In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
We will one day be raised up before Allah, having no place of return except that, and no destiny but this one.
Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un (إِنَّا لِلّهِ وَإِنَّـا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعونَ). Surely we belong to Allah and to Him is the return. Please recite Al-Fatiha for our friend, a hafizah (a memorizer of Qur'an), who just passed away. She died at age 27 and left behind 2 small children and widower. May Allah shower her with mercy, forgive her sins and grant her the highest Paradise among Allah's elect, and grant patience to her loved ones. Ameen.
In Allah’s hand alone is the granting of life, and in His hand is the return of what He gave at the appointed time, and after the allotted life span, whether the people are in their houses amongst their families, or striving to seek provision or striving to please Allah, seeking His Noble Countenance. Reward and recompense are with Him, and He has full knowledge and power.
الَّذِي خَلَقَ الْمَوْتَ وَالْحَيَاةَ لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ أَيُّكُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلًا ۚ وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْغَفُورُ ﴿٢[Qur'an Al-Mulk 67:2]
[He] who created death and life to test you [as to] which of you is best in deed - and He is the Exalted in Might, the Forgiving - (2)
Many humans live the life of this world, seeking the best that it has to offer, while ignoring what lies ahead of them upon death. This is a result of weak faith, for such people live only for what is before their eyes. The adornment of this world are but temptations to distract you from the true purpose of life and the reminder that you will indeed be responsible for all you do in this life.
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تُلْهِكُمْ أَمْوَالُكُمْ وَلَا أَوْلَادُكُمْ عَن ذِكْرِ اللَّـهِ ۚ وَمَن يَفْعَلْ ذَٰلِكَ فَأُولَـٰئِكَ هُمُ الْخَاسِرُونَ ﴿٩﴾ وَأَنفِقُوا مِن مَّا رَزَقْنَاكُم مِّن قَبْلِ أَن يَأْتِيَ أَحَدَكُمُ الْمَوْتُ فَيَقُولَ رَبِّ لَوْلَا أَخَّرْتَنِي إِلَىٰ أَجَلٍ قَرِيبٍ فَأَصَّدَّقَ وَأَكُن مِّنَ الصَّالِحِينَ ﴿١٠﴾ وَلَن يُؤَخِّرَ اللَّـهُ نَفْسًا إِذَا جَاءَ أَجَلُهَا ۚ وَاللَّـهُ خَبِيرٌ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ ﴿١١[Qur'an Al-Munafiqun 63:9-11]
O you who have believed, let not your wealth and your children divert you from remembrance of Allah. And whoever does that - then those are the losers. (9) And spend [in the way of Allah] from what We have provided you before death approaches one of you and he says, "My Lord, if only You would delay me for a brief term so I would give charity and be among the righteous." (10) But never will Allah delay a soul when its time has come. And Allah is Acquainted with what you do. (11)
The Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:
Remember much, that which cuts off pleasure: Death, since no-one remembers it in times of difficulty, except that things are made easy for him, nor mentions it at times of ease, except that the affairs become constricted for him.[Saheehul-Jaami’us Sagheer, no 1222]
Death is certain. No one has the power to avoid it, nor does anyone around the dying person have the ability to prevent it. It is something, which happens every moment and is encountered by the old and the young, the rich and the poor, the strong and the weak. They are all the same because there is no plan or means of escaping it, no power, no means of intercession, no way to prevent it, nor to delay it, which shows that indeed it comes from One having tremendous power - so that the human is helpless in this regard and can only submit to it.
