It is with the deepest regret and sadness to advise that my Prince, my life partner, the love of my life, Abdullah, passed away in the early hours on 08 February in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Noone fought harder than him in his battle against a very aggressive leukemia. However I now know where he is, Who he is with, and that he is no longer in pain.
He was one of the most compassionate, honorable, respectful and kind individuals one could ever hope to meet. He is very much loved and grieved by many. As I always told him throughout our marriage, I could never have enough time with him.
This was OUR Song which we always dedicated to each other…..
“Wind Beneath My Wings”
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh.
It must have been cold there in my shadow,
to never have sunlight on your face.
You were content to let me shine, that’s your way.
You always walked a step behind.
So I was the one with all the glory,
while you were the one with all the strength.
A beautiful face without a name for so long.
A beautiful smile to hide the pain.
Did you ever know that you’re my hero,
and everything I would like to be?
I can fly higher than an eagle,
’cause you are the wind beneath my wings.
It might have appeared to go unnoticed,
but I’ve got it all here in my heart.
I want you to know I know the truth, of course I know it.
I would be nothing without you.
Did you ever know that you’re my hero?
You’re everything I wish I could be.
I could fly higher than an eagle,
’cause you are the wind beneath my wings.
Did I ever tell you you’re my hero?
You’re everything, everything I wish I could be.
Oh, and I, I could fly higher than an eagle,
’cause you are the wind beneath my wings,
’cause you are the wind beneath my wings.
Oh, the wind beneath my wings.
You, you, you, you are the wind beneath my wings.
Fly, fly, fly away. You let me fly so high.
Oh, you, you, you, the wind beneath my wings.
Oh, you, you, you, the wind beneath my wings.
Fly, fly, fly high against the sky,
so high I almost touch the sky.
Thank you, thank you,
thank God for you, the wind beneath my wings.
Here is Bette Midler performing this beautiful song:
NB: Automatic posts will be uploaded to the blog but I will not be available over the next several days. And at the moment for those who do have my number, I am not ready for taking any calls yet.
Filed under: Health, Saudi Arabia, islam, relationships | Tagged: islam, Love, marriage, Relationship, Saudi, Saudi Arabia
I am sorry for your lost,,, I have been following your blog, I know what both you have been through. My deepest Condolence. I just read this blog and I couldn’t help but to send you my condolence. May his family and yourself can bear all this pain of losing someone.
Oh Carol…. I am so, so sorry. I cried when I saw the title of this post, and even now I still have tears in my eyes as I am writing this… I cannot imagine what pain, loss, and sorrow you must be going through now… especially as you are going through your own difficult ordeal… I just can’t imagine…
May God grant your husband jennah, and may He also give you comfort, strength, and peace through this difficult time. My thoughts and prayers are with you.
As Salaamu Alaikum Dear Carol:
From Allah we come, and to Him we return.
Oh, I wish I was there to wrap my arms around you and give you a hug.
I’m so very sorry for your loss CaroI hope you can find the strength to keep going strong.
My deepest sympathy to you and I pray that you stay strong. My heart and thoughts go out to you, it must be so terribly difficult being so far away.
Take care & God Bless.
I am so sorry. *hugs*
Carol,
May he rest in eternal peace and you get the strength and comfort to sail through this.
Take care and my hugs and prayers for you.
My condolences, and I’m sorry to hear about your loss
My deepest sympathies. I know you’ve both been fighting tremendous battles, and I’m so sorry to hear about your loss. May your happy memories give you strength in this difficult time.
Carol – my deepest sympathy to you and your family at the loss of your loved one. Know that I and the entire blogosphere out here are praying for you and for him. Stay strong and God bless you in this time of sorrow.
SGIME
This is sad news indeed. May he rest in peace. I am so sorry for your loss Carol, you must be going through so much now. Keep strong and take some time for yourself. All the best.
I am so sorry to hear about your loss. Abdullah was a wonderful man and yes he is pain free now. You, as well as him are in our prayers.
I send you virtual hugs. Take care of yourself.
I lurk more than I post, but I feel very compelled to write. Carol, I am so sorry for your loss, and you and your family are in my thoughts.
may Allah have mercy on his soul
Do not stand at my grave and weep.
I am not there, I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow,
I am the diamond glints on snow.
I am the sunlight on ripened grain,
I am the gentle autumn’s rain.
When you awaken in the morning’s hush,
I am the swift uplifting rush
of quiet birds in circled flight.
I am the stars that shine at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry,
I am not there, I did not die…
- Anonymous
Dear Carol, my deepest sympathy- I started crying when I saw the title of this post. Allah grant you whatever strength you need to get through this most difficult time. I know Abdullah was such a blessing in your life- all the best to you and all his family.
Manal and I were very saddened to hear this news. Insha’Allah, we know that God is merciful and has wrapped His compassion around your husband.
Let us know when you are ready for calls, Manal would like to talk to you.
Allah Ma3aki.
Carol, my heart burned through my chest with anguish at hearing the news of your husband’s passing. Through reading your posts about him, it is clear that he was a man of Jannah, inshAllah ya rab. Death and loss are things that Allah has made incomprehensible to the human mind…but please keep faith that he is now with his Creator, and we will ALL be returning to Him in due time. InshAllah, may Allah give you peace and strength to get through this difficult time—and no goodbyes, for inshAllah your next meeting with him will be when Allah will reunite you and Abdullah in the highest level of Jannah. AMEEN.
I’m so so sorry, Carol. My thoughts and prayers are with you.
My deepest condolences, so sorry for your loss. may God grant you and your family strength to get through this insha’allah.
Carol,
I was very saddened by the news! May Allah have mercy on his soul.. May Allah grant you peace, strength and comfort..
You and your husbands are in my prayers.
I will call you as soon as you are ready to receieve calls.
Dear Carol,
I am so sorry for your loss. Stay strong and kind to yourself. You are in my thoughts. Hugs and warm wishes.
Dearest Carol,
My deepest sympathies go out to you and your family. I have tears as I am writing this and pray that God gives your the strength and courage to go on. May your true love rest and peace and live on in your heart. You are in my prayers.
“الَّذِينَ إِذَا أَصَابَتْهُم مُّصِيبَةٌ قَالُواْ إِنَّا لِلّهِ وَإِنَّـا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعونَ”
So sorry for your loss Carol..May Allah grant you and his family patience and strength..
Oh My condolences! May Allah gives you allll the support and strength you need and rest him in paradise. It’s good to know that he was a good person that should give you a stronger belief that he is for sure in a better place Now with no pain. I m very sorry again.
I’ve only recently started reading this blog but I want to let you know that you’re in my thoughts and prayers. My deepest condolences on your loss.
