of Shaykh Abdul Raheem (RA) | A Poem by Mufti Abdul Wahab Waheed

Dear Beloved Brother — In Memoriam of Shaykh Abdul Raheem (RA)

A poem by Mufti Abdul Wahab Waheed

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

October 5th of 2020 was a really difficult day for myself, our family, and many people around us. It was the day that our brother, Rahimullah, went back to his Creator, though still alive.

Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala said:

They are still alive. I did my best to write a small poem in his memory, and hopefully we're able to continue writing different poems and sharing his story and his memory. Not so that we seek any form of sympathy, but rather so we can rekindle a fire within all of us to please Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala so we can leave this world in the best of ways.

Something that I wrote and was conflicted within sharing it or not sharing it, and decided to recite this poem so perhaps it can benefit all of us to some extent, create a longing to meet our Creator, create a longing to meet your family members and our family members, and also to please our Creator subhanahu wa ta'ala.

Dear Beloved Brother

How was it so that you left so quick,
like a flash of light,
an angelic pure being, now out of our visible sight?
Though you and your face and every pore of your body remain clear in my view,
a view that is so fulfilling, if only they knew.
I know that this is only a short preview
of all the laughter and days in Jannah we will insha'Allah be able to review,
the struggles and pain of this life which will then seem less than a few.

Dear Brother, your birth was a source of joy for us all,
a bundle of joy though you were still so gentle and small,
you became in no time your mother's doll,
as you grew older and wiser, you never failed to respond to her call.
Be it sunrise or rainfall, you were always standing tall,
better and stronger, more present than the rest of us all.
Saying ji ammi ji, always bringing her nothing but joy and ease,
your laughter and smile were as contagious as could be,
it remains so fresh in my mind, always made me feel so free,
I wish I was just able to one more time see the smile of yours
but I know that would be an endless plea.

Dear Brother, what can I say about your face,
that always shone like the full moon,
bright enough to remove from our lives any form of doom or gloom.
Like the sun to the smallest crevice, bringing light to the entire room,
anyone that would see you would find their hearts to bloom.
Be it your face or smile, you brought love to the world,
you grew up so fast but never became harsh or too bold,
your departure has left us so lonely and so cold
but I promise to you we will under such pressure never fold,
rather continue to do as we are told.

Your presence dear brother was always a means of comfort and peace,
you embody the truth increasing all of our beliefs,
I walk alone looking on those same alleys and streets,
they look back at us empty with nothing to give
and how could they ever understand this is a life that we have to live.
A life in which I hope we are forgiven and can learn to forgive.

Dear Brother, you grew up so quickly but your smile remained so pure,
to all of my hardships it served as a perfect cure,
never slowing down or losing hope even though it was hard,
never using an excuse or throwing out the blame card,
like the rising sun you were the perfect light,
rays running through the world bringing to light everything in sight,
oh how can I explain that sight of yours that would make everything so right,
your departure has made it difficult for me to tell day from night.

It is as if I can see you floating and fluttering in the skies with the birds like a kite,
so free and at ease gaining levels in paradise
as you recite the book of your Creator that you lived and embodied with all of your might,
you fought with all like Khalid's knight,
but what was truly remarkable dear brother
is that you were able to do all of this while remaining so polite,
as you grew older you became wiser and strong,
no wave or wind was heavy enough to shake you as you knew where you belonged,
you continued to smile and forgive even when you or your parents were wronged,
however you know I could see the pain through your beautiful eyes,
as you hid your tears and you muffled your cries,
as you left your family to study the deen of Allah knowing one day you will rise,
as you stayed awake at night praying looking at the empty skies,
and now all that separation will be worth it
when we will one day be given our final prize.

Dear brother how difficult were those heavy goodbyes
in which you and us would give up even trying to disguise,
those farewell hugs would be so silent yet so loud,
as the tears would be heard only by us never exposed to the general crowd,
and man that's what would make us so proud
that we have a brother who had vowed
to uphold this deen even if it meant sacrificing your life
and being placed in your final shroud,
it was all worth it I'm sure
as you reached the highest levels of martyrdom,
leaving us all behind while you have all the fun,
the days become night and the night becomes day
but my heart still remains so numb,
wanting to say so much dear brother
but knowing that we gotta hold back our tongue,
to be honest after you left don't know what the world has become
but standing strong with strength from Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala
who is making sure we don't succumb.

It helps to come visit your blessed resting place,
every time I come to see you my heart begins to race,
with a collage of emotions we enter into your space,
silent tears running down our cheeks but also a smile on our face,
man we used to hide these tears now I don't even mind if they leave a trace,
it has nothing to do with the heart being confused,
it's completely at peace, just a little bruised,
your physical departure was a source of the bruise
but your memories keep us amused,
I guess a journey of life should continue this way
in which pain and joy will remain infused.

It also helps when you come to visit me in my dream,
as I see you looking back at me with happiness that is extreme,
nothing that I've seen in this world,
you must just be in the company of the Supreme,
learning and grazing in the garden of Ibrahim,
reclining back on sofas made from silk,
chilling with such esteem,
enjoying the bounties given to you by Al-Karim,
and I'm finally able to tell you how I love you Ibn Rahim.

And as I remember the moment and try to write,
mad tears flow down my cheeks,
the chest begins to feel so tight,
I guess this is going to be another sleepless night,
well it's alright
as remembering your life and character just seems so right,
though at times these thoughts allow pain to reach a new height,
never do I want them to flutter or to take flight,
rather I wish I could bottle them up deep inside
until we finally reunite,
oh what a day that would be,
oh what a day that would be my dear brother,
as we will be standing once again together
with the Prophet of Allah shoulder to shoulder,
what a proud day it would be for your father and mother,
what a proud day it would be for your father and mother,
as she would be called to the stage as mother of a martyr,
she will walk forward with such joy and pride,
trying to hide the marks on her face from how much she cried,
with her tears in your blood which I'm sure has still not dried,
with her tears in your blood which I'm sure has still not dried,
it will be said peace be upon you, in Jannah you shall now abide,
a paradise in which we will not see any pain or sadness,
a place of laughter, love and internal bliss,
I'll finally be able to give you a hug
and place on your forehead a long awaited kiss,
showered in countless bounties and wondering
what did we ever do to earn this.

They say that the ink of scholars is heavier than the blood of a martyr,
my brother I wonder the reward for when you combine the two together,
that's what you were able to do my dear brother,
you transfused the both and did it with a smile,
radiant like the moon, it could be seen even further than a mile.

Till then we are pleased with Allah's decree,
never questioning His wisdom regardless of how hard it may be,
earning your pleasure ya Allah, remains the only goal,
no matter how great the sacrifice and how heavy the toll,
if it means tears or blood we are ready to submit our body as a whole.