Bound By Love: Husband Modifies Slippers For Wife’s Sacred Journey

From Amirul Mohd Sajadi

MAKKAH, May 7 (Bernama) -- Though her steps are no longer as strong as they once were, 65-year-old Rossilawati Abdul Razak from Seri Kembangan continues her journey in the Holy Land slowly yet with great perseverance, accompanied by a pair of slippers tied together with string - a symbol of a husband’s unending love.

For Rossilawati, the slippers are more than just footwear; they have become a ‘loyal companion,’ strengthening every step she takes while performing the haj pilgrimage, even though her body has long been tested by serious illness.

The touching story began in Madinah when the strap of the special sandals she used to balance her posture suddenly snapped, making movement even harder because her right leg is shorter than her left.

In those difficult circumstances, her husband, Kamaruzaman Othman, 66, did not hesitate. He bought several pairs of slippers before tying and modifying them with string, adjusting the sole thickness to suit his wife’s uneven legs.

“He tied the slippers so I could walk… they were what helped me move around,” she said here today.

Behind the story of the slippers lies a life journey filled with hardship for the former teacher, who was once on the brink of death.

Rossilawati was diagnosed with Stage 4 rectal cancer at the end of 2014 before undergoing 25 sessions of radiotherapy and chemotherapy because the tumour was too large to be operated on immediately.

“Alhamdulillah… until today, I am still surviving and have been freed from the cancer,” she said emotionally.

However, the illness left permanent effects after the cancer spread to her thighbone, causing her bone structure to become fragile and uneven. She also suffered kidney complications from the radiotherapy treatment, which required the insertion of a stent in her urinary tract as well as the use of a colostomy bag.

During that period, her daily life changed completely. Her weight once dropped from 80 kilogrammes to just 42 kilogrammes - a moment she remembers as the weakest phase of her life.

Throughout her treatment and long period of illness, her husband had always remained by her side, caring for and encouraging her tirelessly.

“If it weren’t for my husband, I don’t think I would still be here,” she said.

Meanwhile, Kamaruzaman said that although they had submitted appeals since 2016, the opportunity to perform the haj together was something they had never imagined due to her fragile health condition.

“When the results of the medical examination came out, we truly felt the chances were extremely slim. We didn’t even dare tell anyone because we were afraid of being disappointed.

“But when Lembaga Tabung Haji asked for our passports and all the Nusuk arrangements went smoothly… that was when we finally felt that perhaps Allah truly intended to invite both of us,” he said.

Kamaruzaman said that although his wife had to use a wheelchair for part of the pilgrimage rituals, they remained determined to fulfil the fifth pillar of Islam as best they could.

--  BERNAMA