May Allah bless him with Jannatul Firdaws. Carol, I’m sorry for your loss. May Allah bless you all with patience and atrength during this testing time.
My grandmother passed away yesterday too. To Him we belong and to Him we return.
May heart goes out to you dear Carol. I can’t find words..but you & your husband are in my prayers.
Crying. May God give you strength.
Carol,
Though we have never met, your stories has always touched me. The story of your loss is no different. Believe me when I say; my heart is with you in these most troubling of times. May Allah grant him Mercy and everlasting life in Heaven.
Dearest Carol,
Just remember death is only the end of the test and the beginning of REAL LIFE! Its almost something to congratulate over instead of send condolences. However it is so painful for us who have to stay behind for a while. We are the ones who suffer, who have to miss our loved one.
You always had such wonderful things to say about Abdulla and that is only the Abdulla you know!
Allah knows him so much better than any of us could know him, he knows his innermost secrets and his hidden good deeds.
Dont be sad Carol, rejoice ,for when a Believer meets his Lord, it is such an exciting thing!,And who loves to meet Allah, Allah loves to meet him!
I have heard that who dies of cancer dies the death of a Martyr! What better than that?
YOU WILL HAVE FOREVER WITH HIM INSHALLAH, even if your time on this earth wasnt enough, and it never is when we lose someone we love, Forever is long enough, Allah is so merciful Carol, I ask him to forgive Abdulla of any sins and to admit him to the highest paradise (to wait for his princess) and other loved ones.
Imagine being together in the HEAVEN FOREVER!
Jessica
My condolences to you. May his soul rest in peace.
So very sorry Carol. Condolences. You have your wonderful memories of your time spent with Abdullah. Rest up now and let your Health Professionals help you in your treatments. For all of us in cyber-space, if they are like me, want to hyperventilate when we think of your sorrow and what you have had to bear. UmMuhammad….. such precious words.
Carol,
You have my deepest sympathy. I will continue to keep you in my prayers. Please, continue to fight and keep the faith.
Only yesterday, I read the post you wrote just recently on just how much you love your husband & I thought 2 things – firstly, how wonderful the post was & secondly, I so hoped that Abdullah had the opportunity to read it.
My sincere condolences Carol. Please stay strong & take care of yourself. Warm wishes & a few extra {{{hugs}}}
Dear Carol,
I’m very sorry to hear about your loss and my deepest condolences. May his soul rest in peace.
My heartfelt condolences to you in this time of sadness. Wishing you strength, family support, and peace as you grieve.
My condolences. May God give you strength.
My deepest condolences. May Allah rest his soul in peace and give you and your family the strength and patience during these times. Stay strong and get well soon.
You and your family are in my prayers.
Sending prayers and thoughts your way. Thinking of you.xx
my condolences and deepist simpethy
My condolences Carol in this stressful and heartbreaking time. I hope you can stay strong for you as you know you need it more than ever now. Take care and be well.
I wish I had words that would bring you peace and healing. I am so sorry. I’m sending you hugs. They do help.
Carol I’m so very sorry for your loss I pray that your Husband is blessed with peace in the next life and that you are able to grieve and continue in your own fight.
Dear Carol ,
I’m so sorry for your loss. Like you said he is no longer in pain and he is in a better place. My deepest thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. May allah give you the strength you need to get through this and may allah have mercy on his soul and grant him a place in heaven inshallah.
God bless ,
I’m very sorry to hear that Carol… I pray that God accepts all of our prayers and that your husband will be accepted into heaven. Umm Muhammad is very right sister, your husband inshaAllah is in the best of places waiting for you.
Stay strong.
Dear Carol,
My deepest condolences for your loss. Always remember the times you were there for each other… although he is no longer with you now, it was a blessing that you found each other in the first place… which has led you to many, many good years together. My prayers and thoughts are with you. May Allah grant him Jannah, inshaAllah.
My deepest sympathies to you and your family on the loss of your loved one. From your descriptions of him, Abdullah was a special guy, one who made the world better just by being in it. May he rest in peace.
I’m so sadden to hear this terrible news, and so sorry for your loss. Please accept my deepest sympathies and condonlence, may he rest in peace, and may God reward him with the highest point in paradise…
My sincere condolsences.May god give you strength to withstand this irreperable loss.
I am so sad to read this news today,please accept my sincere condolence, my thoughts and prayers are with you at this difficult time, may your husband be blessed with paradise, take care of yourself.
Umm Amin
I am very sad to hear this and I am very worried about you and what’s going to happen to you now.
I am sorry to hear about your husband’s passing. May Allah grant him jannah.
May he rest in peace.
My condolences as well, you are both in our prayers.
Carol, I am so, so sad to hear this. A great marriage is extremely rare and a beautiful blessing. My thoughts and prayers are with you. I appreciate what the two of you did to teach our two countries about each other.
Carol,
I am so sorry for your loss. I’ll keep you in my prayers.
@Aafke, I am worried about her too.
Please keep fighting Carol.
Ina lila oo ina ilahi raje3oon.. 3tham Allah Ajrek
I am sending my condolences to you and your family at these trying times. I am praying for you dear Carol… And I hope that you stay strong, and continue your fight enshallah.
Carol, I’ve been a lurker and I just wanted to tell you that I’m so sorry for your loss. Grieve in whatever way seems right to you and ignore those that tell you how to mourn.
I lost my firstborn son to a heart defect. He never came home from the hospital with us, and went through about a million painful medical treatments. It comforted me then to know that he didn’t have to fight anymore, and didn’t have to hurt anymore, but his loss still left a hole in my life. I imagine losing a husband must hurt just as much as losing a child, perhaps even more so because your spouse is the one you lean on to get through hard times. I pray that you’re able to find comfort in some way during the months ahead, and that you can reach the point where your memories of Abdullah bring you smiles instead of tears.
I’m sorry Carol.. May Allah bless his soul in heaven .. as you said he is no longer in pain.
Stay strong for him and for your beloved family, friends and for us too!
I am so sorry for you loss. You have my deepest sympathies and my prayers.
Ina lillahi ma akhatha wa lahu ma ‘atah, wa kula shayin bi ajalin musammah, fa tasbir wa tahtasabi.
“Allah gives and takes; everything has an ordained time. Be patient and seek reward”.
Try your very best to increase your du’a to Allah at this time. You will truly need Allah’s help now more than ever to help you cope.
Try to listen to more Qur’an, athan or whatever helps to bring you peace. Try to keep your family and friends by your side as much as what makes you feel comfortable.
If and when you return to Riyadh I am always willing to help you in any way I can as I live not too far from your house in Muhammdiyah.
