Little Ismail passed away

(See the first flood refugees blog post about the birth of Mohammad Ismail just last month)

One month old Mohammad Ismail passed away last night.  Met with Faryaad Bibi, the young mother this morning.  I could see shock and disbelief in her big beautiful eyes.  “Allah ki marzi” as Allah willed she said.  She contacted me a little while ago “tu nai tasveer li thi mujhai dikha dai ji?  Who raat ko faut ho giya?” “You took Mohammad Ismail’s picture; can you show it to me?  He died last night.” I had no words for the sense of loss and failure in being able to provide proper care of this family and the newborn.  “It must be the cold, it must be the unhygienic conditions . . . it is our neglect.”

“Was he sick?  Why did you not come sooner so he could be taken to the hospital?”  I asked.  “Khaala (they call mother’s sister out of respect), he was not sick, I breast fed him and he was resting next to me and he passed away quietly.”…….Tears welled up in her large beautiful eyes, but there was such hopelessness in them as I have not seen before.

They must evacuate this vacant land with their “filthy tattered tents” because the newly constructed mansion could not be seen next to these less than acceptable abodes.  The new tenants won’t stand this sight and such unacceptable level of poverty.  Their own worth is at stake you see.  What worth do you think we have in front of Allah, when instead of doing anything we want the “poverty and misery” to simply get out of sight!

Before I printed out the pictures I wanted to write a few lines as my heart is full and feel responsible that I could have done more and made follow up visits more frequently.  How many souls leave without assistance from anyone and we shall be questioned as we did not do enough to give them ease or check on them to see if they are cold or hungry.  I know that if it wasn’t for Allah’s boundless Mercy I should not be seeing another sunrise after all a month old Mohammad Ismail left quietly at night without a cry for help.

“He was not sick, I breast fed him and he was next to my bosom when he died.  We don’t know what happened…perhaps it was the cold we are in…..” the mother said with tears flowing.  “You have his picture, you took his picture; can you show it to me?”  Her words will forever remain in my memory.

I enlarged the pictures and put it in a sheet cover as I knew it would get soaked out in the open.  When I got there and showed it to the mother, she collapsed on the ground and her cries were painful.  When I could muster up courage to say something I could hear myself saying “Insha Allah you will see him in paradise in a lofty mansion.  Allah gave and He took him from this miserable life.  Wouldn’t you like to spend eternity with Mohammad Ismail in Jannah?”  She became quiet and nodded her head.

You want to see Adab.  Listen to this.  When I went to what used to be Mohammad Ismail’s home, the only one he experienced for a month on this earth, it was a tattered tent amongst garbage.

The families gathered and said “Baji, bohat gund hai, aap is gund mai…Sister there is too much filth here, you are coming in such filth…..”  Then they quickly cleared the charpai (reed bed) to welcome their visitor.

Will we think of showing Adab (proper respect and honor) to someone if we had lost our child and would be apologetic for the poverty if we were in their place?  Will we have the heart not to harbor hatred towards people whom Allah gave so much and yet cannot give what is beyond their needs?  Such a heart I do not have, such Adab I do not have.  Such Shukr and Sabr, they have, I do not have.  What they don’t know is, they have what I do not have.  What they have can only be valued by the Creator, who knows the secrets of the hearts. Who knows the worth of such hearts.

Please make dua that Faryaad Bibi lives in mansions of luxury with her beloved and beautiful son Mohammad Ismail in eternal bliss.  May Allah show Mercy to us for what we are expected to do and fail in our duty to Him by not showing proper Adab to Him and His creations, Ameen.  May He give us the Taufiq to act fast before our time ends.  Little Ismail, is only one child I was fortunate to meet.  How many such little angels have gone and we don't know their names and their mother's cries upon their loss.  But they were as precious as our children are to us. 

Meet Hafizaan Bibi, a courageous woman

Bismillah

I have known Hafizaan Bibi for many years now.  She is a very courageous woman with little resources and great accomplishments.  Little or no education but great wisdom. 

I would like to share where she is in her life journey now.  She does not cease to amaze me every time I visit Pakistan only to find out she is up to something bigger and better.

She is a widow who not only lost her husband to an extended illness, but also lost her son with disability, and a grandson only in past few months.  Yet I see her back on her swift feet changing buses to get aid to meet the needs of the 21 children who reside in the masjid she has built in 2008.

I recall, when she in her large white 'chaddar' (outer garment), walking briskly, changing several buses, walking long distances at every odd hour from early morning to midnight in order to get hand crochet and embroidery work from Lahaute setup in Lahore for herself and for other disadvantaged women in her neighborhood.

Recently, when I went to visit masjid Ibrahim, one she has built, I could not believe my eyes.  It was beautiful and quite spacious considering the small size of the plot adjacent to her house.  How could she do what a Muslim dreams of with such meager resources?  Building a house of Allah, a masjid!  And giving shelter, food and love to the poor children who reside there because their parents cannot afford food and education for them.  The parents want their children to learn the Quran and be good Muslims despite lack of worldly resources.

