Patrizia Rahma Farallo

‎إِنَّا ِلِلَّٰهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ

"Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we shall return"

Dear brothers and sisters, it is with a heavy heart that we share the news of the passing of our beloved mother, wife, sister and friend Patrizia (Rahma). She showed remarkable strength in her battle against inflammatory cancer, and even in sickness she touched the lives of many. As a family, we have witnessed the significance and profoundness of water first hand. Our mother suffered from a persistently high fever everyday for months, and only cold water soothed and comforted her in a way no medical treatment could.

The Prophet ‎ﷺ said “When a human being dies, all one's deeds cease, save three: a Sadaqah Jariyah (charity in their name), [religious] knowledge [one leaves behind] from which others benefit, and a righteous child who prays for one”. We therefore want to honour her beautiful life and journey to Islam by leaving something in her name which can not only improve, but potentially save the lives of others. When the Messenger of Allah swt was asked, “which charity is best?” He replied, “[providing] water”.

Somalia suffers from drought year on year. Crops are not able to to grow in certain areas, livestock is dying and 6.5 million people are struggling to access the food they need. With that in mind, through Muslim Hands we are looking to fundraise the building of a well in one of the most drought-prone countries in the world. The well will be deep and wide, making it dependable throughout all seasons, and located in an arid area of Somalia where water is particularly scarce. With the ability to serve over 1,000 people by providing access to clean, fresh drinking water that can also be used for cooking, washing, livestock and crops, this well could be transformative for a community. The well can take up to 9-12 months to complete as in some locations they can only be constructed during certain times of year. As per the discretion of the Muslim Hands expert teams on the ground, it may be constructed with a pump or with a bucket based on factors that determine which is most suitable on a case-by-case basis.

Water was a mercy from Allah swt to our mother, and as a family it is our duty to help to extend this gift on her behalf. With your generous donations, we pray that this act of charity will help communities in need and continue to reward and benefit our beautiful mother and friend Rahma in the hereafter. Ameen.

Many thanks,

The Shinanjee & Farallo Families