Assalamu Alaikum,
This world is not our eternal home. This is not the place where we will abide in forever. We have to imagine that we are on a journey as if on a train. We are moving through stations. We have been given three tickets. One of those we used when we entered this world from the wombs. The next one will be collected when we leave this world and that is when the third one will lead us to our final destination. Al-Jannah in shaa Allaah or an-Naar, and we seek refuge in Allaah from that. The prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, "Be in this world as if you are a stranger or a traverler." (Bukhari) He also said, "The example of me in this world is like that of a traveler in the desert who takes shade under a tree and then continues on his way." (Tirmidhi) The seeking of shade to this world is similar because we are in this world and it is as a comfort or an enjoyment for us, but those of the people who have true Iman know that we have to move on so they do not indulge in the shade.
Belief in the Hereafter is among the pillars of Iman. The six pillars of Iman are belief in Allaah, His angels, His messengers, His books, His Divine Decree and the Hereafter. This is essential to believe in to complete our Iman and what leads us to a firm belief in the Hereafter is a firm belief and acceptance of death. Many people question, Muslims and non-Muslims, about the situation of the Muslims of the world today. Why do Muslims drink alcohol? Why do they gamble? Cheat? Lie? Indulge in interest (riba)? Commit adultery and have illegal sexual intercourse? Why? This is because of a lack of Iman (faith). If we were certain about every aspect of faith, we (as individuals) would not have these problems and that would lead to we (the community) not having any problems.
'Aisha (may Allaah be pleased with her) said, "If the first thing revealed in the Qur'aan was "do not drink alcohol" the people would have said "we are not going to stop drinking" and if the first thing revealed in the Qur'aan was "do not commit adultery" the people would have said "we will not stop committing adultery." Rather the first thing revealed in the Qur'aan were the chapters about Hellfire and Paradise until the hearts (of the people) were attached to Allaah. Then came the orders of halaal (lawful) and haraam (unlawful). (Bukhari)
A good example of this type of approach which Allaah used can be seen in the way alcohol was dealt with in the Muslim society in Madinah and how it was dealt with in the United States in the 1930s. In the 1930s, the United States was seeing the ill effects of alcohol. So they brought up a law known as Prohibition. This Prohibition banned the production, consumption and sale of alcohol completely in the United States. This in a society which was thriving on alcohol and it had become so very common in everyday life. The US spent millions of dollars to enforce these laws through their means. Millions of dollars, so much effort, and many people went to jail and many people even died. The process of producing alcohol is so unhygienic that diseases were becoming widespread. The problem became so bad that they had to repeal the law completely. The United States, this mightiest of nations, could not enforce a law in their own country banning alcohol.
If we take a look back over 1400 years ago in Madinah and see how alcohol was dealt with their, we will understand Allaah's approach. In Madinah, after the migration, alcohol was also very common and everyone of the sahabah (companions) used to drink it. The revelation came down from Allaah:
Oh you who believe, indeed intoxicants, gambling, sacrificing on stone alters (for other than Allaah) and (usage of) divining arrows are but an abomination of the work of Shaytaan. So avoid it (stay away from it) so that you may be successful. (al-Ma'idah 5:90)
Anas ibn Malik (may Allaah be pleased with him) said, "I was serving alcohol to some of the companions and we heard the announcement in the streets that alcohol was (now) haraam. I threw the jug from my hand. Some of the people had cups with alcohol in their hands and they threw them down. Some had alcohol in their mouths and they spit them out. Some even went so far as to induce vomit (to vomit out what they had swallowed)." The streets of Madinah were filled with alcohol. (Muslim)
So how was it that Prohibition was successful with one verse in Madinah where as an entire nation's efforts were powerless to do away with the consumption of alcohol? The prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used no police, no army, did not spend millions of dollars, no one died, no one was jailed or hurt. How was this so easy then and so difficult now? The difference is in Iman. The companions knew already through the revelation period in Makkah about Hellfire and Paradise and death. They were sure that they would die and be judged for everything and that they would end up in either Paradise or Hellfire. So when Allaah said "this is haraam" they said "We hear and we obey" no questions asked. They know that the pleasures of this world are nothing compared to the pleasures of al-Jannah.
