One landmark feat of Ayub was to develop an effective way
to deliver chemotherapy treatment to those suffering with brain tumours.
He invented the tool called the Ommaya Reservoir, which is today in
worldwide usage. His contributions were not limited to his profession.
During the massacre of Muslims over 15 years ago, Ayub personally funded
the trip of a Bosnian leader to Washington so that he could present his
case before US policy makers. A recurring theme of the speakers was
Ayub's humanity, humility, and helpful nature.
Identified among his special traits was a twinkling
smile, his being a dreamer, and a child-like curiosity which endowed
Ayub with a moral imagination to pursue scientific inquiry. An avid
reader with his own personal library, one of Ayub's pet projects was to
constantly seek the link between Islam and science.
Dr Ron Uscinski, his long-time friend and fellow
neurosurgeon, mentioned Ayub's love for cinema and song. According to
Uscinski, Ayub was "a towering, multifaceted intellect, who could
converse easily on such subjects as Italian opera, old movies, Sufism,
the origins of Urdu ...He always seemed to be able to see beyond the
immediate situation, and had an uncanny ability to pull diverse and
seemingly unrelated observations together into a clear picture that made
one ask oneself; 'now, why didn't I see that!'"
A weakness in American culture is its being overly
scheduled and overly programmed. Ayub, with his zest for living,
recognised that the key to breaking the chains of crippling routine was
spontaneity. He could, on the spur of the moment, get up to go to a
movie, join in an outing, or invite a friend for an impromptu dinner
which he would cook himself and then regale the occasion by singing an
Italian opera song.
The memorial meeting showed that what sustains human
connections is not necessarily similarity of culture, language,
temperament, or ethnicity, but a similarity of spirit. It also
re-affirmed that a legacy of remembrance is not secured by depositing
billions abroad but by giving hope to the hopeless and giving comfort to
those in pain.
Ayub was full of life and parts of
his life were not easy. Yet, he retained his humour and laughter in
difficult circumstances.
The joy of living is in giving joy to others.
One of the dilemmas of contemporary Muslim society is its
incapacity to come up with inspirational role models for the youth to
emulate. In this vacuum, many seek celebrities and look up to
entertainers, rock stars, or those wielding power and flaunting big
money. Adding to the problem is the in-built culture of compliance
caused by a colonial legacy and dependency on external forces. Defeatist
conformism and frustrations with a seemingly dead-end status quo
contribute to a sense of powerlessness that gives space for nihilistic
frenzy to flourish. One way to blunt destructive impulses and to instil
hope is to highlight and salute what can be achieved and changed through
honest effort and creativity.
The loss of a friend may be one of the unavoidable wounds
of life, but the memories of friendship remain an abiding treasure. And
friends, therefore, live on, surviving in memories. And what is old, is
new again.
The writer is attorney at law and senior political analyst
