Eulogies to Maviyah: Tributes From her Friends and Loved Ones

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Maviyah I miss you dearly. I would love for us to look back at this message in the

afterlife. I thank Allah he put you into my life because you gave me joy, advice, peace, and the meaning of a true friend. Even if for a short while, we all know this life is temporary anyways. The important thing is I can’t wait to have such a beautiful companion in Jannahtul Firdous Insha’Allah. I reflect on the peace of us praying together at school every day, us slowly opening up to each other and becoming as close as ever through the school year. When you knew exactly how I felt and would sit outside with me so we could escape the noise of the loud environments with each other and talk life out. Discussing Islam together and how Allah was testing us both, how we couldn’t wait for the afterlife Insha’Allah, for all these hardships to make sense when we enter the gates of Jannah, Ameen.

I remember my first month of university how I would text you and say I missed your presence so much. When I was with new friends in the new city of London, in new experiences, I would still think of what was missing and it was you. And how you reassured me, and we continued planning our exciting meet ups for December. I miss our talks together, the peace we gave each other, the strengthening of our faiths after long conversations. When you were gone it was painful, but I know you are laughing with angels in Jannahtul Firdous waiting for us to join you Insha’Allah. You strengthened my faith more, and I can’t wait to see your reward for that in the afterlife, Ameen. I don’t know when my time to leave this Earth is next, but when it happens, I can’t wait for us to laugh together again, for my heart to feel full with the sound of your laughter again, to hug you and smell your scent again. For your mother to hold you again and to see both of your smiles and realising all the struggles were worth it in the end. I can’t wait for us to have adventures together in Jannah and feel at peace together for the rest of eternity in Allah’s kingdom Insha’Allah. Until then, I know your time for Ibadah, and your trial has ended. But that doesn’t mean I won’t be here praying for you every night and doing everything I can to increase your good deeds and cleanse any bad deeds. I will be here for you, praying for you, always. In my 20’s, 30’s 40’s 50’s, for life. Because you made a huge impact in shaping the Islamic strength of the character I am able to be today. This is merely a small parting we have for now. Before we know it, we won’t remember what it was like NOT knowing what the prophet saw and angels look like, that’s how short life is. Until then, I will be thinking of you and praying for you, and the love you spread in this dunya will be felt by us all always.”

“Maviyah was one of the most joyful people I had the pleasure of knowing. I knew Maviyah for a few years before I left midway of year 10. But I remembered everything about her. I remembered sharing the same maths set as her and laughing at how we could never understand what was going on in class. I remembered when we would bond over music and celebrities that we both loved. I remembered being in awe of how amazing her art was. I remembered her laugh and how she was always there if you needed her to be. She was a ray of sunshine. All within those short years of knowing her she had left a positive

impression. And even after I left, I stayed in contact with her and saw how much she grew to be one of the most kind hearted people I know. She was dedicated to her friends. She was dedicated to her family. She was dedicated to her work. She was dedicated to God. She was dedicated in fighting the bad with the good. She was a passionate old soul who wanted to make a difference in the world. And that she did.

A few weeks before she passed away, we had a serene conversation catching up with one another on our lives and what we wanted. Hearing her soft voice gave me such calmness. She spoke with such high spirits and encouraged me to be the best version of myself. Maviyah was someone in my life that I didn’t get to make too many memories with, but I had known I was going to remember for a very long time because of how much she brightened me and everyone around her. Although our friendship was never the same after I left Saudi, I

am grateful for the friendship I had with her and will always cherish it. I will always remember Maviyah for being her delightful self and I know at this very moment she is resting blissfully and at peace.”

- Hanna

“When someone who means a lot to us passes away, with the grief comes the temptation to romanticize their life and hold their memory to a super-human moral standard. Maviyah however, was truly very close to that and even in her flaws, strived with honesty towards that.

I think it would be very difficult to find someone who was hurt by her, even slightly. She treaded the world gently, with infinite love and compassion for all living creatures, and by extension, for the natural world as a whole. Maviyah exemplified what it meant to believe in God and practice oneness with everything in the world. Truly everything. She did not withhold compassion when dealing with anything in her life and she acknowledged how interconnected everything on our planet is through the one sublime reality of God. This

meant that she had an appreciation for and a connection with much of the people and places that she came across. I know that her passion for geography and the natural world was largely due to the fact that she saw beauty in everything. She held so much beauty and shared it with the world. She felt a responsibility and duty to nurture and be nurtured not only by her friends and family but by all creatures of God, which is why she always spoke so

passionately about the planet, our ecosystems and even of the most unlikely creatures.

Maviyah was so naturally gentle and generous that she was subconsciously aware of this reality way before I was. How we are all connected, how humanity and nature are all inseparable and that we all have a duty to care for one another.

She acted upon this in her advocacy and activism for Kashmir. Maviyah believed in justice. But unlike many of us who do, Maviyah also had the drive to fight for it day in and day out by any means she had. When Maviyah passed away, for many of us, our news source for the Kashmiri conflict was cut off. Maviyah was a bridge between Kashmir and many people who lived on the opposite side of the world and knew very little about the state. As always, she was a connection. It is impossible for me to separate the decline in Maviyah’s health from the decline of the state of things in Kashmir. Maviyah’s empathy was so far-reaching that the sickness of her community, her people, her country, was her own sickness. But at the same time, Maviyah was constantly fighting, she was strong in her sickness and she was strong in her fight for justice and so I have faith that her memory will live on in strength for

her community, her people, and her country.