Death is imminent. There is no turning back from death. Death will reach everyone and everything. As Allaah says:
Everything will be destroyed except His Face. His is the Judgment and to Him you will return. (Qasas 28:88)
Everyone upon it (the earth) will perish (ar-Rahmaan 55:26)
And the most important verse for the Muslims to remember:
Every soul shall taste death. And only on the Day of Resurrection will you be paid your wages in full. Whoever is removed from the Fire and admitted into Paradise, he will be successful. And what is the life of this world but an enjoyment of a deception. (Aali 'Imraan 3:185)
This world is a deception and it is deceiving. How many people get lost in this world to the point that they forget even that they are going to die? The scholars share a story from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia about death being at its appointed time. Death has an appointed time and a place for everyone and no one can escape it. They narrate a story of a man working construction on the 7th story of a building. This man fell from the 7th story down to the hard pavement below. The people who saw this rushed to the man and to their surprise, and his, he stood up. He was alive. This man was so happy and he thought that he had been granted a long life by Allaah, that he told the people around him that he was going to buy all of them a drink. He started to cross the road, and he was a bit wobbly for he just fell from so far, and while crossing the road he was hit by a car and killed. He did not die from the fall but died moments after in the middle of the road all of a sudden. Why?
And it is not possible for anyone to die except by Allaah's permission at an appointed time. (Aali 'Imraan 3:145)
It is not possible at all for a person to die, unless Allaah has willed for him to die at his appointed time. We commonly say here in the west about these sorts of tragedies, "He was in the wrong place at the wrong time." This is so incredibly un-Islamic. Rather he was at the right place at the right time because that was his appointed time of death. Are we going to say Allaah did an injustice and took this man's life unjustly? Of course not! He was on the 7th floor, so Allaah brought him down to meet his appointment on time. Because it is not possible for anyone to die except by Allaah's permission at an appointed time.
The prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) told us, "Frequently remember death, the destroyer of pleasures." (Tirmidhi) Death is the destroyer of pleasures. That shade which we find enjoyment with in the desert is our pleasure and death is the destroyer of this pleasure. Hasan al-Basri (scholar from the early generations) said, "I have never seen anything that is certain with no doubt in it, but people deal with it as if it is doubtful with no certainty in it, like death." Death is so certain but how many people treat it like it will never come? Whereas on the other hand, wealth and luxury and worldly desires are uncertain, but people work for them so hard! We do not know that what we have today, we will have tomorrow. So uncertain. We can lose everything in the blink of an eye. Yet we work so hard for this world as if we are going to be here forever and as if we have guaranteed everything we have will stay with us as well. Why don't we work as hard for our death? This is what is most important because this is most certain. Will we not be intelligent and realize this? Allaah says about the reason the disbelievers will give of why they are in the Fire:
And they will say, "If only we had listened or used our intelligence we would not be among the companions of the Fire!" (al-Mulk 67:10)
Had these people used their brains, they would not be there. When will we use our brains and stop working so hard for the uncertain and actually start working for the certainty of death? What do the people think of when we say smart? Take the example of the people from India, Hindus. These people are naturally among the "smartest" people in the world. In the aspects of this world, rocket science, engineer, etc., these people excel others greatly regarding such knowledge. But what do these people bow down to and worship? A cow. Is that what we call smart? That which we slaughter and eat, these people worship. Is that truly using ones brain? Allaah says:
It is He who gave you ears, eyes and minds. But little are you grateful. (Mu'minoon 23:78)
It is about time we use these tools which Allaah has blessed us with for something more than this world. We need to remember death, understand death and live in the morning as if we are going to die in the evening and in the evening as we are going to die in the morning as was the saying of 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allaah be pleased with him).
