THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: On the premise of an ancestral home now rests a man who was born a Hindu, lived as a Muslim, and was loved by all! Yet, having chosen to convert to Islam in his middle age, the man from Mudapuram, in Chirayinkeezhu, never forced anyone in his family to follow in his path.
On Sunday, the family of Abdul Rahman, 76, previously known as Suvarnan, bid farewell to him following Islamic practices. Heartwarming scenes unfolded at their home near the family temple, adding another chapter to the real stories from Kerala!
After serving in the Indian Navy as a petty officer for a brief period, Suvarnan migrated to Saudi Arabia for employment. Interactions with friends there attracted him to the Quran and Islam. “If something captures his interest, he would carry out thorough research about the subject and come to a conclusion.
That happened here, too, when he decided to lead his life as a Muslim and changed his name to Abdul Rahman around 35 years back,” says Suhas, Abdul’s son.
Even though the extended families had their concerns about the conversion, he laid everything to rest through his friendly dealings with each and every one. “Not even once did my father ask my siblings or me to choose Islam. All he stressed was to choose what we feel right, and today we give that space to our children too,” Suhas said.
While fighting cancer over the last two and a half years, Abdul asked his family to perform his last rites in the Islamic tradition.
And when Abdul breathed his last on Saturday, his children sought help at nearby mosques. In no time, they were assured support of the Islamic fraternity. “People from several masjids nearby arrived to bid farewell,” said one of Suhas’ friends. And the crowd, included people from other faiths — who flowed in large numbers to honour a man who lived a unique life.
Hasan Musaliyar, who led the janazah prayers, hailed all the mourners. “This is something I have not seen in my 20 years as imam. It was a sight where humanity was placed on a higher pedestal — above religious boundaries,” he said.