Personally, as one of Maviyah’s very close friends, I feel blessed every day to have been one of the many people who had the privilege to be touched by this kindness of hers. There came a time when I moved away from Saudi Arabia and experienced a profound crisis of faith. I spoke to Maviyah for hours on end about this. When I came to visit in my December holiday, she met me at cafes, on walks, in living rooms and lounging upside down on couches with complete patience and love as I tried to understand and dissect my thoughts and dilemmas for her, but also for myself. Although her faith was particularly strong at the time, she met me where I mentally was with utmost understanding and not a hint of judgement and helped me along my journey. Simply giving me the space to be vulnerable and honest in my sentiments was more helpful than much of the patronising out-of-touch advice which I received from others, and she helped me find my way back to an Islam that is now inseparable from my worldview. This was not an isolated event, it was how she always was, and how I will always remember her and honour her, in being that person for someone else.”

“In the few years that I knew her, I came to see Maviyah as a source of many good things. She was the source of joy. She was a source of affection and empathy. I gravitated towards her as soon as I met her because she embodied positivity and whole-hearted love. Going to Maviyah with your problems was a common thing amongst our friendship group because we all knew her as the one who listened and understood without any judgement. One of the hardest parts of dealing with Maviyah’s passing is knowing that she would know exactly how to console her friends in this situation. Her heartbeat enough for everyone she knew.

She was also extremely empathetic towards her brothers and sisters back home in Kashmir. She regularly provided us with information about the situation there and was very passionate about helping her motherland. She often told me that her dream was to become a doctor and go back to Kashmir to provide them with healthcare. Even in her sickness Maviyah was determined to continue with her studies to achieve this dream despite her friends and family urging her to take time away from school and focus on her health. It was as if she cared more for the people suffering in Kashmir than herself. Maviyah was just like that. She was eager to listen and help others with their problems and kept her own to herself. I am thankful that she was able to visit Kashmir one last time in the summer before her passing.

Maviyah and I shared a love for painting and art. We would spend a lot of time together in art class creating our pieces. Her paintings always reflected the beauty and gentleness she saw in the world around her. She provided us with the lens to show how she saw the world. She was intrigued with the beauty of nature that Allah created. We would often spend lunchtimes in the art room which I have many cherished memories of. Anyone who knew us knew that Maviyah and I were inseparable for the years we knew each other. People said we were like two puzzle pieces finally put together. In truth, I think that I attached myself to Maviyah.

When I met her, I saw a lot of qualities that I wish that I had, and stuck with her for years. I am so thankful that Allah put Maviyah in my life because she helped me a lot with my imaan. She regularly reminded us about sunnahs and duaas and always listened when I had trouble with my faith. She made me feel so proud and happy to be Muslim because her faith

shone out of her like light. It made me strive for a better relationship with Allah and in her passing, I always pray that Allah fills her grave with that same light.

I believe that Allah puts people in your life for a purpose. Although Maviyah’s time in my life was short-lived, she did not just come and go. She made a mark. She never knew the impact she had on me, and I never got to tell her. I hope that Allah gives me a chance to do so in the afterlife, because I would have a lot to say.”

“We were halfway through the Physics lesson when I received an upsetting email. Maviyah and I were making stupid jokes and holding in our laughter so Mr. Gerow wouldn’t scold us. Upon reading this email, my heart dropped, and tears welled in my eyes as I ran to the toilet. Without hesitation, Maviyah rushed after me to ask what’s wrong. I couldn’t respond through my tears. As though she silently understood what I needed, she wrapped her arms around me, and I sunk into her warm embrace. In that moment, my anxiety dissolved as her soft arms enveloped me and I sank into my refuge - my best friend,

Maviyah. My tears slowed down as her soothing voice shielded me from my worries. Within her priceless hugs and limitless love, all my troubles melted away and I snuggled in the few minutes of carefree comfort she provided me.

Another one of my fondest memories with Maviyah took place during the lunchtime of a scorching hot school day. As always, Maviyah was leading the way for our group of friends to the prayer room; she was not selfish with the good she did, rather she would hold our hands and take us with her. As our group of six or seven girls headed back to the playground after praying, a tight knot was growing in my stomach. The radiating summer heat was making my anxiety worse, so I asked if we could stay indoors this lunchtime. Maviyah studied me for a while, and as though she knew what I was feeling, she decided that she’d stay with me while the others went on. Her sensitivity and kindness never failed to touch those lucky enough to experience it. We sat on the floor of the empty classroom on the cold tile as I pulled out my burger, which was dripping with mayonnaise and ketchup. We both burst into laughter as she asked me why I was eating a burger just filled with sauce while I insisted there was chicken in there! To this day, she would insist that I was just having a mayonnaise and ketchup burger (even though there was definitely some chicken in there). For the next 30 minutes, we were just wheezing with laughter at the stupidest things with tears rolling out the corner of our eyes. Whenever a teacher walked by we would try to stifle our giggles but fail miserably. When the bell rang, we both looked at each other, sad to see this hysterical laughing session come to an end. The pit in my stomach was gone and replaced with the ache of laughing too hard. That was the beauty of Maviyah’s spirit - she had the gift to replace anyone’s worries with the joy of childish laughter.

For me, and many others, Maviyah was that special beacon of light and love that one often needs in this callous world. I miss her warmth, laughter, and big heart every single day. Moreover, Maviyah has always been someone I look up to. No matter what she was going through herself, she would always be there for anyone who needed her. Despite the cards that life dealt her, I never heard her complain, not even once. Maviyah was not a super-human figure – she had her flaws, just like everyone else, but it is the strength, selflessness, and perseverance with which she strived to be the best she could be that makes her an inspiration to us all.”