Miracles of ALLAH- Ya Nur…The Light

It is ALLAH’s favour upon us that He has blessed us in this life with the vision and sight of His varied forms of light. The light of the sun as it heralds with it a new day; the light of the moon that casts its glow in the opaque of darkness; the light of the twinkling stars like lanterns in the nightsky. Yet it is the vision of His Eternal Light that beckons the sight of our soul, the vision of His Splendour and Nur. As ALLAH SWT has stated in the Glorious Quran, “ALLAH is the light of the heavens and the earth…Light upon Light and ALLAH guides to His Light whomsoever He wishes (S24:V35).

As we yearn for the Eternal Vision of Light, I bid you to imagine and visualise with me that while living in this temporary world of Ad Dunya, the only discernible light your eyesight can distinguish is in fact a perception…a perception of the difference between day and night. This is the remarkable story of Haafidha ‘Aalimah Razia Ismail; An inspiring Muslimah whose eyes have never seen a single vision or sight from the realm of this life…for she was blind from birth.

It was the year 1979 and a beautiful little daughter was born to teacher Hajira Ismail and her husband Abdul Hamid. The miracle began from the very onset, that Hajira gave birth to a six month old premature baby who had actually survived. Born at Parklane Clinic, the doctors did their best to ensure her survival by placing her for a lengthy period of time in an incubator. Yet ALLAH’s Hand was already guiding the miraculous journey of Haafidha Razia’s life. “I was placed in an incubator to be kept alive and due to my prematurity there wasn’t adequate oxygen for my eyes, yet it was the kudrat of ALLAH that I was kept alive, ” begins Haafidha Razia.

“For the first few years my parents nourished and nurtured my body. I drank a lot of milk and so I grew well, Alhamdulillah. But obviously being a premature baby I was still small in size. My parents and I spent the first six years of my life in Johannesburg. I attended Tiba Services for the blind and the very kind teacher Miss Miriam Makra taught me the alphabet in braille. I was with Tiba from the age of about four years old. I could not see at all and till today I can only sense light perception. When day changes into night or how light spreads around a room or when someone stands infront of me and their shape casts a shadow.”

“My childhood was spent with many hours playing and learning and I was your typical talkative toddler. You must understand that I did not know a life of vision and adapted to being blind from birth. I recall moments of playing with my pet, a fat cat called Blacky. In any event we moved to Pietermaritzburg when I was six years old as there was no Indian school for the blind in that period of the apartheid era. I attended the New Horizons School for the blind and the maktab Madrasah Noor for the blind as well. I remained at New Horizons for ten years and completed my matric two years before time as I received two double promotions, Alhamdulillah. I completed my matric, achieving a matric exemption having attained 2As, 3Bs and a C. My subjects were English, Afrikaans, History, Business Economics, Mercentile Law and Physiology.”

Interviewing her mother, Apa Hajira, regarding her daughter’s life’s journey, she shared, “At first her father and I felt sad but realised that we had to be happy with ALLAH’s Will for us and that we needed to be happy in every condition. We accepted that this circumstance was from ALLAH. After that we would always make dua for ALLAH’s Assistance and Guidance but we knew that there was nothing to be afraid and ashamed of. And this is my advice to all parents with children with challenges and disabilities: Do not be afraid and ashamed. Carry on with normal life and make your child understand their disability.”

As to her voyage through deeni ‘ilm, Haafidha Razia conveyed, “At Madrasah Noor, I had learnt to recite the Quran in the braille mushaf, which comes from Pakistan. It was when I was in standard eight that, ‎​Alhamdulillah, my parents and I were blessed with the opportunity of performing Hajj. It was there in the haram shariefs of Makkah Mukarramah and Madinah Munawwarah as well as in the streets of these sacred cities that I was inspired by the various Quraas beautiful recitations. I had the opportunity of listening to Sheikhs Shuraim and Sudais. And I recall reading salaah in the Haram and being very much moved by Sheikh Hudhaifi”s recitation of Surah Balad in one of the salaahs. It was then that I made niyyah and decided to embark on the journey of Hifhdul Quran.”

