Tariq Nelson

I attended Madeeha Faryad’s funeral today which had a lot of people in attendance including non-Muslims. I never met her, but everything I heard about her and her family was very good. A sister sent her account of a visit to to Madeeha. She must have been an amazing human being, masha Allah

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This past Saturday I visited with Madeeha Faryad. She is a 20 year old Muslimah at the end –stage of heart failure. She is currently in desperate need of a heart transplant. I had first learned about her story while visiting her local Masjid, the Mustafa Center located in Annandale, Virginia.

I was covering their Jumuah Khutbah for Bridges TV when the Imam began to speak of Madeeha’s desperate need for help. At that moment I thought about myself and how I have been taking my own health for granted. As I struggle with getting my health in order, which for me means simply getting back into a regular exercise routine and adopting that vegetarian lifestyle I once knew some years ago. I needed to reflect.

Although Madeeha was born with her condition, I thought about the possibilities of how one day I could end up in her shoes if I did not make a serious immediate change.  I could not help but to hope and pray that somehow she would be of some inspiration to me, as I had hoped I could be to her.  My two daughters - Khadijah 6 and Najwah 4 - and I were welcomed by Madeeha’s sweet mother at the front door of their cozy Annandale home.

I had known about their constant travels to and from the hospital, so I was very thankful that they were in fact home. To my surprise her mom began calling to Madeeha as if she was telling her to come to us in the living room. I thought to myself how Madeeha probably should not be walking to us and we should definitely make our way to her bedroom for her convenience. I was relieved to learn that I was mistaken and that her mother was only announcing our entrance to Madeeha.  

Unexpectedly, I saw Madeeha in bed looking more vibrant and full of smiles then I had honestly imagined. She lay possibly on the brink of death and yet patiently tried to rest and relax as she watched some Indie movies. I shook her limber and pale hand and then asked what she had been into, how she was spending her time. I commented on how nice it must be and how fortunate she is to have her mother right at her side to take care of her. Not to mention she also had the support of her entire family, plus people from all over the world. She agreed and we joked and laughed about her dream to soon have her mom serve her pizza and all the foods she could no longer eat.  Then without complaining she began to share with me what her typical days are like. She said she really could not get up to walk. Then she described the bruises all over body that were still very sore from all the needles she had in her while in the hospital.

Madeeha then spoke of having to take so much medicine which made her drowsy and how she often needed oxygen. As I listened I knew that was her way of letting me know she can not do much other than lay in bed and be patient and try to keep her self entertained. 

I asked if she’d been making dua and reading Qur’an as we would assume a Muslim in her challenging state would be doing. She replied with a sincere nod and a courageous smile which at that very moment managed to reveal the sad twinkle deep in her eyes. I had to tell her that even I needed to be reading more, so much more Qur’an myself. For a second there was a brush of silence that filled the air. I was just thinking how I wanted to keep her smiling and I nearly choked trying to fight back my own tears.  I continued to advise her to remain patient and to cling to Allah and turn to Him even more for his mercy and aid. Madeeha smiled with a yes and shared her favorite duas which she continues to make daily. She spoke of how reciting the duas often brought days of ease for her.  She said how she kept asking Allah to fix her heart and bless her with good health. Madeeha let it be known that her main fear was having the surgery. She said she prays she won’t have to go through with it if Allah sends a miracle her way. I made dua for Madeeha and then realized that it was time to go. 

I knew that there was no way I could grasp her feelings, her worries, her pain, even her joy which still seemed to still shine. I glanced over at my girls gazing in an innocent curiosity and shyness as they observed Madeeha and our conversation. They were somewhat clueless of the seriousness of the moment. Happily they munched on M & M Chocolate Chip cookies which filled the small, floral china and sipped on orange juice. A nice treat that Madeeha’s mother had so kindly prepared for us as we visited. I thought about how I wanted my girls to not only benefit from the rewards of visiting the one inflicted with an illness. It is said that the two things mankind is most ungrateful for is indeed spare time and good health. For myself and for my girls I wanted us to witness and be encouraged to the reality of just how we all must try our best not to take our good health and time on Earth for granted. Our visit was a good reminder to be thankful for the many blessings from Allah.

Insha’Allah our visit with Sis Madeeha will be a memory in our minds for years to come and that memory will help strengthen each of us in our obedience and gratefulness to Allah subhanahu’wa ta’ala.

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Madeeha was only 21 when she passed away - May Allah have mercy upon her