Loving Doves of Muslim Community Amina Qutb and Kamal Al Sananiri

People talk about Romeo and Juliet, here I want to let you know about pure love story of Amina Qutb (Sister of Sayyed Qutb) and Kamal al-Sananiri

Egypt is one of many countries that have long been ruled by corruption and oppression. To have other opinions than the Government means death, imprisonment or, at best, expulsion. This is not new but has been going on a long time In Egypt. One of the opponents of the prominent Muslims who opposed the government which then ruled by President Gamal Abdel Nasser was Mohammed Kamaluddin al-Sananiri. He was a member of the Muslim Brotherhood (When it followed Sunnah before deviation). Muslim Brotherhood who had great popular support was a big obstacle for the Egyptian back then that was not open to compromise or cooperation.

Enough about the political part and lets talk about the romantic, sweet & sad part: 

al-Sananiri was sentenced to 20 year in prison. After five years in prison he engaged (katb ktab / Nikaah) Amina Qutb. At a prison visit one year after the engagement al-sananiris sister tells him how tough things are for both her and Amina (the wife). He then says to Amina during her visit that he put her through a lot and it was enough, and that he does not know when he will be released, that he might never be released and perhaps even die behind locked doors, he would understand her if she wanted to cancel the engagement and move on.

Before Amina time to answer the speech, the visiting hour ended. Back home, she sits down and begins to write down the answer she never had time to give him. She opens the letter with:

"I have chosen you and your way. You are my hope for a better life after this (Jannah) you are my stability and I’m determined to stay on and finish what we agreed (that together achieve Jannah while we are trying to improve the situation in the dunya). This decision, I take without remorse or hesitation."

17 years after Amina’s letter about her decision to remain at her fiance’s side he is released. The Only contact they had during the last 17 years were occasion meeting in prison during her visit. Yet, Amina stayed, when she at any time had the opportunity to cancel the engagement and live a normal life.

al-Sananiri was released in 1973 and had the time to live with his wife for 8 years before he was imprisoned again in 1981. In the same year he bacame Shahid (Martyr) and killed behind bars by the US-backed Egyptian government.

Amina who waited for him for over 20 years had time to live under the same roof with him for eight years before he was murdered. After his death, one can imagine that she let go and moved on but NO. She wrote instead a very beautiful poem to him that later became a Nasheed ……..

هل ترنا نلتقي

Do you envision us meeting…

هل ترانا نلتقي أم أنها …. كانت اللقيا على أرض السراب

Do you envision us meeting, or has it already,
Taken place in the land of the mirage;

ثم ولت وتلاشى ظلها …. واستحالت ذكريات للعذاب

Then it withdrew and its shadow vanished,
And turned into torturous memories;

هكذا أسأل قلبي كلما …. طالت الأيام من بعد الغياب

Thus asks my heart whenever,
The days grow long, after your absence;

وإذا طيفك يرنو باسماً …. وكأني في استماع للجواب

When your shadow stares, smiling,
It is as if I am listening to the response;

أولم نمضي على الحق معاً …. كي يعود الخير للأرض اليباب

Did we not walk upon Truth together,
So that Good can return to barren land;

فمضينا في طريق شائك …. ما تخلى فيه عن كل الرغاب

So we walked along a thorny path,
Abandoning all our ambitions;

ودفنا الشوق في أعماقنا …. ومضينا في رضاء واحتساب

We buried our desires deep within ourselves,
And we strove on in contentment, expecting reward from Allah;

قد تعودنا على السير معاً …. ثم أعجلت مجيباً للذهاب

We had made a pact to walk together,
And then you hurried in responding and departing;

حين نادى لي رب منعم …. لي حياتي في جنان ورحاب

When a Benevolent Lord called me,
To a life amidst gardens and vast lands;

ولقاء في نعيم دائم …. لجنود الله مرحا للصحاب

And towards a sublime meeting amidst divine favours,
With the Soldiers of Allah, joyful in companionship;

قدموا الأرواح والعمر فدا …. مستجيبين على غير ارتياب

Presenting their souls and lives, a sacrifice,
Responding without slightest doubts;

فليهب قلبك من غفلاته …. فلقاء الخلد في تلك الرحاب

So to renew your heart from its slumber,
An ever-lasting meeting in such a land;

أيها الراحل عمراً في شكاتي …. فإلى طيفك أنات عتاب

Oh traveler, Forgiveness from my complaints,
Unto me is your ghost, to him a patient reproach;

قد تركت القلب يدمي مثقلاً …. تائهاً في الليل في عمق الضباب

I abandoned my heart to bleed heavily,
Lost in the night, in the depths of fog;

وإذا أطوي وحيداً حائراً …. أقطع الدرب طويلاً في اكتئاب

And if I traverse, confused and alone,
I’ll interrupt the path, long it is in depression;

وإذا الليل خضم موحش …. تتلاقى فيه أمواج العذاب

And if in the night, I find a gloomy sea,
Encountering in it waves of pain;

لم يعد يبرق في ليلي سنا …. قد توارت كل أنوار الشهاب

Ceasing in my nights, is the radiance of lightening,
And the brightness of stars have disappeared;

غير أني سوف أمضي مثلما …. كنت تلقاني في وجه الصعاب

Despite this, I shall continue just as,
You used to find me, in the face of adversity;

سوف يمضي الرأس مرفوعاً فلا …. يرتضي ضعفاً بقول أو جوابي

I shall continue keeping my head raised, And won’t,
Consent to weakness in speech, nor reply;

سوف تحدوني دماء عابقات …. قد أنارت كل فج للذهاب

I shall be guided by the sweet-scented blood,
And light has illuminated the horizons of escape;

هل ترانا نلتقي أم أنها …. كانت اللقيا على أرض السراب

Do you envision us meeting, or has it already,
Taken place in the land of the mirage;

ثم ولت وتلاشى ظلها …. واستحالت ذكريات للعذاب

Then it withdrew and its shadow vanished,
And turned into torturous memories;

هكذا أسأل قلبي كلما …. طالت الأيام من بعد الغياب

Thus asks my heart whenever,
The days grow long, after your absence;

وإذا طيفك يرنو باسماً …. وكأني في استماع للجواب

When your shadow stares, smiling,
It is as if I am listening to the response.

From 1981, when he was murdered until 2007 when Amina never married again and She continued to live in the hope of spending better days with her husband in Jannah.

The love between them was true, it was not a temporary love, it was an infinite love which had its beginnings in the dunya and the continuation in Jannah. May Allah have accepted Al-Sananiri as shaheed and may he accepted all the sacrifices they made. May Allah have mercy on them and give them the highest place in paradise.

Yahya Al Noor