Caring for his sick father...

"And We have enjoined on man to be dutiful and kind to his parents"

[al-Ahqaaf 46:15]

"And We have enjoined on man to be dutiful and kind to his parents"

[al-‘Ankaboot 29:8]

"but behave with them in the world kindly"

[Luqmaan 31:15]

Shaykh al-Sa’di (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “be dutiful and kind to parents” means: treat them kindly in all ways, in word and in deed. [Tafseer al-Sa’di, p. 524]

Late Saturday night, my husband and I received a phone call from hubby's elder brother- Along.  This was when we took my brother and sister in law for a walk at Uptown Kota Damansara.  We were laughing over the boxer shorts with funny cartoon images and I saw hubby looking very serious, on the phone.  I then asked what was wrong, and he said to me that Abah (my father in law) couldn't breathe and he felt a slight pain on his chest. 

We quickly left so that my bro and sis in law can pack their stuff and leave with Along.  Hubby and I were contemplating on whether or not we should go back with them.  But whatever it is, we let the young ones go first.

I cannot believe that for one second, the devil in me said that 'this is nothing, he could just be having a gastritis issue'.  I realised after a split second that I would be worried too If it was my father.  We got home, and I packed while hubby was contemplating on whether we should leave that same night.  He asked me to stop packing and just wait for his brother to call and update us on Abah's condition.  How could I?  I saw that he was worried sick about Abah and couldn't think straight and said "No. We're leaving, you don't know what's gonna happen, and you will regret it for the rest of your life if we don't go now".  He came to his senses and we left at around 12.30am, Sunday morning.

We bumped into Along's car at the junction to hubby's house and he had Abah and Mak with him.  They were heading to Slim River Hospital.  We followed.  15 minutes after, we registered Abah and waited for about 10 minutes for the doctor to call him in.  We waited outside until 4.45am because nobody was allowed in.  After the long wait, the doctor called the family and revealed that what Abah experienced was a heart attack.  He was then taken to Coronary Care Unit (CCU) and we were not allowed to follow him in.  We all waited, once again, outside not knowing what to do.  Mak was already crying on her way up to the CCU.

I saw the look on my other half face- the frustration, the love.  It was too devastating for me to watch.  I was already thankful that I didn't let the devil's whisper win me over!  And that I became the dutiful wife I wished to be by letting him home by his father's side. 

The next day I saw how he cared for his father who had wire all over him.  The breathing support, the monitor and all those equipment that I didn't recognize.  Hubby was relying on my support too much.  He wanted me to be with him, at his side, all the time.  My body was failing me.  I was tired, hungry.  All that was gone when I saw how he wet a cloth, and wiped Abah's face, body, and massaged Abah on the head and neck to relieve the tense.  He offered to feed him, but Abah probably think his son did too much already and said he can handle the food himself.  Hubby did this for two days I was with him at the hospital. 

He did a lot of other things which made me thank Allah (SWT) for his gift. A dutiful son, to be my husband. The caring and loving one, the most patience man you could ever imagine. He is my prayer answered.

I had to go back to work on Tuesday and said that I can be on my own for a little while, while hubby stays back and care for Abah.  It's what hubby would've wanted, it is what demanded of him, as a son.  I don't care about me, as long as hubby gets the satisfaction caring for his sick father.  Abah took care of him since he was born, and now it is hubby's turn to do so. 

I pray to Allah (SWT) that Abah will recover quickly and that he earns his health back.  May all the goodness in life come to him.