Teta Sa'so'a

Zakeya's her name.. Zakeya Saleh Ali Turky..

She was born on the 24th of October, 1924..

She died today, the 8th of January, 2018..

She lived a very happy healthy long life filled with adventures and success.. She's my Dad's Mom.. A very unique person.. One of a kind!

Her Dad was Turkish & her Mom was Egyptian. She spoke Arabic, English & French.. She was an English Language teacher.. She was always proud of herself, her achievements and where she came from.. 

She loved writing poetry, Every member in our family has their poetic piece; that was written by her just for them..

She used to tell us stories about the time when she was young, how she loved her Dad & his Sister.. How they used to send her for special Qur'an/French classes.. Egyptians used to make fun of her Turkish Dad in Arabic & she would translate it to her Dad.. He'd laugh along with her and let them be..

Her Mother was always treating her in a very special way & would always pamper her, unlike how she treated her other kids.. She'd always bake her favourite pastries and keep them for her on the side..

Teta loved clothes & shoes, & was very stylish.. She had a nice taste & loved beauty in everything.. Her favourite colour was green.. She'd have 4 spoons of sugar in her milk, & loved milk, cream & butter so very much! Stuffed pigeons was her favourite lunch.. She'd always have to have sweets near her.. Crunchy foods had to be around in the house, biscuits & chips.. Her favourite chocolate was Kitkat..

She'd always talk about how she fell in love with my Grandfather the very first time she laid eyes on him.. He was way older than her, but it never mattered to her.. She gave birth to three kids, my Dad was her second.. She says Daddy was so cute when he was born, & he was her favourite.. Everyone thought he was a girl.. She wouldn't stop breastfeeding him for as long as she could..

She kept moving from a house to the other and bought beautiful wallpapers & chandeliers.. Pictures mattered a lot to her; that picture meant so much to her.. Those were her students.. Her hair was very long and silky.. When she cut it, she had it braided and kept it in a box..

She always had her Qur'an next to her, & would read daily a lot of it.. When she used to come to stay with us in Abu Dhabi, we'd always fight over the AC, she'd want it warm and we'd want it cold.. And at bed time she'd recite many verses and supplications.. I remember her voice saying: "O Allah, place light in my heart, and on my tongue light, and in my ears light and in my sight light, and above me light, and below me light, and to my right light, and to my left light, and before me light and behind me light. Place in my soul light. Magnify for me light, and amplify for me light. Make for me light, and make me light. O Allaah, grant me light, and place light in my nerves, and in my body light and in my blood light and in my hair light and in my skin light." Amen oh Allah.. Please grant her that ya Allah..

She never liked taking medications, her face would be so red from fever, and still won't like taking them pills.. 

She wanted to shake hands with Queen Elizabeth, but never did.. She died in her bed, 18 years after my Grandfather.. And now is buried next to him..

I pray her first night in the grave be filled with Mercy & Light, may she see her place in Heaven & be forgiven for her shortcomings..