DON'T DISGRACE YOURSELF IN FRONT OF THE ENTIRE CREATION ON THE DAY OF JUDGMENT

Young man came to a Maulana and said, “I am a young man with strong desires. I cannot help looking at people when I am in the bazaar (market). What do I do?” The Maulana handed him a cup of milk that was full to the brim, and told him to deliver it to an address that would take the young man directly through the bazaar (market). He then instructed the young man that the milk should not spill, and the man said that it would not. The Maulana then summoned one of his students and told him to accompany the man through the bazaar to the destination, and to severely beat him if any milk were to spill. This man successfully took the milk to the destination and returned to give the good news to the Maulana. The Maulana asked, “Tell me, how many sights and faces did you see in the bazaar?” The man replied

incredulously, “Maulana, I didn’t even realize what was going on around me. I was only fearful of the beating and disgrace that I would have to endure in public if a drop of milk were to spill.”

The Maulana smiled and said,

“It is the same with a believer. The believer fears that Allah may disgrace him in front of the entire creation on the Day of Judgment if his faith were to spill over from his heart.”

Such people save themselves from sin because they constantly remain focused on the Day of Judgment.

SIGNS OF DAY OF JUDGEMENT - FROM DIRECT HADITHS :By Dr Zakir Naik

1. Narrated Abu Hurraira (r): While the Prophet(s.a.s) was saying something in a gathering, a Bedouin came and asked him, "When would the Hour (Doomsday) take place?" Allah's Apostle (s.a.s) continued his talk, so some people said that Allah's Apostle had heard the question, but did not like what that Bedouin had asked. Some of them said that Allah's Apostle(s.a.s) had not heard it. When the

Prophet (s.a.s) finished his speech, he said,"Where is the questioner, who inquired about the Hour (Doomsday)?" The Bedouin said, "I am here, O Allah's Apostle ." Then the Prophet(s.a.s) said,

- When honesty is lost, then wait for the Hour (Doomsday)." The Bedouin said, "How will that be lost?" The Prophet said,

- When the power or authority comes in the hands of unfit persons, then wait for the Hour (Doomsday.) (Bukhari)

2. Narrated Anas(rz):

Allah's Apostle (s.a.s) said, "From among the portents of the Hour are (the following):

1. Religious knowledge will be taken away (by the death of Religious learned men).−2. (Religious) ignorance will prevail.−3. Drinking of Alcoholic drinks (will be very common).4. There will be prevalence of open illegal sexual intercourse. (bukhari)

in another hadith anas (r) also adds:

-5. Women will increase in number and men will decrease in number so much so that fifty women will be looked after by one man. (bukhari)3. Narrated `Abdullah bin `Amr bin Al−`As (r): I heard Allah's Apostle (s.a.s) saying, "Allah does not take away the knowledge, by taking it away from (the hearts of) the people, but takes it away by the death of the religious learned men till when none of the (religious learned men) remains, people will take as their leaders ignorant persons who when consulted will give their verdict without knowledge. So they will go astray and will lead the people astray." (bukhari)

4. Narrated Abu Huraira(rz)



The Prophet(s.a.s) said, "The Hour (Last Day) will not be established until

(religious) knowledge will be taken away (by the death of religious learned men),2. earthquakes will be very frequent,3. time will pass quickly,4. afflictions will appear,5. murders will increase and 6. money will overflow amongst you." (bukhari)



4.A Narrated Anas ibn Malik (r)



Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said, "The last hour will not come before time contracts, a year being like a month, a month like a week, a week like a day, a day like an hour, and an hour like the kindling of a fire."



Tirmidhi transmitted it.

5. Narrated Sa'd ibn Abu Waqqas (r) (all the below from tirmidi)



Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said, "The last hour will not arrive till people come forth who eat with their tongues as cows do."



Ahmad transmitted it.



6 . Narrated Hudhayfah(r)



The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "The last hour will not come till you kill your leader, fight together with your swords, and your worst ones inherit your worldly goods."



Tirmidhi transmitted it.



