Daulat Rahman/Guwahati

The body of Musfiqua Sultana, a resident of Mazar Road, Hatigaon in Guwahati was handed over to the Gauhati Medical College & Hospital (GMCH) on Sunday for enrichment medical science study and research. Both her eyes were donated to Sri Sankaradeva Nethralaya soon after she breathed her last at her residence on September 8 night.

Musfiqua Sultana’s husband Aftab Ahmad, a bureaucrat who predeceased her also donated his body to GMCH in 2011 for the same purpose.

The Ellora Vigyan Mancha (EVM), a voluntary organization, which started the organ & body donation movement in Assam says that Aftab Ahmed and Musfiqua Sultana have become the first Muslim couple in the country to donate their bodies after death for the advancement of medical science.

Musfiqua Sultana with her daughters Lubna and Ninon (Family Album)

“This love for humanity, imbued with scientific temper, of the couple has created a history of sorts and gave a fillip to the movement for organ and body donation,” the EVM said in its statement.

Isfaqur Rahman, EVM's spokesperson has told Awaz-The Voice that awareness about body and organ donation among Muslims were quite low in recent years due to their religious beliefs and lack of interest. Under such a situation, the late Musfiqua Sultana and Aftab Ahmed set an example for the Muslims by donating their bodies for medical science study and research.

Musfiqua Sultana was closely associated with the EVM. She bravely fought against cancer and left behind her two daughters--Ninon Shenaz and Lubna Shaheen along with close relatives and a large number of admirers. 

The cadaver had to be kept in the morgue of a private hospital in the city after Musfiqua's death on September 8 since her elder daughter Ninon took time to fly from Sweden to have a glimpse of her mother and to complete the process of donation. The daughters also imbibed scientific temper from parents and evinced courage and conviction for organ and cadaver donation.

The body of Musfiqua Sultana was accepted by the Anatomy Department of GMC with dignity in presence of Musfiqua's daughters and close relatives along with the activists of Ellora Vigyan Mancha. Despite being a government holiday today, the Vice Principal of GMCH Prof. (Dr.) Joydev Sarma and HoD of Anatomy Prof. (Dr.) Satyajit Mitra accepted the body on behalf of the GMCH authorities with due respect. Homages with the placing of floral wreaths on her body were paid.

Family, colleges and friends paying tribute to Musfiqua Sultana at Moran College

Lubna Shaheen, the younger daughter of the deceased has told Awaz-The Voice that she and other family members are happy about handing over the body to the GMCH. “My mother’s entire life was dedicated to promoting education and scientific temperament in society. She was a college teacher and loved to serve society through teaching. My father was a bureaucrat and public servant. So, my parents always used to tell us even after their deaths they want to serve the society and people. The only way to do this is a donation of their bodies and organs for future use,” Lubna said.

Did the two women face problem in donating their mother's body due to religious beliefs? To this, Lubna said for them humanity comes first. She admitted that there were a few religious issues during the time of donating her father’s body to GMCH way back in 2011. “But we remain determined to fulfill father’s wishes. But in the case of mother we are not facing any such issue,” Lubna said.

Musfiqua Sultana fondly called Dahlia was born in the Goalpara district in 1947. She later studied at Lady Keane College in Shillong and the University of Gauhati. She went on to become a professor of education at Moran College in Charaideo district in1968 where she taught for 35 years before taking voluntary retirement. She was always curious and made many friends with her yearning to learn and share.

Sisters Lubna and Ninon handing over the body of their mother Musfiqua Sultana to the authotiries at GMCH

She had a discerning taste and attention to the most minute details in both professional and personal matters. Dahlia loved to feed people and cook, and her recipes have traveled across the world and found many fans. Musfiqua Sultana hailed from Goalpara district and was the daughter of a renowned advocate and former MLA of Goalpara East Assembly constituency, Late Maziruddin Ahmed.

Lubna and her elder sister Ninon Shenaz are the only children of Aftab Ahmed and Musfiqua Sultana. They are feeling happy that even after their death, their parents will continue to serve society. “"I am very proud of my parents for the courage in their decision to donate their bodies for research and hope to carry forward this legacy," Lubna said.

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