ILHAM FOR THE DAY

BISMILLAAHIR RAHMAANIR RAHEEM
ASSALAMU'ALAIKUM WA RAHMATULLAHI WA BARAKATUHU DEAR ILHAM FRIENDS,

Today is a very meloncholy day for me and for my entire family. In fact the entire weekend was quite heavy with grave memories of my beloved brother, Junaid.
He left us 21 years ago. The horrible accident happened on April 3rd, 1989. He finally passed away on April 5th. Those few days were the worst for us. Junaid was slowly creeping away towards His Owner, while Naved (his twin brother) was accepting his dire situation, also at Vanderbilt ICU.
I distinctly recall that fateful evening of April 4th, 1989. We received a call from the ICU that Junaid was deteriorating, and that we should be all at his side. The rest of the family rushed to the hospital on that bright Spring day. I remember thinking that Spring will never be the same for us, ever. No less that fifty people were gathered at the hospital. Few people were allowed to see Junaid at the ICU. I was totally numb and was moving as if I was a zombie. I prayed at his bedside and touched his feet. His upper body was violated with tubes. He seemed more like himself at my vantage point. I prayed and whispered softly to him that we would meet again on the Day of Judgement, InshaAllah. THat was the last time I had seen Junaid. The ventilator was pulled the next day since no brain acitivity remained. Our family had changed forever.
Abba and Amma seemed okay this evening. Even after all these years they tear easily at the mention of his name. They greive more in isolation now. They seem mellow especially at family gatherings. Perhaps they wonder what would Junaid's wife and children look like or how they would enhance their already existing extended family. They hide their sorrow in a dignified manner as they walk the steep path of life. May Allah azza wajal grant Junaid and my parents the Jannat - al- Firdous. " RABBIR HAMHUMA KAMA RABBAYANI SAGHIRA."
" O MY RABB, TAKE CARE OF THEM AS THEY TOOK CARE OF ME WHEN I WAS LITTLE."
Whoever is reading this, please make du'a for Junaid and for our family.
Ma'Salamah,
Tasneem Ahmed