Help Build A Well & School For Mohamed Al-Mousawi

It’d be appreciated if you could help us honour Mohamed’s caring soul and ensure his good deeds are never ending, by building him a well and a school in a country that needs it most and help support the family with funeral costs and other forms of sadaqah for Mohamed.

Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "When a man dies, his deeds come to an end except for three things: Sadaqah Jariyah (ceaseless charity); a knowledge which is beneficial, or a virtuous descendant who prays for him (for the deceased)."

On the authority of Sa‘d ibn ’Ubadah (ra) who said, ’I asked, “O Messenger of Allah! Which charity is best?” He [saw] replied, “Providing water”’. (Ibn Majah)

WARRIOR MOHAMED'S STORY: 

“My life changed on the 29th of August 2019 and here is my story.

On my way back home from a day out with my friends, we got into a minor car accident. I hadn’t hit my head, but I felt a strong jerk that moved my entire body out of place.

For days I complained of a headache, my neck was hurting and I couldn’t get myself out of bed. I went to an urgent care centre to find relief for my migraines, they suspected whiplash and gave me some painkillers then sent me home. I was advised to see my GP the following day so we made an emergency appointment because my condition got worse, i wasn’t able to eat or drink, I was constantly throwing up. The headaches got worse and I was losing sense in my left arm and leg. My doctor told me not to worry and said I’ll be fine with plenty of fluids.

A day later, the throwing up had not stopped, I wasn’t able to keep food or drink down, the pain I felt in my head was constantly there and as far as my family could describe, I was unresponsive and sleeping the whole day.
 
My family started to worry that this was more than just whiplash. My sister made a call to 111 and explained my symptoms. They urged us to get to A&E as soon as possible. I could not walk or move on my own, I was weak and my father had to carry me on his back to the car. We arrived at the hospital and we were seen sooner than expected, I had to be carried by more than a couple people to a bed because I had lost all balance. My head was placed between two orange blocks in case something was broken.

The doctors arranged for a few scans and tests to be done all whilst my family waited for me. I didn’t think much of it, but what the doctors told me changed my life. I was told that they found a tumour in my brain, and that they had to operate on me to remove it. They didn’t know what the nature of it was, just that it was swelling from the right side of my brain to the left side. My mother had to make the decision whether to have the surgery to try save my life with the risk of bleeding out and dying, or going into a coma and dying anyway.

We went ahead with the surgery. I don’t remember much during that time just that a day later, my head was half shaved and had a scar on the right side of my head, I had all my family members and friends surrounding me, with concerned faces. I wasn’t  told anything about whether the tumour was cancerous or not, and seeing the faces of my loved ones made me realise that this was bad, really bad. Still, I had hope in God, that it would not be anything too major.

After surgery in a few days, I began to slowly recollect my thoughts. I had a life-changing conversation with my sister explained my diagnosis, I have a grade 4 glioblastoma tumour. It’s an incurable cancer. This hit me hard, like a truck hitting every part of me in slow motion. Anything anybody said or did would not make me get past the fact that I, somebody who has been healthy their whole life, has cancer, a cancer they couldn’t stop from growing.
 
On the 13th of September I received my prognosis, it happened like a movie. When people ask us, what would you do if you have a day left to live, we list out all the things we want to do, we want to travel, we want to do new things, we would drop out of uni, live life as we know it. But when I heard that I only have a year left to live, all of this left me. I caged up. I was told that I will not live to old age. I mourned of all the milestones we all go through at one point, graduation, starting off a career, getting married, having children, travelling the world, growing old. All of this flashed before me, and I uncovered a new pain I had never felt before.

My life in a matter of weeks changed. I went from going out to see friends, travelling to see family and working to six weeks of radiotherapy, one of the toughest experiences I had to endure everyday, I lay down in a machine with a tight mask over my head with a tiny hole to breath from, not allowed to move. I lost my hair, my scar was more visible now. How long would it take for my hair to grow back?

I started 12 months of oral chemo soon after, I had to change my entire lifestyle, I wasn’t allowed to eat this or that because it would encourage the tumour to grow. I’m fatigued all the time, I’m nauseous all the time and I’m weak all the time.