Haafidha Razia’s inspiring lifestory doesn’t end there, ” I completed Hifdh ul Quraan in two and a half years, through braille and through listening to audio, Alhamdulillah and thereafter completed the ‘Aalimah course in seven years. After this I spent a further seven years teaching at Madrasah Noor and together with another blind student from Thailand, proofread the braille Quran as well as various Islamic studies kitaabs, fiqh, ahaadith and jurisprudence.”

Haafidha Razia concluded by sharing some motivational words with us and the driving force behind her zeal for knowledge, “The Darul ‘Ulooms have been most inspiring for me. Deen is compulsory for everybody, as Nabi SAW said, “The seeking of knowledge is compulsory on every Muslim, male and female.” As well as, “The best of you is he who learns the Quran and teaches it and the best of you is he who benefits people.” Always think of the blessings ALLAH has given you. If you have sight, use it to the best of your ability to be obedient to ALLAH. With regards to the ni’mat of sight, Nabi SAW has said to the effect, “If ALLAH takes away the two most beloved organs of the body, it will be the eyesight.” Follow the advices of your family and live as a happy family as well as learn from the examples, visions, dreams and thoughts of others, especially with regards to the Quran and deen.”

As our interview drew to a close and Haafidha Razia shared abit about her upcoming talk at the ladies qiraat jalsah once again this year, I asked her a question that overwhelmed my heart, acknowledging that her eyes have seen nothing of this world, “What do you dream to be your first sight in Jannah?” Her face lit up, with a dreamy smile hovering on her lips and she said, “Yes, I hope in Jannah to see the beauty of ALLAH’s creation, of people and of promised palaces and the sight of my beloved family.”

SubhanALLAH! Indeed it is ALLAH who is Ya Nur, the Light upon Light, Who through His miraculous methods guides to His Light whomsoever He wishes…those who have sight and those who do not… like our inspirational sister and teacher, Haafidha Razia Ismail, may ALLAH be pleased with her and her family’s efforts, ameen.

Extracted from my series “Miracles of ALLAH” in the Ramadaan 1434/ June 2013 edition of The Muslim Woman Magazine.

“Miracles of ALLAH…Al Qaweeyu: The Giver of Strength “

Like a vehicle traversing a road to a determined destination, so too are our bodies a conveyance for our souls in this journey called life. Whilst the vehicle may sometimes face a fate of challenge, test and accident, the soul continues to be most essential to us…it is our essence, our core. Encounter in this article a beautiful sister who has faced a mammoth challenge in her life-journey; a challenge that altered the vehicle of her being, yet her soul and spirit continues to soar as she endeavours and perseveres with tremendous courage and strength; proving without a doubt, through the viewing of her life, that ALLAH is Al Qaweeyu- The Giver of Strength and Courage and ‘if He brings you to it, He can bring you through it,’ SubhanALLAH!

On that evening when I was first introduced to Sister Ameena Mehtar, I found myself engulfed in a myriad of emotions: Sympathy, for this beautiful young woman whose life had turned a full three hundred and sixty degrees; Awe and wonder, for her levels of acceptance, smiling disposition and visible support system beginning with her devoted husband Rashid Akhalwaya; and intrigue, regarding her very moving and heart-wrenching story. May ALLAH reward her and her husband for their courage throughout and for their eagerness in sharing a part of their lives with us, ameen.

Rashid, begins this life-altering chapter of their lives for us, “It was the third of October 2006, when Ameena kisses me and our son goodbye, and leaves for work in the morning. At about 7:20am, she is involved in a car accident. It takes the paramedics about an hour and a half to get her from the scene of the accident to the Lenmed Clinic only two kilometres away. She is pronounced dead on arrival and the doctor even says that there is nothing they can do. I guess he underestimated the power of Allah. She is then rushed to ICU, whilst being in a coma and is placed on a ventilator. Subsequent x-rays and tests reveal that she has suffered a traumatic brain injury, which included swelling and hemorrhaging, a fractured hip as well as internal bleeding to her stomach. Her head injury was termed as a diffused axonal injury, which means that it was not specific to one area of the brain, but in-fact a few areas. She was given the lowest possible rating for any patient on the Glasgow Coma Scale which is used in head trauma / coma patients. After two weeks, she is taken off the ventilators and one eye finally opens.

