Written by Umm Ahmad
(Narrations in this story are based completely on firsthand information from the family of Umm Nidal)
The Ummah today is in need of contemporary examples. Examples which will inspire and educate us about the nature of our religion and the deep impact it needs to have on the lives of every member of the Ummah that we may pause for a moment and observe our own lives and examine where we stand against those who were true to their covenant with Allah.
Known as a mother of the mujahideen and the Khansaa of Palestine, Sister Mariam Farhaat (commonly known as Umm Nidal) lived a life of service to the Ummah of La ilaha illallah seeking only the pleasure of Allah.
It was said before her passing away (we ask Allah to accept as one of His righteous servants) and during the last years of her life she was always preoccupied with asking Allah to accept her deeds and her only request to her children and loved ones was to pray to Allah that Allah is merciful with her, forgives her shortcomings and accepts any deeds she had reaped. Such was her humility and character.
She was the mother of three martyrs, and we will mention here the story of the youngest of them who became a martyr at the young age of 17 years only. She was also the softest of mothers towards her children, such that her sons would say that even as kids they would caution one another to avoid mentioning any physical injury or pain they felt as their mother would feel very sad. Even if they had a stomach pain they would conceal it from her as she would weep out of her love and softness towards them.
The difference though is that her love for Allah and Jihad was much greater than her deep love for her children! It was in only this way that she was pleased and took pride in sacrificing her three children as a Qurban for Allah and for the sake of His Deen.
When her sons were asked about how she brought them up. They responded by saying that their mother brought them up by instilling the love of Allah, Islam and the Ummah, trained them in the understanding that being a Muslim meant submitting to Allah in every aspect of life and in every situation, and instilled in them the love and commitment to the path of Jihad fee sabeelillah!
And here is the story of her 17-year old son Muhammad and his martyrdom operation. As we can imagine all her sons where involved in Jihad in one way or the other and she was the first to make sure they would spend their time with the mujahideen from a young age. At one stage the mujahideen made plans to carry out a martyrdom operation in the midst of the Israeli military quarters. It was initially meant to be a two man operation wherein two mujahids would break into the military quarters and open fire and exhaust all their ammunition against the Israeli soldiers they find. After which it is expected that they would be martyred.
So the mujahideen were making shura about which two mujahids would be most suitable to carry out this operation and were willing. They finally settled two boys, the first being Muhammad (son of Umm Nidal) and the other was the closest childhood friend of Muhammad who was also called Muhammad!
And what followed were days and weeks of intensive training for the two close friends until the appointed time would come.
As the weeks and months went by however, the mujahideen reassessed their plans and found out that they were no longer capable to send in two people for the operation but would only be able to send in one.
So naturally the decision had to be made- who would be chosen from the two?
The boys were informed of the new change and were told that when the day came for the operation to be carried out, the one who will undertake it will be informed accordingly.
In the final week before the scheduled time of the operation, the mother of 17-year old Muhammad, Umm Nidal was found sleeping on a mattress next to her son every night through that week. Not only did she want to stay close to him in what could be his final days in this dunya but a night did not pass except that her tears were flowing, out of love for her son.
It was so much that on one of those nights, her son turned around and pleaded to his mother saying that if really this matter is causing her so much sorrow, then out of his deep love for his best friend Muhammad to enter Paradise before him, he can request the mujahideen to pull him out of this specific operation.
His mother responded strongly, asking him to do no such thing. And that it was not for him to request the mujahideen on this matter but that they were more suitable to make the best decision about this. She then asked him to excuse her for she was unable to hold back her tears, and she told him firmly: “Oh my son! Do not respond to my tears!”
The day had arrived and Muhammad (son of Umm Nidal) awoke in the early morning to the phone ringing. He was informed that today was the day and for him to be ready. His mother awoke immediately and was waiting eagerly to hear from him. He told her he was chosen and then went on to narrate to her the dream he had just before the phone call. He said he saw the hoor alayn approaching him and they told him that they will be meeting him in the afternoon and that by the will of Allah his mother will join their gathering after 10 years!
SubhanAllah! It was exactly 10 years from the martyrdom of Muhammad that his mother passed away! And she was known over the past years to frequently remind her sons that she only had 5 years left, 3 years, 2 years… and so on! She was eagerly waiting to meet Allah and rejoin with the truthful believers.
Such was the sincerity, yaqeen and truthfulness of our mother Umm Nidal. As Allah says:
Among the Believers are men who have been true to their covenant with Allah, so of them is he who accomplished his vow, and of them is he who yet waits, and they have not changed in the least (AlAhzaab:23)
May Allah have mercy on her and accept her from the truthful believers.
Sisters for the Ummah 