In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Innā lillāhi wa innā ilayhī rājiʿūn. Indeed, to Allah we belong, and to Him we are returning.
It is with a heart heavy with sorrow that I reflect upon the profound words of brother Wael al-Dahdouh, who has revealed the grievous loss of his beloved mother, may Allah have mercy upon her.
Wael’s words are a critical reminder of the fleeting nature of the Dunya, and of the inevitable journey back to our Creator, as he eloquently describes,
“We say nothing but what pleases our Lord, and to Allah we belong, and to Him is our return.
“How difficult it is when worries, pains, and sorrows converge upon a person’s heart and life all at once. And even more difficult it is when among these is the pain of loss that assails us from every direction in the year of sorrow.
“Today, we have lost a gateway to Paradise and forfeited a heart that incessantly supplicated for us and for the Muslims, day and night. We have lost my beloved, my mother, Nazira, an embodiment of righteousness, faith, kindness, and compassion.
“We lost one who knew not hatred, envy, malice, or animosity, nor did gossip find its way to her tongue. We lost an angel in human form, one who spent decades enduring toil, hardship, sorrow, loss, and poverty with patience, faith, and contentment, filling her heart with every beautiful and noble meaning.
“We were denied the chance for a final farewell, a parting kiss, and the emotions of embracing her pure body due to distance and injury.” [1]
The veteran Al Jazeera reporter continues,
“She was one of Palestine’s enduring mothers, who struggled since her earliest years, persevered, stood steadfast, and raised martyrs, the wounded, and prisoners in the occupation’s prisons.
“She gave Palestine sixteen sons and daughters, eleven of whom remain, with two of the five having been martyred in the field of battle.
“May Allah have mercy on you, my mother, the solace of my soul, the balm of my heart, the tranquillity of my being, the blessing of life, and its beauty. And I pray to Allah that you are reunited with your loved ones in the Paradise of the Lord of the Worlds, your beloved Hamza, your beloved Umm Hamza, your beloved Mahmoud, your darling Sham, and all the martyrs.
“As for us, we will persevere and endure this loss and this life, with its sweetness and bitterness, by the will of Allah, His strength, His kindness, and to Allah we belong, and to Him is our return.” [1]
Let us take solace in the hope that she will be in the company of the righteous, in a place where there is no pain, no sorrow, but eternal peace and contentment.
Let us pray for her soul to be enveloped in the infinite mercy of Allah, the Most High, and for her family to be granted patience and strength during this especially difficult time.
Analysis
ANALYSIS
Wael al-Dahdouh is a well recognised and respected journalist known for his work in conflict zones, particularly in the Middle East. He has gained recognition for his in-depth coverage of significant events in Gaza, providing much-needed understanding and reporting from the ground.
In late October 2023, he experienced a devastating personal tragedy when his wife, daughter, son, and grandson were killed in a single Israeli airstrike.
And on 15 December of last year, a bomb wounded him and killed his colleague, Samer Abu Daqqa.
Despite these immense immeasurable losses, Wael al-Dahdouh has continued his work as a journalist, tirelessly reporting on the realities of life in Gaza. He is no less than a symbol of resilience and courage as he has let absolutely nothing deter him from continuing his vital work! We continue to pray for our brother Wael, his surviving family, friends, colleagues, and the broader Palestinian population in Gaza and beyond. May Allah grant all those who have lost loved ones the best recompense in this world and the Hereafter.
Source: Islam21c
Notes
Tribute to Gaza’s Wael Dahdouh: Speaking the Truth at all Cost
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqf45eWHyM4