Nothing prepared me for losing my mother. But in Islam, to mourn someone means keeping them alive in our actions | Shadi Khan Saif

"Mum was kind and gentle in a way that felt so natural. She raised all five of us pretty much on her own after Dad passed away."

"She taught us to stay kind and honest, even when things were hard. Her father named her Tala, which means gold in Farsi. But she was even more precious than that."

"Each loss left a silence behind. And as I grew older, I began to understand that silence more deeply."

"I used to call her from my home in Melbourne, holding on to those conversations without really knowing how important they would become."

A mother raised her five children alone after their father's death, instilling values of kindness and honesty during difficult times. The youngest child reflects on the sacrifices made by older siblings and the mother's efforts to ensure academic success while fostering responsibility. The family faced multiple losses, including the mother's illness and eventual passing, which left a deep silence. The youngest child cherishes memories of conversations with her mother, realizing their significance in hindsight.

Read at www.theguardian.com