Syed Taalay Ahmed Shaheed –A Quiet Progress

‘So whoever does good works and is a believer, his effort will not be disregarded and We shall surely record it.’ (The Holy Qur’an 21:95)

In recent history, modern education systems have had a shift in their teaching philosophy. Where previously emphasis was laid on rote learning, attainment of knowledge and test scores, educators have now shifted their focus on markers of progress and application of knowledge in different contexts, such as having ‘critical thinking’ skills. Not only are these markers of progress celebrated as a success for the learner, but they are also seen as a positive reflection on the educator and the wider institute.

As an educator myself, I am acutely aware that not all progress is recorded, and can sometimes even go unnoticed… Until one day, a student’s glaring attainment takes you by complete surprise.

Progress, however, is not a new concept, nor unique to education. In fact, following the religion of Islam, at its core, is about a very personal, spiritual progress. A religion where ‘Jihad-e-Akbar’ (the jihad or ‘struggle’ of greatest importance in Islam) is the struggle for self-reformation1. This struggle is not necessarily loud and may not be detected easily by external parties. But one day, someone else’s glaring spiritual progress, can be unveiled all at once.

With this in mind, I will share some personal memories of my brother, Syed Taalay Ahmed Shaheed, which on reflection, were quiet examples of how he was constantly evolving due to his love for Allah, His Messenger, His Khulafa-e-Ahmadiyya and His Jama’at.

Forgiveness

‘Take to forgiveness, and enjoin kindness, and turn away from the ignorant.’ (The Holy Qur’an 7:200)

In the months leading up to my brother’s martyrdom, I would often have extended phone conversations with him, talking about anything from a favourite coffee order to deeply spiritual topics. In one particular phone call, though I do not recall the specific topic of discussion, I remember making a complaint (as younger sisters do) regarding some general issue of – what I felt was – unjust conduct.

Taalay Bhai’s response was far from what I expected – instead of providing sympathy, or taking sides, he simply chuckled and commented something along the lines of,

‘As you get older, you get more soft-hearted. You don’t judge others as harshly, and you’re more willing to let things go.’

The fact that I do not remember the conversation, nor my complaint, yet remember the words of my brother in response, display what a profound impact this moment had on me. Here was my older brother, quietly demonstrating what it meant to be forgiving. At the time, he was only 31. Though I cannot say I have met all the 31-year-olds in the world, I can say that I have not encountered many people (young and old) who have shown the same level of maturity, kindness and forgiveness as I felt was displayed in that moment. He did not make a grand speech about forgiveness, or how I was in the wrong for my complaint, but simply said enough for me to realise that he was making spiritual progress that I couldn’t necessarily see and should be mindful of my own self-reformation.

Backbiting

‘O ye who believe! avoid most of suspicions; for suspicion in some cases is a sin. And spy not, nor backbite one another. […]’ (The Holy Qur’an 49:13)

During the pandemic, there were many news reports which bore particular significance for the UK. There were some news stories which my brother and I had taken an interest in and would send each other updates and links relating to them, thereafter discussing our thoughts on it.

Throughout the pandemic, I felt that there seemed to be a ‘media fatigue’ in the general population and it appeared people would rather talk about anything but the news. One day, whilst discussing one of the news stories we were following, I casually mentioned to my brother about how I’d rather talk about the news to stop me from resorting to frivolous ‘idle-talk’, which could lead to backbiting!

He agreed, adding an unexpected comment that if anyone tried to indulge in frivolous talk with him, he would shut-down the conversation or that failing, would ensure he did not spread idle-talk.

Though this comment came up naturally in a conversation we were having, it remains with me constantly. Backbiting and gossip are unfortunately societal ills that are weaved into our everyday lives – whether through the media, social media, friendships, work or school – which can make them difficult to avoid. Despite this, my brother encouraged me to maintain this effort by giving his own personal example. This wasn’t to show off or demonstrate any superiority, but to simply exhibit that this was a challenge faced by everyone and it was our duty to take steps to combat it.

Honesty

‘Qawl-e-Sadeed (the right word) entails uttering what is completely true and appropriate and has no hint of randomness, uselessness and falsehood.’ – The Promised Messiahas.2

One of the many qualities that now, more than ever, I appreciate about my older brother was his honesty. He was straightforward and, especially for me, this left little room for misunderstandings.