7. Narrated AbuLubabah ibn AbdulMundhir





Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said, "Friday is the lord of days and the chief of them in Allah's sight, being greater in Allah's sight than the day of sacrifice and the day of breaking the fast. It has five distinguishing characteristics: on it Allah created Adam, on it Allah sent Adam to the Earth, on it Allah took Adam in death, it contains a time at which no one will ask for anything without Allah giving it, so long as he does not ask for anything

unlawful, and on it the last hour will come. There is no angel near Allah's presence, nor sky, nor earth, nor winds, nor mountains, nor sea which do not fear Friday."



Ibn Majah transmitted. Ahmad transmitted from Sa'd ibn Mu'adh.



8. Narrated Talhah ibn Malik



Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said, "One of the signs of the approach of the last hour will be the destruction of the Arabs."



Tirmidhi transmitted it.

9. Narrated Abdullah ibn Hawalah al-Azdi (abu dawood)



The Apostle of Allah (peace be upon him) sent us on foot to get spoil, but we returned without getting any. When he saw the signs of distress on our faces, he stood up on our faces and said: O Allah, do not put them under my care, for I would be too weak to care for them; do not put them in care of themselves, for they would be incapable of that, and do not put them in the care of men, for they would choose the best things for themselves. He then placed his hand on my head and said: Ibn Hawalah, when you see the caliphate has settled in the holy land, earthquakes, sorrows and serious matters will have drawn near and on that day the Last Hour will be nearer to mankind than this hand of mine is to your head.



10. Narrated Anas ibn Malik



The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: The Last Hour will not come until people vie with one another about mosques.



11. Narrated Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman (rz) Subay' ibn Khalid said: I came to Kufah at the time when Tustar was conquered. I took some mules from it. When I entered the mosque (of Kufah), I found there some people of moderate stature, and among them was a man whom you could recognize when you saw him that he was from the people of Hijaz. I asked: Who is he? The people frowned at me and said: Do you not recognize him? This is Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman, the companion of the Apostle of Allah (peace be upon him). Then Hudhayfah said: People used to ask the Apostle of Allah (peace be upon him) about good, and I used to ask him about evil. Then the people stared hard at him. He said: I know the reason why you dislike it. I then asked: Apostle of Allah, will there be evil as there was before, after this good which Allah has bestowed on us? He replied: Yes. I asked: Wherein does the protection from it lie? He replied: In the sword. I asked: Apostle of Allah, what will then happen? He replied: If Allah has on Earth a caliph who flays your back and takes your property, obey him, otherwise die holding onto the stump of a tree. I asked: What will come next? He replied: Then the Antichrist (Dajjal) will come forth accompanied by a river and fire. He who falls into his firewill certainly receive his reward, and have his load (sins) taken off him, but he who falls into his river will have hisload retained and his reward taken off him. I then asked: What will come next? He said: The Last Hour will come.

12. Narrated AbuHurayrah (rz) (all from abu dawood)



The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: The Last Hour will not come before there come forth thirty Dajjals (fraudulents), everyone presuming himself that he is an apostle of Allah.



13. Narrated AbuHurayrah (rz)



The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: The Last Hour will not come before there come forth thirty liar Dajjals (fraudulents) lying on Allah and His Apostle.



14. Narrated Sulamah daughter of al-Hurr



I heard the Apostle of Allah (peace be upon him) say: One of the signs of the Last Hour will be that people in a mosque will refuse to act as imam and will not find an imam to lead them in prayer.



15. Narrated AbuHurayrah (rz)



The Apostle of Allah (peace be upon him) said: The best day on which the sun has risen is Friday; on it Adam was created, on it he was expelled (from Paradise), on it his contrition was accepted, on it he died, and on it the Last Hour will take place. On Friday every beast is on the lookout from dawn to sunrise in fear of the Last Hour, but not jinn and men, and it contains a time at which no Muslim prays and asks anything from Allah but He will give it to him. Ka'b said: That is one day every year. So I said: It is on every Friday. Ka'b read the Torah and said: The Apostle of Allah (peace be upon him) has spoken the truth. (other some part of hadith is there which is a masla)

Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman said, "People used to ask the Prophet (S) about good things, but I used to ask him about bad things because I was afraid that they might overtake me. I said, 'O Messenger of Allah, we were lost in ignorance (Jahiliyyah) and evil, then Allah brought this good (Islam). Will some evil come after this good thing?' He said, 'Yes'. I asked, 'And will some good come after that evil?' He said, 'Yes, but it will be tainted with some evil.' I asked, 'How will it be tainted?' He said, 'There will be some people who will lead others on a path different from mine. YOu will see good and bad in them.' I asked, 'Will some evil come after that good?' He said, 'Some people will be standing and calling at the gates of Hell; whoever responds to their call, they will throw him into the Fire.' I said, 'O Messenger of Allah, describe them for us.' He said, 'They will be from our own people, and will speak our language.' I asked, 'What do you advise me to do if I should live to see that?' He said, 'Stick to the main body (Jamah) of the Muslims and their leader (Imam).' I asked, 'What if there is no main body and no leader?' He said, 'Isolate yourself from all of these sects even if you have to eat the roots of the trees until death overcomes you while you are in that state.'" (Bukhari, Kitab al-Fitan, 9/65)



'Abdallah Ibn Masud said: "The Prophet (S) said, 'Islam began as something strange, and it will revert to being strange as it was int he beginning, so good tidings for the strangers.' Someone asked, 'Who are the strangers?' He said, 'The ones who break away from their people (literally, 'tribes') for the sake of Islam.'" This hadith was narrated by Ibn Majah on the authority of Anas and Abu Hurairah. (Muslim, Kitab al-Iman, 1/90; Ibn Majah, Kitab al-Fitan 2/1320 (3988))



Hazrat Ahban bin Saifi has narrated that the Holy Prophet (pbuh) has said:

"Very shortly some differences and disputes are going to arise. When you come upon such a time break your sowrd and hold in your hand a wooden sword and sit quietly in your house, lest some mischievous hand or calamity should fall upon you." (Tirmizi)



"No doubt trials and disorders will soon occur. A man lying during the period of these disorders will be better than the man sitting and the man sitting will be better than the man standing; the man standing will be better than the man running. Then listen! when these trials and disorders begin to descend, then he who possesses camels should take refuge with his camel. He who has cattle, should take refuge with his cattle; he who has land should take refuge with his land; he who has nothing should turn his attention to his sword and strike it against stone. He should try to seek security and shelter as best as possible."



"Only that which was effective for the first of this community will be effective for the last of it."

-Imam Malik (ra) 

THE IMPORTANCE OF PRAYING ON TIME

Subhan Allah! How many times have we delayed our prayers for absolutely no reason, than rushed to pray at the last few minutes, and expected no punishment for our actions? Allah says in Sourat Al Maun: "Woe to the worshipers who are unmindful of their prayer." (Quran 107: 4-5) We need to start taking our prayers more seriously by praying as soon as the Adhan goes off. As my friend used to say "hayyah alasalah now, not later!" The Adhan is calling you to pray now, so don't delay it. InshAllah, this story will be a beneficial reminder for you and me on the importance of not delaying our prayers.

"There were only 15 minutes left before Salat-ul Isha.

He quickly made Wudhu and performed Salat-ul Maghrib.

While making Tasbih, he again remembered his grandmother and was embarrassed by how he had prayed.

His grandmother prayed with such tranquillity and peace.

He began making Dua and went down to make Sajdah and stayed like that for a while.

He had been at work all day and was tired, so tired.

He awoke abruptly to the sound of noise and shouting.

He was sweating profusely.

He looked around.

It was very crowded.

Every direction he looked in was filled with people.

Some stood frozen looking around, some were running left and right and some were on their knees with their heads in their hands just waiting.

Pure fear and apprehension filled him as he realized where he was.

His heart was about to burst.

It was the Day of Judgment.

When he was alive, he had heard many things about the questioning on the

Day of Judgment, but that seemed so long ago..

Could this be something his mind made up?

No, the wait and the fear were so great that he could not have imagined this.

The interrogation was still going on.

