User:Mbaxhma4/Aisha Bulo

Aisha Bulo: A Memoir of Friendship and Living Islam Habibullah Aminu ________________________________________

 

Praise be to Allah Ta’ala, Ar-Rahman  Ar-Rahim, Who has said in His Noble Book:

 As to those who believe and work righteous deeds, they have, for their entertainment, the Gardens of Paradise. Wherein they shall dwell (for aye): no change will they wish for from them.

May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon the Seal of Prophets, Muhammad (), Who has said that:

 ‘Mention the good qualities of your deceased ...’ (Abu Dawud) [4882]

You will never know true happiness until you have truly loved, and you will never understand what pain really is until you have lost it. -	Anonymous

A Word on Tabyin Foundation

The Tabyin Forum is the precursor of the Tabyin Foundation. The Forum was initiated by Aisha Bulo on the 29th June 2000 with the vision of ‘making Islam a real force in the life of the community by causing that community to become clear about its own commitment’. It has the goal of ‘producing an enlightened Ummah with the vision, zeal, will power, and commitment striving to attain the good of this world and the good of the Hereafter’, and it has the mission of ‘creating an Opportunity to realize our Responsibility as Muslims within a sense of Community’ through the three-part strategy: Opportunity, Responsibility, and Community.

Instituting

We are most grateful for the innumerable blessings of Allah, Al-‘Azim Al-Mutakabbir, Al-Khaliq  Al-Badi  Who has enabled us to institute the Aisha Bulo Memorial Lecture and the Aisha Bulo Distinguished Achievement Awards. All praise belongs to Allah, Al-Hamid Al-Majeed, for whatever good is derived from them, and we seek His forgiveness for any mistakes or shortcomings.

It is with genuine humility, and in the spirit of devotion and humble submission That we turn to You, O Allah, Ya Dhal-Jalal wal-Ikram! With all our hearts, we appreciate Your grace and thank You, Ya Qawiyy Al-Matin These programmes are instituted and dedicated to Your beloved servant, Aisha Bulo Our dearest beloved and respected mother, wife, and daughter. Ya Mujib As-Shakur ! If they are worth instituting, please bless them with Your acceptance

The programmes are dedicated with deepest love and affection to our dearest beloved mother, wife and daughter. Her love, admiration, vulnerability, wisdom, and strength have inspired us to be the best we can be and to share what we have learnt together.

We beseech Allah, Al-Karim Al-Wahhab, to grant us success in what He loves and accepts and to guide us to what pleases Him the most. We pray to Allah, Al-Ghafur Al-Ghaffar, to forgive Aisha her faults, accept all her good deeds, and grant her Jannatul Firdaws.

The passing away of this remarkable devotee of Allah Ta’ala and my great, dearest, beloved, respected and devoted wife by no means meant the end of her legacy. The truth she imparted and the good she planted, may Allah, Al-Baqi’u Al-Warith  make them to continue to grow and prosper ila yaum il-Qiyamah. The foundations she helped to lay will Insha Allah yield to fruition as they are based on enduring values. Al-hamdu lillah, she has left this world Insha Allah ash-shahidatulkamilah (a perfect martyr) for she was killed unjustly, and her destiny is shown to us by the Most Merciful of those who show mercy: her soul departed from this world, destined for the highest ranks in Jannah (for Allah never renege in His promise):

  Behold! verily on the friends of Allah there is no fear, nor shall they grieve; Those who believe and (constantly) guard against evil;- For them are glad tidings, in the life of the present and in the Hereafter; no change can there be in the words of Allah. This is indeed the supreme felicity.

This memorial lecture is intended to make Aisha’s strength and struggle live on in the hearts of believers. It is also intended to be an honourable mention of her among the later generations’, by the mercy of Allah, Al-‘Aliyy Al-Kabir, in fulfilment of one of her prayers (in line with the Qur’anic dicta):

 O my Lord! Bestow wisdom on me, and join me with the righteous; Grant me honourable mention on the tongue of truth among the latest (generations); Make me one of the inheritors of the Garden of Bliss.

The institution of this Memorial Lecture is also intended to serve as a reminder that as each moment passes; we are one step closer to joining Aisha. What did our soul earn today to take into the morrow, what light did it gather to light our graves, what blessings to widen it, and what forgiveness sought to ease our stay?