Have faith in Allah, call on him…he knows your heart is aching now. Take care, Umm Tiflain
Dear Carol,
I am one of your many silent readers but i cant keep my silence after i read about your husband’s demise.
From your postings, anybody can see how much you two meant to each other and i truly feel your loss.
InsyaAllah he will be under God’s blessing and in peace. No more pain. InsyaAllah.
Be strong. Keep fighting.
HUGS.
Salaams, I have been following ur blog for a very long time.. but never commented r interacted, I find ur words inspiring and ur post very iformative
Please accept my deepest and sincer condolences inthis try time. May Allah gives u patience.
To Allah we all belong, to Allah we have to go
Salaams
Your sister in Islam
Sam
I am so sorry for your loss.
I’m so sorry Carol. I can’t stop weeping. And words fail me for the first time in my life to describe just how sad I feel.
May God give you strength.
My thoughts and with you Carol.
I’m so sorry about your loss. May he rests in peace.
My condolences, and I’m sorry to hear about your loss. May he rests in peace.
Carol,
May God give Abdullah peace and a quick journey to heaven and may He help you and the family be strong during this very difficult time in your lives.
Lots of love,
MA
الله يرحمه ويرزقه الجنه.
[...] share with you that my friend and fellow blogger Carol Fleming, aka American Bedu, has suffered the loss of her beloved husband Abdullah al-Ajroush after a long struggle with lukemia. I met Abdullah at his house in Riyadh a few years ago and he [...]
My deepest condolences. I find there is not much to say in times of loss but people will be thinking of you and wishing you all the best in these hard times.
Carol, I am so, so sorry. My thoughts and prayers are with you and Abdullah. Love // Chris
Carol… you have my profound and deepest sympathy if only I could take just 1% off the saddness you have in your heart and carry it for you…
“Death is not turning out the light,
It is extinguishing the Lamp,
Because the Dawn has Come”
Nepali saying
Oh no, I’m so very sorry for you, Carol. May he still fly with you in the wind of the deserts.
Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un.
May Allah forgive all his sins, save him from the punishments of grave and grant him a place in Jannatul Firdaws. Ameen.
My condolences and deepest sympathy. Our thoughts and prayers are with you at these difficult times.
I’m so sorry for the loss, May God rest his soul in peace & give you and his loved ones enough strength to go through these hard times… Aameen
How heartbreaking. I don’t know what to say. We never ever know how much time God had granted for us, every day, every moment is so precious. That being said, I am so so so so sorry for your loss. May God grant him the highest level of Paradise. Take a nice long break and take care of yourself, Carol. Surround yourself with your loved ones. We’ll all be praying for you…….
Oh Carol. Inspite of following your blog I had not known he was so dangerously sick. May you feel his spirit present in your life and may God/Allah be with you and his family.
You are in my thoughts. Ahmed Al-Omran wrote a little note about it on facebook letting us know. Peace be with you.
I couldn’t stop thinking about you all day. May God shower you strength & blessings all the way..
Iam very sorry to read about your loss,at this moment in time no words would be big enough to comfort you and your family,all what left to say is (enna llelah wa enna eleih rageoun) my thoughts and prayers with you
Sllamu alecum dear Carol,
From Allah we came and to him we shall return. I have been following your blog for quite some time. I don’t want to say I’m sorry for this as he with Allah’s will,is in a better place under Allah’s mercy. I’m sure you will keep him alive between us spreading his compassion , love, and goodness to all of those around you and who love you and read you everyday. May Allah grant you strength dear Carol. We are all with you.
Carol – my heart is broken! What can I say that will make your pain easier? As a wise person once told me – remember the good times during sad times and you’ll make it through. The best I can do is send you hugs across cyberspace. Let me know if I can do anything for you – even so far away.
أسأل الله العظيم رب العرش العظيم أن يرحمه ويسكنه فسيح جناته
http://m-alwelayah.net/media/lib/pics/1251480938.jpg
I’m so sorry Carol. I’m so sorry for your family’s loss. I’m sure he was glad that he had you for the time that he had, although shorter than he should have had.
Hugs!
Anisah
‘Verily to Allaah, belongs what He took and to Him belongs what He gave, and everything with Him has an appointed time..and then he ordered for him to be patient and hope for Allaah’s reward.’
I’m terribly, terribly sorry for your loss. May he rest in peace
Carol,
I cried when I saw the heading of the post.
As you go through this profound loss, let yourself cry knowing each tear is a note of love rising to the heavens. You have many here who really care, both far and near.
—-with my deepest sympathy,
Jennifer
Oh Carol…I don’t know what to say except that I am beyond words with sadness for your loss. I hope that during this unimaginable time, you find happiness and peace in the many wonderful memories of the life you shared with your prince. You, your families, and Abdullah will continue to be in my du’a.
May Allah make death a respite for him and elevate him to the highest level of Paradise.
Carol,
My sincere condolences.
I have meet Abdullah during his treatment in the US. Even through the tough treatment and the long hospital stay, his gentle personality and hospitality were ever present.
I am sorry for your loss.
I got to know your blog during these passed two months and I got enchanted and charmed by your love story.
You and your man have shared something pure and wonderful, you both have been lucky and blessed.
Your love is so strong that only death apparetly has been able to put an end on it.
I believe he is not dead, he is there with you, but in another shape, you can’t talk to or touch him, but he does exist. It is like he is in the other room, you know he is there, but you don’t see him.
Lots of simpathy, by a stranger whose heart has been enlightened by your story.
I’m so sorry Carol, you hand your family have my sincerest condolences!
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Ahmed Al-Omran, chapomatic and Mohammed Alsaif, Khadija Patel. Khadija Patel said: RT @ahmed: Husband of Carol Fleming, aka American Bedu, has passed away. May he rest in peace. http://bit.ly/ceGcqP [...]
Carol, I am so sorry for your loss. May God give you the strength..
I am so sorry to hear of your loss and my prayers are with you and your family. I’m sure that he will always be with you. When you least expect it, in the wee hours of the morning, in that place between alseep and awake, in something someone says in passing, in a smile or a glance – you will know he’s there and feel comforted. Love is an energy that is boundless and knows no time.
I hope it is appropriate for a stranger to offer condolences. I was shocked and saddened by this news. I am truly sorry for your loss.
I am speechless. I’ve never met you or him, but through your writing I feel like your a friend next door.
…I can’t even imagine, not being able to be with him through both of your tough times, now this. Embrace your family during this time and take comfort knowing you will see him again in Heaven. You are loved by so many, and many prayers are with you now. I am so sorry.
My heart goes out to you and your family.
Dear Carol – I’m so sorry for your loss. You are in my heart. I hope that you can find beauty now in even the darkest places.
