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A TRIBUTE TO MY SON MOHAMMED AHMED H ARWO AND PARENT'S
TESTIMONY
 "Who, when afflicted with calamity say: "Truly To Allah
we belong an d truly, to Him we shall return."" [The Qur'an; Chapter 2 (Al Baqarah - The Cow) : Verse 156]
Our destiny is prearranged. I would like to share with
you my poigna nt experience of an episode of our life
that waits us all. For five days I learned more about
life journey than my entire life, the death of my son
Mohammed and the process I went through till we put him
in his last room on the world and first hereafter. It is
a tribute to dear son and a lesson to us all.
Death respects no age, no gender, and no strength. We
saw daily young dying, old surviving, strong dying and
weak surviving. We witness fragile patients that survive
on comma for decades. All these testimo ny and yet deep
in our min d we think it is the old that dies. Every one
of us will taste death at preset time by no one else but
by our creator. That time can be sooner or later by the
will of Allah.
I buried my beloved son M OHAMED yesterday, a you ng man
at the best epoch of human life, man with
en trepreneurial talent alway s thinking of building
empir es without neglecting his duty towards Allah and to
us. He needed my input wh i ch I grossly failed. I regret
utmost and it will remain a painful reminder in my life
.It was just before Ramadan when finally we agreed to
put the foundation of that empire in Hargeysa, a
business empire under his leadership and my guidance. We
were so happy so optimistic so
looking forward that I
was counting days. Alas just after Hajj he hinted he has
light health problem. He was so strong physically and
spiritually. He hid all his pain without whispering to
the ears of those close to him. None of us knew the
seriousness of his case. He endured all that pain all
alone to save us from worry. I knew him for he never let
us know anything that can worry us. Allah will be kind
to my son as he was kind to us. That is what Allah
promised and his promise is done before it is said.
On Sunday afternoon, I spent an hour with his body in
mortuary reading Quran and offering Du’a. Each time I
touched his body and see his face it was as though he
was telling me " father don't worry I am in better
hands, hands of Angels of heaven." Alhamdulilaa”
Our destiny is in Allah’s hands. I was not busy, not
sick, not occupied, and no financial prob lem, yet I
couldn’t move towards my beloved son, my only son. I
regret very much and ask myself why and why yet I know I
cannot take a step without Allah’s willing. It is hard
to ex cuse myself from this gross irresponsibility. Astaqfurulla, Allah forgive me, I know my des tiny is in
your hands.
I was so unlucky that I arrived a day late to see him
alive but Allah gave me a way to com m unicate with him. I
sensed he was listening and I promised to him to uphold
his dreams Insha Allah. I promised to him more, that I
will not share with you but ask you to help me by
offering prayer so Allah help me make it a reality.
Monday Duhur prayer I went with group of elders to pray
in a Pakistani mosque in Granget o wn where my home is
located. After prayer I was surprised to hear the imam
calling us to pray for the deceased. “Let us offer Du’as
to the deceased young man Mohamed Ahmed H assan Arwo"
tears come to my eyes. He offered the best of Du’as and
no one moved" then after Sunna prayer all came towards
me giving me a hug and offering condolences. I was
touched with their kindness and solidarity.
Tuesday morning it is washing ritual. I washed him with
my hands with the help of my close family and under the
direction of Sheekh Omar, and Salama Funeral Services. I
was delighte d to be there to see his youthful body never
changed glowing with freshness. Thank Allah he was so
clean, so neat, so stunning, no trace of anything but
shining body with nice smell. It was as though he was
bathed before us. Deep in my heart I thanked Allah for
this is a sign of Ehlu Janna. The body of the deceased
shows signs of hell or heaven. My son’s body was that of
whom Allah promised for better life in Heaven.
After washing session finished I looked at him not
scaring but rather with exhilarating ges ture and
realized how his body is gleaming and how he grew a full
dark beautiful beard. It looked trimmed and recently
combed. A beard he never had but last days of his life.
The nice smell of his body was sensational. I hold his
right hand and every part was as alive bending, not
stiff but nearly moving. . I entangled my fingers with
him and offered a special Du’a.