• O ye who believe! Fear Allah, and let every soul look to what (provision) He has sent forth for the morrow. Yea, fear Allah. For Allah is well-acquainted with (all) that ye do.

The Aisha Bulo Distinguished Achievement Awards are instituted in a bid to recognize and respect the contributions of individuals, because people who feel that their contributions are being recognized and respected do accomplish amazing things.

If these modest efforts are successful, it is by Allah’s grace and guidance. But if it falls short of our expectations, we pray and hope that Allah will forgive our imperfections:

 Our Lord! In You only do we trust; unto You we turn in repentance; and with You rests our ultimate destination

A Memoir of Friendship and Living Islam

This is a glimpse of the life of a righteous lady who exemplified qualities of an ideal Muslimah and Muhsinah. It is a memoir of an ordinary lady who was destined to live for Eleven thousand, nine hundred and one (11,901) days on the surface of this earth. From her sensitive character in childhood grew an exemplary woman, as mother, daughter, and beloved wife.

The time spent together has afforded us the opportunity to learn a lot about the purpose and meaning of life, and this culminated in a realization which will be deeply cherished, insha Allah, both in this world and the Hereafter. I love my dearest beloved Aisha Bulo every moment of my life and remain thankful to Allah Ta’ala for the joys of sharing my life with her.

By the mercy of Allah Ta’ala (the Creator by Whose command everything that is, has come to be; and every event that happens has come to happen), Aisha’s time on earth has passed, yet her virtues remain alive and available to us to take heed of.

She is a very special person, an ordinary lady who lived an extraordinary exemplary life. Her compassionate realism and mature wisdom, balance and moderation, down-to-earth humility and dignity, kindness and firmness, strong sense of values, positive attitude, and demonstrable ability that actions are far more powerful than words, enabled her to live her life daily and wholeheartedly by the tenets of Islam. She is a Muhsinah, par excellence.

Her well-focused, self-confident leadership, can-do-attitude, taking responsibility, ability to communicate well, genuine interest and concern about people's well-being made her a star, a mentor, a leader, and a strong advocate for justice. Developing and maintaining trusting relationships and enduring friendships, creating a receptive environment for communication by putting people at ease, working hard, incredible professionalism, positive outlook, expecting the best from people, and being true to yourself: these are the principles that Aisha lived by.

Aisha is a noble lady, a partner of distinction, who shields my weaknesses and complements my inadequacies. She was constant in her support and supported me in every way she could. She was of a compassionate nature. Her beautiful manners, her gentleness and generosity, and her widespread reputation for honesty and trustworthiness, enabled us to build a happy home that radiates mutual love and respect, selflessness and sacrifice built on sound education and morals, respect for the elders and weaker members, thereby engendering a sense of caring, sharing, and social cohesion amongst the members. She nurtured, protected, warmed and cared for those in our home.

It takes a very special person to be as good as she was. She let us be ourselves even when that means putting up with our moods, habits, and silly quirks. She has been there for us when we needed to share problems, and when we needed to share laughter. We agree on so many things, but even when we didn’t, she always made an effort to see our side.

Aisha was stretched by multiple roles in her life, but never lacked the time or space to cultivate her heart and soul. She bore with firmness what came her way, trusting in the help of her Sustainer, Al-Ahad Al-Samad. She remained unfaltering in her faith, courageous in her endurance, exemplary in her independence, and courageous through her courage.

I wish to relate to you a virtuous quality of this ‘abida, who was lucky to have been mannered well by Allah Ta’ala: ‘Whenever Aisha is to give out money, she keeps searching for the cleaner notes to give out’. Never understood the wisdom while she was with us, but the moment she passed away, Allah Ta’ala, expanded my breast to realize the following ‘aya:

 ‘ ... and do not even aim at getting anything which is bad, in order that out of it ye may give away something, when ye yourselves would not receive it except with closed eyes ...’