I am so sorry for your loss. The story of your love is and will always be a beautiful one.
I wish to extend my heartfelt condolences on the death of your beloved husband. I pray for his soul to rest in peace and you to gain strength from this.
From what i know of him he was a loving and faithful husband and a distinguished diplomat and i am sure he will be missed by many.
Take Care,
Regards
Dear Carol,
What a loss! I am so sorry that the love of your life is no longer with you. I wish you peace in the memories of his gentle spirit and the time you shared together.
Love,
Rita
I am so sorry for your loss.
Dear Carol,
so very sorry to hear this. InshAllah, you will be his wife once more in paradise.
aisha
Dear Carol,
You are an amazing person, full of compassion and zest for life. I hope that in your time of grief and sadness, you will find reassurance in knowing that your beloved husband’s kind soul has found peace.
Please know that I, like many of your readers, feel pain at your loss, despite never having personallymet you.
Your light shines through, Carol and you have touched more people than you know. I hope our prayers can help you pull through this tough time.
Wishing you Love
My deepest condolences Carol, I am so very sorry to hear about your loss. What a beautiful song to dedicate to each other, it brings tears to my eyes. Wishing you peace of heart and mind, my prayers are with you.
I’m sorry for your lose carol….. Inshallah you’ll be together in heavens.
Inna lilahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un. May Allah have mercy on him, forgive him, lighten/widen his grave and grant him jannat alfirdaws ameen. May Allah reunite you with Abdullah there ameen. I’m really sorry to hear of your loss. I can’t imagine what you’re going through right now. May Allah grant you ease and the strength to deal with this trial ameen.
my condolences; god bless
you and your family are in my thoughts…. terribly sorry to hear of your loss.
Carol I’m so very sorry to hear you have lost your dear husband and send my condolences.
Sharon.
[...] 10 02 2010 It was a shock for me today to read about my blogging friend’s husbands death by [...]
Dear Carol,
I am so sorry for you loss, you are in my thoughts and prayers.
Mairéad.
From God we come and to Him we return.
No words can describe our sorrow and sadness on your loss, who had given you strength to live the kind of life you wanted with him despite all odds you two faced.
Our thoughts, prayers, love and message of support are always with you. May He grant your Prince a place in Heaven, waiting for you to join him to continue the journey you two had.
My deepest condolences to you and your family. God bless.
My deepest and most sincere condolences on this sad day. May God (Allah) bless and sustain you during these trying times and may Abdullah watch over you from above. *virtual hugs*
oh! saddest to note
i pray with the almighty to place the departed soul, in eternal peace
gurudEva dayaa karo deena jane
Carol,
I’m another one of the lurkers. I read your blog everyday, and I have been hoping, hoping, hoping that this post would never come. I am so sorry for your loss. The love you shared with Abdullah is still there, however. It always will be.
Allah yarhamhu
Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji3un
May Allah grant you both jannah and a long life together in the akhira, ameen.
In the night of death, hope sees a star, and listening love can hear the rustle of a wing. ~Robert Ingersoll
<3 <3 <3
I am a silent reader on your blog, I read a lot of the other interconnected blogs as well. Your love story is so touching. Not very many people can say that about their own lives. You and Abdullah were blessed.
I am so sorry for your loss, American Bedu. You are right, your sweet prince is no longer in pain. He is with you always. You and your family will be in my thoughts and prayers. Stay strong and get well soon, darling.
My deepest sympathy for you,Carol.I’m so sorry to hear of this.Be strong and keep faith.
Thank you each and every one of you for your beautiful words of comfort, support and love. I am finding it very comforting as I grieve to read each and every one of these special comments.
I had truly hoped and prayed that when he arrived last Thursday night in Riyadh he would have renewed energy because he was back home. But sadly that was not meant to be. He did have the opportunities to say his goodbyes to his special family but by the early hours of Monday he was ready to give up the long and painful flight and breathed his last breath. As much as I miss him and feel incomplete, I take respite in knowing he is now safe, free from pain, and with our Creator.
I’m so sorry about your loss. May God Bless his soul and I hope you get better soon . Its hard to lose a loved one. To Him we belong and to Him return. I wish you all the best and my deepest condolences.
I am very sorry for your loss. I am thinking of you.
may the beautiful memories you shared with Abdullah carry you through these days.
….
Carol it breaks my heart to hear of your husbands passing. i cant imagine how tough this is for you. just please know that im inspired by your strength…..and your husbands strength.
your both deep in my prayers….
I never know the right things to say at these times. I’m so sorry for your loss.
Keep fighting Carol. Even tho many of us have never met you you’re an inspiration to us all.
Carol, I am so sorry to hear your news. May Abdullah be at peace in your heart and in the arms of God. And I wish for you the strength and calm as you face the upcoming weeks and months.
Paradise is for those who worshipped God alone, believed and followed their prophet, and lived moral lives according to the teachings of scripture.
When a believer is about to depart this world, angels with white faces come down from the heavens and say:
“O peaceful soul, come out to forgiveness from God and His pleasure.” (Hakim and others)
The believer will look forward to meeting his Creator, as the Prophet, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, explained:
“…when the time of the death of a believer approaches, he receives the good news of God’s pleasure with him and His blessings upon him, and so at that time nothing is dearer to him than what lies ahead of him. He therefore loves meeting God, and God loves meeting him.” (Saheeh Al-Bukhari)
The soul peacefully passes out of the body like a drop of water which emerges from a water-skin, and the angels take hold of it:
The angels gently extract it, saying:
“…Do not fear and do not grieve, but receive good tidings of the Paradise which you were promised. We were your allies in this worldly life and [are so] in the Hereafter, and you will have therein whatever your souls desire, and you will have therein whatever you request [or wish], as a hospitality from the Forgiving and Merciful.” (Quran 41:30-32)
Once extracted from the body, the angels wrap the soul in a shroud smelling of musk and ascend up to the heavens. As the Gates of Heaven open for the soul, the angels greet it:
“A good soul has come from the earth, may God bless you and the body you used to dwell in.”
The believers will be ushered on towards the grand eight gates of Paradise. There, they will receive a joyous angelic reception and be congratulated on account of their safe arrival and salvation from Hell.
“But those who feared their Lord will be driven to Paradise in groups until, when they reach it while its gates have been opened and its keepers say, ‘Peace be upon you; you have become pure; so enter it to abide eternally therein.” (Quran 39:73)
(It will be said to the pious): “O (you) the one in (complete) rest and satisfaction! Come back to your Lord, Well-pleased and well-pleasing unto Him! Enter you then among My honored slaves. Enter you My Paradise!” (Quran 89:27-30)
The best of the Muslims will enter Paradise first. The most righteous of them will ascend to the highest levels.
