Letter to an Unforgettable Brother, Mufti Yaks
By Abdulsalam Mahmud,
Dear Mufti Yaks,
It has been two years since you departed this temporary world, yet your memory remains remarkably alive. Time has moved on, seasons have changed, and many new faces have emerged in our communities and on social media. Yet, whenever your name is mentioned, a familiar feeling of admiration and sadness still settles in many hearts.
Some people live long lives and are forgotten quickly; others live briefly and are remembered endlessly. I still remember the shock that greeted the news of your passing on June 1, 2024. It was one of those moments that seemed unreal. Many people reached for their phones, hoping the reports were false.
Unfortunately, they were true, and a young voice that had inspired thousands suddenly fell silent. You were only twenty years old, an age many young people reserve for experimenting with life and chasing worldly pleasures. Yet, while many of your contemporaries were seeking popularity through empty pursuits, you chose a different path.
You dedicated your youthful energy to calling people towards goodness. You made the remembrance of Allah fashionable among young people who looked up to you. Your story remains one of the most remarkable examples of purposeful living in recent times.
You demonstrated that impact is not measured by age. Neither is greatness determined by the number of years one spends on earth. Rather, it is measured by what one does with the time Allah grants him. What made your journey extraordinary was not merely your eloquence. It was the sincerity that accompanied your words.
People listened to you because they saw conviction in your voice and humility in your conduct. Your message resonated because it came from a heart genuinely committed to serving Islam. Many knew you as the young preacher whose style reflected that of Mufti Menk.
You admired him, studied him, and adopted certain aspects of his presentation. Yet, as time passed, you gradually became a unique personality in your own right. People no longer saw you only as someone following a mentor; they saw a young scholar carving his own path.
When tributes poured in after your passing, they revealed something profound. They showed that your influence had travelled farther than many imagined. From renowned scholars to ordinary social media users, countless voices testified to the positive role you played in their lives. In death, your impact became even more visible.
Perhaps one of the most touching tributes came from Mufti Menk himself. It was a powerful moment. The mentor acknowledged the student. The global scholar recognised the efforts of a young Nigerian who had dedicated his life to spreading goodness. It was a tribute that carried both honour and sadness.
Professor Isa Ali Pantami also described your passing as a great loss. His words reflected the feelings of many Nigerians who had watched you grow into a respected young preacher. Across the country, people mourned not because they knew you personally, but because they felt connected to your message. That is a rare gift.
Your departure reminded us that death does not consult age before arriving. It does not distinguish between the old and the young. It comes according to the decree of Allah. Your passing forced many young people to reflect deeply on the direction of their own lives.
In a generation obsessed with visibility, you taught that influence can be used for virtue. While others sought attention through controversy, you sought relevance through service. While others chased applause, you pursued reward from your Creator. In doing so, you left behind a legacy far greater than temporary fame.
Even today, your videos continue to circulate online. New listeners discover your lectures and benefit from your reminders. Your voice still speaks to people despite your physical absence. It is one of the beautiful realities of righteous work; it continues long after its owner has departed.
I often wonder what more you would have achieved had Allah granted you additional years. Perhaps you would have become one of Africa’s leading Islamic scholars. Perhaps you would have travelled further and reached even larger audiences. Yet Allah, in His perfect wisdom, chose a different timeline for you.
The true lesson of your life is not how long you lived but how well you lived. You understood early what many people discover too late. You understood that life is a trust. You understood that every talent must serve a purpose. You understood that youth itself is a blessing for which one will be questioned.
Today, many young people in our communities stand at a crossroads. Some are drawn towards crime, violence, drugs and destructive lifestyles. Others are consumed by social media trends that offer visibility without value. Your life remains a powerful reminder that another path exists—a path of service, discipline and faith.
The city of Minna, which nurtured you, continues to grapple with challenges affecting its youth population. Stories of thuggery and violence occasionally dominate public discussions. Yet your story stands as a counter-narrative. It proves that greatness can emerge from the same environment where others choose destructive paths.
Your legacy is therefore bigger than your lectures. It is a testimony to what a focused young Muslim can become. It is evidence that age should never be an excuse for inaction. It is proof that righteousness remains attractive even in difficult times.
Dear Mufti Yaks, your journey reminds us that every soul is writing a story. Some stories end with regret, while others end with prayers from strangers across continents. By the mercy of Allah, yours became one of the latter. That is a blessing beyond measure.
As another anniversary of your passing comes and goes, we continue to pray for you. We pray that Allah forgives your shortcomings. We pray that He expands your grave with light and mercy. And we pray that He allows the good seeds you planted to continue bearing fruit for generations to come.
Until we all answer the same call that came to you on that Saturday morning of June 1, 2024, your story remains a reminder that the most successful life is not necessarily the longest one. The most successful life is the one spent in obedience to Allah and in service to humanity. By that measure, dear Mufti Yaks, you departed this world as a winner.
May Allah’s infinite mercies continue to envelope your beautiful and noble, Ya Akhi. Ameen.
Mahmud, Deputy Editor of PRNigeria, wrote in via: [email protected].