I was at a janazah for a man who died suddenly. Heart attack. Forty-three years old. Left behind a wife and three children.
The imam stood before the wrapped body and said something that made the entire room feel like the walls were closing in.
"He woke up that morning and checked his phone. He had plans. Meetings. A promotion he was working toward. A mortgage. A vacation booked for next month. He had no idea that by noon, he'd be here. Wrapped. Silent. About to meet his Lord."
A few weeks ago, a significant portion of Arewa Twitter was discussing the death of a young woman. While many prayed for her, some questioned aspects of her public life and the choices she was known for.
Today, hardly anyone is talking about her.
She has been left with her deeds, and ultimately, at the mercy of Allah (SWT).
May Allah grant us all Husnul Khatimah, forgive our shortcomings, and have mercy on us.
Ameen ya Rabb
Good manners with Allah during trials of hardship means you don’t go around complaining about your situation to everyone. Crying and wailing all the time.
Trials are removed through patience and du'a, not through complaining or lamenting.
So don’t ruin the reward of your patience by wailing and objecting to Allah’s decree.
The Prophet (S A W) taught us some beautiful du'a to hold on to:
اللهم إني أعوذ بك من جهد البلاء، ودرك الشقاء، وسوء القضاء، وشماتة الأعداء
Allahumma inni a‘ūdhu bika min jahdil-balā’, wa darkish-shaqā’, wa sū’il-qaḍā’, wa shamātatil-a‘dā’.
“O Allah, I seek refuge in You from severe trials, from reaching misery, from a bad outcome, and from the gloating of enemies.” (Bukhari and Muslim)
اللهم إني أعوذ بك من زوال نعمتك، وتحول عافيتك، وفجاءة نقمتك، وجميع سخطك
Allahumma inni a‘ūdhu bika min zawāli ni‘matika, wa taḥawwuli ‘āfiyatika, wa fujā’ati niqmatika, wa jamī‘i sakhaṭika.
“O Allah, I seek refuge in You from the loss of Your blessings, from the change of Your well-being, from the suddenness of Your punishment, and from all Your anger.” (Muslim)
There’s this uncle in our extended family .. my cousin’s father-in-law. Around 60+. Slightly mysterious man. Doesn’t talk much to his own sons, daughter, or daughter-in-law. Keeps to himself mostly.
But for some reason, he gets along really well with my brother. Mainly because both of them love travelling.
One day he quietly calls my brother aside, almost like they’re planning a secret mission and says: I’m going to Dubai with my friends. Don’t tell anyone in the family.
Okay!!! Now I’ve done secret trips too… but that was in college, when explaining things to parents like where, why, with whom felt like a police interrogation.
This man is 60+.
Anyway, my brother tells me. I tell my cousin. And we both decide.. okay fine, let’s not expose the man. But at least someone in the family should know where he is, just in case.
So we kept the secret… and my brother quietly kept track of him. All good.
Then suddenly the war situation starts and the news channels are full of stories about travellers stuck abroad.
Cut to one evening.. My cousin and her family are casually watching the news.
The reporter goes:
“About 50 people from Karnataka stranded at Dubai airport…”
The camera slowly pans across the group.
And there he is.
Standing peacefully in the crowd.
Looking absolutely comfortable.
Wearing a nice cap.
On national television.
The same man who confidently believed his entire family thought he was peacefully sitting in his hometown.
Honestly, if he had just worn sunglasses, maybe the mission could still have succeeded.
Thankfully, he returned safely last week..
Walked into the house.
Went straight to his room.
And continued life exactly like nothing ever happened.
Like he just came back from buying vegetables.
Everyone in her family is slightly angry inside… but mostly relieved he’s safe.
So now everyone is just silently pretending the news broadcast never happened.
My cousin said something to me later that made me laugh like crazy… but also somehow made perfect sense:
If the universe wants to expose your lies… it will even create world wars… 🤣
My name is Zainab. I’m 27 years old. An SS.
That is, I live with sickle cell disease.
My parents are both AS.
Oh, they They knew.
They were told.
They still married.
They said God approved it. They said love would be enough. They said faith would cover the consequences.
I am the consequence.
I was diagnosed before I was two. My childhood memories are not playgrounds or cartoons,they are; hospitals, needles, and adults whispering when they thought I couldn’t hear.