He began moving frantically from people to people to ask if his name had been called.

No one could answer him.

All of a sudden his name was called and the crowd split into two and made a passageway for him.

Two angels grabbed his arms and led him forward.

He walked with unknowing eyes through the crowd.

The angels brought him to the centre and left him there.

His head was bent down and his whole life was passing in front of his eyes like a movie.

He opened his eyes but saw only another world.

The people were all helping others.

He saw his father running from one lecture to the other, spending his wealth in the way of Islam.

His mother invited guests to their house and one table was being set while the other was being cleared.

He pleaded his case,

'I too was always on this path..

I helped others.

I spread the word of Allah.

I performed my Salah.

I fasted in the month of Ramadhan.

Whatever Allah ordered us to do, I did.

Whatever he ordered us not to do, I did not.'

He began to cry and think about how much he loved Allah.

He knew that whatever he had done in life would be less than what Allah deserved and his only protector was Allah He was sweating like never before and was shaking all over.

His eyes were fixed on the scale, waiting for the final decision.

At last, the decision was made.

The two angels with sheets of paper in their hands, turned to the crowd.

His legs felt like they were going to collapse.

He closed his eyes as they began

To read the names of those people who were to enter Jahannam.

His name was read first.

He fell on his knees and yelled that this couldn't be,

'How could I go to Jahannam?

I served others all my life,

I spread the word of Allah to others'.

His eyes had become blurry and he was shaking with sweat.

The two angels took him by the arms.

As his feet dragged, they went through the crowd and advanced toward the blazing flames of Jahannam.

He was yelling and wondered if there was any person who was going to help him.

He was yelling of all the good deeds he had done, how he had helped his father, his fasts, prayers, the Noble Qur'an that he read, he was asking if none of them would help him.

The Jahannam angels continued to drag him.

They had gotten closer to the Hellfire.

He looked back and these were his last pleas.

Had not Rasulullah [SAW] said,

'How clean would a person be who bathes in a river five times a day, so too does the Salah performed five times cleanse someone of their sins'?

He began yelling,

'My prayers? My prayers? My prayers.?'

The two angels did not stop, and they came to the edge of the abyss of Jahannam.

The flames of the fire were burning his face.

He looked back one last time, but his eyes were dry of hope and he had nothing left in him.

One of the angels pushed him in.

He found himself in the air and falling towards the flames.

He had just fallen five or six feet when a hand grabbed him by the arm and pulled him back.

He lifted his head and saw an old man with a long white beard.

He wiped some dust off himself and asked him,

'Who are you?'

The old man replied,

'I am your prayers'.

'Why are you so late! I was almost in the Fire!

You rescued me at the last minute before I fell in'.

The old man smiled and shook his head,

'You always performed me at the last minute, did you forget?'

At that instant, he blinked and lifted his head from Sajdah.

He was in a sweat.

He listened to the voices coming from outside.

He heard the Adhan for Salat-ul Isha.

He got up quickly and went to perform Wudhu.

Pass this on to your friends and family.... ...

Maybe, you can help someone open their eyes.

And who knows?

Maybe, this is a good deed that can help you during the day of judgement.

(IN SHA-ALLAH)"

THE INEVITABLE JOURNEY OF THE AKHIRAH

Unless we wake up to the fact that we are all Musaffirs on this Dunya with an inescapable journey lying ahead and a destination towards which we must move, we will not muster the resolution necessary to reach our goal. It is enough to say that our biggest obstacle in the way of awakening from our slumber leads us to forget our ultimate destination and we neglect to prepare for that ultimate journey. We deaden our will and resolution with our egos and with the attitude that we are going to live forever.

We have the tendency of assuring ourselves that there is still plenty of time for preparing for the trip, that if we do not prepare for it today we may do so tomorrow, if not this month then the next and so on. To adopt such an attitude means that we would be building castles in the air and living in a fool's paradise. Such a state of extended and outstretched hope, together with a false assurance of unlimited life and unbounded availability of time, makes us oblivious of our ultimate goal, the Akhirah.

May Almighty Allah Subhanahu Wata'ala save us from such thinking. We have such a long and perilous journey awaiting us and we have been given a limited time in which to procure and prepare the provisions and dire necessities for the trip, but do not possess anything because we do not pay heed to the inevitable journey. It is obvious that if such a state of neglect befalls us, we will fail to procure the necessary provisions for the long trip, being totally helpless and at a loss at the time of our departure. Such a person will perish on the journey and will not reach the desired destination. We must not loose sight of the fact that our journey is a perilous one, for which the provisions of sound knowledge and fruitful action are needed.

The time of our departure from this Dunya is known only to Almighty Allah Subhanahu Wata'ala. None of us know for certain whether we will be here next week. In short, we have no guarantee whatsoever that we will be alive tomorrow. The dawning of each new day draws us another day closer to our Qabir. If what I say makes any sense than may I humbly suggest that we should all declare very sincerely that today is the first day of the beginning of the rest of our lives.

This prolonging of hope by you and me arises from our inflated egos and self-love and is the most masterly of the vile and filthy tricks of Shaythaan Lanatullahi Alay. Through it he distracts our attention from the Akhirah and diverts us from attending to its affairs. With the perils of the long journey and the obstacles in the way of preparing for it, if we fail to repent or to return to Almighty Allah Subhanahu Wata'ala. The appointed call shall come unexpectedly and send us totally unprepared on our way without any provisions for the very long journey lying in wait.

Even if we have performed good deeds, what guarantees do we have that those deeds are pure and untainted? If we acquired any knowledge, we should ask ourselves whether such knowledge was futile and fruitless or whether our learning was nonsensical and absurd or whether it was an impediment on the long and perilous journey to our meeting with our Glorious Creator and Sustainer. Had the deeds that we have done and the knowledge that we have learnt been beneficial, they should have left some mark on us who have been in their pursuit for years and should have transformed our habits and morals. What went wrong that our past few years' labour has produced an opposite result and has hardened our hearts?

What have we achieved from performing regular Salaat, which is the Me'raj of a Mu'min? Where is the fear of Almighty Allah Subhanahu Wata'ala which is the outcome of true knowledge? Allah forbid, if we are called to depart from this Dunya right now in our present state, are we sufficiently secured by assuming that we will not encounter any lasting disappointments and that there will be no remorse in store for us? If obliviousness of the Akhirah caused by endless hope is something on account of which the greatest man who ever walked on the face of this earth was concerned about, he was justified; for he knew about the perilous journey awaiting all of us. He taught us not to be complacent and to remember that:

"The Qabar is the first stage of the many stages of the Akhirah."

At all times, we should be busy in gathering all our provisions for that ultimate trip because this is the only chance we have. As Muslims, we must never ever separate our lives from AlmightyAllah's Deen nor from our beliefs, our social, our political and our commercial activities because they all form an integral part of the Muslim way of life. A wonderful example of what this means is given to us in verse 201 of Surah Al-Baqara which we recite every day after every prayer:

"O Allah! Give us good in this world and good in the Aghirah, and save us from the torments of Jahannum."

The earthly life of a true Muhmin is built on the premise that we were created and then brought into this Doonya for the Pleasure (Radha) of Almighty Allah Subhanahu Wata'ala. This means that we live and we die for the Pleasure of our Glorious Creator and we yearn for our "Liqa Allah" - meeting with Almighty Allah Subhanahu Wata'ala. Out of His Great Muhabbat for humanity, Almighty Allah tells us in verse 208 of Surah Al-Baqara:

"O you who believe! Enter whole-heartedly into Islam, and follow not the footsteps of Shaythaan for he is to you and avowed enemy."

It is only through Imaan and Taqwa that will enable us to abide by the principles and codes of the Holy Sharia'h and the Sunnah of Almighty Allah's Beloved Nabee Sallallahoo Alayhi Wasallam. Only then will we be able to retain our purity of mind and body in order to keep ourselves free of Shathaan's contamination in preparing for our journey to the Akhirah. This has been made crystal clear to us in verse 6 of Surah Al-Inshiqaq:

"O man! Thou must strive a hard striving (to attain) to Thy Lord, until thou meet Him."

The fact that we may think that we keep ourselves pure in mind and body in our preparations for the Akhirah does not mean that we have attained Jannah or that we have a path leading directly to Almighty Allah. To assume such a thing would be like building sand castles in the air and following a pipe dream. We will all have to make the journey to our meeting with Almighty Allah 'stage by stage'just as did all the Ambiya Alayhim Salatu Wasallam as confirmed to us in verse 19 of Surah Al-Inshiqaq:

"That you shall certainly ascend to one stage after another."

To fully understand what is meant by the verse "that you shall certainly ascend to one stage after another", we must refer to the Meraj of our Beloved Nabee Sallallahoo Alayhi Wasallam and his experiences on that most holy and auspicious journey. On his return from the Meraj our Nabee Sallaqllahoo Alayhi Wasallam relates that he met our father - Nabee Adam Alayhis Salaam on third heaven, Nabee Esa Alayhis Salaam on the fourth heaven, Nabee Moosa Alayhis Salaam on the fifth heaven and Nabee Ebrahim Alayhis Salaam on the 6th heaven.

The 'stage by stage' progress referred to by our Beloved Nabee Sallallahoo Alayhi Wasallam also shows us that Nabee Adam Alayhis Salaam who had passed away many thousands of years before the Meraj had reached only the third stage. Nabee Esa Alayhis Salaam who had ascended without any physical death some six hundred years before the birth of our Beloved Nabee Sallallahoo Alayhi Wasallam had reached only the fourth stage. Nabee Moosa Alayhis Salaam who had died one thousand five hundred years before the birth of our Beloved Nabee Sallallahoo Alayhi Wasallam had reached the fifth stage. Nabee Ebrahim Alayhis Salaam - the Patriarch had passed away some two thousand five hundred years before the birth of our Beloved Nabee Sallallahoo Alayhi Wasallam and had reached the sixth stage. We should ponder upon this fact and remember that if it took this long for these great Prophets Alayhim Salaam to reach their various stages, then how much longer will our journey take?

Alhumdoelillah! The most auspicious Meraj of our Beloved Nabee Sallallahoo Alayhi Wasallam however took him through all these stages to his direct meeting with Almighty Allah Subhanahu Wata'ala. One may ask why our Beloved Nabee Sallallahoo Alayhi Wasallam should have had this wonderful experience while still alive and living on the Doonya. The answer is simple. Almighty Allah Azza Wajjal had decreed that Nabee Muhammad Ibn Abdullah Sallallahoo Alayhi Wasallam was His Beloved Ghataman Nabee'een - the last, the final and the seal of the Ambiya Alayhim Salatu Wasallam. Rahmathul Liel Ala'meen had chosen him and gave him the task of setting an example and to preach the Final Divine Message. His duty was to lead humanity out of darkness and onto the Path of Seerathal Mustaqeem. We must awaken our hearts and inform it of the truth as narrated by our Nabee Sallallahoo Alayhi Wasallam who said:

"This Dunya is the farmland of the Akhirah."

That is, if we do not sow the seeds of righteous deeds in the few days of our life here on this Dunya, the opportunity will be lost forever. When we reach the threshold of the other world and death seizes us, deeds come to an end and all hopes are extinguished. If, Allah forbid, we continue to remain in the slavery of lusts and the captivity of various carnal desires until the Angel of Death arrives, it is possible that Shaythaan may achieve his ultimate objective of wresting away our faith. Let us clear our hearts and turn our attention to the focal point of absolute perfection and try to ponder on verse 17 of Surah Sajda where Almighty Allah Subhanahu Wata'ala's promise has been made very clear:

"I have prepared a reward for My righteous servants what no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what the mind of man has not conceived."

Could we really ask for and achieve any greater reward than to enjoy the Pleasure and the Company of our Glorious Creator and Sustainer Who created us - to be enveloped in the Light of His Majestic Glory, and dwelling in the warmth and security of His Muhabbat, His Rahma'h and His Eternal Abode? Can we deny ourselves what Almighty Allah Azza Wajjal offers us? Our eyes for the brilliance of His Glory, our ears for the words of His Welcome, and our hearts for the contentment of His Divine Company?

If Almighty Allah gave us free and easy access to Janna'h we would not appreciate it as we had not fully earned it or done very little to deserve it. But if through all our trials and tribulations we can Insha'Allah earn the Pleasure and the Company of Rahmathul Liel Ala'meen and become worthy and fit for our final and ultimate journey for our reunion with Him, then Alhumdoelillah, our lives have not been in vain because Almighty Allah reminds us in verse 156 of Surah Al-Baqara:

"......Surely we are Allah's, and to Him shall we return."

"O Allah! condemn us not if we forget or fall into error; pardon us and do not require us to suffer the consequences of our wrongdoings, as those before us had to do. O Ya Rabbal Ala'meen! Creator of the heavens and the earth - lay not on us a greater burden than we have strength to bear. Expiate our sins, grant us Thy forgiveness, and have mercy upon the Ummah of Your Beloved Nabee Sallallahoo Alayhi Wasallam. Thou art surely our Protector. O Rahmathul Liel Ala'meen! grant us victory over the infidels and unbelievers."    Ameen!

REMEMBERING DEATH

To take out the love of the world from our hearts and prepare for the aakhirah, we should take the advice of Nabi-e-Karim (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) seriously.

Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) is reported to have said: "Remember very often the cutter-off of all pleasures, that is death."

There is no escape from death and it is certain to come, so, by us constantly thinking of death, it will easily enable us to prepare for death and the life of the hereafter and refrain from all worldly pleasures and luxuries.

Foolishly, we take so much of pain in getting the best things of this world, without even thinking that all these things, for which we are under going so much difficulty in acquiring, will have to be left behind by us one day. We try so much to make our earthly life as comfortable as possible, forgetting that tomorrow we will have to sleep on a bed of sand. From dawn to dusk, we are hankering after this world so blindly that we are completely unmindful of the fact that all this will definitely come to an end. Nabi t has said: "An intelligent person is he who holds back his desires and does actions (prepares) for what is after death, and a helpless person is he who follows his desires and hopes from Allah safety (in the aakhirah). "

A few ahaadith are mentioned, so that we can always remember death and prepare ourselves for the hereafter.

Ibn Umar (Radhiallaahu Anhu) relates that someone asked Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam): "Who is the wisest and most prudent of men, O Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam)?" He replied: "He who keeps death frequently in his remembrance and remains ever engaged in preparations for meeting his death, it is such people indeed who are granted honour in this life and who will be honoured in Aakhirah. " (Targheeb)

Abu Zar (Radhiallaahu Anhu) says that once Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) said to him, "Visit the graves from time to time, for it serves as a reminder of the aakhirah, wash the dead for it is a cure for a person who is devoid and helps him to take heed; attend funeral prayers for it might make you feel concerned for the aakhirah and those who have this concern remain in the shade of Allah's mercy and seek a virtuous life."

Shaddad Ibn Aus (Radhiallaahu Anhu) says, "The agony of death is more severe than all the agonies of the world and the hereafter. It is more painful than being sawed in two, being cut into pieces with shears or being boiled in a cauldron. If the dead were to rise from the graves and tell people about the pangs of death, no man would take pleasure in this life, nor would anyone enjoy sound sleep."

Umar (Radhiallaahu Anhu) asked Ka'ab (Radhiallaahu Anhu), about the agony of death and he replied: "O Amir-ul-Mo'mineen! It is as though a branch of a tree, that is all overgrown with thorns, were thrust into a mans body, so that it should entangle with every part and then the branch should be pulled out violently. Such is the anguish experienced by a dying man, in the throes of death."

It has been reported about Uthman (Radhiallaahu Anhu) that, when he would stand over a grave, he would cry so bitterly that his beard would get wet with tears. Someone asked him, "You do not weep so sorely when you remember Jannah and Jahannam as you do when you are reminded of the grave" He replied, "I have heard Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) saying, "The grave is the initial stage of the aakhirah, if one escapes punishment in the grave all the next stages are much easier but if he does not escape punishment in the grave all the next stages are severer than it, " and I have also heard him saying, "I have never seen a sight more horrifying than the grave."

