By Syed Shams Uddin
The passing of one’s mother is an unfathomable sorrow, an agony that transcends the limits of expression. It is a wound that never heals, an emptiness that no earthly presence can ever fill. The departure of a beloved mother not only marks the severance of an unbreakable bond but also leaves behind a void so profound that the heart, no matter how resilient, struggles to bear its weight. It is the kind of grief that lingers indefinitely, an ever-present ache that time, despite its unrelenting march, fails to diminish.
The loss of a mother is unlike any other bereavement. While all deaths are heartbreaking, the transition of one’s mother from this ephemeral world to eternity is a loss beyond measure. It is the end of a sanctuary, the disappearance of a source of boundless love, care, and warmth that once enveloped one’s existence. The moment she departs, the shelter crumbles, leaving her children orphaned in a world that, without her presence, feels bleak and unwelcoming. The infinite blessings she bestowed upon her children vanish in an instant, and what remains is a lifetime of yearning for the solace she once provided.
There is no mourning, no lamentation, no ceaseless wailing that can ever undo this irreparable loss. No amount of remembrance can bring back the touch of her hands, the gentleness of her voice, or the love radiating from her eyes. A mother’s love is unparalleled—sacred and irreplaceable—and once she is gone, life is never the same.
The grief of a mother’s passing is compounded when it follows the loss of a father. The presence of a mother serves as a balm for the sorrow caused by a father’s absence, but when she, too, departs, it feels as though both pillars of life have crumbled, leaving one exposed to the harsh winds of fate. The world, which once seemed secure under their protective gaze, suddenly appears barren, desolate, and uncertain. It is akin to losing the very foundation upon which one’s existence was built, an experience so tormenting that it leaves one feeling utterly abandoned.
Yet, death is an undeniable reality, a certainty decreed by the Almighty. As it is written:
"Wherever you be, death will overtake you, even if you are in towers strong and lofty." (Qur'an 4:34)
"And for every people is an appointed term; so when their appointed term comes, they shall not remain behind an hour nor can they go before." (Qur'an 7:35)
Such is the decree of life—each heartbeat brings us closer to our final moment. Life and death are two inevitable events, inseparably linked. The moment we take our first breath, we begin our journey toward the last. Death is preordained, an unalterable fate that must be accepted, no matter how excruciating it may be.
My beloved mother, a woman of grace and fortitude, lived a long and fulfilling life of around 90 years. On the fateful night of January 30th, at 10:00 PM, after enduring a prolonged illness and spending twelve days on a ventilator, she breathed her last. Her passing followed years of suffering, as she remained bedridden for nearly four years, speaking less and less, until she fell into a coma two weeks before her final moment. Despite all medical efforts, she could not be revived, and her luminous presence was extinguished forever.
Her interment took place at the H-11 Graveyard, a painful farewell that left us utterly shattered. The pain of losing her is indescribable, the grief immeasurable. In these moments of sorrow, I humbly beseech my friends and loved ones to offer prayers for her departed soul. May she be granted eternal peace, and may her soul find solace in the boundless mercy of the Almighty. Ameen.
A Poetic Tribute
In this mournful hour, I find solace in the words of Wali Nagri, whose poetry captures the depth of loss, the irreparable void left by a mother’s departure:میرا آنگن تھا
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