Wathakkir fa-inna alththikra tanfaAAu almu/mineena
And remind, for indeed, the reminder benefits the believers.
Allah says,
-We all need reminders. And, he didn’t say the reminders will believe the people but the believers too.
-Hence, we do need REMINDERS about death.
Shaykh Saad Tasleem Story:
-While, he was travelling in the plane, he experienced turbulence and the plane started to free fall- literally falling down. The time period was 3-4 seconds.
- And, the Shaykh started to grip the seat and say shahadah. And, everybody were in state of chaos and were calling out “Lord, save me etc”.
-And, the Shaykh learnt that Allah (swt) always give signs to understand the analogy of death.
Wisdom of Paper Cuts:
-Even from the paper cuts, Allah (swt) giving us a sign about the death. Even, in the paper that he made us vulnerable, and it can make us experience the pain. And, it always happens though you always tell yourself that you will be careful about papers cuts, the next time. And, the pain can be even worse than people punching you.
-You are not in control though you perceive that you are in control. He is the ONE, who decides what hardships you are going to go through, and when the death can take you.
2nd Shaykh Saad Tasleem Story:
-Shaykh Saad Tasleem was trying to sleep(in a new place) and he cannot do it. And, the he told himself that Allah(SWT) is reminding him that he(Shaykh) is not in the control over the situation except Allah(swt),himself.
Introduction:
Allah says there are signs within us which we can contemplate.
-Someone who is paying attention around will then be able to contemplate.
-And, we are living in this world where we can see many signs from Allah,
-Many people are dying , and tsunami etc. This should bring us closer to Allah. However, we are desensitized over all these issues.
-Even the non-believers believe there is a such thing called death. It is a only matter of contemplating it.
Four Benefits By Thinking About Death:
-People think death as depressing thing; however there are benefits by thinking/pondering about it.
1) It helps you to Worship Allah (SWT) and being obedient to Allah (SWT)
-PBUH has said,” Increase in the remembrance of destroyer of desires”
- This will stop disobedience things which we are doing.
-The scholars said that, there is an internal struggle/debate within us-
Internal desire or the Akhira that is more important?
-All you have to do is to think about the death.
-The next time when you want to SIN, then think whether the Allah will give a chance to do Taubah for this SIN before your death.
- The person who can choose the option for Akhira and leave their SIN, they are the ones who have guaranteed the success.
- Most of us have this debate session going on when we are doing the sins but most of us would choose the option for internal desires. And, since we are doing it very often, our hearts will fall into habit of only choosing the internal desires.
-And, the struggle (of heart) will not even take place after choosing the desires very often .
2) Make Us Realise The Purpose Of Our Creation:
-Make us realize that life is not only short but it is also unpredictable. And, Allah has told us to die ONLY in a state of pleasing Allah.
-Allah says that he has created us just to worship him.
-Hence, this will push us to increase the worship of Allah(SWT) .
3) Make Us Realise True Value Of This Life
-Worldly Things are NOTHING
-If you want to know the true value of life, ask those who are suffering from life-threatening disease such as cancer.
-They will say that those things which they thought as important, it is not important anymore.
-Their priorities will totally change.
-It will make us the realise the importance of this life
-PBUH said the analogy of life as something where “we dip our finger into the oceans, and then take out from it”. So, when we have been into the beach etc, we can see that the ocean is very big, but the dampness of the finger is very small or not even considered. So, the dampness of the finger is this Dunya while the Akhira is like that huge ocean.
- This is the true value of life
3) It Ensures That We Die In A State Of Submission:
-If we are thinking about death, we will be in submission to Allah. It is not only by worshipping Allah but also living by being conscious that you are living to pleasing Allah(SWT) – this is the state of submission.
- Allah (SWT) says “Do not let the death comes upon you, until you are in a state of submission”
- What Allah intends here, it is that make sure that you are living the life that is pleasing Allah (SWT) so that you will be in that state during the death.
Four things that will remind you about Death:
1) Attend The Funeral Prayers:
-Janazah are happening consistently around us. And, often times, people are just praying Janazah like any other Salah.
-The companions used to describe it how they will witness the Janazah
-There will be an eerie sound. It is because all of them will be thinking about their death.
- Reflecting upon our death is one of the reason on why we should visit the Janaza though of course,we would also want to give Salam etc.
-But, it is a sign and return to Allah. “Certainly, we all came from Allah(SWT) and belong to him and return to him”
2) Visit The Graves:
PBUH has said “I have forbidden you to visit the graves, however do visit the graves, because it reminds you about the death”.
-When you are putting the dirt to someone who you have talked to only few moments ago, that is a powerful spiritual experience.
It is a physical experience. And, you should think/reflect, “One day it will be me, and people will be burying me and I have to be accountable to what I have done; And, One Day, Allah will raise me up. And ,I will be accountable, about how I spent my life”
3) Take Time To Contemplate:
-Pay Attention to the sign of Death & Life.
-Whereby, you just contemplate and think about it for a couple of minutes, and look at yourself and how weak you are, and how you are not in control over yourself, that will remind you that you are not in control but only Allah (SWT).
- We can make use DHIKR after our prayers to contemplate about our death if we don’t have time to contemplate about our death in other time period of the day., - DHIKR will make us think about Allah.
-When, we are saying Subhan’Allah, and then you are praising him because he is the only one who can take and give your life.
-When you are saying Alhamdullilah, then you are praising him, because he is the one who gave you the ability to remember of Allah. It is because there are so many of us who are not having the chance now to remember Allah (SWT)
-Lastly, when you are saying “Allahu Akhbar”, you are realising that he is greater than any attachments which you have in this DUNYA. And, your submission to Allah(SWT) worth more than anything than any attachments that you have in this DUNYA.
4) Make A List Of Reminders
-Every Muslim, should have a personal journal. When, they see anything that is a sign from Allah, they should write it down in their journals.
-This is the habit of our past scholars and they had their own personal journal. And, everytime, they experience something spiritual or sign from Allah, they will write it down.
And, so on time comes, where you cannot think of anything, you can open up your journal and diary, then it will be a tool to bring you back closer/return to Allah.
3rd Shaykh Saad Tasleem Story:
-When he was in college, he started to practise Islam more and he posed a question to his friends who are unbelievers, “Do you think about death” . Then , they replied , "No". When he asked again, “So, you don’t believe about death”. