Zayan Ismail Shareef, 19, passed away after brave battle with rare condition, muscular dystrophy

Zayan Ismail Shareef, a 19-year-old from Th. Thimarafushi who had been living with the rare condition muscular dystrophy, passed away today.

His funeral prayer was held after Isha prayer at the Aasahara Mosque in Male'.

According to sources from his island, Zayan passed away while receiving treatment in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH), after his condition suddenly worsened due to illness.

During a reporting trip to Thaa Atoll last year, Mihaaru team visited Zayan’s family and published a story on his condition. At the time, his mother, Zameena Hassan, shared that Zayan had been able to walk to some extent until the age of nine. However, as he grew older, his physical strength deteriorated, and he eventually needed continuous assistance.

Zameena explained that after seeking more information, the family discovered that muscular dystrophy is a rare, hereditary condition often passed down through the paternal line.

Despite requiring the use of a wheelchair, Zayan had completed the 10th grade at the island school.

Zameena recalled that as a child, Zayan often questioned why he could not walk like others. She said she tried to explain his situation to him through a religious lens.

"Life is full of hardships. I told Zayan there could be many reasons why this happened to him. For example, not being able to go to bad places might actually be something to feel positive about," said Zameena, a teacher at Thimarafushi School.

"It could also be that Allah made a path for him to gain rewards and good deeds by keeping him away from certain things. I told Zayan to reflect on that and focus more on the Quran. Before, he used to watch movies often, but after these discussions, he stopped”, she said.