كُلُّ نَفْسٍ ذَائِقَةُ الْمَوْتِ ۗ وَإِنَّمَا تُوَفَّوْنَ أُجُورَكُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ ۖ فَمَن زُحْزِحَ عَنِ النَّارِ وَأُدْخِلَ الْجَنَّةَ فَقَدْ فَازَ ۗ وَمَا الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا إِلَّا مَتَاعُ الْغُرُورِ ﴿١٨٥[Qur'an AleImran 3:185]
Every soul will taste death, and you will only be given your [full] compensation on the Day of Resurrection. So he who is drawn away from the Fire and admitted to Paradise has attained [his desire]. And what is the life of this world except the enjoyment of delusion. (185)
There are many Prophetic Ahadith regarding death and the effect it should have on us. From Al-Baraa’ ibn Aazib (ra), who said:
"We went out with Allah’s Messenger, Allah bless him and grant him peace, with the funeral of a man of the Ansar and we came to the grave and the niche in the side of the grave (al-Lahd), had not been dug out yet, so Allah’s Messenger, Allah bless him and grant him peace, sat and we sat around him as if we had birds upon our heads, and in his hand he had a stick with which he was striking the ground. Then he raised his head and said: ‘Seek Allah’s refuge from the Punishment of the Grave,’ two or three times. Then he said: ‘When the believing servant is leaving this world and going onto the Hereafter, angels with white faces - as if their faces were in the Sun - descend upon him. With them is a shroud from the shrouds of Paradise and perfume for embalming from the perfume of Paradise, so they sit away from him at the distance the eye can see and then the Angel of Death (as) comes and sits by his head and says: "O good soul, come out to forgiveness from Allah and His good pleasure." He said: "So it comes out, just as a drop flows out from the mouth of the drinking vessel, and he takes it but does not leave it in his hand even for the blink of an eye until they take it and places it in that shroud, and that perfume, and there comes out from him a smell like that of the best musk found upon the face of the earth." He said: "So they ascend with it, (i.e. the persons soul) and they do not pass by any group of Angels except that they say: ‘Who is this good and pure soul?’ So they reply: "So and so, the son of so and so." with the best of his names which he used to be called by in this world, until they come to the lowest Heaven, and ask that it should be opened for him, so it is opened for him, they accompany him through every Heaven until he is taken up to the seventh Heaven, and Allah the Al-Mighty says: "Write the record of my slave in Illiyon (signifying highness) and return him to earth to his body." Then they say: "Who is your Lord?" So he will say: "My Lord is Allah." So they will say: "What is your Deen?" He will say: "My Deen is Islam." So they say: "Who is the man who was sent amongst you?" So he will say: "He is Allah’s Messenger." So they say: "How did you come to know that?" So he will say: "I read the Book of Allah, and believed in it , and attested to it." So a caller will call from Heaven: "Indeed My servant has spoken the Truth, so spread a place for him in Paradise, and a open a door to Paradise for him, so some of its fragrances and scents come to him and his grave is extended as far as the eye can see." He said: "A person with a Handsome face, and beautiful clothes and good smell comes to him and says. ‘Receive good news, which will please you. This is the day which you were promised.’ So he says to him: "Who are you?, since your face appears to signify good." So he says: "I am your righteous actions." He therefore says: "O Lord, establish the Last Hour. O Lord establish the Last Hour - so that I may return to my family and wealth."
But when the unbelieving servant is leaving this world and going into the Hereafter, angels with black faces descend upon him as far as the eye can see. The Angel of Death comes and sits by his head and says: "O foul soul, come out to Allah’s displeasure and anger." So the soul spreads throughout the body, so he (the Angel of Death) drags it out, just as a pronged roasting fork is pulled out of wool. So he takes it, but does not leave it in his hand for the blink of an eye until they put it in those coarse sack cloths. Then there comes from him an offensive stench, like that of the foulest smelling corpse rotting upon the face of the earth. So they ascend with it (i.e. the soul), and they do not pass by any group of angels except that they say: "what is that foul smell!" So they say: "So and so, son of so and so," calling him with the ugliest names which he used to be called with in this world, until they come with him to the lowest heaven, and ask permission to enter, and it is not opened for him." Then Allah’s Messenger, Allah bless him and grant him peace, recited:
لَا تُفَتَّحُ لَهُمْ أَبْوَابُ السَّمَاءِ وَلَا يَدْخُلُونَ الْجَنَّةَ حَتَّىٰ يَلِجَ الْجَمَلُ فِي سَمِّ الْخِيَاطِ ...
...the gates of Heaven will not be opened for them, nor will they enter Paradise until a camel enters into the eye of a needle. [Qur'an Al-Araf 7:40]
So Allah Almighty says: "write his record in Sijjeen (a name signifying constriction) within the lowest earth." Then his soul is flung down, and he recited:
وَمَن يُشْرِكْ بِاللَّـهِ فَكَأَنَّمَا خَرَّ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ فَتَخْطَفُهُ الطَّيْرُ أَوْ تَهْوِي بِهِ الرِّيحُ فِي مَكَانٍ سَحِيقٍ ﴿٣١ ...
...And he who associates with Allah - it is as though he had fallen from the sky and was snatched by the birds or the wind carried him down into a remote place. [Qur'an Al-Hajj 22:31]
So his soul is returned to his body and two Angels come and make him sit up. Then they say to him: "Who is your Lord?" So he will say: "Ah, ah, I don’t know." So they will say: "Who is this man who was sent amongst you?" So he will say: Ah, ah, I don’t know." So a caller will call from heaven: "You have lied so spread a place for him in the Fire, and open a door to the Fire for him." So some of its heat and scorching air comes upon him, and his grave is constricted to the extent that his ribs interlace, and a man with an ugly face, unsightly clothes and smelling offensively comes to him and says: "Receive news of that which will grieve you, this is the day which you were promised." So he will say: "Who are you?" He will answer: "I am your evil actions." So the unbeliever will say: "O Lord, Do not establish the Last Hour."
