She was a good friend of mine. We had been together all through high school and later during our college days as well. After college she got busy with her higher studies and I got married and moved to another city. We were literally out of touch for a long period of time.
During the year 2004 my father was diagnosed with bone-cancer and was completely bed-ridden. I had an opportunity to visit and serve him during his last days. I was at my parents' home when I came to know that my friend too was diagnosed with blood-cancer and was under treatment for a long time then, going through chemotherapies etc. I wanted to visit her but was told that since I had small children I should not visit the hospital or the patient. But I regretted why I did not plan visiting her leaving my kids at home with the other members of family.
One morning. when my father woke up from his sleep. he told me that he saw one of my friends in his dream telling him that he should not worry about anything and that she would take care of everything for him. I asked him who she was but he said he did not remember
The other morning the phone bell rang and as I picked up the phone it was none other than that old friend of mine suffering from blood-cancer in its last stage! She had called me up to inquire about my father. She said that she had heard about my father and she wanted to help him get treated by the best doctors she knew and that she will send her brother to that hospital to arrange a meeting with the doctors. She asked me to tell my brother to reach the hospital at a particular time with all the files of my father's treatment and diagnoses. My brother went there and met with her brother. The doctors showed some positive response after seeing the reports of my father who was in the last stage of cancer as well.
But the next day I came to know from a phone call that my friend, who recommended good doctors for the treatment of my father, had passed away! I was shocked as she had talked to me just a day before and though she was in the last stage of her disease and too frail to talk still she had shown consideration for my suffering father. She had told me on the phone that I should not worry about my father and that she would see to it that he was cured! When I heard of her demise I suddenly remembered my dad's words who had told me about his dream...as far as I remembered he did not know that friend of mine and he did not know about the phone call!
That day, I decided to at least visit her family after her death, as I felt bad that I did not visit her when she was alive.
I took a friend of mine along with me to see the family of my deceased friend. When we reached her home she was already taken for burial rites. We sat there for sometime and then took a taxi for going back home. When we were half-way I felt a strange and strong feeling of visiting my father who was admitted in the hospital. Though it was out of the way but we turned our taxi around and paid a visit to my father. I could not get to talk to him as he was probably sleeping. But I came near him and touched his forhead and prayed for his speedy recovery.
Later that night we were shocked to hear the news of my father's demise!
Every soul shall have a taste of death in the end to Us shall ye be brought back. Quran (29:57)
I was in shock and grief. It took me a long time to come back from that sorrowful time in my life. But later on when I recalled all that happened it always surprised me and got me to think deeply about the connection between souls.The souls that were nearing their release from the temporary bodies they wore breathed into. The souls that were connected some way. We can never unravel the mysteries of the unseen world but this incident made me realise that there surely is some connection between the souls of people. A friend of mine who was herself dying, why was she so interested and caring about another person who was in the same state as her.
Morever,why did my father get to see a friend of mine in his dream telling him not to worry about anything and that she would take care of everything! Though both were bed ridden, on the verge of death, still had some connection.
Even a layperson would understand that there is some thing that connects people. There is something that attracts you to or repels you from certain people. You are not comfortable with all kinds of people and neither do you get along well with everyone. Sometimes, you do not know someone still you feel as if you know him or her well and you tend to be so positive in their company. These are all the mysteries that can not be known until we ourselves go into that world...a world of souls,,,the unseen world...the world of life after death!
Narrated Aishah (ra):
I heard the Prophet (ﷺ), "Souls are like recruited troops: Those who are like qualities are inclined to each other, but those who have dissimilar qualities, differ."
Sahih al-Bukhari 3336
And they ask you, [O Muhammad], about the soul. Say, "The soul is of the affair of my Lord. And mankind have not been given of knowledge except a little."
Surat Al-'Isrā' (The Night Journey) - سورة الإسراء 85
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