The Passing of a Giant

Indeed, we are for Allah and unto Him we shall return.

Today (Friday) at fajr a brother asked me if I attended the funeral. When I asked him which funeral he was referring to, he said that of Shaykh Abu Ayman Abu Al-Shamat. I hadn't known about it until he mentioned it.

Shaykh Abu Ayman had been in the ICU of Amir Hamza's Hospital in Tabarbour. I was thinking of visiting him on Thursday but got busy, so I decided to visit him Friday. (Sometimes you don't get another chance.) Alhamdulillah, I was able to visit him last Friday. He was laying on the hospital bed saying in a quiet, struggling voice (اللهم ارض عني), "O Allah, be pleased with me." When the hospital staff asked me to leave, I kissed his forehead and sought permission to depart. He nodded his head.

Originally from Syria, Shaykh Abu Ayman passed on in his eighties, having lived in Jordan for the past fifty-odd years. Despite his diminutive stature, he was a giant in terms of spiritual state and character. Anyone who didn't have their internal eyes closed could see the state of this immense man and would be humbled before him. He was the spiritual mentor of Shaykh Ali Hani (Allah preserve him), whose character leaves no doubt regarding the perfection of Shaykh Abu Ayman's instruction.

May Allah grant us the love of those whom He loves and benefit us through it. Allah be well pleased with Shaykh Abu Ayman.