I have had to summon a lot of courage and willpower to think back on all that occurred and what made me feel near to Allah. I loved my research at the University and had just been appointed as a teaching fellow during the same month (October) a year before. As a result, I was quite pleased and delighted to be teaching. I told my family the news, but I was unable to detect their joy and contentment at my new position as a teaching fellow at the university. I was genuinely shocked. But I didn’t let it affect me, so I continued with my regimen. After a while, I understood the cause of the sudden quiet that had descended upon my entire family. My father had been diagnosed with carcinoma. I learned about it really late. For the first time in my life, I actually felt a true and lasting sensation of heartbreak. Children’s strong supporters are their fathers. They are the first heroes of their lives, especially to the girls. No one can take the place of a father, even if your mother is just as strong and self-sufficient (like in my case). Given that I look up to my father and consider him to be the best man in the world, this revelation utterly stunned me. It robbed me of my life. What would occur next was completely beyond my comprehension. I was only able to see my weak self, who had teary eyes and a heart that was racked with anxiety and fear over many bad things. My mother and elder sister (Doctor by profession), immediately decided to travel to Delhi for better medical care. It was late at night when I found out about everything. I cried for around two hours. Soon after, I performed the ablution and the Tahajjud. It wasn’t the first time I had ever prayed Tahajjud in my life. But without a doubt, it was the first time in my life that I offered Tahajjud while crying, feeling afraid, and thinking only pessimistically. I soon joined them after they arrived in Delhi and settled down. So, we were now joined by our family and a few more close relatives. I finally arrived in Delhi. I was struck by how upbeat and certain my father remained throughout. He was aware that he was afflicted with a condition that truly sends chills down the spine. But he continued with his daily activities in Delhi. On October 25, 2022, he underwent surgery.
We should all work to deepen our connection with the Almighty. And begin by expressing our deep gratitude to Him for little things. We undervalue maintaining good health. Humans only feel content when their material wealth increases, but in actuality, health is the only true form of wealth and Allah is the only source of support.
I believe it was the longest procedure I have ever known. We spent the whole day and those hours at the hospital. Although those hours were excruciatingly unpleasant, they gave us numerous life lessons. It was quite difficult after surgery. For Papa, it was quite painful. He didn’t do anything but vomit for approximately 15 days, which was worrying us all. However, the surgeons were very optimistic about the patient’s recovery. Papa did recover, thanks to the mercies of Almighty Allah. With Allah’s kindness, he is doing well. But as a family, we will always remember that time. I will always remember how our mother handled everything. She surprised me by how powerful she is. She took care of everything and saw to it that my younger brother and I continued our academic pursuits at our respective institutions. Everything about me was altered by this one event. View of life that I have. Everything altered, and I had a total transformation. Everything in this world, in my opinion, is transient. I know what it’s like to have your expectations disappointed. I now know that blood relatives are solely related to you through blood and not in any other way. The most crucial thing I took away from all of this was that at the end of the day, all that matters is you, your loved ones, and Allah. Everyone disappoints you in the end, except Allah. I started practicing Tahajjud at that moment, and I’ll keep doing it as long as I’m alive. I saw miracles taking place. There was a time when all hope was lost, but it was a marvel how Allah made that time full of hope. Pain is highly individual. Only Allah and you are involved. Therefore, we should all work to deepen our connection with the Almighty. And begin by expressing our deep gratitude to Him for little things. We undervalue maintaining good health. Humans only feel content when their material wealth increases, but in actuality, health is the only true form of wealth and Allah is the only source of support.
(The author is Research Scholar at Lovely Professional University Punjab. The views, opinions and conclusions expressed in this article are those of the author and aren’t necessarily in accord with the views of “Kashmir Horizon”.)
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