However, more than this, was the value his words then held as a result of this honesty. There are many incidents, though seemingly small, that I still remember to this day, however I will just give one of my own examples here. Once, he was showing me a documentary video on YouTube. I commented upon the editing and cinematography and he paused the video, looking at me very carefully. He asked,

‘Did someone teach you that?’ to which I replied that I hadn’t been taught. He commented that,‘You’re quite perceptive to pick up on those things, then.’

Though to many this may seem like an inconsequential comment, Taalay Bhai was not one for exaggeration or being over-complimentary. Such a comment held more value than any positive feedback I’d received from a university lecturer or teacher, simply because I knew it was completely sincere. There are many small, uplifting instances like this which, even now, are still ingrained in my memory. Whilst some may feel that perhaps these are simply the sentiments of a younger sister who admired her older brother, there is another similar incident, which does not relate directly to me.

In 2021, I happened to be helping on ‘The God Summit’ by The Review of Religions team, which was running for the first time ever (under the guidance of beloved Hazooraba). After the initial launch of the project, positive comments were received from all around the world, Alhamdolillah. However, amongst it all, I was told that the feedback that was considered the ‘best compliment’ on a personal level for one of the project managers, was the positive feedback given by Taalay Bhai!

Taken aback by this comment, I proceeded to joke with my brother that perhaps he didn’t often give feedback to others, to which he chuckled along. In retrospect, I realise that this experience was similar to my own experience. Alhamdolillah, by the Grace of Allah, Taalay Bhai was an extremely genuine individual, therefore when positive comments were given by him, the sincerity was deeply felt by those receiving them, as a result of his honesty.

As a last example of his honesty and ‘Qawl-e-Sadeed’ (though there are many I could mention), I would like to mention one of his final messages with me. During his time in Ghana, shortly before his martyrdom, he advised me that my standards of purdah (modest dress/hijab) should be maintained, if not increased, as my own family was simultaneously embarking on our journey of Waqf in West Africa. Though this was a more direct example of ‘Qawl-e-Sadeed’, this ‘right word’ was uttered at a very appropriate time. It enabled me to have the courage to maintain my own boundaries and standards of purdah here, as well as my family’s, which I may have not had the foresight to do on my own otherwise, due to cultural differences in West Africa.

Alhamdolillah, my brother had many outstanding qualities that I was well-aware of during his life, nevertheless, the more subtle spiritual ‘progress markers’ were not something I was actively looking for. In fact, my brother was constantly developing and through his shahadat, Allah Almighty made all the indicators I did not consciously notice previously, apparent all at once.

Just as we look for progress in our worldly pursuits, Allah Almighty is recording our progress in spiritual pursuits. Just as external parties view the attainment of a learner as a reflection on the educator, our positive characteristics, as a result of progress in our faith, reflect positively on Islam.

Ultimately, the importance of tangible spiritual progress has been described by the Promised Messiahas in the following words,

‘If you wish to attain the grace and beneficence of Allah the Exalted, then demonstrate an accomplishment, otherwise you will be discarded like a useless item. No one throws out his household valuables, gold and silver. On the contrary all such items and all useful and valuable items are greatly cared for. However, if a dead rat is found in the house, it will be instantly thrown out. Similarly, Allah the Exalted always holds dear His pious people, grants them long age and blesses their business. He does not let them go to waste and does not let them die an ignoble death. However, one who contravenes the directives of Allah the Exalted is destroyed. If you wish for God Almighty to value you it is essential that you become pious so that you are worthy in God’s sight. God makes a distinction between those who fear Him and abide by His commandments and the others. The secret for man to find blessing is in avoiding evil. Such a person is worthy wherever he lives because he exudes piety. He is compassionate to the underprivileged, is kind to his neighbours; is not mischievous, does not file false court cases, does not give false testimonies, in fact he keeps his heart purified and is inclined to God and is called God’s friend.’3

1 https://www.alislam.org/question/what-does-jihad-mean/

2 Translated from Tafseer Holy Qur’an, Vol. III, pp. 731 – 732, https://www.alislam.org/friday-sermon/printer-friendly-summary-2013-06-21.html

3 Translated from Malfuzat, Vol. 6, p. 399 – 401, https://www.alislam.org/friday-sermon/printer-friendly-summary-2013-06-21.html