During her time in ICU, she has two operations. The first is a tracheotomy, which is a hole in the wind pipe to assist with breathing and the second is a percutaneous gastroscopy, which is a hole directly into her stomach for feeding. She starts showing good signs of recovery but then on the 25th of December 2006, she develops severe aplastic anaemia as a result of an allergic reaction to the drugs Epanutin and Epillum. These are used to control the epileptic fits which is common after a head injury. She also develops a chest infection that turns into pneumonia. She is put back on a ventilator. At this stage all her bodily organs go into shock and the nurses in ICU call the family in the early morning to tell us to come immediately as they do not think that she will survive the day. I guess they too underestimated the power of Allah.

After four months at Lenmed (her bill at Lenmed was one of the highest single accounts ever at the hospital, a total of R604 000), she was transferred to Netcare Rehabilitation Hospital where she spent a further two months before coming home. She was still in a coma when she was discharged from Netcare. When she came home, she spent a further five months in a comatose state before she finally awoke. In total, my wife was in a coma for eleven months. At the end of March 2007, she was discharged and finally came home. The reality was that she now required the assistance of two full-time, live-in nurses for a further six months. On her 27th birthday, we decorate her room with flowers and balloons and even bring in a cake for her. She attempts to blow out the candles but is too weak to do that. She has to learn to do so many things that we all take for granted. In July 2007, she has another operation to close the trachy and remove a fistula that has formed on her windpipe.

It is the fourth of August 2007 and I walk into our room and I say to her, “I Love You”. She responds by saying, “I Love You Too”. I can’t believe she has responded, so I say again, “Ameena, I Love You”. She responds by saying, “I Love You More”. This was something that she used to say before her accident. However, there is no sound when she speaks. Two weeks go by before she tells us that she cannot hear anything. She has been lip-reading during this time.

Subsequent hearing tests at Lenmed Clinic and an Auditory Brainstem Response test at the Donald Gordon Medical Centre reveal that she has suffered a profound loss of hearing in both her ears. The tests reveal that she hears nothing at any decibel level. Nothing wrong with her ears, or her cochlear or the main auditory nerve. This is much deeper, at the brain stem itself. On the 22nd of November 2007, we hear some sounds when she speaks. In January 2008, she has Botox injected into her left forearm and right calf muscle to reduce the spasticity in these muscles. After the treatment, she is fitted for a hand splint from the Rose-Acres Clinic in Germiston which she wears daily and at night, and also has a special leg-brace made for her to help with standing and with eventually walking, Insha ALLAH.

For those who have read about or studied brain injury, her recovery has been nothing short of a remarkable miracle. Her injury was so severe that doctors thought that she would be confined to a wheelchair all her life. She has a point to prove and is slowly proving all the doubters wrong. Ameena has a steely determination and a will to get better. Her memory is very much intact. She exercises daily on a gym-trim or exercise bike. If she is not doing this, then it is standing or sitting with assistance to get her muscles strong again.”

As Rashid concludes in sharing the facts of Ameena’s story, Ameena commences with conveying the reality and emotions she has had to deal with, “I could not possibly tell you everything that could go wrong after a brain injury, but what I can tell you are the problems I have and face on a daily basis. For starters, I am unable to walk and spend my day in a wheelchair, but I believe I will walk again someday. I have lost my hearing and rely totally on lip-reading. For two months after my accident I used a communication board that my husband made for me. I would point out letters of the alphabet and key words so that I could communicate with everyone. Now I speak but people still don’t understand me. Not all the words come out right and I have had to learn to speak slower. That is difficult for me as all my life I used to speak fast.

I never knew what headaches were and now I get them on a daily basis. Severe headaches that feel as if my head will explode. I had to re-learn to chew my food, to swallow, sip from a straw, hold a cup, brush my teeth and to write my name. Everything I do is in slow motion. I can’t bath myself since my accident or go to the toilet on my own. My husband helps me with those things and all other aspects of my personal grooming. I am unable to pass stools on my own, and I suffer from sever constipation. Once a day, my husband has to don a latex glove and do a manual evacuation of my stool.

