Got a call from my cousin last night informing me that my late eldest sister's husband has passed on. An hour later, my niece called to inform me of her father's death.
Early this morning I took the LRT to Ampang where a friend staying in the area going to work in downtown KL picked and sent me to my brother-in-law's house in Maluri. There were already many friends and other relatives at the house when I arrived.
After giving my condolences and greetings to those I knew, I immediately sat by my brother-in-law's body and read the Surah Yassin from the small kitab my late father gave me. It was all that could be offered to the deceased.
I didn't go to the cemetery with the others to hear the rituals of the final farewells. It was enough I suppose, to have said it with sincerity and privately with my own offers of prayers after reading the Surah Yassin.
After the mandatory ablution and covering of the body and performing the final prayers for the deceased, they carried him into the hearse. I said my farewells to him as I stood behind the pall-bearers.
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Fear no more the heat o' the sun,
Nor the furious winter's rages;
Thou thy worldly task hast done,
Home art done, and ta'en thy wages:
Golden lads and girls all must,
As chimney-sweepers, come to dust.
Fear no more the frown o' the great;
Thou art past the tyrant's stroke;
Care no more to clothe and eat;
To thee the reed is as the oak:
The Sceptre, Learning, Physic, must
All follow this, and come to dust.
Fear no more the lightning-flash,
Nor the'all-dreaded thunder-stone;
Fear not slander, censure rash;
Thou hast finished joy and moan:
All lovers young, all lovers must
Consign to thee, and come to dust.
No exorciser harm thee!
Nor no witchcraft charm thee!
Ghost unlaid forbear thee!
Nothing ill come near thee!
Quiet consummation have,
And renownèd by thy grave!
It was a poem I remembered since schooldays. And I thought it was befitting to think life is a journey full of challenges. All the worldly cares and tribulations make way for something else when we pass on...
Once again, al-fatihah to the family.
Till the next posting~~!!!
