DEATH – THE INEVITABLE VISITOR “Wherever you may be, death will overtake you even if you are in fortresses built up strong and high!” – Surah An-Nisa’ Q4: 78 A glass fell from a man and the animals around him fled away. The man who was stunned by this said: “La hawla wala quwwata illa billah! Even animals flee away from death!” Man has never ceased to live in oblivion; thinking his existence here on earth is perpetual. This conscious oblivion is further exacerbated with his arrogance to the Supreme Lord, Allah the Most Generous. Surah Al-Infitaar Q82: 6 – 8 states: “O man! What has made you careless about your Lord, the Most Generous? … Who created you, fashioned you perfectly, and gave you due proportion…. In whatever form He willed, He put you together.” In the past few months, the inevitable visitor has come to take some individuals on a journey they will never return. These individuals were healthy, strong and ambitious. They had sterling plans and thoughtful aspirations; with enough resources to execute these plans. But these plans were truncated by the inevitable visitor. They have gone forever and will never return. However, it is amazing that death picked them at random successively, even though their names were not arranged bibliographically. If death continues to pick at random as it usually does, what is the assurance that you and I are not next on the list? I do not mean to frighten you; it is just the naked fact that you and I will die. We can NEVER leave this world alive. Thus it behooves us to maximize each moment of our life as a means of preparation for the inevitable visitor. Surah An-Nisaa’ Q3: 185 states “Everyone shall taste death. And only on the Day of Resurrection shall you be paid your wages in full. And whosoever is removed away from the Fire and admitted to Paradise, he indeed is successful. The life of this world is only the enjoyment of deception (a deceiving thing).” Yes, everyone shall taste death; but how and when? No one knows. The luxuries of this life have got us so engrossed that we often think we would live long or even forever. “The mutual rivalry (for pilling up of worldly things) diverts you… Until you visit the graves (i.e. till you die)… Nay! You shall come to know! … Again Nay! You shall come to know! … Nay! If you knew with a sure knowledge (the end result of piling up, you would not have occupied yourselves in worldly things)… Verily, you shall see the blazing fire (Hell)! … And again, you shall see it with certainty of sight! … Then on that day you shall be asked about the delight (you indulged in, in this world).” – Surah At-Takaathur Q102: 1 – 8 There is a story of an incident that took place in Riyaadh; that a construction worker working at the 7th floor fell down. There were no safety measures, so he landed right on the pavement from the 7th floor (on solid concrete). The passersby felt he was dead so they jumped to see what had happened to the man. To their amazement he stood up unhurt and was happy that Allah did not take away his life and in fact, everybody around was amazed too. He was so happy that he left and said: I’m gonna invite you for some drinks. As he was crossing to the other side of the street and was disoriented, a car rode over him and killed him. [Excerpt from a lecture titled “Death” by Sh. Anwar Al-Awlaki] The man landed from the 7th floor on the pavement and did not die because Allah Subhanahu Wata’aala did not want him to die there. The only reason he fell from that place was just because Allah Subhanahu Wata’aala wanted to bring him to his place of death. The above story brings to the fore the fact that no one knows where and when one will die. In fact, the Scholars of the Ummah (Salaf and Khalaf) have agreed unanimously that death has no specific time, no specific age, no specific place and no specific illness. Surah Hud Q11: 6 states that “And no moving (living) creature is there on earth but its provision is due from Allah. And He knows its dwelling place and its deposit (in the uterus or grave). All is in a Clear Book.” Therefore, the coming of the inevitable visitor gives no notification; it knocks us off from the path of luxuries and takes up quickly to a path that leads to our final destination. Your educational pursuit, your well-paying job, your newly-married beautiful wife, your altruistic husband, your good-looking kids, your ever-conscious friends and your heavy bank account and sound health should not make you become conceited that you won’t die. Don’t be deceived that there is still time; you are not too young to die. Your hustle and bustle for the fleeing luxuries of life is not guarantor for longevity in life. Hence, whenever you are adrenalized with the luxuries of life and then hoping to attain more, then remember the sudden arrival of death. Nevertheless, how can a person be happy with his age in life when every second added to it shortens it? How can a person be proud of well-being of his body when it is a lifelong sign of wretchedness? Abu Hurayrah radhiyAllahu ‘anhu reported: the Messenger of Allah sallAllahu ‘alayhi wasallam said: “Remember often the destroyer of pleasures i.e. Death.” [Ibn Majah] Man ought to remember death often and his next abode; he ought not to forget that it picks him at will. Thereafter, the grave becomes his new abode, the sand becomes his mattress, the maggots his companions and therefrom he awaits the most frightening scene of the Day of Qiyamah. At-Taymyy rahimahullah said: “Two things have cut me off from the pleasure of this world: remembering death and remembering the standing in front of Allah.” I know you long for positive changes in your mundane activities, that is why you strive tirelessly; then be also acquainted with the fact that you will leave all what you have gathered for those who will not be grateful to you. Your share of all you have gathered in the world is nothing but two pieces of cloth which you will be wrapped with when you die. Take a look at the person that has acquired the goodies of this life, would he find any rest from it except wit white cotton (i.e. the shroud he will be wrapped in after he dies). A brother whom I believe his narration told me an anecdote; he said: “One day a lady (runs girl or the like) was in a jeep with a man along Airport road, Abuja. They were bantering and cruising therein but driving at a high pace. Suddenly, they had accident which terminated the man’s life on the spot while the jeep was badly transfigured, but the lady was still panting. She could still wave her hand to passersby to help her but all the good cars care not; only a driver of a pickup truck came to her aid. Whether she later survived or not, no one knows. Come to think of it, prior to that time, would the lady willingly have entered a pickup truck? No. Even if someone had told her you will enter a pickup truck today, she could dispute it and even lambast the person. Such is life; nothing is permanent, not even life itself. Whether we like it or not, we shall all sleep beneath the soil and give account of what we did above the soil. We pray Allah grants us good ending, ameen. In conclusion, it is hoped that you and I will have a genuine rethink about the reality of life. It is worth nothing; in fact, life is one of the minutest creatures of Allah because it does not equal the wing of mosquito in His Sight. Scholar have stated that man lives in four stages: (1) life in the mother’s womb, (2) life of this world, (3) life in the Barzakh, and (4) life in the Hereafter, which is either in Hell or Paradise. The transition between these stages is through death, let us prepare for the inevitable visitor. Lastly, even if you don’t or can’t write your will every night, please try as much as you can to write your debts. We pray Allah grants us Ikhlaas. Ameen. “Tell Me, (even) if we do let them enjoy for years… And afterwards comes to them that (punishment) which they had been promised... All that with which they used to enjoy shall not avail them.” – Surah Ash-Shua’raa Q26: 205 – 207 “Then for him who transgressed… And preferred the life of this world, … Verily his abode will be the Hell; … But as for him who feared standing before his Lord and forbade himself from desire… Verily Paradise will be his abode.” – Surah An-Nazi’aat Q79: 37 – 41 Allah knows best!
Posted on: Mon, 15 Sep 2014 22:02:55 +0000
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