My dad kissed me on the cheek the day before he passed away. The next day my Uncle and I were singing to him about an hour before his passing. During his last month I would kiss and hug him often, sometimes holding the hug for a long time. After he was done praying I would kneel beside him, put my arms around his shoulders, rest my head on his cheek and shoulder, and linger like that for a while. He would nod his head in acknowledgement because his voice muscles were not strong enough to speak at a normal tone. My dad’s muscles were decreasing in strength and size by the neuro-degenerative disorder: Lou Gehrig’s disease. Even his cheek muscles were so soft–just like a baby’s.
I came across these two ahadeeth and wanted to post: to remind me of the type of relationship that should exist between father and daughter:
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) on his daughter, Fatima:
Whoever pleased Fatima has indeed pleased God and whoever has caused her to be angry has indeed angered God. Fatima is a part of me. Whatever pleases her pleases me and whatever angers her angers me. (Narrated by al-Bukhari, 3437; Muslim, 4483)
Aisha (God’s blessings be upon her) commented, When the Prophet saw her [Fatima] approaching, he would welcome her, stand up and kiss her, take her by the hand and sit her down in the place where he was sitting. When the Prophet came to her, she stood up for him, took his hand, made him welcome, kissed him, and made him sit in her place. She came to him during his final illness and he greeted her and kissed her. (Al Adab al Mufrad: Hadith 971)