In primary school, I missed classes so often that teachers stopped asking why. Some classmates thought I was pretending. Some thought I was cursed. I learned early how to smile while feeling different.
By secondary school, the pain episodes became more frequent. I would wake up excited for school and end the day on a hospital bed. I watched my mates grow normally while my life moved in pauses, school, hospital, recovery, repeat.
At 15, I lost my younger brother to sickle cell.
We were both SS.
That day changed me forever.
My parents broke down in front of me — crying, apologizing, saying “We followed faith. We didn’t think…”
But the damage had already been done.
Sometimes I forgive them.
Sometimes I resent them deeply.
Both feelings live in me.
In university, I tried to be normal. I joined sickle cell advocacy groups, volunteered with awareness organizations, spoke at events, encouraged parents to test their genotype. People call me strong. They call me a warrior.
What they don’t see is me crying alone at night after another silent pain episode.
They don’t see the fear that comes with planning a future in a body that doesn’t always cooperate.
And Relationships?
That’s another wound.
I’ve been loved… briefly.
The moment conversations turn serious about marriage, children, commitment….they leave. Some are honest. Some ghost me. Some promise forever and disappear quietly.
One man once said he would do anything for me. He talked about taking me abroad, better care, a life without fear. I believed him. For the first time, my heart rested.
Then one day, he stopped calling.
That heartbreak triggered one of the worst crises I’ve had as an adult. Not because of physical stress but because hope collapsed.
Now I’m older. The pain episodes come differently. Less dramatic, but more exhausting. My body recovers slower. My fears are heavier. I ask myself questions my parents never asked each other.
I am strong, yes.
But I am tired.
If you are AS and the person you love is AS, please love your unborn children enough to stop and think. Faith is not a license to ignore knowledge. I am a proof to that
I didn’t ask to be a lesson.
But if my life can prevent another child from being born into avoidable pain, then my voice matters.
That’s why I’m writing this to you. Because people listens to you and this story needs to be heard. I hope that your audience share this till it reaches those who are about to walk by faith and not by sight, Sickle Cell is real!.
Adeyinka, keep rescuing lives, I love how you raise awareness and say the truth unapologetically, those who do not like you are probably those who wish they could be you. Have you met you?. Oh,I see you Queen Ade💪🏻
Idan kana son ka rayu cikin aminci da walwala, Toh kada ka damu da zancen mutane. Domin su MUTANE, har wanda ya mutu yana cikin Ƙabarinsa kwance basu barshi ba, ballantana kai da kake raye.
Yaa Ubangiji Allah, Ka karemu daga sharrin mutum da Aljan. Amin Yaa Allahu!
Alhamdulillah Alhamdulillah! For everything we go through , may it be the worst of it all & may it be a shield for us against other calamities . Amin .
Astaghfiruka Wa Atubu ilaihi
Birahmatika Ya Arham Rahimeen Allahumma Taqabbal Minna
Siyamana (3X)
Wa Salatana
Wa Qiyamana
Wa Rukoana
Wa Sujoodana
Birahmatika Ya Arham Rahimeen
Allahumma Innaka Afuwoon Tuhibbol
Afwa FaFu Anna (3X)
Birahmatika Ya Arham
Rahimeen
Let me share with you a brief story behind this prayer. It is a supplication that Prophet Musa uttered during a particularly challenging moment in his life. Would you like to hear the story? Please, follow along.
As we are all aware, and for those who may be uninformed, allow me to enlighten you. From a young age, Prophet Musa was adopted by Fir'awn (Pharaoh). He resided in the palace of Fir'awn, where he enjoyed all the privileges that came with his esteemed position.
One day, he decided to leave the palace and go into the city to observe the surroundings. Whilst on his way, he encountered two men engaged in a fist fight . One of the men belonged to Musa's tribe, whilst the other hailed from a different tribe.
Musa attempted to intervene and separate the two combatants. Unfortunately, in the process, he mistakenly pushed the man from the opposing tribe, causing him to fall to the ground, resulting in his death.
A thread 🧵
I cheated on my wife and my life has never remained the same.
My name is James. I met my wife after her youth service in Abuja. She was a very beautiful woman. I couldn't stop myself from proposing love to her.
if cutting me off makes you feel like your life will be better, then by any means necessary do it. but don’t come back when you realize i was never the problem. people don’t realize the privilege of been in someone’s life. shitting on authentic people is never it.