In
the Name of Allah, Most
Gracious, Most Merciful
In
the Name of Allah, Most
Gracious, Most Merciful
Billions of human beings have walked on the surface of this earth. They all belonged to different nations and cultures. A few of them made history, for which they were remembered, whereas others were never to be mentioned again. Although each one was personally different from every other, their habits, thinking and tastes were different and they all had two things in common. First, they were all delivered from their mothers womb and secondly, they all tasted death.
What is death?Death is when the soul is separated from the body; it receives reward and punishment and the separation of the soul from the body means loss of power of the soul over the body. The soul uses the body in its works; it catches by the hand, hears by the ears, sees by the eyes and acquires the knowledge of all things.
Every soul shall taste death
Allah has said in the Qur�aan: �Every soul will taste death.� From this verse we know that death is such a thing that you can�t escape from even if you are in a house, which is built with metal walls, and has a massive padlock. Death will not only come when hair and the beard turn white, but it can come at any time, even when you are a baby, or an old person or a teenager or of middle age. Even if you are a king, a Prime Minister or a leader of one of the tribes.
Death also came to the Prophet and to the companions of the Prophet , so if death can come to such great personalities, who are we to be so unmindful of it?
Know, O dear brothers, that the man, who is engrossed in the world and cheated by its charming coquetries, is unmindful of the remembrance of death. He does not remember death and when he is reminded of it, he does not like it. Allah has said regarding such a man: �The deaths from which you flee away will meet you. Thereafter you will be led to the Knower of the world seen and unseen. You will then be informed of what you did.�
Three categories of mankind
1. The man who is addicted to the world does not remember death. He hates death and lives far away from the remembrance of Allah.
2. The man who is repentant remembers death and fears it. He does not often like death because he fears to die before he makes sincere repentance or he purifies his soul from corrupt deeds and he does not think bad of meeting with death and Allah because he is not fully prepared for it, but he is always busy in preparation to meet it.
3. The God-Addicted man always remembers death, as he likes to meet with his beloved. The loner cannot forget to meet with his beloved. This person loves to meet with death to save himself from the world of sin. For such a person the Prophet has said: �Death is a gift for the believer.� The reason is that the world is a prison for a believer as he lives here in difficulties. Death gives him relief from these difficulties. Once the Prophet came out towards the mosque. On the way he found some of the Sah�b�h engaged in jokes and telling stories. He said to them: �Remember death! Beware by the One in whose hand lies my life, if you had known what I know, you would have laughed little and wept more.�
Thinking of death
Know O� brothers that death is terrible because people are unmindful of death. The person who does remember death does not think of it with his whole heart. The mode of thinking of death is to free your mind from all thoughts and only put his mind on death. Be like the one who embarks on dangerous sea voyage. When the thought of death fills his mind and becomes one shadow, his worldly happiness decreases and his heart breaks. The best method of thinking of death is to remember the death of friends, family and neighbours, their bodies buried under the ground and their conditions in the graves. How their beautiful faces have become food for worms and insects! How their wives have become widows and their children orphans! How stricken by extreme poverty, they are passing their days miserably one by one! Think how death overtook them suddenly without any notice and warning! How unprepared they were for death and the hereafter!
So O� brothers! Remember death as often as you can in the 24 hours of your daily life and make this your habit. It could be your turn next then your friends, family and neighbours will place you under the ground. Start now before if it is too late!
Air Janaazah the next one, it shall be like a trip to another country. Where details of that country won't be found in glamorous travel brochures but in the Holy Qur'aan and the Hadith. Where our plane won't be British Airways, Emirates or American Airlines but Air Janaazah. Where our luggage won't be the allowed 23 kgs but our deeds no matter how heavy they weigh.
You don't pay for excess luggage. They are carried free of charge with your Creator's compliment. Where our dress won't be a Pierre Cardin suit or the like but the white cotton shroud. Where our perfume won't be Chanel, Paco Rabanne, but the camphor and attar. Where our passports won't be British, French or American but Islam. Where our visa won't be the 6 months leave but the "La Illah a Illallah.."
Where the air hostess won't be gorgeous females but Izra'iil and its like. Where the in-flight services won't be 1st class or economy but a piece of beautifully scented or foul smelling cloth. Where our place of destination won't be Heathrow Terminal 1 or New York International Terminal but the Qabarastaan. Where our waiting lounge won't be nice carpeted and air-conditioned rooms but the 6 feet deep gloomy Qabar.
Where the Immigration Officer won't be Her Majesty's officers but Munkar and Nakir. They only check out whether you deserve the place you yearn to go. Where there is no need for Customs Officers or detectors. Where the transit airport will be Al Barzaakh. Where our final place of destination will be either the Garden under which rivers flow or the hell Fire.
This trip does not come with a price tag. It is free of charge. So your savings would not come handy. This flight can never be hijacked so do not worry about terrorists. Food won't be served on this flight so do not worry about your allergies or whether the food is Halal. Do not worry about leg room; you won't need it, as your legs will become things of the past. Do not worry about delays. This flight is always punctual. It arrives and leaves on time. Do not worry about the in-flight entertainment program because you would have lost all your sense of joy. Do not worry about booking this trip, it has already been booked the day you became a foetus in your mother's womb. Ah! At last good news! Do not worry about who will be sitting next to you. You will have the luxury of being the only passenger. So enjoy it while you can. If only you can! One small snag though...
Remember: "To Allah We belong, and to Him is our return" 2:156
Courtesy: www.geocities.com/mtia786/Articles/AirJanaazah.html
If you
have a "seeing" eye, each day is a Day of Judgement. Do you wish for a fine garment? Remember thy shroud Do you wish for a fine house? Remember the pit of thy grave Do you wish for fine food? Remember thou wilt yourself be a food for insects and worms. |
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