I am thirty-two years old and I wear napkins and my physiotherapist is teaching me how to crawl, and believe it or not, I even have difficulty doing that. I cannot do the things that I was so passionate about like cooking and baking as our kitchen is not wheelchair accessible. So now I watch while everyone has to prepare meals and see to my needs. I wish I could walk so that I can pour myself a glass of water, make myself a cup of tea and see to my son’s school lunches. Sometimes I can’t pick up the food in my plate as the pieces are too small, so my husband and son will feed me. I can’t do so many things for myself so how do I do it for my beloved son Mohammed. This is what kills me inside. The pain of not being able to do for your child is indescribable. I still try to do the best that I can do for him. Sometimes I think to myself that it is better that I have all the pain and suffering and inability and my child is healthy. I have spasticity in my left hand and right foot. My muscles are pulling constantly. I can stand holding onto something or someone, but I cannot let go or I will fall due to my balance being affected.

Sometimes, the thought of having to get up and face a new day is so daunting but I have come a long way and can’t give up now. I have eye problems too. My right eye does not close completely when I sleep, resulting in infections, red eye or dry eye conditions. I have to use eye drops during the day and anti-bacterial ointment at night. My left eye has become a lazy eye and is out of focus so I occasionally wear a patch over the right eye to give the left eye work to do. This puts a strain on the good eye and results in headaches. Since my accident, the damage to the brain has also meant that I am unable to tear naturally. I have not cried in six and a half years. Not even one single tear. Only ALLAH knows how I miss being able to do even that. Women especially feel much better after a good crying session but I don’t even have that ability.

I sometimes wonder during the day how different my life would have been. I have so much time to think as my husband goes to work, my son is at school, and parents-in-law have their own work/chores to do. I feel so alone but I know I am not alone. My Creator is with me always. People lost all hope. Some thought I would not make it but here I am telling you my story. I studied at RAU and have a BA Law degree. I had a few more subjects to complete my LLB when I had my accident and my life took a different path. My dream was to go on and become a judge. How I wish I could help my husband with all the bills. I know he has spent every cent he had on me. I see the strain on his body and the worry in his eyes.
I read a lot and try to immerse myself in books. Anything and everything. Mainly motivational books, self-help books, true stories. I have to stay positive. Thank heavens for Blackberry. This is my only means of communication during the day and I have learnt to keep in touch with family and friends via sms and bbm. I watch how others communicate and sometimes it is frustrating to see how easy it is for them and so, so difficult for me.”

Ameena so beautifully and courageously shares her concluding sentiments, “When I meet people, I put my hand out to shake theirs and they always see a big, bright smile. I have become an expert at hiding the unbearable pain I feel, physically and emotionally. Fortunately, I still have my faith in the Almighty. Insha ALLAH I will not give up or give in as I still have so much to accomplish; so many dreams to fulfill and I know and realise that so many people are counting on me to see this through. Alhamdulillah, ALLAH has given me the strength and determination to persevere and I pray that always continues to do so. He has also blessed me with a wonderful support structure. My beloved and wonderful husband Rashid, who has been with me throughout! He motivates me on a daily basis; he is absolutely amazing in every sense! May ALLAH reward him always. My dear son Mohammed, who is only nine now, yet he has been through soo much. As young as he is, he has such amazing willpower. He understands all my can’s and can’ts. My husband’s family (his parents and siblings), if it were not for their continued support and motivation,I don’t know if I would have been be able to carry on! Also my friends are a great source of inspiration to me! I may not see them often, but I keep in contact with them with via sms and bbm.”

Ameena’s story possesses such emotion that it tightly grips the heart and moves one to those silent tears that can’t help but fall as one reads on. And as the reality of Ameena’s life filters our minds and understanding, and as we observe hers and her husband’s level of strength and determination we are left in awe…of ALLAH’s Decree, Assistance and in Him being Al Qaweeyu- The Giver of Strength. May our Kind ALLAH continue ‘to bring her through it’; may the light of complete shifa continue to beckon her, providing her with a beacon of hope until she one day reaches it, soon…Insha ALLAH, ameen!

