Sadaqah Jariyah in memory of Rijia Bibi

"When the human being dies, his deeds end except for three: ongoing charity, beneficial knowledge, or a righteous child who prays for him.”

 

On 8th January 2022, our beloved mother at age 53 sadly lost her battle with cancer and returned to our Creator.

 

Her cancer was initially discovered when we found a small cyst in the back of her mouth. This grew rapidly and caused swelling in her mouth and cheek. We were slightly concerned over this so we booked an appointment at the dentist to have it checked to rule out anything serious. She was immediately referred to the hospital to have it tested for cancer. After numerous appointments, scans and a biopsy, on 13th August 2021 our mother was diagnosed with mouth cancer. She took the news as a blessing and said “Alhamdulillah, it is all Allah’s will.” 

 

We were informed by medical professionals that her cancer was localised and she had to undergo surgery to have it removed. The surgery was a complex and intense 13 hour procedure where the cancer was cut out and her skin was grafted from other parts of her body. On 31st August 2021 the surgery was performed and Alhumdullilah it was a success. Our mother had a long and difficult recovery ahead of her, but we were hopeful she was going to fight this.

 

After undergoing six weeks of intense radiotherapy, by the grace of Allah, our mother fought this horrible disease and was finally cancer free. It was an emotional and tough journey but she persevered and her strength and faith in Allah got her through it. As her children, we saw the struggles she went through but not once did she complain nor did she give up. It was heartbreaking to watch her attempt basic tasks that she could do before without any difficulty. 

 

During the end of her radiotherapy she developed a cyst like lump under her chin, which was not of concern at the time. The doctors anticipated that it might be an infection and some tests were run to confirm this. After many appointments and another biopsy, on 24th December 2021 we received the devastating news which turned our worlds upside down. The cancer had spread. 

 

It was the news we prayed we would never have to hear, but we were confident she would fight just like she did the first time. However this time it was different and we were not ready for what was to come. Her cancer had spread rapidly and it was more aggressive than before. We were hoping chemotherapy would be the best course of treatment, but this time she did not even get a chance to fight. She was not offered any treatment and was put on palliative care for end of life of patients. This is the service that is provided to terminally-ill patients and their families to make their remaining days as comfortable as possible. 

She was given weeks to live. Our hearts were shattered and we were completely broken.

 

The days following this news were the most heartbreaking and hardest days we have ever endured. Our mother deteriorated day by day, unable to eat or drink as the cancer was now in her throat. She was bedridden and completely dependent upon us. She was suffering and there was nothing we could do to help her. All we could do was pray and hope for a miracle. 

 

On 8th January 2022 at 6:58am, our mother took her last breath and returned to her Lord. She passed away peacefully with all her family around her. 

 

She was a pure and selfless soul who had nothing to give but love. She touched the hearts of all those who knew her and will always be remembered for being a kind-hearted person. We will forever miss her laugh, her knowledge and endless duas.

 

Sadly, she left behind a loving husband of 35 years and six beautiful children. Our lives will never be the same and there will always be a void in our hearts.

With that said, in order to honour her and continue to increase her deeds, we have pledged to build a Masjid as Sadaqah Jariyah in her name. 

 

During the pandemic, my parents were approached with the opportunity to build a Masjid for the residents of a village in Bangladesh.  At the time, my father postponed this due to COVID restrictions. My mother expressed her intentions of seeing this project through once the pandemic had eased. As stated in Holy Quran, “whoever builds a mosque for the sake of Allah, may He be glorified and exalted. Allah will build something like it for Him in Paradise.” Given the endless rewards she could reap, we are determined to make her dream a reality. By the will of Allah and your help we can achieve this.

 

We pray our mother’s rewards increase in the afterlife and there is no better way to do it than by way of Sadaqah. We ask you all to kindly donate as little or as much as you can and to keep our family in your duas. 

 

May Allah reward our efforts and grant our beloved mother Jannatul Firdous. Ameen.

 

*Please note this is Sadaqah Jariyah and NOT Zakat.*