Skip to main content
Her Heavenly Abode... A Letter to A Friend Far Away

Pervisha Khan

Jul 1, 2012

Sometimes, to say goodbye to someone you love is quite impossible. It is easier to say "see u later" instead. But at a certain time in your life, there comes a moment when you have to face it. You have to let go of someone you dearly loved your whole life. No matter how hard you pray, the wise men know there is simply no trade on death with God, for every soul shall have the taste of His decree. Such a bitter loss my friend, that has its shooting pain. I can only imagine as my time is yet to come, how painful it might have been for my friend, I can do nothing but only imagine...

If life is a book of colorful pages, I cherish each color I shared with you. Colors of laughter, love and joy, emotions I can never pen down. Such were the 20 young pages of my life, with 85 of yours. Your companionship was indeed incomparable to any other object of the world. But holy wisdom lays in a calm surrender my friend; life is in fact no more than a brief existence, and we are sole travelers. It's neither ours to give nor ours to take. Like a shell imprisoning the pearl. This body is a prison for the soul that demands to fly away one day, without any khalil, close friends, up onto the final abode, where He has blessed the Prophets, the foremost believers, martyrs and the righteous ones. So today is a plain deal my friend, conditioned by death and remorse, tomorrow all the spirited ones leave the world at a constant loss.

Indeed sometimes to say goodbye to someone you love is quite impossible.

I know memories tend to fade away but they say the heart retains its scars longer than any other part of the body. Along with the pleasant memories I hold in my heart, there are some regrets too that make me ache but make me love you more and more with each passing moon. Surely, I stand firm because of Him whose love is greater than our disappointments. It's not easy my friend, but it's His decree. I hear, I obey, and I surrender. So does every man.

You have gone away my friend. Your soul is free. But you're still alive in my heart. I like to go back in time and remember old days, our offering Jumu'ah, Friday, prayer together in your favorite mosque, that white dress of yours and your beautiful embroidery veil, a veil that sheltered me once from the sunrays, on our return to home; your old kind eyes full of wisdom and your face gentle and calm. The times you used to sit by my side whenever I was sick and pray with tears in your tender eyes. I still dream of your hands my friend, when I think of you, so soft like silk caressing my teary face.

Indeed sometimes to say goodbye to someone you love is quite impossible.

They say I am your reflection my friend, what a lie they tell. How could I possibly be as pious as you? You were the height of righteousness while I... Oh! How badly I wish, if I could turn back time and end my grief. How badly I desire to right the wrongs of yesterday, bring you back and sit next to you again. But Alas! Life is momentary and uncertain my friend, death is its part.

As patience is retained by the desert without rain, I shall have patience and remember you as my friend, O my beloved Nano . I shall pass your love to my children's children. I shall walk in your footsteps and keep you alive in my heart. As time goes by, my memories will fade away but I shall always remember the one who caressed me and took my worries away. You and I belong to different worlds now but death is only a pause in this momentary life, a new life awaits. So when He will shower His rain upon me I shall meet you again. Until then I pray thee peace, my friend, whenever I kneel before Him in my prayer. I'll grow older and older with each fleeting moment and memories will grow fainter so they say, but as long as my mortal heart will beat, I'll keep in heart the day the angel of death took you to your heavenly abode, an unseen place...

Indeed sometimes to say good bye to someone you love is quite impossible.

But ...We All belong to God my friend, and to Him we shall return!

May God rest your soul in peace, my beloved Nana! I miss you. But One day, if God wills, we'll surely meet. They ask me over and over again Nano, why life does everything in its power to return to death? I say hush, silent...believe and pray. Death in itself is a desire to live young, forever and ever again!

"God is He to Whom belongs the sovereignty of the heavens and the earth. He gives life and causes to die. And you have, apart from God, neither a guardian (who will protect you and to whom you can entrust your affairs) nor a helper." (Tawbah, 9:116)

Pervisha Khan is a student of B.S. Hons. Mass Communication at Lahore College for Women University, Pakistan.