Extracted from my series “Miracles of ALLAH” in the monthly edition of The Muslim Woman

“Miracles of ALLAH…Al Muqeetu: The Controller of All Things “

We imagine and sometimes believe, that we are the navigators of our lives sailing across the ocean of our destiny. Yet we are many a time corrected by ALLAH, that our lives are navigated as according to His Will, His Decree and that He is indeed Al Muqeetu: The Controller of All Things. And when we finally place our complete trust, reliance and hope in His Capable Hands, we find that our sojourn is not as difficult as we imagined and as long as we allow ourselves to be swept with the current of His navigation, good sailors we will be

Returning to our series, Miracles of ALLAH, in which we share the miracles of ALLAH’s various qualities in real life circumstance, we recommence this month with an inspirational interview with young and vibrant Sister Sumaya Kola. A dynamic muslimah who currently awaits a heart and lung transplant. She shares her life experiences as a pulmonary hypertension patient and the realisation and acknowledgement that ALLAH is undoubtedly the Controller of All Things. We believe that her story will leave us inspired, educated and enlightened regarding the chronic illness PH as well as in awe of ALLAH’s complete control over all our affairs. Walking us through the journey and challenges that has come to be her daily life, Sister Sumaya began…

“Bismillahirahmaniraheem. Being diagnosed with Pulmonary Hypertension just over ten years ago at the age of fourteen was life changing and slightly overwhelming but with time and faith in ALLAH SWT I have managed to somehow pull through. Simple things that were previously easy for me to do and that most would refer to as normal-everyday tasks, has become somewhat difficult. There are times when I can’t walk from one room to another in our home without getting severely out of breath. Even brushing my teeth, going for a shower and getting dressed in the morning has become a challenge. Sometimes just a mere long conversation with someone over the phone can be most tiring. The feeling of being fatigued all the time and having no energy can become depressing. And there are days where you feel helpless and wish you could do more for yourself but it’s on those days you have to gather extra strength, pull yourself together and place your trust in ALLAH, that with His Help everything is somehow going to be ok.

Emotionally, when I was first diagnosed I was terrified and overwhelmed because at that time, being fourteen years old, I didn’t really know what PH entailed or what was going to happen and to make matters worse,  I was given the notion that I probably wouldn’t live to see my twentieth birthday. But Alhumdulillah by the grace and mercy of ALLAH I overcame my fears and developed the courage, hope and strength to carry on and also surpassed the life expectancy set by the doctors.
 
I have found that through my link with ALLAH SWT, learning more about PH and the support of my family, friends and doctors, accepting this illness as part of my life has become easier. I have lived the past few years of life as normal as possible. I completed school, began working at a corporate IT company and made the most of life by spending each day to the fullest. Two years ago, however, the inevitable had happened. My PH had begun to progress, it was something I dreaded but knew would happen at some point in my future; a reality that my doctors had warned me about. With the progression of the disease came the talk of a heart/lung transplant.

From thereon my condition became a little more complicated and I had to take extra precaution when doing things out of the ordinary. I started having severe dizzy spells or fainting when walking up hills or stairs; I would become fatigued doing little or no activity and would develope severe chest infections every few months. Eventually after being hospitalised twice in early 2012 I was told that I needed to make a decision about going onto the list for the heart/lung transplant. Making the decision was the most difficult step and one of the biggest tests I have ever faced. At first I experienced anxiety to the extent of losing hope. Needless to say this feeling of anxiety was the scariest feeling in the world. Alhamdulillah through the help of ALLAH and the people He put in my path, I made the decision to proceed with the transplant. It was through this period of my life that I found my true strength and had begun my journey of self-discovery.

I have learnt through all my experiences that our emotions are mostly mind over matter. I have also learnt to fully and truly put my faith in ALLAH SWT and hand my life over to Him completely. I have learnt that I am far stronger than I think I am and most of all I have learnt to never give up hope no matter how bad a situation may seem. I have come a long way since being diagnosed and being told that I needed to be listed for a transplant. I feel like all the confusion, the anger, the anxiety, the fear and the pain seems worth it because through all of this I am closer to my ALLAH SWT than I could have ever been. My life has changed in so many ways; ways I can only be grateful for and although I‘m still a tiny bit afraid, I feel like hope has replaced most of the fear and I now look forward to the day that I will be able to breathe easy and live a normal life once again.
 
