In the name of God, most gracious, most merciful. To Allah we belong and to Him we shall return.

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Yesterday, Allah took my father’s gentle soul back Home

Written- Anjum Irshad

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He’s left my mum to whom he’s been married for 64 years, his 6 children, his 20 Grandchildren and 11 Great-grandchildren bereft and sad.
But actually, he has gone, peacefully, to a much better abode.
May Allah reward him for all his struggles and travails.
He was a child when he was forced to flee from India to a new home in the newly formed Pakistan. The horrors of the partition weren’t spoken about often but they shaped that generation into the golden generation that established our vibrant communities into the UK
He soon left for Britain and arrived by boat into Liverpool and then Manchester.
He started his business from nothing, sleeping in cars to secure the best market pitch and with his talent, hard work and the grace of Allah became extremely successful.
As the eldest son, he embraced his responsibilities with dedication, loyally supporting his parents, brothers, and sisters with deep respect and honour.
Allah granted him great success. He was tested with wealth. By the age of 27 he was a successful millionaire.
Ever humble, he never used his wealth ostentatiously.
He poured his heart into welcoming new immigrants to our community, assisting family members with their businesses, and bringing people together in marriage. Beyond personal support, he funded vital community projects and lent a helping hand to those facing financial difficulties. His efforts were instrumental in establishing the first mosques in Manchester, creating spaces of worship and community for us all.
He helped people buy their homes, he helped people in financial distress, giving and never expecting anything back. He did so quietly knowing that the ultimate reward didn’t lie in public recognition but that the best reward lay with Allah. Even yesterday, I heard stories from people, of dad’s generosity, that none of us knew about.
In 1984, he set up the Muslim Youth Foundation.
The MYF was the first place in the UK where we could go to hear a khutba delivered in English. It was groundbreaking. Well ahead of its time.
Dad funded computers, sports clubs and study circles just to engage the Muslim youth, our future. No one was catering for them and despite a lot of opposition from traditional camps, he forged on because he recognized just how important this work was. The MYF was the incubator for many of our Muslim leaders today and for many of the mosques in and around Manchester.
Allah granted dad this opportunity to affect the lives of many, many Muslims.
In business and in community work, he was visionary.
He made personal sacrifices to fund the MYF sometimes at the expense of other matters. He kept the MYF going when times got hard. His primary concern was always the mosque.
He loved that place and, if he wasn’t spending Ramadan in Makkah, he would be in ihtikaf at the MYF.
He would take great pleasure in cooking big vats of food, with his own hands, for people to break their fasts.
Even in Makkah, he had a following of friends to whom he would serve tea and dates at iftar, carrying with him a huge thermos through the crowds to his favorite place for Magrib.
One of his friends, a great sheikh in Makkah, is performing an Umrah today in my father’s name. May Allah accept it. .
Always reliant on Allah, he never flinched when times got tough.
Allah tested him with great difficulties but he would never complain no matter how difficult his situation became. He always responded with “alhamdolillah.”
He always told us to be grateful for everything Allah had given us no matter how bad things got.
For me his greatest legacy will be this. No matter how hard things became, he was always grateful to his creator for every blessing Allah had bestowed on us.
Oh Allah, I bear witness that my father tried his hardest to please you and was grateful to you until his dying day.
Oh Allah, allow us to be grateful for your favor which you bestowed upon us and our parents and allow us to do good deeds that you will approve of.
Oh Allah make our children also of the righteous ones.
Oh Allah, accept our father, forgive him and reward him for his efforts.
Oh Allah, Make his grave full of light and peace and allow him to drink the water of Kawthar from the hands of our beloved prophet.
Oh Allah, Give him the best of places in the highest of paradise.
He built Your houses here on earth; O Allah, build for him a splendid abode in the Hereafter, and surround him with the company of the righteous and the prophets.
Oh Allah bestow on him the ultimate pleasure of gazing at your face and the eternal bliss of spending eternity in your presence.
Oh Allah, allow us to be a good sadaqa jariya for our beloved father
Ameen