Thoughts of a dying man

By Mushtaq Yousif Sultan, Dubai
9 June 2005, 18:00 PM
God bless you!! As you read this, I don't want you to feel sorry for me, because, I believe everyone will die some day. I am a merchant in Dubai in the U.A.E. I have been diagnosed with Esophageal cancer. It has defied all forms of medical treatment, and right now I have only about a few months to live, according to medical experts. I have not lived my life well, as I never really cared for anyone(not even myself)but my business. Though I am very rich, I was never generous, I was always hostile to people and only focused on my business as that was the only thing I cared for. But now I regret all this as I now know that there is more to life than just wanting to have or make all the money in the world.

I believe if God gives me a second chance to come to this world I would live my life a different way from how I have lived it. Now that God has called me, I have willed and given most of my property and assets to my immediate and extended family members as well as a few close friends. I want God to be merciful to me and accept my soul so, I have decided to give alms to charity organisations, as I want this to be one of the last good deeds I do on earth. So far, I have distributed money to some charity organisations in the U.A.E, Algeria and Malaysia. Now that my health has deteriorated so badly, I cannot do this myself anymore. I once asked members of my family to close one of my accounts and distribute the money which I have there to charity organisations in Bulgaria and Pakistan, they refused and kept the money for themselves. Hence, I do not trust them anymore, as they seem not to be content with what I have left for them.