“But whoever comes to God as a believer (in His Oneness, etc.) and has done righteous good deeds; for such are the high ranks (in the Hereafter).” (Quran 20:75)
“And the foremost (in faith) will be foremost (in the Hereafter); those are the ones brought near to God in the Gardens of Pleasure; they will enter in one rank with bright faces.” (Quran 56:10-2)
Muhammad, the Prophet of Islam, who passed away in 632, related:
“This world is a prison for the believer, but for the disbeliever it is a Paradise. While for the disbeliever, the Hereafter will be a prison, but for the believer, it will be his Paradise.”
I am so so so sorry for your loss!!!
I’m very, very sorry for your loss. May God grant you the strength to continue on in your fight and to deal with the loss of your beloved.
Be easy with yourself.
RIP Abdullah.
I’m sorry Carol. I often read your blog but seldom comment. God bless you and give you strength too.
(Ramit)
Salam Carol,
May Allah have Mercy on your husband’s soul and grant him a spacious grave and everyday let him see his place in Jannah Insha’Allah.
May He grant you ease in your heart and cure you from all your troubles and expiate your sins.
I’ve followed your blog a long time and just wanted to show you my support in your difficult time.
To Him we belong, and to Him we return. Alhamdulillah.
That is a beautiful song by the way I really love it too.
Assalamu alaikum
Inna liLlahi wa inna ilaihi rajeoon
May Allah Ta’ala send multitudes of Angels to accompany your dear Prince on his return to Him.
when i die
when my coffin
is being taken out
you must never think
i am missing this world
don’t shed any tears
don’t lament or
feel sorry
i’m not falling
into a monster’s abyss
when you see
my corpse is being carried
don’t cry for my leaving
i’m not leaving
i’m arriving at eternal love
when you leave me
in the grave
don’t say goodbye
remember a grave is
only a curtain
for the paradise behind
you’ll only see me
descending into a grave
now watch me rise
how can there be an end
when the sun sets or
the moon goes down
it looks like the end
it seems like a sunset
but in reality it is a dawn
when the grave locks you up
that is when your soul is freed
have you ever seen
a seed fallen to earth
not rise with a new life
why should you doubt the rise
of a seed named human
have you ever seen
a bucket lowered into a well
coming back empty
why lament for a soul
when it can come back
like Joseph from the well
when for the last time
you close your mouth
your words and soul
will belong to the world of
no place no time
Rumi
Fountain of Fire
A Celebration of Life and Love
Wassalamu alaikum
Deepest condolences, dear Carol, May he be in a better place …
I am so very sad to hear of his passing. Your beautiful connection of love is not broken by death, may you still see him in your dreams.
My condolences Carol, Allah Yrhamah.. May his name always be echoed in praise within Heavens and Earth for eternity.
I’m sorry for your loss.
Dearest Carol:
I wish to extend my deepest sympathies to you on the loss of your beloved husband.
May Allah ease your grief during this difficult period.
From Allah we come and to Allah we return. May Allah bring you both together again in Jannat Al-Firdaus.
My condolences to you and your family.
RIP Abdullah
Oh, Carol — I am so sorry.
Hi Carol
I am very sorry to hear about your lost,just to let you know that this too shall pass.Take care.
I am very sorry to hear this. very very sorry Carol. You two were a true beautiful love story.
The eyes send their tears and the heart is saddened, but we do not say anything except that which pleases our Lord. Everything comes from Allah and to Him we will return.
Though you are grieving please find comfort in the fact that our brother Abdullah (may Allahhave Mercy) was able to make it back to KSA before his death. Insha’Allah, he knew those who washed his body, who shrouded his corpse, who performed the funeral service for him, who attended his funeral procession, who descended his corpse into the grave and who prompted over his grave. Even if he did not know them he had hundreds, possibly thousands at his services praying for him. These are all great blessings and as a muslim, I couldn’t think of a better to die and be buried.
And thou, O soul at peace! Return to thy Lord well pleased with Him and He well pleased with thee. So enter thou among my chosen servants, and enter thou My Garden. (89:28-31)
To God we belong and to Him we return.
I am so sorry to read this Carol and offer my heartfelt condolences to you and all Abdullah’s family.
May God give you strength and patience to get through this terribly difficult time.
xxx
I’m so sorry to hear that
May Allah SWT bless his soul and grant him the highest place in Jannah
and May He give you the courage and strength in this hard time.
Dear Carol,
I made Du’a that Allaah have mercy on your husband.
The rest of the comment was removed by the blog moderator for inappropriate content
Many times the lyrics of songs….
This comment was removed by the blog moderator for inappropriate content
Dearest Carol,
Please stay strong….
Carol, I’m so sorry. So sorry. God be with you.
@daud…
i think the important is to show support…..
relgious criticing isnt ok right now…
im sure you meant well
As merely a reader of your blog, I wish to express my condolences for your loss. I seem to have aquired, through reading your blog, a sense that I know you or at least a part of who you are, and it is very saddening to hear of your loss. Your “A tribute to my love” is very moving, and I know that I (or anyone) would be immeasurably moved had my wife written such about us and me. It would not happen, for two reasons, I am not such a prince, and my wife is not such a writer.
I have experienced significant loss, though not of a spouse, And, as I reflect upon that loss, I remember thinking then that I understood what it meant when others referred to this as a fallen world. Its not how it should or was meant to be, but how it is or must be. I also knew that life would never be as good as it could have been, but it could still be good, in every sense of the word. Perhaps inexplicably, I found some comfort in those realizations.
You are a remarkable woman, who has experienced a remarkable love and a remarkable life. May you find comfort and strength in this difficult time..
I am so sorry.
I am very sorry to hear of your lost. Your tribute is very moving and I hope that you are doing well. You are in my thoughts.
Inna liLlahi wa inna ilaihi rajeoon.
And Al Fatihah to Abdullah.
You are in our prayers, Carol.
Hugs
Inna lillahi wa inna ilahi rajiun.
Ya ALLAH, please bless Abdullah, forgive his sins, and grant him Jannah al-Firdous. And please bless his beloved wife Carol and their family; please comfort them during this time and show them Your Great Love and Protection. Ameen.
So sorry to hear of your loss, may you find peace and guidance from God during this testing time. Massive hugs to you
Inna Lillahi wa Inna Ilaihi Rajiun.
May Allah give you the fortitude to bear the loss.
May Allah rest his soul in peace and grant him the highest level in Jannah
Dont forget him in your duas
Allah yr7ame
I’m truly so very sorry for your loss CaroI. I hope you can find the courage & strength to keep on with your struggles. Your husband return to his Lord, to Him we will surely return.
