Indeed… our father you left us and bid farewell to this world in a hurry at a time when we desperately needed your advice and guidance …!!

May Allah have mercy on you, educator of generations. May Allah welcome you into his vast Paradise, and may He make your grave a garden within the gardens of paradise.

Indeed it is the norm of life, and the law of the universe, that we sometimes wake up to hear news that could tear the eyes, sadden the heart, confuse the mind, and affect the soul.

Last Monday, February 8th was a very difficult and trying day for me, as the news of the passing of our beloved father, Professor Malik Badri, was announced.

Yet, it was the most challenging hour that I have had in recent years. This is due to the fact that he was for me as for many students a source of inspiration and guidance. He was a model of pious and truthfulness. A scholar who worshiped his Lord day and night, his tongue never tired of performing supplications and prayers..

O The Almighty..

Is this true that the angel of death stretched out his hand to the soul of our father, our teacher, our educator and the educator of generations..

Is this true that our father will no longer answer our calls, our messages..

Is this true that this great erudite of Allah will not be able, from now onwards, to guide us out of our worries and distress..

Is this true that the interpreter of our dreams and the analyst of our behavior will no longer be there to counsel us..

Is this true that from today onwards we will be deprived of enjoying and savoring our father’s prayers and invocations..

Indeed, our Lord… all this is true… death is true… the day of judgement is true… the resurrection is true… Paradise is true… Hell is true… but we are desperately troubled and deeply triste by his demise..
Yes, we do strongly believe that he deserves the mercy and forgiveness of The All Forgiving in shaa Allah..

He has been for me and for many generations a spiritual father, a great educator, a pride for the Islamic Ummah, and an excellent reference for Muslim and non-Muslim psychologists.

Truly, he left our mortal world after being ears and sight for thousands of those who sought a rational Islamic interpretation of dreams and a coherent scientific analysis of human behavior based on the Noble Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (PBUH).

As believers we certainly accept the fact that he responded the call of the Creator of the Universe after serving his Lord, his Prophet (PBUH) and his Ummah as well as fulfilling his duty on earth.

Yes he would always be remembered as a righteous scholar and a devoted worshipper, whose light shone on his forehead, whose tranquility was above his life, whose trust in Allah filled his wings, whose optimism never left his tongue, the tragedies of this age never affected him, harsh circumstances never changed his positions; the delations of the enemies did not bother him and did not change his fatherly love to us..

For decades we used to see him always smiling in front of crises, his heart was open to ease the dark situations and harsh circumstances..

He was constantly reminding us day and night of the power of dhikr (divine invocations), and of dua (supplications) to overcome obstacles and difficulties..

For decades he never tired of leading, counseling and guiding us. Meeting him was a source of comfort to our souls, and hearing his voice was a source of hope and courage.

O Allah.. You are our witness that much of our worries would disappear when we met him, and a cloud of our anguish would disperse as we listened to his speeches..

He taught us that adulation and flattery are among bad manners and that honesty, integrity and courtesy in words and behaviour are honorable people’s qualities..

Indeed, he was deep in his observations, creative in his analyses, exceptional in his interpretations of dreams, continually seeking to solve his students’ problems. He was also so attached to the Mosque, always invoking Allah, and carrying in his retreats a fragrant purple rosary, that smelled sincerity.

We have learned from this great teacher of generations that our Islamic heritage is wealthy with the knowledge and ideas of great psychologists, and that this heritage includes psychological interpretations and analyses that are no less consistent, profound and mature than what others boast of in this era.

He – may Allah have mercy on him – has always told us in conferences and meetings that there are genuine efforts in the field of psychological and behavioral studies among such virtuous scholars such as Al-Ghazali, Ibn Rochd, Ibn Sina, Ibn Taymiyya, Ibn Al-Qayyim, Ibn Sirin, among others who deserve the pride and praise of the Muslim Ummah.

My dear and beloved father..

May Allah have mercy on you, and reward you with the best of rewards, in my name and that of all your students, all your disciples, and all those who love science, purification, and education..

May Allah accept you alongside the Prophet (PBUH) whom you truly loved and whom you had sincerely invoked in your movements and gestures.

My family and I express our condolences to the students of knowledge that you were sincerely devoted to their education, and you taught them self-confidence and pride in their heritage and culture.

Our condolences to the country where you were born on its land and grew up in its embrace, and where you learned the love of the pious and the company of the righteous..

Our condolences to many countries where you have sown seeds of goodness and righteousness in which thousands of students and researchers have grown up.

Our condolences and sympathy to the righteous offspring you raised, educated and instilled in them the love of Allah, His Messenger (PBUH) and the pious.

Last but not least, I console myself and my family for your departure, and for the void you will leave in my life from today. Thus I will no longer be able to hear your voice, I will not be honored from now onwards to see your smiling face or to enjoy your speech full of spirituality and optimism..

O my Lord, do accept our father in Your Paradise among the Prophets, the Truthful, the Martyrs, the Righteous, and these are the best companions.

O my Lord, reunite us with him on a day when neither wealth nor offspring will be beneficial, in the gardens of bliss, in an assembly of truth with the All-Powerful Sovereign.

O my Lord, have great mercy, forgiveness, and generosity to our father and teacher.

To Allah we belong and to Him we return

Your son and student for ever / Koutoub Moustapha Sano