He was born to a family of Rangooni traders, whose lives were split between two lands. Losing his father at age 14, he became the sole breadwinner of his father's family of many. His education ground to a halt as he sought odd jobs to make ends meet. After spending 2 decades sailing the seas, he decided to call US home, where 6 long years of solitude, prejudice, and longing awaited him.
Alas came the day he brought his own family to the States. But this too was not without its woes. A family of nine in a foreign land, without a proper education, without a community, and in ailing health - he was better off left to the vultures. But Life always knew he was a worthy opponent, even at the trickiest of its games. He tried his hardest to provide the best for his family, and left the rest up to God. He gave his children a home, education, and an identity. Eventually, his children had children, and they had children of theirs as well. He saw his children make homes in the promising land, and his children showed him the House of God in the Promised Land. Then came the day when he presented his wife the most beautiful gift a woman can ever wish for - 50 years of fidelity, friendship, and love. Overjoyed with what he had, he refused to get disheartened even when Angel Azrail sat beside his bed and whispered the hymns of death.
Often, men become legends after they die. But this man was a walking, living, breathing legend. He was born an intellectual, but fate forced it chains upon him - war, famine, poverty, rivalry, etc - all countered his ambitions and potentials. The Alchemist that he was, he turned the chains to garlands and helped others weave the same. This man left many things to his family, his city, his world. This man was known by many names and titles to many people... a lover, a brother, a son, a mentor ... and to me, a father.
May Khoda grant him Fana'a.
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