Positively Muslim
Positively Muslim in The West: Blind and in her 70s | Hifdh Student Umm Uthman
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Bismillah
This is the newest monthly recognition of outstanding and inspiring Muslims, residing in the West. We hope to showcase the talents and contributions of these individuals to the Muslim Ummah. Feel free to nominate other talented Muslim individuals, who have made a positive contribution to the society by emailing: info@muslimmatters.org.
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Our newest, “Positively Muslim in the West” recognition specifically for Ramadan goes to Umm Uthman, an elderly blind sister residing in the East Coast.
Asma bint Yazid 
reported that the Prophet 
said, “Shall I tell you who is the best of you?” “Yes,” they replied. He said, “Those who remind you of Allah when you see them.” [Adab al Mufrad]
I love watching her, especially when she prays. She doesn’t see me looking at her, but every time I see Umm Uthman, I become overwhelmed with emotion and humility. She is of the few people that truly remind me of Allah azza wa jal every single time I see her. She is one of the even fewer people that I truly see noor glowing from their face. Whenever I go to greet her, she will hold my hand tightly and feel my wrist, as if it’s how she recognizes me now that she cannot see. Her strong memory puts me to shame as she asks me about things I told her months or years ago like I told her about it yesterday.
The reason why Umm Uthman is receiving recognition is not because she is a blind elderly woman, but because she is a blind student of the Qur’an striving to complete her memorization in her 70s.
Umm Uthman, as I will refer to her in this post, is a family friend of my parents. She is a woman in her late 70s who still wears full khimar (below her knees) and jilbab although she is beyond the age of covering.
I first met her nearly 10 years ago when she still had her eyesight, but it was beginning to weaken due to a brain tumor which alhamdulillah was removed. I remember going to visit her and she would use the walls as a support/guide to navigate in her house. As her sight started to go and ultimately went, she never once openly complained or talked in such a way that caused others to pity her. Now being completely blind, she has the support of her children or grandchildren guiding her and a walking stick.
After Umm Uthman and her family moved a bit further away from us, we didn’t see her and her family as much but still stayed in contact.
Last year, while attending a fundraiser for a local Qur’an school, the director of the school announced that they would like to introduce one of their special students. I thought it was going to be a very young child who perhaps finished their memorization, but instead I see Umm Uthman walk on the stage with the help of a sister. The director, knowing that Umm Uthman does not know English, goes on to tell the audience her story and that Umm Uthman is a hard working student of their school, coming regularly even though she crosses into the neighboring state to attend. He asked her to recite some Qur’an and she began to recite from a powerful surah that she recently finished memorizing:
ص ۚ وَالْقُرْآنِ ذِي الذِّكْرِ
Saad. By the Qur’an, full of reminders. (38:1)
I sat there, in complete awe, as this blind elderly woman recited the Book of Allah moving many in the audience to tears. I had no idea that she was a student at the school, so I was eager to talk to her after the event. She told me she just finished memorizing her seventh juz of Qur’an, mashaAllah. I asked her to recite her favorite surah to me, and she began to read from Surah Zumar:
تَنزِيلُ الْكِتَابِ مِنَ اللَّهِ الْعَزِيزِ الْحَكِيمِ
The revelation of this Book is from Allah, the All-Mighty, the All-Wise. Verily We have sent down the Book to you in truth: So worship Allah (Alone) by doing religious deeds sincerely for Allah’s sake only. (39:1-2)
I finally got to see Umm Uthman again at the masjid for tarawih prayers. It has become my habit now that I ask her how much more she has memorized since our last conversation because she always increases in her hifdh mashaAllah. When I asked her after prayer, she told me she couldn’t remember the name of the surah but read the first ayah to me and I told her the name of the surah and that she has almost completed a third of the Qur’an mashaAllah.
I think of myself and all of the youth who have the ability to read and see the words of Allah while she cannot, who may know Arabic while she does not, who have easy access to knowledge while she does not, yet we do not have a relationship with the Qur’an like Umm Uthman. Her determination and love for the Qur’an is an inspiration to me, so I hope that inshaAllah you will be inspired as well.
I interviewed Umm Uthman after tarawih prayers and asked her a few questions (this is a translation of her answers):
Q: Why do you memorize the Qur’an?
I memorize to remove myself from the hell-fire and to receive the bishaarah (glad tidings) of Jannah. Through the Qur’an I seek the hereafter.
Q: What is your routine like for memorizing and reviewing?
