Shihab Hossain

إِنَّا ِلِلَّٰهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ My beloved brother and best friend, Shihab. I was truly blessed to have had Shihab in my life. He was the best big brother I could hope for or imagine. Even as a young child, he looked after me and he never stopped looking out for me. He grew up too quickly and took on responsibilty beyond his years from a very early age. He was always there, ever-present, ever-ready. He had endless kindness and patience for his little sister, as troublesome as I must have been at times. I loved being with him. I was always in awe of him, so proud of him and thankful to have him as my brother. Although his life was cut short, Shihab lived life well, with strong faith and good intention. He loved his family. He loved family life. He adored his wife, Jasmine, and their children, Zak, Hannah and Zayn. He was mindful of our parents. He was principled and determined but he was sensitive and thoughtful. He never complained for himself. He was a diplomat, seldom rising to conflict. He connected with people far and wide. He cared for and helped people. He had many good friends and was a best friend to many. He worked hard, carved his own path and was humble and quiet about his deeds and successes. He shunned greed, rather he was generous and selfless, always giving so much of himself in everything he did. He loved bringing people together. He bound us all together. Shihab took pleasure from simple things. As children, we used to play outside on the street or on our bikes, hours at a time. Earlier still, when Mum worked at an old Victorian hospital, we would roam, free-range, playing in the vast grounds, making dens in the woods, amongst the bluebells and snowdrops. He always loved cars. Indeed, the story goes that the first word he uttered was “car”. In every home we lived in as a child, he would insist on having his bedroom at the front of the house so he could watch the cars pass by. He collected Matchbox cars but played with them cautiously, so valuable they were to him. He was given a Scalextric one year. His surprise and joy are unforgettable. He never asked for nor expected much. Shihab developed a sense of independence and adventure at a young age. He was not fearless but he had courage and he would often challenge himself. In 2010, in aid of Islamic Relief, he spent three weeks on a charity drive from the UK to Bangladesh, across Europe, Turkey, Iran, Pakistan and India. We were terrified but he was determined. He loved to travel and explore. He loved an itinerary! He was often thinking of his next adventure and tried to include his family and friends in his plans. He had a zest for life and he lived it fully, sharing it with others along the way. I am blessed that Shihab was with me from the beginning and that we were able to share so much of our lives together. I have the benefit of a lifetime of his example and he is part of my very being. He had far too many qualities to capture here and I have too many stories to share but I will cherish my precious memories of him. He was an amazing brother to me, a wonderful brother-in-law to Aziz and loving uncle to Aidan and Amelle. We will always love and miss him. Thank you Shihab for everything you did and everything you were. اللَّهمَّ اغْفِرْ لِحَيِّنَا وَمَيِّتِنَا وَشَاهِدِنَا، وَغَائِبِنَا، وَصَغِيْرِنَا وَكَبِيْرِنَا، وَذَكَرِنَا وَأُنْثَانَا. اللَّهمَّ مَنْ أَحْيَيْتَه ُُ مِنَّا فَأَحْيِه ِِ عَلَى الإِسْلامِ، وَمَنْ تَوَفَّيْتَه ُُ مِنَّا فَتَوَفَّه ُُ عَلَى الإِيْمَانِ