Knowing death is what removes the barrier of unawareness that the people have about the Hereafter. There are two stages what the dying person goes through which I want to share with you. The first one is called "as-Sakrah." This means Stupor, which means a state of reduced or suspended sensibility. Allaah says:
And the stupor of death will come in truth. "This is what you have been avoiding." (Qaaf 50:19)
It is narrated from Abdullah ibn Ahmad (son of Imam Ahmad) that when his father Ahmad was dying he was going through this stage of sakra. When he would go into unconsciousness, Imam Ahmad would say, "No! Not yet! No! Not yet!" This, of course, was surprising to his son who heard him thinking he did not want to die. When Imam Ahmad came back to the state of consciousness his son told him what he did to which he replied, "I saw Shaytaan standing next to me and he was saying, 'O Ahmed you have slipped from my fingers' (I was not able to misguide you) so I was saying no! Not yet! until I die." This is the true battle of a believer. Imam Ahmad knew that until he was dead, the trials from shaytaan would not end. This is the phase in which Shaytaan tests the people the most. This is his last chance to misguide the people. Imagine if Imam Ahmad would have been proud and arrogant and said, "Yes! You could not misguide me!" What would be the result? Allaah does not like arrogance and pride and Imam Ahmad knew that. So now imagine for us! How easily are we mislead by shaytaan when we are alive and only receiving some of his attention. Imagine what would the trials do to us at this time when he would be focusing his full attention on us? We seek refuge in Allaah from that with the supplication taught by the prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), "O Allaah I seek refuge in you from the punishment of the grave, and from the punishment of the Hellfire, and from the trials of life and death and from the evil trial of the Dajjaal." And this is one of the trials of death.
The other stage is ihtidaar or preparation for death. I want to share with you a long hadith in which the prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be uon him) describes what will happen to the believing and disbelieving soul when they are about to die:
Narrated Al-Baraa 'ibn Azeeb (may Allaah be pleased with him) who said, "We went out with Allah's Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) 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 (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) 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 the highest place 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 carpet for him from 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 and have with them a rough cloth. 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 branch with thorns is pulled out of wet wool. So he takes it, but does not leave it in his hand for the blink of an eye until they put it in that rough cloth. 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 (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) recited:
"...for them the gates of heaven will not be opened, and they will not enter Paradise until the camel goes through the eye of a needle (which is impossible)." (Al-A'raf 7:40)
Then he continued, So Allah says: "write his record in the lowest place within the lowest earth." Then his soul is flung down, and he recited:
"...and whoever assigns partners to Allah, it is as if he had fallen from the sky, and the birds had snatched him, or the wind had thrown him to a far off place." (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 carpet for him from 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." (Ahmad)
This is the difference of the good and evil soul. We should take this reminder and not be from those who die indulging in this world while forgetting the Hereafter. Allaah also says:
That is because of what your hands have set forth and verily Allaah is not unjust to his slaves (al-Hajj 22:10)
Allaah will not torture the disbelieving person because Allaah is unjust, rather it is what that person has earned. What do we earn when we ignore the unlawful which Allaah has prohibited and indulge in it? We definitely earn sins and we fall in to error.
These are the things we must remember in order to fix ourselves. This is what must be instilled in the hearts of the Muslims so that they can fix themselves as well. The remembrance of death brings three major benefits.
1) You will hurry up in your repentance. Allaah says:
Has not the time come for those who believe that their hearts should become humbly submissive at the remembrance of Allaah?... (al-Hadeed 57:16)
The time for repentance, therefore, is now. No delay.
2) You would be content with the very minimum. Desires are just things we do not need. You remember death and you remember that there is no reason for you to waste your efforts aquiring this world, rather you should be acquiring the next. If you have a Toyota that runs, you do not need a Rolls Royce or a BMW.
3) You will not fight with the people of this world over this world. This can be seen in the example of many wars that are fought. What are they fought over? Land, money, oil, and every other worldly thing. How many people actually fight to establish the law of Allaah? Or fight for the sake of Allaah? That is the only thing worth fighting for. People have the nerve to criticize true Jihad in the cause of Allaah? How can they do so when they themselves are fighting for their own greed?
In shaa Allaah with these things in mind we can remember death more and live our lives as we need to and stop denying our death. It comes at an appointed time and not a minute later. We will die and be resurrected and judged for our deeds. The best place to learn about death and the Hereafter is the Book of Allaah, al-Qur'aan. This is what Allaah first revealed to the first Muslims, the companions of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), to make their faith firm, and this is what we need to turn to as well. The chapters of the Qur'aan that were revealed in Makkah are the perfect source for these.
The praise belongs to Allaah, all of it and any mistakes are through my own faults and misunderstandings and any correctness is only from Allaah.
May Allah (SWT) forgive us all, guide us all to the right path and Insh'Allah grant us all Paradise (Jannah) and protect us from Jahanam (The Hell-fire)...Ameen
Salam
