Jharoka

Prophet Muhammad ﷺ taught us that when a person passes away, their record of deeds is closed and sealed but the gate remains open through their children. Reciting Surah Al-Fatiha for the deceased is a gift of light. Each time we recite it with sincerity, we are asking Allah ﷻ to elevate their station and expand their grave with His mercy. Because Surah Al-Fatiha is a conversation between the servant and Allah ﷻ, it serves as the intercessory prayer, connecting our earthly longing to their heavenly peace.

In my ongoing search for comfort, I try to recite Surah Al-Fatiha mindfully, slowly and pausing after every ayah. This has helped transform my grief from a heavy silence into a meaningful conversation between me, my Creator, and the memory of the woman who gave me everything, including the patience to teach me this very Surah.

The Seven Verses of Remembrance

Al-hamdu lillahi Rabbil-alaamin

(All praise is due to Allah, Lord of all the worlds)

I start with gratitude, even through the tears. I thank Allah ﷻ for the gift of being her child. I thank Him for her unconditional love, sacrifices shown through every hug, every meal she cooked, and every prayer she made for me. To have known her and to be her child are blessings worth praising.

Ar-Rahmanir-Rahim

(The Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful)

I pause here and I beg for His Mercy to envelop her. I think of her own mercy in the way she forgave my mistakes, and I ask the Most Merciful to treat her with a kindness far greater than any she showed me.

Maliki yawmid-din

(Sovereign of the Day of Recompense)

This verse reminds me that she is in the hands of the Ultimate Judge. It gives me peace to know that her earthly struggles are over and she is now with the Master of all affairs.

Iyyaka na’budu wa iyyaka nasta’in

(It is You we worship and You we ask for help)

Here I admit my weakness and I tell Allah ﷻ that I am struggling, that this anniversary of her passing feels heavier than ever before. I ask for strength and to be a person who always honors her legacy.

Ihdinas-siratal-mustaqim

(Guide us to the straight path)

Every time I choose the straight path, it is a testament to her upbringing. My good deeds are now her good deeds. Every right turn I make in life is a credit to her account.

Siratalladhina an’amta ‘alayhim

(The path of those upon whom You have bestowed favor)

I pray that her soul is amongt the most beloved of souls. I visualize her in the company of the righteous, free from the pains and worries of this world.

Ghayril-maghdubi ‘alayhim walad-dallin

(Not of those who have evoked Your anger or of those who are astray)

I finish by asking for protection for my own soul, so that I may stay on the path that reunites me back to her.

Ameen

Putting a seal on this soulful plea — Please, Allah, let this reach her. Let her soul feel the coolness of this prayer.

Ammi ji, I will keep perfecting my Fatiha. I will keep pausing between the lines, making sure every word is a bridge of light between my soul and yours.

If you have made it to this post / page, I would be most appreciative if you could say a prayer or recite Fatiha for my beloved mother. Thank you.