I asked 'Hafizaan how did you make this happen?'  She answered 'I had to do something for myself for Akhirah, Sadaqa Jariya'.  I got 4 marla (about 1089 sq. feet) plot from my husband when he passed away and I had decided either I will give it to an orphan or I will build a masjid, Insha Allah.  What is worthy to note is that her children got their share but they still live on meager resources.  'I knew that no matter how much I give, I cannot fulfill all the needs of the children who are adults now and have their families to take care of'. So I must do something only for Allah" says Hafizaan.  She did not succumb to the temptation of giving everything to her children and grandchildren, nor could she be pressured into giving up her dream by the relatives, friends and neighbors.  The concept of giving up wealth when one is not rich is not the norm these days. But she is one of the rare people who have the courage and 'Eiman' faith to entrust her future in Allah's hands.
Her life has been dedicated to striving to raise her children including two handicapped children, getting each one of them married with children so they live full lives.

 

'Taufiq' is from Allah alone, she got aid to build this masjid.  It houses 14 children from poor families from the city of Kasur where majority of the population lives on meager amounts.  21 children attend this masjid for learning and free food is provided to them from whatever is donated.  Rice and lentils are the most donated items so they eat rice for breakfast also, sometimes with only salt or some sugar to flavor it.  Milk as part of their breakfast is out of question.  Even milk in tea is not affordable so tea is made only occasionally.

Hafizaan Bibi has been cooking the food for them herself on the roof.  The children sleep in the only prayer room they have.  They have walls upstairs but need a roof so the children can get sleeping quarters.  Women pray Jummah salaat on the roof  in the sun as well.  It is very hot in Pakistan several months out of the year.

This is what their needs are:

• Only Rs 250 approx $3.00 per day will provide milk once a day to each of the 21 children.  Do whatever you can even if it is a cup of milk to a child.  Assistance towards providing them with a more nutritional meal, so that vegetables, fruit and Roti (bread) can be added instead of their standard rice and lentil combination.
• Rs 350,000 approx $4120 are needed to give them a roof.  Children will have living quarters and women a place to pray. 

They lack books.  Even Takhti n Qalam Dawat (traditional wooden planks and reed pens used by dipping in ink) were only bought this month.  They did not have pen and paper to do any learning through writing, they only learned through reading.

I have too much to share, and perhaps I will on a later post.  I would like to say that Hafizaan Bibi inspires me to focus on the Ikhlaas (purity of heart and intent) and see the magic of meager resources transforming dreams into reality. 

I see her again stopping on her way to pay the fee for her eldest grand daughter, whom she is very fond of and one who is pursuing religious studies.  One whom I met while visiting their home and masjid next door. From the way this young girl talked, and what she had to say I could find no traces of being brought up in an uneducated and poor family.  She had the character and Adab that most of the ladies of the rich lack.  She gave me a gift of a book " Secrets of a pure heart".

What an achievement! Hafizaan Bibi has been the mother and father to the children.  She served her abusive husband till he passed away, her tireless efforts to raise her two children with disability like the others, so they are married and lead full lives, raised all four of them in the light of Quran and Sunnah and now I see her as an amazing grandmother who changed a generation through her emphasis on seeking knowledge in the way of Allah. And Masjid Ibrahim (with the children's faces you see in the pictures above) as her dream fulfilled which she intends to serve till she leaves this world, she says.

Flood Refugees in Lahore

This beautiful baby was born October 11th 2010, just the night before we visited this family.  Her cries could be heard by others at night in this tent when she was giving birth.  No comforts but a fabric tent made from scraps, a broken 'charpai' (reed bed) and a couple of utensils.  No running water, no medicine, not even some 'mithai' (traditional sweets) to give to others in tents around to celebrate the birth of your child.  Yet I find this young mother similing at me as I meet her.  It makes me wonder with admiration for these amazing souls. Look at what she has and look at the true 'Alhamdulillah' (thanks and praise to Allah) with a genuine smile coming from a content soul. 
Why is it that I don't have a smile like hers? Why is it that I don't have the 'Sabr and Shukr' like hers? 

I inquired, 'What did you name him?' She said 'Tu hi rakh dai' (you name him) and I could not be more honored and embarassed at the same time.  Such humble assistance from our end, and such generosity on her part! So they named him Mohammad Ismail! May Allah protect and guide him, Ameen.

The small ration of food being distributed by Lahaute Foundation was bought with donation given by a beautiful heart in Orange County, California.  When she handed me the money she probably thought the amount was small, so she made 'Dua' "May Allah increase it so it benefits many". Food Ration for 6 families was bought for Rs. 9000 (approx $100) and it should last them for 10-14 days, Alhamdulillah.

These are some of the things that I know they will need in the following cold months in winter here in Lahore:

• Blankets (Rs. 1200/each approx $15)
• Warm clothing from second hand local market (Rs. 60/each approx $1) Good woolen sweaters at this price.
• There are no public bathrooms or drinking water.  It is already cold here in Lahore, it would be wonderful for them to spend winters by renting small quarters that 2 families share. (Rs 4000/month approx $50).  Some families can join together to commit for 6 months of shelter for $300.
• Water, electricity, food expenses are also basic necessities that anyone can make a donation for as little as they can afford.

If you are interested in contributing to helping these families, you can email me Lubna@LahauteFoundation.org