Old Man Built Over a Dozen Fountains for Public Use
Values are like bonding agents that strengthen and develop society. Imagine what it would be like if no one stood up, or strove for anything. Well, the civilization would probably collapse altogether. Having said that, we would like to introduce you to the kindhearted man, late Abdurrahman Geven, who devoted his life to the values he believed in.
Uncle Abdurrahman spent his whole life in a small village in Amasya, Turkey. The old man had a simple yet brilliant goal in mind which is seizing his days according to one hadeeth; “If the Hour (the day of Resurrection) is about to be established and one of you was holding a palm shoot, let him take advantage of even one second before the Hour is established to plant it.” (Authenticated by Al-Albani)
To fulfil his purpose in life, he would take his digging tools and set off. Sometimes he’d move the rocks off the road, shovel snow or help the villagers first thing in the morning. He’d even try to build handcrafted bridges using trees or concrete. More so than anything else, he was known for building fountains for spring water. He particularly selected strategic locations to build fountains on, so the animals and people would benefit the most. In thirty years of his life, he constructed seventeen fountains in total.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_j32kWGJfE0To achieve our goals, we are obliged to have faith first; then take action and make an effort. As the famous Turkish poet Necip Fazıl said:
“Scatter seeds, then let the soil be ashamed if they shall not grow.
Let the spear which did not hit the mark be ashamed.”
Likewise, Uncle Abdurrahman had a goal in mind to favour everyone. He said with smiling eyes in the interview:
“Even removing rocks off the road is an eligible deed in Islam. I do all these to earn the shafaa’ah (intercession) of Prophet Muhammed (pbuh)”.
An 80-year-old boy
Uncle Abdurrahman resembles Abu Talha (ra) in a way. The companion was 90 years old when he gridded on his sword after reading the 41st verse of Surah At-Tawbah, the call for jihad. Such lives are truly inspirational for those who need the motivation to embark upon their goals.
That was a wholesome story about an ordinary man who dedicated his life to deserving Allah’s love through small acts of goodness. Even after his death in January 2021, Abdullah Geven remains a model for the next generations. May he rest in peace.