 Immediately family females members, lead by his mother
and sister came in. It was really testing time. Thank
Allah our worry never materialized. I never saw and
never heard a pack of women under this circumstances as
strong as they were, withholding all their feelings and
clearly stating Du’a one after another, no cry at all,
no chest beating, no hair tearing, just offering Du’as.
His mother Amal a strong Muslim with mountains of Iman
and courage of lion told him what he has to say at the
grave, when Angels question him about his beliefs and
asked Allah to forgive him for all that he has done for
her and for me. She recited Quran and Du’as. It was the
Du’as of his Aunt Hayat Omar Carte, that touched my
heart " Alhamdulilaa you are beautiful you are clean you
are so sweet, you are Ehlu Janno, all signs are here
Thank Allah” she continuously said without hesitation.
Then came the real test, the most touching. My dau ghter Najat kissed him and whispered into his ears “My brother
you were all to me. You were my brother, my protector my
guardian, you always advise me. I ask Allah to forgive
you and to reward you Jannatul Fardaws for all the good
deeds you have done and your love to us. You died young
but accomplished great, Allah loves you” The courage of
my daughter is beyond belief. I was shaking not with
fear but with admiration. Thank Allah who gave me such
strong family, thank Allah for giving me Amal as wife
and Najat as a daughter.
Then they kissed him and concluded with Du'as that we
men couldn't offer. We were standi ng motionlessly,
holding open hands towards heaven repeating Amen after
them and in wh ispering voice.
 We moved towards Al-Nur mosque for prayer. In front of
the mos que I was met by my peo ple of Cardiff. They are
my people for they all love us as family. They are not
just family but really good family, sharing with us the
hard an d the soft .My fellow Somalis and good number of
other Muslims lined up to hug me and to offer
condolences one by one. Masjidu-Nur of Butetown was
crammed downstairs and upsta irs. Women were given a
special area where they were literally compressed like
sardines in a box. After Duhur prayer Sh. Mohammed led
Jinaza prayer. Tears filled my eyes but my heart was so
cool and my mind told me my son is in the hands of his
creator and he will be in better life than his short
life here. I offered the Du’a with parental tone and in
my special words as the rest of the Jama'a did. Then
again I was attacked with love and solidarity they
offered condolences tears in their eyes and some cannot
hold their sorry and openly cried.
We took the last episode of Mohamed's life a trip to the
Ely Cemetery. The ground was cov ered with my fellow
Somalis and my fellow Muslims. Thank Allah for the
number of attenda nts. Cars filled all open spaces and
people covered all the grass in area. They came from all
over the world . From Holland, from Canada , from Saudi
Arabia, from all UK of course large number came from our
next door cities, Bristol and Newport. Many of them
cried openly. I learned nothing is better than true
friendship when I saw my son’s friends crying openly. I
learned men cry not of fear but of love and sorry.
The grave itself is located at a corner and under a
tree. A location anyone with choice would have chosen.
Allah has chosen for my son MOHAMMED.
May Allah bless his soul and make his grave a room from
heaven. May Allah bestow his mercy and reward him
Jannatul Fardaws for his loyalty to Allah and to his
parents. I pray Allah to forgive me for all I haven't
done for him. He gave me all his love while I did gave
him a little of mine. Making his parents happy and
satisfied was his utmost priority. It is painful to see
ones child die before him but I am happy for all good
deeds he have done in his short life. He never used his
hand and tongue to harm any creature . To him they were
tools to support, help and praise everyone. His heart
was so huge he never found difficulty to entertain
entire humanity with love and joy. I am proud to have
Mohamed as my son. He departed us physically but he
rests in my heart and mind for ever. He gave his entire
life to serve us, never feel tired to execute our
endless demands. He was a tower of help, mounta in of
support and river of love. Allah took my son for better
life Insha Allah. His loyalty to Allah and to us will be
rewarded with Allah's love.
 Mohamed left in this world a son Ahmed and a lov ely wife
who chang ed his life during this short per iod they were
together. She made him happy, for ward looking for better
life. I noticed all these cha nges fro m the day they get
married. My daughte r-in-law Fathiya Sh Ibrahim I pray
Allah to compe n ate your loss with better future and
happy life in this world and forgiveness and Jannatul
Fardaws hereafter.
Please do offer Du'a for him and for us.
07903744256
Ahmed Hassan Arwo
http://samotalis.blogspot.com/
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