My beloved father
Professor Ahmad Al-Bustan (19382020), may Allah bless his soul as he rests in peace, was born in 1938 and sadly died on Sept 24, 2020, leaving behind his devoted wife, six children and 17 grandchildren who were all blessed by his unconditional love and support.
Prof Ahmad, a humble and proud man, strongly believed in education and was always upholding the saying “pursue education even if as far as in China”, affirming that education is the best weapon that anyone can possess. His dedication is also the reason and motivation behind all of his children to have successfully completed their higher education.
Our father (may Allah Almighty have mercy on him and forgive him) not only encouraged his children and grandchildren to have a university and higher degree (PhD), but also encouraged hundreds of young people to complete their education, most of whom succeeded and to this day testify to his guidance and mentorship. He would constantly remind us that we should take responsibility and serve our community, quoting “Ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country”.
He was a kind, giving and generous man who respected people regardless of their background and status, and was always ready to lend a helping hand. He would always quote “Treat people equally with respect and how you would want others to treat you”. Having raised us with that, we were all blessed that he had earned a lot of people’s love and respect.
He was very optimistic always, quoting “think pink”, affirming the importance of thinking positive and not allowing obstacles to defeat one’s goals and ambitions. Even during his struggle with different diseases and lastly with the cancer that claimed his life, he would smile and tell happy stories. He continued to give advice and teach morals and to this day, his voice can still be heard in our minds, guiding us into making informed decisions. After giving his opinion and advice to us, he would end by quoting “what parents can’t teach you, time will”, allowing us to be independent and responsible. He would never force us into anything, quoting “You can drag a horse to the water but you can never make him drink it”. Most of the time we would go by his advice and thankfully prevail.
Though he has departed our world (may he rest in the Heavens above) his loving, kind, and generous spirit will live on through us and through his grandchildren who, we pray, continue on with his legacy while keeping his spirit alive in our hearts and minds. He left us with great memories, wisdom, and lessons which we will always cherish as they made us who we are today.
A year has passed since his heartbreaking departure, a day that left us fatherless, a day that broke our back. BUT his zest for life, optimism, inspiration, and wisdom has given us the strength to move on and live by his valuable lessons. Our strong faith in Allah Almighty and belief in that he is in a better place eases our pain and heals us day by day.
Our memories of him, the quotations he recited and the stories he would tell brings a smile to our faces. I pray that he is as much proud of us as we are proud to have had a wonderful father whom we miss enormously. We were truly blessed with a great man in our lives, and in our hearts he will always be.