A Woman Like No Other

Death is the believer’s spiritual feast. For the believing men and women, death portends complete relief and sheer bliss. It is the ultimate reunion between God-seeking individuals and their Lord. It is the beginning of a real life, the life, in the best of worlds. Lalla Khadija El-Malki –wife of the late Imam may God bless their souls- was one of those remarkable believers who yearn for the most worthwhile meeting of all: the meeting with God.

Lady Khadija was a woman of utmost sincerity and goodness. The only aspiration of hers was to win God’s Countenance. In her lifetime, God the Almighty blessed her with an intense longing for her Lord’s proximity. Her long time acquaintances attest that her sublime soul was naturally endowed with the features susceptible of fulfilling her lofty ambition. However, the august lady realized that such a grand quest could not be met without the guidance of a unique spiritual disciple. Her desire brought her to a sufi Order in her early youth only to end up in the nurturing embrace of Imam Abdessalam Yassine –may God bless his noble soul. God’s providential design intended for her to be exposed to a purely prophetic example of spiritual purification in the Justice and Spirituality School.

There, within the ranks of the Justice and Spirituality School, Lady Khadija blossomed as an inspiration for the school’s men and women alike. She grew to be regarded as the emblem of compassion, righteousness and refinement. To give was her vocation. She received every God-seeking member with an open heart, a smiling face, and an unparalleled generosity. She welcomed all people into her heart’s good graces, even those whom others deemed as most undeserving.

Although her life was rife with trials and hardships, she proved stronger than all the ordeals. She was strong enough to endure the unfair imprisonment of her husband in the aftermath of the letter he penned to Hassan II, the Late King of Morocco. She was resolute enough to raise her kids with unrivaled grace as her husband was held unjustifiably captive in Moroccan detention centers and asylums. She was brave enough to champion the Imam’s cause as a born leader at a time when no man could possibly challenge the regime or go against its grain.

Their relationship was unique in its marvelousness. They conquered the odds with unchanged faith and indomitable resolve. They spent together forty-five years during which they grew closer to each other and to God. For forty-five years, they genuinely cared for each other and for the umma. The Imam of renewal –may God bless his soul-loved her so ardently that he was constantly singing her praises.

As the tyrannical regime inflicted all kinds of abuse on the couple and their family, she made the responsible decision to stand up for what is right. In the midst of harm and pain, her faith dictated that she should honor the divine commandments by upholding justice and condoling with the oppressed. Her pure heart called on her to preserve a marriage like no other to a man like no other. The burning fire within her soul urged her to follow her spiritual teacher in a way that only the most sincere of disciples could. Her path was unquestionably long and arduous, but she chose love, she chose justice, she chose God in every step of the way.

On Wednesday, March 25th, God graciously realized her long awaited desire as she relinquished life in the most gentle of manners. For her family and lovers, it was such a heartbreaking loss. It was also an opportunity to renew their vows to God and to emulate the late lady’s devotion and resolve. For the Moroccan regime, on the other hand, it was but another instance to unmask its tyrannical essence. Lady Khadija’s corpse was denied the basic right to a tomb to the mourners’ major surprise. No doubt part of the bewilderment sprang from the fact that Lady Khadija was no outspoken political figure nor did she ever seek the spotlight. As a matter of fact, she modestly evaded the public eye. To add insult to injury, and for the first time in Morocco’s known history, the cemetery witnessed an indefensible militarization of its gates and surroundings. The officials leading the attack on the cemetery failed to provide any sound reason as they moved from one lame excuse to another. The only plausible answer was that the barbaric scene came in accordance with the orders of the country’s “higher authorities” (1)It must be noted that the highest representatives of the Moroccan government denied that they had anything to do with the situation at hand. The minister of “Justice and Liberties” publicly stated that he had absolutely no knowledge of the matter despite the fact that the officer who led the attack is legally and constitutionally under his “authority”. .

The orders demanded that under no circumstances was Lady Khadija to be buried next to her spiritual guide and lifelong companion. The attack resulted in various injuries in the mourners and in additional heartache for the family. It was such a horrific happening to see a soul beaming with light and piety being approached by a tyrannical monarchy as the ultimate threat. Thankfully, God -the All-Powerful- crafted her triumph as she rested peacefully in her coffin. She was buried, as she wished, close to the man with whom she had shared a singular spiritual journey. May God -Exalted be He-bestow His blessing and benediction upon the Imam and his beloved wife and may He shower their family and lovers with peace and strength, Amen!