[Saheehul-Jaami, reported by Ahmed and others]
Husnul Khaatimah
All of us want a good ending (Husnul Khaatimah). But what guarantee do we have that our end is going to be good except that we live a good life, acting in accordance with whatever that has been prescribed for us in the Shari'ah.
Whoever is of the People of Bliss then Allah will make easy for him the actions of the People of Bliss, whereas whoever is of the People of Misery then Allah will make easy for him the actions of the People of Misery.
Allah Almighty says,
إِنَّ سَعۡيَكُمۡ لَشَتَّىٰ (٤) فَأَمَّا مَنۡ أَعۡطَىٰ وَٱتَّقَىٰ (٥) وَصَدَّقَ بِٱلۡحُسۡنَىٰ (٦) فَسَنُيَسِّرُهُ ۥ لِلۡيُسۡرَىٰ (٧) وَأَمَّا مَنۢ بَخِلَ وَٱسۡتَغۡنَىٰ (٨) وَكَذَّبَ بِٱلۡحُسۡنَىٰ (٩) فَسَنُيَسِّرُهُ ۥ لِلۡعُسۡرَىٰ (١٠) وَمَا يُغۡنِى عَنۡهُ مَالُهُ ۥۤ إِذَا تَرَدَّىٰٓ (١١) إِنَّ عَلَيۡنَا لَلۡهُدَىٰ (١٢) وَإِنَّ لَنَا لَلۡأَخِرَةَ وَٱلۡأُولَىٰ (١٣) فَأَنذَرۡتُكُمۡ نَارً۬ا تَلَظَّىٰ (١٤) لَا يَصۡلَٮٰهَآ إِلَّا ٱلۡأَشۡقَى (١٥) ٱلَّذِى كَذَّبَ وَتَوَلَّىٰ (١٦) وَسَيُجَنَّبُہَا ٱلۡأَتۡقَى (١٧) ٱلَّذِى يُؤۡتِى مَالَهُ ۥ يَتَزَكَّىٰ (١٨) وَمَا لِأَحَدٍ عِندَهُ ۥ مِن نِّعۡمَةٍ۬ تُجۡزَىٰٓ (١٩) إِلَّا ٱبۡتِغَآءَ وَجۡهِ رَبِّهِ ٱلۡأَعۡلَىٰ (٢٠) وَلَسَوۡفَ يَرۡضَىٰ (٢١[Qur'an al-Lail 92:4-21]
Verily, (the ends) you strive for are diverse. (4) So he who gives (in charity) and fears (Allah), (5) And (in all sincerity) testifies to the best,- (6) We will indeed make smooth for him the path to Bliss. (7) But he who is a greedy miser and thinks himself self-sufficient, (8) And gives the lie to the best,- (9) We will indeed make smooth for him the path to Misery; (10) Nor will his wealth profit him when he falls headlong (into the Pit). (11) Verily We take upon Ourselves to guide, (12) And verily unto Us (belong) the End and the Beginning. (13) Therefore do I warn you of a Fire blazing fiercely; (14)None shall reach it but those most unfortunate ones (15) Who give the lie to Truth and turn their backs. (16) But those most devoted to Allah shall be removed far from it,- (17) Those who spend their wealth for increase in self-purification, (18) And have in their minds no favor from anyone for which a reward is expected in return, (19) But only the desire to seek for the Countenance of their Lord Most High; (20) And soon will they attain (complete) satisfaction. (21)
The good are distinguished here by three signs: (1) large-hearted sacrifices for Allah and people; (2) fear of Allah, which shows itself in righteous conduct for taqwa includes just action as well as a mental state; and (3) truth and sincerity in recognizing and supporting all that is morally beautiful for Ḥusn is the good as well as the beautiful.
The evil are distinguished here by three signs: (1) selfish greed and denial of other people’s rights; (2) arrogance and self-sufficiency; and (3) knowingly dishonoring Truth, or seeing ugliness where there is beauty. Such person’s decline gathers momentum as they go, and their end can be nothing but Misery.
Everyone’s soul will taste death and will depart from this life. The difference between these souls is their final destination: Paradise or Hell. We should exert all effort in attaining Paradise and pay great attention to avoiding prohibitions and evil deeds, which may inevitably lead us to Hell.
May Allah grant us success in this life and the next and grant us an excellent ending at the highest of Iman. Ameen.
Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
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