Explaining to us exactly what PH entails and the reality of living it, Sister Sumaya continued, “Pulmonary Hypertension (PH) is a rare lung disorder where the blood pressure in the arteries of the lungs elevates, thereby putting pressure on the heart and reducing the amount of oxygen that should reach the tissues of the body, causing shortness of breath and exhaustion. This can significantly impact the sufferer’s ability to lead a normal life. PH often leads to heart failure and death. Pulmonary Hypertension may be a standalone condition or it may develop during or after pregnancy, due to Congenital Heart Disease/Defects, Hypothyroidism, Pulmonary Embolisms, Deep Vein Thrombosis, autoimmune disorders such as Multiple Sclerosis, Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, or an HIV infection. It can also be a result from the use of drugs such as appetite suppressants, oral contraceptives, and other illegal drugs such as Cocaine. It is frequently misdiagnosed due to its similarities to Asthma, Chronic Bronchitis, Congestive Heart Failure. Living with the condition can be extremely difficult, what would seem simple for other people is far harder for patients suffering from PH, for example walking in a mall, going for grocery shopping, having a shower, getting dressed, bending down and sometimes even eating can be exhausting.

Most patients look almost absolutely normal but are suffering invisible pain on the inside, we feel like someone who has run a mile even on a good day. People who don’t understand put us down a lot of the time telling us things like we should exercise more or we should stop stressing so much in order to feel better, not realising that exercise makes us worse and even if we didn’t stress we would still have PH. Most patients are on oxygen at least some part  of the day, depends on the severity of their PH. I am currently on oxygen 16 – 20 hours a day and there are others who use it 24/7. Young women with PH are told from the onset that pregnancy is a huge risk and should be avoided and so finding a companion who is willing to accept you, considering all this, can be difficult.
There are currently 9 FDA treatments available in the USA, UK, Canada and even places like China, Saudi Arabia and India but we in South Africa have only one of those treatments available here which many patients cannot afford..

In her concluding sentiments Sister Sumaya shared with us, wherefrom she draws her strength, “From my deen, from talking to and making du’aa to my ALLAH SWT, durood recitation and remembering the difficulties that each and every Ambiyyah went through, the greatest of which were faced by our beloved Nabi Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam. He was Allah’s most beloved yet Allah tested him greatly. I believe that Allah SWT chose me to go through this trial for a reason, and that He is in Control of my life. The reasons I might not understand right now but one day In sha ALLAH I will look back and everything will make perfect sense. A Qur’aanic ayah which has helped through many of the decisions I have made in life including the decision to be listed for the transplant is, “Then when you have taken a decision, put your trust in Allah, certainly, Allah loves those who put their trust (in Him) (42:43). I find that reading Salaah, Qur’aan and Islamic literature has played a huge part in helping me deal with my struggles. It gives me a joy, peace and contentment deep within my heart knowing that ALLAH is there, watching, guiding and helping me through each day.

One other thing I draw strength from is observing those who are going through far more than I ever will: the orphans, those who suffer poverty, those in war torn countries and the oppressed Muslims in Palestine, Syria, Burma, Afghatistan, Kashmir, Mali. I observe their steadfastness despite their adversities and my problems don’t seem that big anymore.”

We fervently hope and pray that Sumaya continues to draw strength from her greatest passion- her deen, as she awaits a heart and lung donor and that ALLAH grant her and all those who are faced with illness, a complete and perfect shifa, ameen. And May our Kind ALLAH also fulfill her wishes and aspirations for the future : in creating awareness about PH; in being a patient advocate; in inspiring and motivating others as well as assisting and striving for the cause of Palestine and Syria, ameen Ya Rabb.

As we reflect on Sister Sumaya’s challenges and life’s journey, we comprehend the importance and value of placing our trust completely in ALLAH Subhanawata’ala and in consciously recognising and acknowledging that no matter what, ultimately He is Al Muqeetu- The One Who Controls all things.

Extracted from my series “Miracles of ALLAH” in the monthly edition of The Muslim Woman …In memory of the late sumaya kola…