HRH Queen Elizabeth II: A life of service.
I distinctly remember the Queens Silver Jubilee in 1977. All the children at my middle school received a silver coloured medallion to commemorate this very special occasion. I still have this little piece of memorabilia.
It occurred to me on the day that our Queen passed away that she had been a constant, background presence for all of my life and although I had no personal interaction with her, still, there was a degree of familiarity and understanding that she was our Queen.
So, what do we know about this amazing lady.
HRH Queen Elizabeth was born 21st of April 1926 in Mayfair, London and was the first child of the Duke and Duchess of York.
After the abdication of King Edward VIII, Elizabeths father took the throne in 1936, making Elizabeth the heir presumptive.
In November 1947, she married Philip Mountbatten, a former prince of Greece and Denmark, and their marriage lasted 73 years until his death in April 2021. They had four children: Charles, Anne, Andrew, and Edward. 1
The health of the Queens father, King George VI, had been steadily declining and he passed away in February of 1952 whilst the then Princess Elizabeth was touring New Zealand and Australia. So at the age of 25 Princess Elizabeth became Queen Elizabeth.
Her actual coronation took place on the 2nd June 1953 at Westminster Abbey.
Her Majesty was the longest reigning British Monarch serving the nation for over 70years.
During her time, an incredible number of political, social and economic changes occurred.
Amongst these were the….
- The troubles in Northern Ireland
- Devolution in the UK
- Joining the EU
- Leaving the EU
- Historic visits to China in 1986 and Russia in 1994
- Meeting with 5 Popes
- Seen 15 Prime Ministers 2
- Celebrated her Silver, Golden, Diamond and Platinum jubilees
- The breakdown of marriages in her family
- The tragic death of Princess Diana
- Recently, the Covid Pandemic
- The loss of her husband and lifetime consort Prince Phillip
These are just a few of the many significant events that took place during the reign of the Queen.
There are way too many to list.
Her life, in the very basic sense, mirrored that of so many of the elders of our community…..ie a strong woman, responsible for the upbringing of her family, the travails that she suffered, the joys and the fun times. I grew up watching her and her family going through all of these, just an observer, like many.
Her passing is a reminder to us all that our lives are but a fleeting moment in the ever moving river of time, it just flows on.
Queen Elizabeth died aged 96 at Balmoral Castle, Aberdeenshire, in 2022, and was succeeded by her eldest son, Charles III.
The Queen made a Broadcast on the evening of her coronation. Here is a portion of what she said 3
“When I spoke to you last, at Christmas, I asked you all, whatever your religion, to pray for me on the day of my Coronation – to pray that God would give me wisdom and strength to carry out the promises that I should then be making…………
The ceremonies you have seen today are ancient, and some of their origins are veiled in the mists of the past. But their spirit and their
meaning shine through the ages never, perhaps, more brightly than now. I have in sincerity pledged myself to your service, as so many of you are pledged to mine. Throughout all my life and with all my heart I shall strive to be worthy of your trust.”
Our Queen had dedicated her life to service of her nation and its people.
In Islam, we are taught that the purpose of our lives is the worship of the Almighty and service to mankind.
In the muslim holy book The Quran it says: 4
“You are the best people, raised for the good of mankind; you enjoin good and forbid evil and believe in Allah. And if the People of the Book had believed, it would have, surely, been better for them. Some of them are believers, but most of them are transgressors” 3:111
Also in An-Nisa’ 5
“And worship Allah and associate naught with Him, and show kindness to parents, and to kindred, and orphans, and the needy, and to the neighbour that is a kinsman and the neighbour that is a stranger, and the companion by your side, and the wayfarer, and those whom your right hands possess. Surely, Allah loves not the proud and the boastful” 4:37
It is narrated by Abu Hurairah (Allah be pleased with him) that the Holy Prophet ( peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
“He who is not grateful to people is not grateful to Allah.”
(Tirmidhi) 6
This short blog, based on the Voice of Islam Breakfast Show, 7 by no means encompasses the entire life of Queen Elizabeth.
Our Queen demonstrated a core principle of Islam in her lifelong service to her people and mankind.
May she now rest in peace.
References:
- Wikipedia: Elizabeth II
- Evening Standard: How Many Prime Ministers Has the Queen Appointed in Her Reign
- The Royal Family: A Speech by The Queen on her Coronation 1953
- The Holy Quran: Chapter 3, Verse 111
- The Holy Quran: Chapter 4, Verse 37
- Al Islam: Selected Sayings of The Holy Prophet, Page 47
- SoundCloud: The Breakfast Show Podcast
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