On the 23rd of December 2004, she wrote this note to Jawwad (while he was still in the womb):

“When you do come out into this world, I pray that you realize your first and most important reason why you are here – to worship Allah and only Allah. I pray that Allah gives you the wisdom to realize that, the strength to live your purpose, the means to do it, the knowledge, blessing, guidance and ease to fulfil your purpose. Ameen”

She symbolizes the qualities of Ibadur-Rahman as described by Allah Ta’ala in Suratul Furqan:

1. They walk on the earth with humility 2. Their response to the ignorant is ‘peace’ 3. They spend their nights in worship 4. They ask for safety from Hell- Fire 5. They spend their money wisely 6. They do not make partners with Allah 7. They don’t kill without reason 8. They do not commit adultery 9. They do not witness any falsehood 10. They do not drop deaf and blind on the signs of Allah 11. They ask for the blessings of Allah with regards to their spouse, children, and ability to lead the righteous

O Allah Ta’ala! Reward her with Your promise (out of Your sheer mercy):

 Those are the ones who will be rewarded with the highest place in heaven, because of their patient constancy: therein shall they be met with salutations and peace, Dwelling therein;- how beautiful an abode and place of rest!

Aisha has been blessed by Allah, Al-Ghaniyy Al-Mughni, with sharp faculties of discernment and judgment, energy and enthusiasm to steer when the course is not straight. She remained resolute and focused on where to exert her efforts. She invested carefully in her youth by cultivating the continuum courage and mature wisdom in understanding her role among her family, community and humanity. She channeled the gifts that she has been blessed with towards worthy goals.

She played an active part in supporting the Muslim community, by actively participating in educating our children to become responsible citizens on earth and understand their khilafah (vicegerency) in their sojourn towards the Hereafter. And alhamdu lillah, we are all reaping the benefits of what she had planted and laboured for. She brought much happiness to those around her. She is remembered for her gentle, positive nature, has left a terrific amount of memories and is sadly missed.

She lived her life as though on the threshold of death, distant from the possessions of this dunya, which we will all leave behind. Her objective in the next life shaped her conduct in this life. In turn, she influenced the Ummah in which she lived and left a legacy of her principles and conduct to enrich the world. She lived every day as if it was her last and always made the best out of every situation. She exemplified the pithy ‘Work for this world as if you would live forever, and prepare for the next as though you will die the next moment.’

We beseech Allah, Al-Hakam Al-‘Adal  to grant Aisha everlasting success in the Hereafter for the honourable character she exhibited that enabled her to attain harmony in this life. Ya Hakim Al-Wadud ! Ya Barr At-Tawwab ! Grant her Your forgiveness and reward her with the ajran adhiman by accepting her as an ideal Muslimah, Mu’minah, Qanitah, Sadiqah, Sabirah, Khashi’ah, Mutasaddiqah, Sa’imah, Hafidhah, and Dhakirah.

Our dearest Ummy, Bulo, Baby Ta: we feel very lucky to have you as mother, daughter, and beloved wife. You have the knack of making even ordinary days seem special and when you were around, we found ourselves smiling more often, feeling really good inside.

Ya Ra’uf! Ya Muntaqim Al-Afuw! Ya Qabid Al-Basit! Ya Khafid Al-Rafi‘! Ya Mubdi Al-Mu’id! Ya Malik al-Mulk! Forgive Bulo for the ihsan she had shown on her parents, and bless her righteousness to her mother and her father.

Ya Wãli! Ya Muqit Al-‘Aziz! Ya Haqq Al-Wakil! Ya Muhsi Al-Hasib! Ya Mani‘ Al-Darr! Ya Rashid As-Sabur! Have mercy on Ummy for the devotion, nurturing, and love she had shown to her precious jewels: Jawwad and Haneef. Ya Rabbana! Bestow on our mother Thy mercy as she cherished us in childhood.

Ya Nãfi‘! Ya Muhyi Al-Mumit! Ya Hayy Al-Qayyum! Ya Qadeer Al-Mutaqaddir! Ya Muqaddim Al-Mu’akhkhir! Ya Awwal Al-Akhir! Reward the delight of my eyes and the darling of my heart with the hasanat of akhirah for her lifetime of commitment and devotion, for being all that she been to me and for being the best and more than a wife can be.

Ya Lateef! Ya Hafiz Al- Wajid! Ya Wahid Al-Qahhar! Ya ‘Alim Al-Haleem! Ya Malik Al-Quddus! Ya Zahir Al-Batin! Reward her with Jannatul Firdaws for being the special person she has been to each and every one of us.

