Eternal Light

The-One-Man-Janazah September 1, 2009

I don’t know how to begin this post except to just jump right into the story.

Dr.Imad Hasan is a Sudanese Muslim psychiatrist that lives and works in London, England.   He is also active in Daw’ah-and doesn’t take pride in that but rather considers it every Muslim’s duty….A couple years ago, Dr.Imad  published an interesting research “paper” (a 400 page BOOK) titled “Cattle’s Ears”.  The subject of the book isn’t my point of interest right now.

But who the book is dedicated to, and the story of that dedication (found in the introduction) is…well…subhanAllah…

***

The Story:

Dr. Imad met Terence Sidney Casey, a 62 year old priest, through his work- the priest needed some quick, medical advice.  The quick encounter became a friendship-as they exchanged ideas, thoughts and beliefs.  The priest admitted to Dr.Imad that in his 41 years of work, he never once taught the idea of the “Trinity”–simply because he didn’t believe in it.  Terence also admitted that he was “haneef” upon the religion of Abraham.

They exchanged books.  Dr. Imad presented Terence with a book about the signs of the prophethood of Mohammad (salla allahu allayhe wa salam) from earlier holy books.  Terence gave Dr.Imad a Bible with both Arabic and English-with a special request….
Terence had suspicions that the holy books had been tampered with and changed.
“I’ve always hoped I would meet an Arab who could share their point of view…to tell me if the translation of the book has been manipulated in some parts…”

And they continued their discussions or religion and prophets…and the whole time Terence agreed with everything Islam had to offer….Over the next two months Dr. Imad and Terence’s friendship grew stronger-it was definitley a friendship to last for years to come!!

Except–Terence was diagnosed with cancer.

With only four months to live.

The day that the pair met to discuss their books was one filled with tension…

Dr.Imad: “After what you read, what is your stance on the Prophet Mohammad?”

And Terence was silent for what seemed like an eternity…especially as the cancer had now spread through his body, leaving it fragile and weak.  His days were drawing to an end…there wasn’t much time left.

Terence: “Truthfully brother I’ve been searching my entire life for the final Prophet, and I’ve found him  now on my deathbed!”

Dr.Imad then shared with Terence the ayahs from the Quran:

“…..and you will certainly find the nearest in friendship to those who believe are those who say: ‘ We are Christians.’ That is because there are among them priests and monks and because they do not behave proudly. And when they hear what has been sent down to the Messenger, you see their eyes overflowing with tears because of what they recognize of the Truth. They say: ‘ Our Lord! we believe, so write us down with the witnesses (of truth).  And what (reason) have we that we should not believe in Allah and in the truth that has come to us, while we long for our Lord should cause us to enter Heaven with the righteous ones.’ So Allah has rewarded them for what they said ِ  Gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein shall they abide forever, and that is the reward of the doers of good.”           (AlMaidah 82-85)

And by Allah, the priest’s eyes overflowed with tears from what he learned from the Truth!
And guess what Terence said??  “And what reason do I have not to believe in Allah with what has come to me from the truth, and long that my Lord allows me to enter Heaven with righteous ones!”

Only weeks later, Terence died and left this world.  And the tears did not leave Dr.Imad’s eyes…  Terence had left without praying one prayer or fasting one day, but he left with true Iman and belief…..In his will, Terence surprised his family with his reversion to Islam.  The family thus had nobody to pray ‘janazah’ over him-for he was a Muslim! And so they asked the only Muslim they knew, Dr.Imad, to pray over him.  And so, in a small village in West London, Dr.Imad prayed a One-Man-Janazah over Terence, with over 300 people witnessing.  Terence left the book that Dr.Imad had given him and wrote on it: “To my brother and friend Imad, I ask the lord of Ibrahim to bless you and aid you in your work, and to increase your knowledge, and inspire you to write a book that will benefit all people.”

And that is the story of The-One-Man-Janazah.

Let’s-Apply-Together:

• I was hoping to take “A closer look” at the verses…but this post is getting long. But PLEASE go back to the verses in Arabic with the tafseer…They are beautiful subhanAllah! Please feel free to share your reflections or findings on them!
• Daw’ah can come in the most unexpected places, and with the most unexpected people-so never belittle an action or word.
• Death also happens to come in the most unexpected times and situations, I ask Allah to grant me and you a blessed ending upon Tawheed…