May Allaah pardon all his shortcoming and expand his grave, ameen.
Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un
i am a stranger to u but had read ur blogs couple of times. its heart breaking to know that u lost ur beloved prince. but take heart he is with his creator and we pray He will admit ur prince into his heaven. may Allah almighty grant u and ur family members courage and forbearance to bear this loss.
Dear Sister Carol,
I am one of the many silent followers of your blog. I recently read the post you made about the love for your husband and it really made a big impresson on me. I shared it with my wife and she was very moved by it too. But now this news has really affected us both. We pray that Allah grant your husband peace and ever lasting relief from his pain in Paradise and may Allah grant you the wisdom, patience and strength to pull yourself through this difficult phase of life that you are going through. Ameen.
Our prayers are with you always sister.
Dear Carol,
Just a few days ago i sat reading the tribute to your love and i was so warmed by the touching story. Today I learn that he has moved on and I am in awe of your strength.
May Allah be with you.
“The birds have flown to freedom,
the cage lies empty.
Your happy songs bring to me
the scent of heaven.
Please keep singing”
– Rumi-
I also had tears reading this because I have followed Bedu’s blog for some time. I wanted to share this little bit of Yeats with you Carol because it reminds me of you and your husband:
“How many loved your moments of glad grace, And loved your beauty with love false or true, But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you, And loved the sorrows of your changing face” Yeats
For you see Carol…I can tell you have a pilgrim’s soul and you have faced allot of sorrows but your husband’s heart was always with you. God bless you on your journey.
I wish to thank everyone for the outpouring of support, comfort and love that I am receiving from each and every message.
When I begin again to grieve for Abdullah with tears, I remind myself of all the blessings I did get to have. Although I was unable to have a face-to-face farewell with him before he returned to Saudi Arabia, our last two Skype video-conferences were very special and full of such love for each other. Neither of us held anything back. And then my precious husband made sure to call me from the plane just as it was taking off. Again, our last words were an outpouring of love.
Abdullah arrived in Saudi Arabia late on Thursday evening (4 Feb). He arrived with a very high fever and was admitted directly in to the ICU unit at King Faisal Specialist Hospital. Over the few days all efforts were made to stabilize him. Thankfully during that time he was able to see and speak with his mother, daughters, son, siblings and other extended family and friends. By 7 February he started having respiratory problems so by the early hours of 8 February the doctor suggested putting him on a respirator to help him breathe. It was explained that he would be put into an induced sleep for the procedure. Abdullah son was with him at the time and asked his Dad “are you sure this is what you want?” Abdullah responded “yes, it is what the doctor recommends. And above all, it is in God’s hands.” His son then said “Okay. I will leave now.” Abdullah came back with “No, don’t go.” His son replied “No Dad, I’m not leaving but I am stepping out of the room as I’m not supposed to be in your room while the procedure is done.” Abdullah nodded his head in understanding. Those were the last words/actions of Abdullah. One hour after putting him on a respirator he passed away. I truly believe he was tired of the fight, he had made peace with all and said his goodbyes, he was ready to go.
I’m told by family here that my dam of tears has not broken yet. That I have been too much in control of my emotions since my beloved’s passing. I know she’s right and at some point when I probably least expect it, I am going to break down and shed those big gulping uncontrollable tears.
Do not be surprised as part of my grieving process I choose to share more aspects of Abdullah and our life together. It gives me great comfort to talk about him and share about this special man who honored me with the greatest love.
And again, thank you everyone for your support and comfort. I am very touched to hear from perfect strangers (who will now never be looked upon as a stranger) as well as the dear friends whom I have made through this blog.
I extend my sincere appreciation to those who also linked this post to their own blogs. Yes, the blogosphere is indeed a loving and connected community of its own.
Thank you EVERYONE! Carol Fleming Al-Ajroush aka American Bedu
Carol, so good to hear from you. Yes, please share more of your story as you feel inclined to do so. I feel privileged to learn more about this special man whom you loved so much. You two had a wonderful story. Please let us continue to grieve with you and support you in these difficult days. Hugs!
Again, my many thanks and appreciation for the comments of love, support, comfort and friendship. The dedications in honor of my spouse and our love do help lift my grieving heart.
I forgot who said this but “to love and have lost is so better than to not have loved at all” and at least in my case, it is so very true. I do not regret nor would change a single moment of our love we shared.
Carol, I am so sorry for the loss of your husband. My heart truly does ache for you. But, Alhumdulillah, he isn’t feeling anymore pain and my Allah(SWT) grant him the highest jannah for him. Insha Allah, may Allah (SWT) give you much strengh and patience during this difficult time
So sorry to hear of your loss. May your beloved prince rest in peace now and may God help you in this very painful journey.
Please keep sharing your thoughts with us.
Fatima R.
I’m so glad the two of you could speak before he left.
dear Carol
i have been a silent reader of your blog for sometime now and i just wanted to convey my deepest condolences to you at this difficult time. you have touched so many people all over the world through your beautiful words. i hope you find the strengh to overcome this and use the wonderful talent God has blessed you with to bring more love,compassion and good in the world. i look forward to reading more of your writings.
please stay strong and take very good care of yourself.
I’m so sorry for your loss- …
Carol,
Our little family would like to express our most sincere and heart felt condolences at this time.
Tony, Sky, Hannah and Liam.
Again, my thanks to everyone for the comforting words of support and sympathy.
My most beautiful son surprised me with a wonderful photo collage of pictures which is hung in a prominent place in my room. It gives me comfort seeing pictures of Abdullah and I in the best of times and during very happy memories. My son gave me such a beautiful gift of love.
Assalamu Alaikum
Inna Lilahi Wa Inna Lilahu Rajiun!
Carol..I write this with a tremendous sadness in my heart and tears in my eyes. I lost my oldest son almost a year ago and the journey from the date that he departed until now has been difficult.
The loss of someone as close as the ones we have lost is devastating. My heart and prayers are also with your husbands mother…No mother imagines she will bury a child and for her this time must me as devastating.
I want you to know that someone in American feels your pain and burden of grief. When you are ready…the numbness will lift and you will feel the reality of your loss. Please take care of yourself in this time. Please rest and allow others to care for you emotionally because you will need it.
I hope this short poem will give you solace as it gave me–
Nothing Gold Can Stay
Nature’s first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf’s a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay __ Robert Frost
Innaa lillaahi wa innaa ilayhi raaji’oon……..I’m so sorry for your loss. Try to remember that in islam he died a good death as the person who bears sickness patiently and dies from it will have his sins forgiven. May Allah grant him jannah firdaus and may He make is easy for you to bear with strength and patience Ameen.
