08/02/2025
We are so saddened by the news of Rahaman Ali’s passing. Henry and I (Dan Riedemann) had the immense pleasure and honor not only of working with him on the Ali Childhood Home Project, but being able to call him our friend to this day. He was a bigger than life person. His uproarious laugh, often followed by tears of Love and Joy, his outrageous stories and naughty jokes, always at a whisper so that Caroline couldnt hear, made his Childhood Home Project job site one of the most enjoyable we’ve ever been on. I learned more from him about Gods Love than any preacher I’ve ever sat and listened to. He changed my life for the better by teaching me what Gods Love looks like. One conversation in particular we were talking about Religion. He was talking about God and kept repeating the word God. I interrupted him with a question “Rahaman, you are Muslim, shouldnt you be referring to Him as Allah? Why do you keep referring to Him as God?” He laughed at my naivety and responded “Dan, there is only one God. Christians call him God, Muslims call him Allah, other religions call him other names but there is only one God who created Heaven and earth.” I was blown away. In our bigoted divided world, divided for centuries by religion and politics, this had never crossed my mind. He then continued, as loudly as he could with tears streaming down his face “Think about that Dan, one day you and I will be dancing together before the same God in heaven, think about that! Isn’t that beautiful?!!!”
Indeed my friend Rahaman, we will. I hope it will be many years from now, until then, you and your Brother have a lot of well deserved catching up to do. I miss you already. RIP Dear Rahaman
