From SARA, daughter of Wazir and the late Salma Ishrat (Kabir) Husain, in Akron, Ohio
AMMA passed away at 12:01 am on Wednesday May 13th, 2009. She was surrounded by her family, so it was very peaceful for her. I don’t know what else to write except there is a Tagore poem that I like very much and I read it at an open night at my college last week, dedicating it to my mother, as follows:
Peace, my heart, let the time for the parting be sweet.
Let it not be a death but completeness.
Let love melt into memory and pain into songs.
Let the flight through the sky end in the folding of the wings over the nest.
Let the last touch of your hands be gentle like the flower of the night.
Stand still, O Beautiful End, for a moment, and say your last words in silence.
I bow to you and hold up my lamp to light you on your way.
WAZIR, lovingly called Babar, has been so kind and thoughtful in keeping close relations and friends of his wife, Salma, informed about the state of Salma’s health throughout the period of her gallant fight against cancer.
On Thursday April, he wrote: I apologize that I could not update you on the deterioration of Salma’s health over the last few months, nor could I return your phone calls as I was extremely busy with her. Unfortunately she is now too weak for any curative treatment and is now under palliative care. She has been in and out of hospital three times since the beginning of March and is still in the hospital. She will be discharged from the hospital tomorrow (Friday, May 1). Although she never complains, as you all know, she is going through extreme sufferings from various complications stemming from her returned and metastasized cancer. Please pray that she suffers less.
Two days prior to this he sent the following email to local (and near-local) friends and relatives:
Salma and I were married on August 31, 1979. We originally had planned to celebrate our 30th anniversary during the last weekend of August this year. But due to Salma’s physical condition now we have decided to celebrate it on Saturday, May 2, at 11 a.m. at a Chinese restaurant in Akron called Royal Buffet and Grill. We invite you and your family to come and join us in the celebration.
Please check your email before you leave home on May 2. In case Salma does not feel strong enough to go to the restaurant, we may have to cancel the program. Chances are very high that she will be able to make it. She feels better at the prospect of meeting her family, friends and well-wishers. At the Bengali New Year’s Day party she felt much better than she was feeling at home immediately before going to the party. I think chances are close to 100 per cent that she will be able to make it. Let us all pray that she does. If you do not get a cancellation email from me, please assume that the program is on and that Salma and I will be waiting for you at the restaurant.
The Royal Buffet is located across the street from Chapel Hill Mall between Dick’s and old Value City Dept stores. The address is 1930 Buchholzer Blvd. Akron, OH 44310. The Buffet has a wide choice of foods including a Salad Bar and some sea foods. We are looking forward to seeing you there.
Please do NOT bring any gifts. Gifts will add to my work and stress which I can’t afford right now as you can understand. Your presence and participation in the celebration will be the best gift for us at this time.
And please don’t feel pity or sad for Salma. Come smiling. Your smiles will boost her spirit.
By the grace of God, the Anniversary Party was a thumping success as Wazir wrote on Wednesday 6th May:
About 200 people attended the anniversary party that started at 11 a.m. and ended at 4:30 p.m. The restaurant people were very gracious and the owner himself supervised the event. They gladly kept the restaurant open for one more hour after their usual closing time (3:30).
Instead of discharging Salma on Friday as previously scheduled the doctors kept her in the hospital until Saturday to make sure that she could celebrate the anniversary. They also reserved a family lounge for us to have a smaller party right in the hospital in case she was unable to go to the restaurant.
At the party Salma got a boost from people’s sincere love and affection. When we cut the big and beautiful cake (a gift from friends) there were so many photographers and camera flashes that it felt like President Obama’s press conference!
Nasreen Apa (Salma’s sister) arrived in Akron Friday night and met Salma at the hospital Saturday morning. Her presence meant a lot to Salma. From the party Salma came home and has been doing considerably better.
SALMA passed away in Akron, Ohio, on Wednesday 13th May 2009. May her soul rest in eternal heavenly peace in the company of those whom He loves most. We extend our heartfelt condolences to Wazir, his children Sara, Junaid, Zaigham and Tymoor; Nasreen Kabir, her sister, and all their near and dear ones. May God grant them the courage and patience to bear this irreparable loss, and accept His will with faith and fortitude.
“To Allah we belong, and to Him will be our return!”
[DNF Mgmt: We are saddened by this tragic loss. Mrs. Salma Husain wrote to us quite frequently. She will be missed. Inna-Lillahi Wa Inna Ilaihi Rajeoon]
Mrs. Naila Shaukat (daughter of Syed Khwaja Sharfuddin) writes from Sweden:
Hi,
Syeda Nazia (daughter of Syed Modassar Hossain & joined her husband Khwaja Osman Ahmed in Totonto as a permanent resident of Canada on May 2nd.
