Reading time:10 min read

A Chapter Closes, the Story Continues

We did not call it a blessed day ourselves, but Allah blessed the day for us. It rained. The rain fell quietly as we, members of Adh-Dhikr Press Organisation gathered for what would be our final general meeting with our Editor-in-Chief, Abdullateef Isa. It was merely a change in weather, but to us, the rain seemed fitting. There was something almost symbolic about it: as one chapter came to an end, the sky poured its own blessings upon the beginning of another.

The day was unlike our usual meetings. There was an unusual enthusiasm among the members, and almost everyone arrived early at the venue. Perhaps we all sensed that the day deserved our presence. It was not simply another meeting to be attended and forgotten; it was a moment we would always look back on. We had come together not only to conclude a meeting but to celebrate a person, a tenure, and a journey that had shaped us in many ways.

We began by congratulating ourselves and celebrating our editor-in-chief. The atmosphere was filled with laughter and excitement. At some point, we began to imitate and mimic him, recreating some of his familiar expressions and mannerisms. It was amusing, but beneath the laughter was affection. We could imitate him because we had come to know him. His ways had become familiar to us, and his presence had become part of the character of Adh-Dhikr Press Organisation itself.

Abdullateef Isa was more than someone who simply examined our writing. He became part of our collective experience. During his tenure, we encountered correction, criticism, encouragement, and admonition. We were reminded repeatedly that writing is not merely the arrangement of beautiful words but a discipline that requires patience, humility, and a willingness to learn.

Interestingly, the editor-in-chief we had been joking about soon arrived. He had been occupied with the final tasks of his tenure. Hence, his late arrival. When he eventually joined us, he apologised to everyone and later addressed us with words of admonition. His words carried a different weight that day because they came at the end of his tenure. They were not merely instructions for another meeting; they were part of the legacy he was leaving behind.

That moment reminded me that leadership is not only about occupying a position, but also about what one leaves behind after the position has been relinquished. A title eventually changes hands, but the influence of a person can remain in the people they have helped shape.

As night fell, we concluded the final general meeting of the 1447/48 AH administration of Adh-Dhikr Press Organisation with hearts filled with gratitude, reflection, and mixed emotions. There was sadness because someone who had become an important part of our journey was leaving his editorial position. Yet there was also excitement because another editor-in-chief would take over, bringing with him the excitement of a new era.

This mixture of sadness and anticipation captured the very nature of our organisation. Adh-Dhikr Press Organisation has never been merely a place where words are written. It has been a home of learning, correction, friendship, and growth. It has become a family in which people are given the opportunity to make mistakes without allowing those mistakes to define them.

One of the greatest lessons I have learnt from being part of Adh-Dhikr Press Organisation is that writing is a continuous process of becoming better. We write, we make mistakes, someone points them out, and we return to work. Sometimes, a correction may initially feel uncomfortable, especially when we are convinced that our writing is already good enough. But with time, we begin to understand the value of being corrected.

The pen teaches humility.

It teaches us that there is always something more to learn. It teaches us that perfection is not the starting point of good writing; improvement is. Every correction, every rewritten sentence, and every piece of advice becomes part of the writer's education.

For this reason, I am particularly grateful to Editor-in-Chief Abdullateef Isa.

Thank you for correcting us, for guiding us, for admonishing us when necessary and for patiently helping us become better writers. Some of the lessons you have taught us may appear ordinary when remembered individually, but together they have contributed to our growth. An editor does not only correct grammar, punctuation, or structure, but also teaches a writer to see beyond the words. To recognise weaknesses, appreciate precision, and understand that good writing requires discipline.

And, of course, Editor Baba àwọn omọ̀ púpọ̀!

You were more than an editor-in-chief to us. Your ability to relate with people made your presence memorable, and your personality became part of the experience of your tenure. Your chapter as our editor-in-chief may have ended, but the memories and lessons associated with you will remain within the organisation, and more importantly, within the people you have developed.

To the entire outgoing Editorial Board, Jazākumullāhu khayran. Your work required time, patience, sacrifice, and commitment, much of which may not always have been visible to everyone. May Allah reward every effort made for the growth of Adh-Dhikr Press Organisation and accept every sincere contribution.

To the members of Adh-Dhikr Press Organisation, I say thank you. Thank you for showing up, contributing, writing, reading, listening, correcting, and learning. Organisations are not built by titles alone; they are built by people who are willing to participate. Every member has, in one way or another, added something to the identity of Adh-Dhikr Press Organisation.

Looking back, I realise that perhaps the greatest thing we created was not simply a collection of written works. We created memories. We watched one another grow. We laughed over mistakes, learned from corrections, shared ideas, and gradually became more comfortable with one another. What began as an organisation centred on writing, then became something much more personal: a community of people connected by learning and written words.

This became particularly evident at the end of our final general meeting. After the admonitions, reflections, corrections, and laughter, we simply sat together, eating, drinking, talking, and enjoying one another's company. There was something beautiful about ending such an important chapter in such an ordinary way. We did not need a grand ceremony to make the moment meaningful. Our presence together was enough.

Perhaps that is what makes Adh-Dhikr Press Organisation special. We do not merely write together; we learn together. We do not merely correct one another; we help one another grow. We do not merely attend meetings; we create memories that remain long after the meetings are over.

And perhaps the rain that accompanied our final meeting was a fitting reminder of this truth. Rain falls, disappears into the earth, and yet leaves behind the possibility of growth. Similarly, people may leave positions, meetings may end, and chapters may close, but the lessons they leave behind can continue to produce something new.

Abdullateef Isa’s tenure may have ended, but his influence does not have to end with it. A new editor-in-chief will rise. New members will join. New meetings will be held. New mistakes will be made, and new corrections will follow. The organisation will continue to evolve, carrying pieces of every chapter into the next.

That is the nature of every meaningful story.

Not every person remains until the final page. Some people appear for a particular chapter, leave their mark, and move on. Their departure does not make their presence meaningless. Instead, it makes the chapter they occupied even more significant.

Our final general meeting, therefore, was not simply an ending. It was a reminder that endings and beginnings often exist within the same moment.

May Allah preserve Adh-Dhikr Press Organisation and everyone who has contributed to its journey. May he increase us in knowledge, wisdom, sincerity, and understanding. May he bless the new leadership, reward those who have served before us, and strengthen everyone who carries the responsibility of taking the organisation forward.

May every word we write be beneficial, every correction we receive, make us better, every lesson remain with us, and every effort made through the pen become a source of reward.

Above all, may Allah place barakah in the journey ahead and make Adh-Dhikr Press Organisation remain a place where people not only learn how to write, but also grow.