مَبْسُوطَتَانِ
مَبْسُوطَتَان
مَبْسُوطَتَانِ
Over and over and over….that is all I could hear and see
يَدَاهُ مَبْسُوطَتَانِ يُنفِقُ كَيْفَ يَشَآءُ ۚ
He is open-handed, giving freely as He pleases (5:64)
In this week of intense grief and loss, every time I was still for even a moment…
this is all that would wash over me مَبْسُوطَتَانِ
Indeed—that is what all this is. His generosity, a manifestation of His Rahma.
That Allah should place such beautiful humans in our life.
That we would know them and love them.
That we would know, in real time, how special they are.
That we’d know how exceptional their grace, generosity and warmth are.
That these gifts were borne of beauty in character and unparalleled God-consciousness
It changes us, ya Allah, to know these people who are Your friends
To see how consistent they are in their goodness and giving
To witness how they choose to embrace Your decree
We carry our grief with gratitude ya Allah.
We still have love to give. We still have gifts to give.
We send Quran, we send salawat, we send sadaqa, we feed people, we care for people
and we send those deeds to our loved ones who have gone ahead of us, to meet You
Allah knows our hearts are broken
And He meets us there—He is with the broken-hearted
Alhamdulillah—our Rabb & our Rasool ﷺ know we need to pour this love and longing somewhere
Alhamdulillah—our Lord & His angels carry these gifts to our departed loved us
Allah knows how our chests can tighten upon separation, and He gives us, openly
مَبْسُوطَتَانِ
مَبْسُوطَتَانِ
مَبْسُوطَتَانِ
May Allah send His Mercy & Light upon our departed loved ones
here & hereafter
May He reunite us under the banner of His beloved ﷺ and enter us into the Garden
together, eternally
– Cima Dairanieh, beloved friend
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Inna Lillah Wa Inna Ilaihi Rajioon. There are no coincidences, only Allah’s beautiful plan. Alhamdulillah for His blessed plan of having Sister Saida’s path cross with mine. I was assigned to be her Tajwid recitation teacher, but in truth, she became my teacher, imparting lessons I will carry forever.
Sister Saida showed me what sincerity, grace, courage, love, patience, and gentleness wrapped in unwavering faith truly look like. As her strength declined, she could read only one aya (verse) at a time, gasping for breath after each word. On days when she felt able to read one more, she would gently raise one finger, saving her voice and energy for what mattered most to her, the Quran.
Day after day, her khitma grew one aya at a time. Her body weakened, yet her faith only grew stronger.
Her resilience and devotion were so powerful that after each session, I would sit in silence, unable to move, reflecting on her strength. I always left humbled, inspired, and deeply grateful that Allah ﷻ had connected me with her.
It’s remarkable how people we’ve never met face to face can leave such an impression on our lives. I traveled to attend her janaza and heard the beautiful stories of the groups of sisters echoing her praise of kindness and patience, a true testament of her character.
Sister Saida did not complete her khitma. But every day I continue it, on her behalf, picturing her gentle, radiant presence before me. Even after her passing, she continues to teach me. That is what true teachers do, they inspire long after their lessons end.
Alhamdulillah for Allah’s beautiful plan in sending Sister Saida to be my teacher. I have her lessons etched in my heart and I cherish them. I am a better person now because of her gentle lessons. May Allah ﷻ reunite us in al-Firdaus. May Allah ﷻ raise her ranks. May her love of the Quran be a source of comfort for her and a point of inspiration for the rest of us. Ameen.
– Anse Ragad Kanawati, Ribaat Tajwid Instructor
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I had the honor and pleasure of knowing Saida as my committed and dedicated halaqa student for many years. Despite her health struggles, she was always of the first to join each session and would show up online consistently without fail. She never missed a sadaqa opportunity either and was a forerunner in her giving and generosity. She was a woman of shukr and sabr throughout her test and taught me how to love Allah ﷻ even more. I feel fortunate to have had her in my life and will miss her greatly. I pray Allah ﷻ receives her as His close friend.
– Anse Tayyaba Syed, Halaqa Teacher
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A while back, I ordered this custom plaque for a dear student who quickly became a loving friend and a teacher to me in so many ways. This verse reads that the people who embody sabr and perseverance will have a reward that you cannot ever measure.
Saida, who this plaque was made for, has returned to her Lord. To me, her life was a living embodiment of this verse. Her commitment to her Lord was unwavering. Through treatments and surgeries one after the other, she held on harder to the Quran. When she could not even speak, she would show up on zoom calls where we recited Quran and made dua.
When my daughter Maryam was in the hospital for a month this past year, Saida found a way to keep sending Maryam gifts. The two stuffed animals pictured were gifts from Saida to Maryam. It is people of Allah ﷻ who remember those who are afflicted while they themselves are afflicted with a test of their own.
She reminded a dear friend to pray the minute the adhan came in just days ago. In her pain, she held on harder to the One she knew she was returning to.
It is one thing to witness loved ones returning to Him, and it is another beauty to witness loved ones loving returning to Him in their return to Him.
Such people may call those who taught them the Quran their teachers, but in reality they teach us not through words, but through their actual living. Saida was and always will be my teacher. May Allah ﷻ have mercy on her and make the Quran an eternal light and companion for her. Ameen.
As a Quran family, we will necessarily lose each other in this fleeting world one by one, and I pray this temporary parting is a means of ultimate perfect reunion with the One who connected us and with our Beloved ﷺ who was a means to our connection. Ameen.
إِنَّمَا یُوَفَّى ٱلصَّـٰبِرُونَ أَجۡرَهُم بِغَیۡرِ حِسَاب
“Only those who endure patiently will be given their reward without limit.” 39:10
– Ustadha Samia Mubarak, Ribaat Tajwid Instructor
Photo of plaque gifted to Anse Saida from Ustadha Samia
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Saida Abbed Ahmad was one of those rare souls whose kindness and gentleness touched everyone around her. She attended Masjid Rabata programs regularly, always with sincerity and a quiet joy, and in fact, her last program was just a day before she left this world. In the weeks before her passing, we exchanged messages, and she shared with me her awareness of having a rare and aggressive form of cancer—one with no cure. Yet, even as she faced the loss of so many physical faculties, she was at peace, fully content with whatever Allah ﷻ had decreed for her. Her heart remained in a state of gratitude, her trust in Allah ﷻ unwavering, and her acceptance of her situation a profound lesson for all of us. She leaves behind a legacy of patience, faith, and humility, showing us how to meet life—and death—with grace. May Allah ﷻ write her as a shaheed, elevate her ranks to the highest levels, and envelop her in His mercy. Ameen.
— Imam Fadiyah Mian, Masjid Rabata