Thank you so much for the continued words of comfort and support. Snow is coming down as I am writing this comment and I feel as I watch the snow that it is similar to tears falling from heaven expressing understanding for my grief at the loss of Abdullah’s physical presence on this earth.
My deepest condolences, my friend… there are no words that can lessen the depth of loss that you feel during this time of mourning. But, as evidenced by the avalanche of comments here, please know that you are loved and respected by many, all of whom are blessed to call you friend.
Peace and prayers are with you.
Dear Lofter,
I know we have not spoken for a while and I thank you for reaching out with your words of comfort.
God Bless, Carol
Carol:
In my brief time lurking on your blog, I have learned that A) Good guys do exist (your husband) B) yes they could exist in Saudi Arabia! and C) romance can last long.
Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi rajioon. To God we belong; to Him we return.
I am a long time reader first time to comment. I would like to have you know that my thoughts and prayers go out to you and his family. May Allah rest him and peace.
Thank you Tudi. And yes, your words are so very true.
Thank you Khalid. All thoughts and prayers give all of us great comfort at this time.
What a shock!!
I was not following up the Internet for the past couple of days and now I am really surprised with this news …
I am really sorry for your loss Carol; may he rest in peace and may Allah accept his good deeds …
My deepest condolences …
dear Carol I am so so sorry for your loss. I cried deep tears when I saw this post on your blog. be strong.. my deepest condolences
Im so sorry for your loss, you are always in my prayers…
Thank you all again for the beautiful outpour of support, condolence and comfort. Allah had other plans for Abdullah but I do not doubt he is still watching over all of his loved ones from his eternal resting place.
I have never posted on your blog but have been a reader for quite some time. I wanted to post a few days ago but couldn’t quite find appropriate words.
MashaAllah your love for each other was amazing, thank you for sharing your wonderful husband with us. May Allah swt ease your grief and give you strength through the coming times. Please take care.
To him we belong, and to him we return.
Kelly Lynn,
Thank you for posting and giving me comfort with your kind words. I wish for everyone woman who marries a Saudi is fortunate to have a husband with the shining qualities which my dear Prince had. God Bless him.
Innaa lillaahi wa innaa ilayhi raaji’oon, I’m sorry for ur loss. May Allah have mercy on the soul of ur late husbend and forgive him Ameen
Thank you Warda for your condolences and comfort.
Bob and I are so sorry for your loss. You are in our prays. Hugs for you.
Mary and Bob,
Thank you so much. I would love to talk to ya’ll.
Love, Carol
I’m so sorry for your loss!
From God we come and to God we return. Very sad news. Prayers for you during this difficult time, and may your husband have peace in the after life. Amin.
Thank you for the words of condolences and comfort.
Sorry for your loss. And I hope that you get better soon inshallah.
May Allaah be with you in this time of loss aameen. May He heal your pain and grant your husband jannah aameen.
Carol, I’m SO incredibly sorry to hear this sad news.
Im a silent reader as well who comes by from time to time. I dont even knwo what to say. to lose a husband is to be left alone standing at the crossroads..how do u move on.
But move on with life we must. and treasure the good times like u are mash’alah.
I pray that God will unite you with Him again. He is able to do that.
I’m taking great comfort from the outpour of support and of course from the strong faith Abdullah and I shared. I hope that the series of articles which I will have forthcoming soon will illustrate to everyone what a wonderful unique and loving, kind Saudi man I married.
Im hankering for some princely stories; the world needs more princes. So I say, bring on the mushy stories Carol! (What you feel comfortable sharing of course.)
)
I am so saddened by the loss of your beloved husband. I, too, lost my husband twelve years ago. These words comforted me, and I hope soon they will help you, too:
“Death is not extinguishing the light; it is only putting out the lamp because the Dawn has come.”
-Rabindranath Tagore
Your wonderful husband’s Dawn must have been glorious.
I am so, so very sorry for your loss. I just now found out . . and I haven’t the right words to express myself. My thoughts and prayers are with you.
“People do not die for us immediately, but remain bathed in a sort of aura of life which bears no relation to true immortality but through which they continue to occupy our thoughts in the same way as when they were alive. It is as though they were traveling abroad”. ~Marcel Proust
Thank you all for the many words of comfort and support at this time of loss. It is so true that no matter how prepared one thinks one will be for a loss, when it actually happens, there is a gaping hole and ache that cries for the loved one.
I appreciate the sharing of verses and phrases that have helped others through their times of grief too.
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may Allah almighty Bless you and your familly
and give you strength.
Form the deepest depth of my heart I prey your husband is granted a place in Jannah.
salam
Yaser Khan
Salam Alaikum Yaser,
Shukran alek for your words of kindness, comfort and strength.
Regards, Carol
Oh my. What a wonderful love story you had.
Across cultures, across language, across boundaries the world imposes…..you had something special. I am so sorry for your loss. Many search those whole lives for something like this. I’m glad you found it and profoundly sorry that it ended prematurely.
Best wishes,
Brian
Salam Carol
I’m very sorry to hear your loss. Both of you and your late husband are in my prayers…..
Thank you Brian for your words of comfort. Yes, I cherish each and every moment.
Innaa lillaahi wa innaa ilayhi raaji’oon
I just read your blog for the first time Carol.
My heartfelt condolences go out to you and your family during this hour of grief.
Thank you Annie. I appreciate the words of comfort.
Carol, I have just read this today and am so very sorry for your loss. I have been busy in Saudi and not had the time to look in. I can’t imagine the pain you are feeling – words can’t say it except that I am very sad for you.
Oh Carol. Must admit I have shed a few tears of suprise and sadness over your posts about your dear Abdullah and your illness.
Please remain strong and positive.
You are woman, you can beat this!
Abdullah will be there every painful step.
Wish you a swift recovery
Dear Wendy and Anna,
Thank you both for the warm words of kindness and support at this time. I do find that sharing my memories of Abdullah are helping me cope with his loss.
Carol, I am so very, very sorry to learn that your Prince was called home. The two of you were richly blessed to have had each other in this life. May Allah continue to support you and keep you in the glow of His love as well as the love of Abdullah, who will always live brightly in your heart.
Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi rajayoon
Very sorry to hear of your loss Carol
@Marahm,
I am happy to hear from you and thank you very much for the words of comfort. Please email me. I’m not sure where I have your number now but it would be nice to chat.
@Khanserai,
Thank you for your words of comfort.
[...] in so many aspects. One does not like to even think let alone plan in advance for the event of a death. It hurts and hits too close to home that the time with a loved one is indeed limited. Abdullah [...]
