In this reflection, I remember Haji Mohammad Zaman of Halifax, a friend, father, and family man whose passing has left a deep void in our hearts and in our community. This took me down memory lane back to my teenage years in Halifax.
I wish to convey my deep condolences to Dr Zafar Iqbal, Muzaffar, Javaid, Arshad, Amjad and Sajida, you have lost a beloved father, and I have lost a close friend. Dr Zafar Iqbal is the Vice President of the UK Faculty of Public Health.
The Echo of a Departed Soul
When someone beloved departs, it creates a silence that speaks louder than words. In our fast-moving world, we rarely pause to confront the certainty of death. But moments like this force us to look inward, to reckon with the inevitable and to find solace not in denial, but in remembrance.
At Haji Sahib’s janazah, grief poured in from all corners of the Pennines and beyond. The gathering of mourners, the quiet tears, the hands raised in du’a, all bore witness to a man whose life touched many. His soft, gentle smile – now gone – lingers in our memories like a fading light at dusk. Allah says in The Majestic Quran: “Every soul shall taste death. And only on the Day of Judgment will you be paid your full recompense. Whoever is spared from the Fire and admitted into Paradise has truly succeeded…” (Aal-e-Imran: 185).
A Life of Lasting Legacy
Haji Zaman lived a full and fruitful life, Masha’Allah. His investments weren’t in fleeting glories or worldly recognition, but in his family, friendships and community. These are the legacies that endure. His children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. The countless hearts he touched these are the living testimonies of a life well-lived. The Prophet ﷺ said: “When a person dies, all his deeds come to an end except three: a continuous charity, knowledge from which benefit is derived, or a righteous child who prays for him” (Muslim).
Indeed, those who stood in grief at his grave are the ones who will continue his legacy through their prayers and remembrance. For a believer, death is not an end; it is a homecoming. It is not a punishment, but a reunion. In the words of Imam al-Ghazali: “Death is a passage, not a punishment. It is the entrance to eternity.” Rumi so beautifully captured this moment: “This world is a dream. Only a sleeper considers it real. Death is like dawn, and you wake up laughing at what you thought was pain.”
A Sombre Time for Reflection
The funeral of a beloved is a time for collective mourning and personal reflection. It is a mirror that forces us to see our mortality, the uncertainty of our last breath, and the unspoken farewells we may leave behind. We gather at such times not only to honour the deceased, but to remind ourselves of what truly matters. Allah reminds us: “Know that the life of this world is but amusement and diversion and adornment and boasting to one another, and competition in increase of wealth and children…” (Al-Hadid: 20).
When we bury a loved one, we bury a part of ourselves, our memories, our shared joys, our losses. But what remains is love, which not even death can erase. I saw people embrace each other, pray together, shed tears, and I realised: this is the power of sincere connection. This is the ajr (reward) of living a life of meaning. Let us carry Haji Sahib’s memory (you can remember your loved one) not as a burden, but as a guiding light. His gentleness, humility, and sincerity were his true wealth. And this wealth, unlike gold or silver, does not perish with death.
A Blessed Departure
Let us end with hope. When the janazah of Sa’ad ibn Mu’adh (RA) was lifted, his mother wept loudly. The Prophet ﷺ turned to her and said: “Dear mother of Sa’ad, your tears should stop now, the Throne of the Compassionate Lord shook at the death of Sa’ad, and the gates of heaven opened for him, and seventy thousand angels attended his funeral” (Tabarani). We pray that Haji Mohammad Zaman is received in a similar honourable way. May his soul find eternal peace, and may Allah illuminate his grave, forgive his sins, and elevate his ranks among the righteous.
إِنَّا لِلّهِ وَإِنَّـا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعونَ
“We belong to Allah, and we shall return to Him” (Al-Baqarah:156).
The Islamic funeral rites are few in number, yet deeply significant. From caring for the deceased immediately after death, to the washing, shrouding, funeral prayer, and burial, each step is a meaningful act of devotion and respect. To learn more about these essential practices, explore my Kindle book, Journey to the Afterlife – available now for download.