We have forgotten our graves while it has not forgotten us. As Nabi (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) said: "Not a single day passes when the grave does not call out: "I am a place of wilderness, I am a place of dust, I am a place of worms." When a mo'min is laid in the grave it says: "Welcome to you, it is good of you to have come into me. Of all the people walking on the earth, I liked you best. Now that you have come to me, you will see how I entertain you." It then expands as far as the occupant can see. A door from paradise is opened for him in the grave and through this door, he gets the fresh and fragrant air of paradise, But when an evil man is laid in the grave it says, "No word of welcome for you. Your coming into me is very bad for you, of all the persons walking on this earth I disliked you most. Now that you have been made over to me you will see how I treat you!" It then closes upon him so much so that his ribs of one side penetrate into the ribs of the other. As many as seventy serpents are then set upon him, to keep biting him till the Day of Resurrection. These serpents are so venomous that if one of them happened to spurt its venom upon the earth, not a single blade of grass would ever grow."

After this, Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) said: "The grave is either a garden of Jannat or a pit of Jahannam."

Bara bin ?Aazib (Radhiallaahu Anhu) reports from Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) (regarding the believer): "Two angels will come to him (in his grave), make him sit and ask him: "Who is your Rabb?" He will say: "My Rabb is Allah" They then ask him: "What is your religion?" He will say: "My religion is Islaam. "They then ask him: "Who is this (man) who was sent to you?" He will say: "This is the Rasul of Allah." Thereafter they ask: "What is your action?" He replies "I recited the book of Allah, believed therein and I acknowledged." At this a proclaimer (of Allah) proclaims from the heaven: "My servant has spoken the truth, thus spread the heavenly bed for him, make him wear heavenly garments and fling open the doors of Jannah to him. "Thus the door to Jannah is thrown open which brings fragrance of Jannah to him. And his grave is widened so much that he sees as far as his sight goes."

Thereafter, mentioning the unbeliever he said: "His soul is returned to his body, two angels come to him, seat him up and ask hint, "Who is your Rabb?" He replies: "Alas, I do not know." He is again asked: "What is your religion?" He again replies: "Alas, I do not know." He is further asked: "Who is this (man) who was sent amongst you?" He replies once again: "Alas! I do not know." After this question - answer session is over, a proclaimer from the sky proclaims: "He has spoken a lie, spread fire under him and make him wear a garment of fire, and open the door of Jahannam." His grave is narrowed so that his ribs are squeezed. Thereafter a blind and deaf tormenter is appointed with an iron mace. It is so heavy that if a mountain is struck with it, it will turn into dust. The person becomes dust at one stroke and is again restored to his original state." (Ahmad, Abu Dawood)

Hazrath Abu Huraira (Radhiallaahu Anhu) reports that Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) said: "When the dead is placed in the grave, two angels, dark complexioned and blue eyed come to him. One of them is called Munkir and the other Nakeer. Both of them will ask him: "What do you say about him (Who was sent to you)?" If he is a believer, he will say: "He is the servant and Rasul of Allah; I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah." Having heard this, they say: "We were sure you will reply like this." Thereafter his grave is widened seventy cubits and there will be light for him therein. He will then want to go and narrate his condition to his family members. The angels then tell him (he cannot go from there) but to sleep like a bride whom nobody can wake except her husband."

When the dead person is a hypocrite (or an infidel), he will reply to Munkir and Nakeer, "I said what I have heard others say, I know nothing more than that." The angels will then say, "We were sure that you will reply such." Thereafter the earth is ordered to punish him by squeezing him. The earth carries out the command and he suffers punishment inside the grave till he is raised from the grave on the day of Resurrection. (Tirmizi)

Let us again and again read the above mentioned ahaadith and also narrate it to others so that it is such that never a moment passes by while we are neglectful of aakhirah and death. Also, let us make the most preparations for death, thereby not having to regret over less provisions.