Dear Carol,
I’m so very sorry for your loss. I’ve been a silent reader of your blog for a while now, checking back every few weeks so that I’d have several new entries to peruse each time. I was deeply saddened tonight to learn of your husband’s passing, and moved by your cacpacity to continue writing and sharing in your time of grief.
Your wonderful love story with your husband has always inspired me. It is so amazing that you two fell in love despite your many cultural differences, and established such a deep and warm relationship filled with so many beautiful memories. I know things are hard, but please stay strong. My prayers are with you.
Dear Anna,
Thank you very much for the warm and supporting comment.
I am finding sharing about my husband is helping me a lot towards managing my grief.
And you’re right…when I look back from the beginning of when my husband and I met, and go from our courtship to marriage and our ultimate approval from the King for our marriage, we have had quite a journey.
AB,
I am so sorry for your loss.
Unfortunatly, I have been away for a long while so this is the first time back on your blog.
I was eager til now to catch up on all the happenings but this is such a devastating read.
So sorry for your loss.
Maryam, thank you for your words of support and condolences. It’s never easy to write about nor easy to read about. I understand.
Assalamualaikum,I,m an ardent but silent follower of your blog until now.My heartfelt sympathies for your loss. May he be placed amongst the occupants of Jannah Ameen
Bedu,
I have been more of a lurker on your blog. I am so sorry to read about your loss. May god give you strength to go through this difficult phase in life. I shall keep you and your husband in my prayers tonight.
Dear Shari and VP,
Thank you both for taking the time from blurking to write your respective messages of kindness and condolences. It means a lot to me.
Best Regards, Carol
[...] has now been one month since Abdullah passed away, succumbing to an aggressive type of acute leukemia. On the surface, life goes on. But inside [...]
Inna l’illah, wa inna ilayhi raji’un.
My condolences.
thank you, WM.
I’m so sorry, Carol. I hadn’t stopped by in a while.
@Abu Dhabi,
Thank you and glad you have stopped by.
[...] one likes to talk or think about death. Abdullah has been gone two months today so I can’t help but think about loss, grief and death. The raw [...]
[...] Comments Saudi Arabia: Distin… on Saudi Arabia: My Prince No Lon…Aafke on Saudi Arabia, Expats and the N…Abu Sinan on Saudi Arabia, Expats and the [...]
[...] Abdullah was a unique Saudi in so many different ways. Dogs continue to be a controversial subject within Islam and in Saudi Arabia on whether it is halal (acceptable) or haram (forbidden) to have a dog. I learned shortly after our 2002 arrival in the United States that my husband was fascinated by all the Americans who’d be out with their dogs. He observed the dogs were well-behaved, friendly and loyal to their owners. He had never thought about dogs much before but started to find himself drawn to them. Our neighbors owned two large dogs. They happened to be pit bulls. Pit bulls are strong muscular dogs which in some cases, were bred specifically for fighting. Our neighbors however, loved their dogs and showered them with affection. These two dogs were also among the best trained dogs we had seen. Over time, Abdullah found himself more comfortable and at ease with our neighbors dogs. So much so, that eventually he offered to take them for walks and became a dog sitter anytime our neighbors were out of town. He found that he liked and preferred large breed dogs. [...]
May Allah grant him Jannah & give you patience to get through this.
May Allah bless you .
@musheera,
Welcome and shukran aleki.
I happened upon your site today whilst searching on the internet for articles on Saudia Arabia.
Reading the stories you post and others finish. It was engaging.
I moved onto the story about when you and Abdullah met – you both touched me.
I progressed through until this one and I admit I cried.
Not only does Abdullah sound like a wondeful man, but you a wonderful woman.
May the warmth of my feelings reach both of you, wherever you are.
Cathie
Cathie,
First of all welcome to American Bedu. Thank you for your touching words of strength, support and condolences. Oh yes, I was very blessed to have the short time with my Prince.
Best Regards, Carol
[...] love of my life has been gone for three months today. It still feels surreal to me that he is gone. I realize part of my [...]
[...] Abdullah was a unique Saudi in so many different ways. Dogs continue to be a controversial subject within Islam and in Saudi Arabia on whether it is halal (acceptable) or haram (forbidden) to have a dog. I learned shortly after our 2002 arrival in the United States that my husband was fascinated by all the Americans who’d be out with their dogs. He observed the dogs were well-behaved, friendly and loyal to their owners. He had never thought about dogs much before but started to find himself drawn to them. Our neighbors owned two large dogs. They happened to be pit bulls. Pit bulls are strong muscular dogs which in some cases, were bred specifically for fighting. Our neighbors however, loved their dogs and showered them with affection. These two dogs were also among the best trained dogs we had seen. Over time, Abdullah found himself more comfortable and at ease with our neighbors dogs. So much so, that eventually he offered to take them for walks and became a dog sitter anytime our neighbors were out of town. He found that he liked and preferred large breed dogs. [...]
[...] } When my dear belated husband, Abdullah, was a patient at MD Anderson Cancer Center he was often visited by volunteers at his hospital [...]
AA Carol,
Its been a real looong time! Iam so saddened and shocked by this. I knew your husband was sick but I did not realize it was this extreme. I hope you, your mother-in-law, and family are doing well. You are all in my prayers. Insh’Allah I will also be praying for your husband and his destination to Paradise. Please Carol take care of yourself. Salam!
Thank you Tina for your kind words. His passing was such a shock and especially hard on my MIL since she never saw him once he had left Saudi until he returned just before his death. Thank you for your prayers. All prayers are welcomed and very much appreciated.
Assalaamu alaykum, Carol,what a shock…I haven’t read your blog in a such a long time. I’m very sorry to hear of your loss.
To Allah we belong and to Him we return. May Allah give him a place in Jannah inshaAllah.
Although his memory will live on in your heart, I hope you are coping. I’m sure he would want you to look after yourself…
Again, I’m very sorry for your loss.
Aliyah (formerly of ‘Micellanea of a Reformed Blurker’)
Salam Alaikum, Aliyah.
Thank you for your words of support and encouragement.
I’m glad to see you back and hope that all is well with you.
Best Regards, Carol
[...] my own battle against this disease. I am also a Cancer Widow as this disease took my beloved husband from me in February 2010. Therefore I am a strong advocate in doing whatever I can in my [...]
[...] second song was Wind Beneath My Wings by Bette Midler. This beautiful song we would sing to each other and insisting that the words [...]
[...] dearest husband Abdullah has now been gone four months. It feels like an eternity yet at the same time it feels like only [...]
[...] I will always treasure the years which we had together as a couple in Saudi Arabia. Our time together was way too short but Allah had other plans for Abdullah. However, the time we spent in Saudi [...]