Before I started going to the Qur’an school, I would memorize only one ayah every week. I memorize more at the Qur’an school now, maybe seven-eight ayat a week. I have tapes that I listen to and repeat with, that is how I memorize, repeating the ayah over and over. I ask my grandchildren to help me with the tapes and to read the ayat with me as well.
Q: Did you hear any negative words from anyone, such as you’re too old to memorize?
A man once came to the school and saw me reviewing and told my teacher, “why is this old woman here?! what is the point of her learning??” and the my teacher responded, “you don’t know her, she is almost done memorizing the Qur’an!” Alhamdulillah, no one else at the school said anything to me, they all encourage me.
Q: What is your favorite surah to recite?
Surah Zumar! I love reciting it in prayer.
Q: What is special to you about the Qur’an?
It is my way of coming close to Allah. Through the Qur’an, I seek nearness to Him. [Note: she then began talking about the Qur’an like it was her friend]
Q: What advice do you have for the youth and those who want to memorize?
May Allah guide them and us! I advise them to seek to come closer to Allah and to find peace in memorizing His Book – may Allah continue to guide them. Our deen and imaan are the most valuable to us.
After asking her these questions, I narrated to her the hadith qudsi of the Prophet :
“Allah, the Glorious and Exalted said: “When I afflict my slave in his two dear things (i.e., his eyes), and he endures patiently, I shall compensate him for them with Jannah.” [Bukhari]
She responded to me in the affirmative, that she knew this hadith and that she is patient with her eyesight only for the sake of Allah. She then said to me a beautiful statement: “When you have imaan in your heart, true imaan, then that is your eyesight.” Indeed she spoke the truth as Allah ta’ala says in surah Hajj:
فَإِنَّهَا لَا تَعْمَى الْأَبْصَارُ وَلَـٰكِن تَعْمَى الْقُلُوبُ الَّتِي فِي الصُّدُورِ
Verily, it is not the eyes that grow blind, but it is the hearts which are in the breasts that grow blind. (22:46)
The Prophet narrated in an authentic hadith, “The helpers (awliya’) of Allah the Exalted are those whom, when they are seen, Allah is remembered.” (Sahih al Jaami’)
I ask Allah ta’ala to make Umm Uthman from His Awliyaa’, from the Companions of the Qur’an and its People. May Allah grant her a good end with the glad tidings of angels in this life and ultimate success with the greetings of the angels in the next, Ameen.
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Amatullah
August 31, 2009 at 11:21 PM
One thing I did not include in the article that I really love about her is that she actually FACES you when you’re talking to her. She knows which direction you are even if you’re 20 feet away, subhanAllah.
I am truly mesmerized by her, and I ask that our love for her is a sign of Allah’s Love for her, Ameen.
(PS- That is an actual picture of her I took tonight at the masjid)
I only got to speak to her briefly for this interview, so if anyone has anymore questions, please add to the comments and I will talk to her tomorrow inshaAllah.
Yusuf Smith
September 1, 2009 at 4:38 AM
As-Salaamu ‘alaikum,
This is fairly common with people who have lost their eyesight; they still have all the mannerisms and habits they had as a sighted person. A person who lost their sight early on, or never had it, often won’t ‘look’ at you when they speak to you, since they never picked this up.
isms
September 1, 2009 at 12:09 AM
This post made me all teary eyed. May Allah SWT grant her jannah for all of her hardwork. She is truly inspiring.
Amad
September 1, 2009 at 12:33 AM
Truly a star and role-model mashallah.
Jazakillahkhair for sharing.
vindicated
September 1, 2009 at 1:03 AM
Her efforts to learn the Qur’an definitely put my efforts to shame.
Insha’Allah I’ll use this opportunity to increase my efforts too!
abu abdAllah Tariq Ahmed
September 1, 2009 at 2:12 AM
Ameen to all your duat and hers, sister. MashaAllah, beautiful is the subject of your article, beautiful is the objective she seeks, and beautiful is the language with which you convey these reminders to us of the Mercy of Allah and the strength of the believers.
Allaho Akbar! Takbeer wa tabaarakAllah!
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Arif
September 1, 2009 at 2:33 AM
ÙˆÙŽÙ‚Ùيلَ الْØَمْد٠لÙلَّه٠رَبّ٠الْعَـلَمÙينَ – And it will be said, “All the praises and thanks be to Allah, the Lord of all that exists.” (Last Ayah of Surah Zumar)
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Sadaf Farooqi
September 1, 2009 at 3:39 AM
So, so inspiring! May Allah grant her the highest level of Jannah, and us a will and resolve such as hers to become one of the Ahl Al-Quran..
