Rafie's grandfather was admitted to the hospital few days before he passed. His family didn't want Rafie to worry so they only decided to tell him if the situation was very serious and if it requires an emergency trip back home...so when he got the call that Sunday night, 8th of January, we knew it was serious.
We bought tickets for the 6.40am flight and packed our stuff. Haziq & Ashiff flew with us too. Upon arriving, Fidah picked us up and took us to the hospital to see nini. It was so hard to see him like that and I couldn't even imagine what was going through the boys' minds seeing their beloved nini in that state. No dry eyes around the moment they each took turn to hold his hand and tell him that they were home. Few hours later we decided to go home to rest for a bit before coming back to visit during the next visiting hours which starts at 6pm.
Mama woke us up and told us that nini was in critical condition again and we rushed back to the hospital. When we arrived, we bumped into one of their cousins who said her condolences to me and Aimee, another cousin. We both were so confused as I looked back at Fidah who was walking towards us and it hit us. We ran. When we got there, the aura of sadness was in the air and we knew. We knew he had left us.
Innalillahi wainna ilaihi rojiun.
Everyone were hugging each other. What I love about this family is that they always consider me one of their own so I too was in the receiving end of most of these hugs. I thanked Allah for giving us the opportunity to see their arwah nini laki one last time before he left.
Alhamdulillah.
Mama, Fidah, Rafie and I rushed back to Lambak home (where nini and some of the family members live) to make preparations for everything. I couldn't help but cry silently seeing the mister in tears while driving. Preparations were made for the jenazah to be buried the next day so that night was all about the family getting together, reciting the Qur'an and prayers and spending the last few moments with him. One more thing that I love about this family is that even while they were grieving their loss, they still took time to ask me how I was (I wasn't well that week and the flight back home + no sleep made my health took a turn for the worse), and even one offering the use of their driver to take me to the nearest clinic if need be as they knew Rafie was still very much in grief and I understood.
The next day, Monday 9th January, felt like something so unreal to me. I looked into his room which has now been cleared for preparations for mandi Jenazah and it was like I can almost expect to see arwah Nini sitting on his chair in this room watching tv..this will always be one of my memories of him. It was when I went back home to Brunei for a holiday sans Rafie and I thought it would be nice to drop by and see him in Lambak. I went to his room and there he was watching one of those P Ramlee movies I now wish I could remember which one. He asked me of Rafie and I told him Rafie couldn't come back home just yet. I remember that twinkle in his eyes when he laughed at something P Ramlee said. I will always remember that twinkle.
So many people came to pay their final respects, including my parents and my brother, that they had to do four or five Solat Jenazah because the living room couldn't fit everyone..too many people. When they carried him out to go into the Kereta Jenazah to take him to his final resting place, I couldn't even see any dry eyes. He was carried out by his sons, son-in-laws and grandsons including Rafie.
We all went to the kubur together and when we all got there, I think everyone were touched by the fact that he would be buried next to his late wife. I cried when someone told me that it was one of his requests when he was still alive. Now THAT's true love.
That night and the following nights were filled with tahlil & prayers. I loved listening stories of their arwah nini laki and arwah nini bini. I never got to meet their nini bini as she passed away long before me and Rafie met but I could tell that she was a wonderful person and had a beautiful soul just like nini laki. They imagine that their nini laki and nini bini are both now happily reunited and catching up on each other after being apart for so long and I believe they are right. The thought of him no longer in pain made everyone
redha with the fact that he was no longer with us.. as it must have been difficult seeing him hospitalised every now and then.
It got me to think of my own grandfather (babah's dad) and how much I missed him and wished I could see him. I told babah that I wanted to visit him but he could only take me on a Saturday. I didn't want Rafie to take me because I thought it would be insensitive as he just lost his..but Rafie decided for us to leave on Friday so I didn't get to see my grandfather. In shaa Allah, the next time I go back home I will make it a point to see him.
May Allah SWT grant all living grandparents good health and happy lives and may He grant all our grandparents that have passed, a special place in Jannah.
Aamiiin ya Rabbal alamin.
