Inspiring Legacy
Demise of Ḥājī Adam Patel
بسم الله الرحمن الرحیم
As we awoke this morning in Blackburn, we heard the shocking news that our maternal grandfather Ḥājī Adam Patel has passed away in Dewsbury in the early hours of the morning. إنا لله وإنا إلیه راجعون
Immediately, we departed for Dewsbury and participated in his bathing and shrouding arrangements. By the grace of Almighty Allah, the burial was complete by the afternoon and the Janāzah Ṣalāh was attended by hundreds of people including senior scholars from across the UK. The Ṣalāh was led by Ḥaḍrat Mawlānā Yūsuf Motālā.
The most inspiring aspect of the deceased’s death was his soul departing this world whilst he was performing Fajr Ṣalāh at home. A good ending (Ḥusn al-Khātimah) is a wish of every believer and we have been taught to supplicate and work hard for it. To die in the state of Ṣalāh is a virtuous and honourable way of reaching Almighty Allah. Such a death is no coincidence; rather it is a reflection of how he spent his life in the servitude of his Lord. Those who knew our grandfather Marḥūm Adam Bhai will undoubtedly confirm this. Until his recent illness, he would perform all his five prayers in the first row of the Ilaahi Masjid, Hope Street, Dewsbury, of which he was a founding member. Even after his illness begun, he would not miss his Tahajjud Ṣalāh, and he would always gaze out of the window looking at the Masjid. For such people, who have this level of attachment with the Masājid, the Prophet ﷺ promises the shade of the Almighty on the Day of Judgment when there will be no shade other than the shade of the Almighty (Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, 6806).
Marḥūm Adam Bhai was born on 26 Dhū al-Qaʿdah / 18 Feb 1936 and he came to the UK in 1962. He resided in Hope Street, Dewsbury and was instrumental in establishing the Masjid. He worked hard for many years in the factories to earn a pure Ḥalāl earning and rarely missed a day at work. Despite financial constraints, he was among the first in the UK to send his daughters abroad to study the Islamic sciences in India. By the grace of Almighty Allah, the results of his efforts bore fruit after many years. Today, this is evident in the form of various institutes across the UK whereby Muslim girls have access to Islamic education in a secure environment. The Prophet ﷺ said, “He who establishes a good practice (Sunnah Ḥasanah) in Islam earns the reward of it, and [the reward] of all who perform it after him, without diminishing their own rewards in the least” (Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, 1017).
From amongst his other qualities was the amount of charity he would donate in the path of Allah. It was his practice to give 25% of his earnings in charity for the poor and destitute across the world. He had a strong affection and connection with the family of Shaykh al-Islām Sayyid Mawlānā Ḥusayn Aḥmad Madanī (d. 1377/1957) (may Allah have mercy on him). He had a close relationship and friendship with Sayyid Mawlānā Asʿad Madanī (d. 1427/2006) who would reside at his home in Hope Street since the 70s until his demise, despite the fact that there was no toilet facilities on the ground floor or lift in the house.
My respected father Mufti Shabbīr Aḥmad (b. 1376/1957) relates that when Mawlānā Arshad Madanī (b. 1941 – ) was informed of his demise, he said, “Not only did Adam Bhai have affection with the Madanī family, rather he had immense love for the people of Madinah. Every year in the blessed month of Ramaḍān, he would give me 15,000 Riyals Lillah funds for the people of Madinah.” As a person, he would spend less on himself and his household needs and would abundantly give in the path of Allah.
Marḥūm Adam Bhai’s father passed away hundreds of miles away from Gujarat in Jolarpettai, between Bangalore and Madras in India, whilst propagating the word of Almighty Allah. Upon his death, Marḥūm Adam Bhai decided to build a Masjid and Madrasah there and continued to fund it until his demise.
The Prophet ﷺ said, “Verily Ṣadaqah appeases the Lord’s anger and averts an evil death” (Sunan al-Tirmidhī, 664; Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Ḥibbān, 3309). It is for this reason, Almighty Allah states in the Qurʾān (3: 92), “You cannot attain piety until you spend from that which you love.” Piety is conditional on giving charity and the death of Marḥūm Adam Bhai during Fajr Ṣalāh exemplifies the benefit of charity.
We pray to Almighty Allah to forgive the deceased, elevate his status and give us the ability to live a life and die in a way that attracts the mercy and the pleasure of Allah, our cherisher, creator and life giver.
Yusuf Shabbir
8 Rabīʿ al-Thānī 1429 / 14 April 2008