Jazaakillahu khairan, Amatullah. Great interview and beautiful article!
Anisa
September 1, 2009 at 6:32 AM
Asalaamu Alaaikum
MashaAllah tabarkAllah, such a beautiful article, I love this great Muslimah may Allah bless her and grant her the ability to finish the Quran ameen
I look forward to each article in mail may Allah reward all the MM authors/contributors, ameen
ummimaryam
September 1, 2009 at 6:35 AM
Alhamdulillah..Alhamdulillah..Alhamdulillahee rabbil aalaameen
Jazakumallahu khairaa sister for the beautiful article.Mashaallah.
Abu Harun
September 1, 2009 at 6:44 AM
salaam alaikum wr wb,
This story had me at the first hadith
Asma bint Yazid radi Allahu anha reported that the Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam said, “Shall I tell you who is the best of you?” “Yes,” they replied. He said, “Those who remind you of Allah when you see them.” [Adab al Mufrad, Graded Hasan by Shaykh Albaani]
And the story of that old lady can surely make a grown man sub.
wa salaam alaikum wr wb
Abu Harun
MR
September 1, 2009 at 9:26 AM
This post has humbled me to an ant in front of an elephant.
May Allah grant the highest Jannah for Umm Uthman. Ameen!
Tanveer
September 1, 2009 at 10:47 AM
SubhanaAllah.
Its truly inspiring and heart warming, jazakallah khair.
I am shameful that I do not posses the love and respect to book of Allah, as she does. I ask Allah to guide and help me and all those who still have eyesight and have neglected Quran to thank Allah for the blessing (eyesight) and be inspired to memorize and understand Quran.
Jazakallah khair
Yus from the Nati
September 1, 2009 at 12:41 PM
La ilaha illAllah! Abooto puts us all to shame. She’s a living Torch Bearer, these types of stories are too unbelievable to read about (I believe it…I’m just saying!)
sis
September 1, 2009 at 5:22 PM
Asalamu Alikum
Allahu Akbar! what a moving an inspiring sister, mashaAllah tabarakaAllah. Jazaki Allah khair.
Rafa
September 1, 2009 at 5:42 PM
Masha Allah, this article has truly inspired and humbled me. May Allah bless Umm Uthman with Jannah! And may He guide us all so that we may be like her. Jazakallah khair.
ASC
September 1, 2009 at 7:33 PM
Truly a touching story, their are many lessons for us to learn from this article..JAK for sharing..it brought tears to my eyes
Umm Ahmad
September 2, 2009 at 4:11 AM
Asslamu alikum
Mashaa’Allah very very inspiring article,may Allah reward Umm Uthman and gather her with the mothers of the believers in the highest rank of Jannah .
Jazaki Allah khair sister for sharing and Please convey my greetings to Umm Uthman.
Abu Zak
September 2, 2009 at 5:52 AM
Mashallah!!
mcpagal
September 2, 2009 at 5:12 PM
mA – so inspirational and touching!
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aicha
September 10, 2009 at 1:12 AM
Assalamoalaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh,
I know one sister who is blind but so determined to learn the deen, reading the story of Umm Uthman reminded me of the sister… I pray that Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala make us follow the footsteps of these pious sisters… May Allah increase us in Eman and love for Allah, His Book and His Prophet SallAallahu Alayhi Wassalam. This is Allah’s love for Umm Uthman that so many people who dont even know her are making Dua for her – it is beautiful! May Allah give us taufeeq to learn and memorize the Qur’an as well and make it means for us to come closer to Allah and may Allah make the Quran the means to raise our levels in Jannah – verse by verse InshaAllah. O’ Allah make us of those who love Quran, love reading it, love learning it, love memorizing it, love teaching it and love living it. Ameen.
sis
July 27, 2012 at 3:50 PM
ameen!!
Bint Alam
April 21, 2011 at 4:58 AM
@ Sister Amatullah, I know a sister who has a four months old daughter, her first child, who continuously cried for 4months and didn’t sleep at night at all, this mother when diagnosed her child found she had a heart problem, they did a surgery on her, then after it when they did her eco the doctors found her left artery is smaller than her right one…subhaanAllaah…Allaah truly tests the believers….and this siter has been a live example of strength, patience and trust on Allaah for me…..is it possible that I get an interview from her and send it to you to check it and if you think it’s suitable for MM readers you could post it in sha Allah.
Musodiq Bello
July 1, 2012 at 7:22 AM
Very inspiring! May Allah bless Umm Uthman and sis Amatullah. Three years after this article was written, I would love to have an update on Umm Uthman please.