The hardest part of this all has been the constant haunting of my prognosis, the words “you only have 1 year to live” just rings in my head, non-stop, its overcome me and consumed me to feel hopeless and weak. My life has become surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, surgery and chemotherapy again; but it won’t end, it will be a fight that lasts forever. However, no matter how much hope I lost, my belief in Allah has been stronger now more than ever. Allah has blessed me with a gift, a gift that brings me closer to Him, a chance to repent and become a better person.

I was told that my tumour would regrow 14 months later after surgery, but here I am today, 8 months later with a regrowing tumour.
 
Last week I had a tonic clonic seizure - my family described it as the most traumatic event for them, I turned blue, my eyes rolled back, white foam began to come out of my mouth and I stopped breathing, but my family were able to do everything they could to keep me here longer. The paramedics arrived, I thought we were in 2019, I was confused and scared, unaware of what had just happened. I was taken to the hospital where again I was given bad news. My tumour has regrown half the original size it was in the matter of a month and a half. Once again, I feel like I’m back to square one. After everything I went through the first time, I come to learn that the chemo I was receiving did not work. Now, I will be going into another surgery they will remove what they can of the tumour, and once again I will be given a new type of chemo with a much stronger dose.

Is my life defined by this illness?

Without the support of my family and friends, I don’t know if I would have made it this far. My mother has been the glue that’s kept me together, she has been my strength and patience. Whenever I feel alone, I am reminded that I am surrounded by people who love me, and that they are here for me. this time last year I never thought my life would look like this. See, when we find ourselves to be weak and feeling abandoned, its the people around you who lift you up. Throughout this journey, I have learnt who I can rely on in the most difficult of times.

When we are afflicted with trials and tribulations, we often ask ‘why me?’ ‘Why did God do this to me? What did I do to deserve this?’ If there’s one thing I’ve learnt in the past 10 months, it’s that we think to ourselves of our power and might. We think we are so strong, capable of everything and anything, but my Creator has shown me through His wisdom that I His creation rely on Him. My own body is attacking me, it is killing me, but it is He who gave me strength to see through this. Through my illness I found God, and I found His beauty. He has shown me, that without Him I am nothing. The doctors have told me a year, but if Allah wills, he can grant me a lifetime.

My illness is medically incurable. This whole cycle of chemo, surgery signifies that it’s only a matter of time. But if we speak of the truth, its that God gives, and He takes. He has given me illness, but He can give me a cure too. Nothing is impossible for Him. And when the believers supplicate, He responds. Allah SWT says in the Holy Quran “Call upon Me and I will respond to you” (40:60), and He is also “The Originator of the Heavens and the Earth. When He decrees a matter He only says to it ‘Be’ and it is” (2:117). Though my hope waivers, it is hope in my Lord that He will do what is best for me. I ask you all that next time you say a prayer, do spare me a thought, and pray for me. It is not my chemo which will heal me on its own, it is the prayers of you.

In August 2020 a month after my second surgery and first recurrence. My health was deteriorating. I started having more seizures, different types of seizures. In September 2020, I lost control and sensation of my left side. I lost ability in my left leg, arm, hand and even the left side of my tongue. An emergency brain MRI scan showed my cancer has recurred leaving me with my third and now inoperable tumour. Doctors are now testing a number of random chemo drugs on me which have shown no promise. I am constantly being told that the treatment I’m under or any treatment I could have MAY or MIGHT work and may eventually stop working completely, but I know deep down inside what doctors do not know. The Almighty Allah (swt) knows. My life and destiny are in his hands and inshallah this testing of faith he has put me through ends with me being awarded with the gift of a complete cure to this disease. As difficult as this test is, I have hope.


Thank you for reading my story, I pray you all are in the best of health.”

After a brutal battle, Mohamed passed away on Monday 1st February 2021. He died 6 days after his 21st birthday leaving his parents, his sisters, his relatives and friends. A huge loss for them all and for the community. 

Please follow @warriormohamed on instagram for updates on his story.