Condolences to Wael al-Dahdouh on his mother’s passing

May Allah have mercy upon Shaykha Nazira, the beloved mother of Al Jazeera's brave bureau chief in Gaza City

By Shaykh Dr. Haitham al-Haddad Zishan Khan 21 Hij 45 ◦︎ 27 Jun 24

The veteran journalist Wael al-Dahdouh is consoled after the loss of his wife, 15-year-old son, and 7-year-old daughter owing to an Israeli airstrike on 28 October 2023. The fearless reporter has now lost much of his immediate family, after the devastating death of his beloved mother. Editorial credit: Anadolu Agency

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

Zishan Khan

Managing Director

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

[1] https://x.com/waeldahdouh/status/1754437712742957125

TAGGED: CONDOLENCES, ISRAEL, JOURNALISM, JOURNALISTS, PALESTINE, PALESTINIAN, PALESTINIAN RIGHTS, PALESTINIANS, REPORTING, ZIONIST STATE

Shaykh Dr. Haitham al-Haddad Zishan Khan 21 Hij 45 ◦︎ 27 Jun 24 25 Raj 45 ◦︎ 6 Feb 24

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By Shaykh Dr. Haitham al-Haddad

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Shaykh Dr. Haitham al-Haddad is a jurist who seeks to contextualise classical Islamic knowledge for the modern era. He is a firm believer that Islam is uniquely qualified — more than any other system — to build a divine civilisation capable of helping humanity to enjoy a better life in all spheres by maintaining the correct balance between the rights of the Creator and the rights of the creation. He believes Islam is the only viable alternative to the failing unjust and oppressive contemporary world systems, as Allah says: "You are the best nation produced [as an example] for mankind: you enjoin what is right, forbid what is wrong, and believe in Allah." (al-Qur'ān, 3:110) According to this verse, Shaykh Haitham identifies the pillars of Islamic reform as īmān (faith), unity of the Ummah, impactful action, and knowledge. Drawing from his expertise in Islamic principles — Usūl al-Fiqh, Maqāsid al-Sharī‘ah, ‘Aqīdah, and other Islamic sciences — he promotes these foundational pillars to guide the Ummah’s revival. He is known for developing advanced theories that explore the role of Islamic jurisprudence in obtaining solutions for the contemporary challenges facing humanity, and he critically re-evaluates how Islamic legal rulings (fatāwa) can be formulated in light of modern sociopolitical realities. Shaykh Dr. Haitham al-Haddad earned his PhD from SOAS, University of London, with a doctoral thesis on Islamic jurisprudence concerning Muslim minorities. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in Sharī‘ah and Law from the University of Omdurman, Sudan, and a degree in engineering from the renowned King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM) in Saudi Arabia. He has undertaken intensive studies in management, becoming a certified ISO 9000 auditor. In addition, he has studied various Islamic sciences under leading scholars of the Muslim world, including the former Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia, Shaykh ‘Abdul-‘Aziz ibn Baz, among many others. He has obtained many classical ijāzāt in various Islamic sciences, including Qur'ān and Hadīth. Shaykh Haitham has served as an Islamic judge for several UK-based arbitration and legal bodies for over 20 years; he is a judge at Islamic Council. He has delivered hundreds of courses on topics such as Fiqh, ‘Aqīdah, Usūl al-Fiqh, Maqāsid al-Sharī‘ah, Tafsīr, Sīrah, Islamic Thought, Islamic Leadership and Management, Da'wah, Reform, and Political Engagement. Shaykh Haitham has also submitted many academic papers in many universities around the world. He is frequently consulted by numerous Islamic organisations across Europe and beyond, and serves as a senior scholar at Islam21c. Shaykh Haitham has lectured in various universities around the Muslim world, provided counsel to Islamic institutions, authored several books and textbooks for different institutions, and travelled extensively to advocate for the reform and unity of the Ummah.

By Zishan Khan

Zishan is the Managing Director at Islam21c. Formerly the Technology Manager at the organisation, he has an extensive background in the IT sector, having completed a degree in Computer Science at the University of Manchester. Zishan later pursued a BA-level Higher Licence in Islamic Law at the European Institute of Human Sciences. He has subsequently authored dissertations, essays, and articles in Arabic and English, that pertain to various Islamic Sciences, specialising in the nature of faith and action. He occasionally delivers talks and sermons at the Northwich Muslim Cultural Centre.