Lessons: Early and Late Comers

1.	The passing away of Aisha is a time of great sorrow. We are deeply saddened, but it is with reverence and in the spirit of devotion and humble submission that we turn to Allah, Al-Salam Al-Mu’min! Al-Mu’izz Al-Mudhill! Al-Sami‘ Al-Basir!

2.	Aisha Bulo’s sudden passing away reminds us of the inevitability of death and the fleeting moment of the life of this world:   Every soul shall have a taste of death: And only on the Day of Judgment shall you be paid your full recompense. Only he who is saved far from the Fire and admitted to the Garden will have attained the object (of Life): For the life of this world is but goods and chattels of deception.

3.	May Allah, Al-Muhaymin Ash-Shahid! in His infinite mercy forgive Aisha her faults and have mercy on her soul:  Ãä¾RhÛ¯  ‘O Allah, forgive Aisha Bulo and have mercy upon her, excuse her and pardon her, and make honorable her reception. Expand her entry, and cleanse her with water, snow, and ice, and purify her of sin as a white robe is purified of filth. Exchange her home for a better home. Admit her into the Garden of Paradise, protect her from the punishment of the grave and the torment of the Fire.’

4.	May Allah, Al-Raqib Al-Khabir  enable this test to be of our own spiritual benefit as He has reminded us in the Glorious Qur’an:   Do men think that they will be left alone on saying, "We believe", and that they will not be tested? We did test those before them, and Allah will certainly know those who are true from those who are false.

•  O Allah, forgive those of us who are living and those of us who are dead, those of us who are present and those of us who are absent, our young and our old, our male and our female. O Allah, to whomsoever of us Thou givest life grant him life as a follower of Islam, and whomsoever of us Thou takest in death take him in death as a believer. O Allah, do not withhold from us the reward (of faith) and do not lead us astray after her death.

5.	From Allah we come and to Him is our return. Our Lord! Deliver us from this grief and give us the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss: 

6.	My Dear Brethren in Islam, let Aisha Bulo’s demise serve as a lesson to us all that all things return to Allah; all our hope should be in Him: and that He alone can give Life and Death. •  ‘ ... Be mindful of Allah, you will find Him before you. Get to know Allah in prosperity and He will know you in adversity. Know that what has passed you by was not going to befall you; and that what has befallen you was not going to pass you by. And know that victory comes with patience, relief with affliction, and ease with hardship’

7.	We have acquiesced to Qadr Aisha Bulo’s passing away with the recognition that whatever has happened had to happen in this particular way and could have happened in no other. Our acquiescence to Qadr implies the refusal to consider past reality as anything but an act of Allah:

  Even if you had remained in your homes, those for whom death was decreed would certainly have gone forth to the place of their death.

8.	Death is an inevitable event after the brief life on this earth, but it is also in a sense a blessing, - a release from the imperfections of this world, a close of the probationary period, after which dawn the full Reality.

9.	Ya Allah Ta’ala! We beseech You with Your most beautiful names. Ya Maajid Al-Muta’ali! Ya Ba’ith Al-Jami’! Ya Bari‘ Al-Musawwir! Ya Razzaq Al-Fattah! Ya Muqsit Al-Wasi’! Forgive Aisha and enhance her position among those who are properly guided along with anbiya’, shuhada’, siddiqeen, and saliheen in the highest place in Jannatul Firdaws.

10.	Peace be unto Aisha Bulo; and may Allah have mercy on her and the Muslims who are early-comers and us the late-comers to the Hereafter. And indeed we, insha Allah, are catching up with them soon. •

11.	On behalf of the entire family, we hereby express our heartfelt appreciation and gratitude for the outpouring of prayers and support during this most difficult time of the passing of our beloved mother, wife, daughter, and sister.

12.	Jazaakumullahu khairan kathiran for everything. May Allah Ta’ala, Al-Jabbar Al-Jalil! An-Nur Al-Hadi  protect us from underestimating our transgressions and overestimating our service. May He forgive and overlook our faults, guide us to the best of deeds and the best of morals as none can guide to the best except Him.

13.	Kindly join us in du’a for her at all times for as long as we live.

Wassalamu ‘alaykum warahmatullah.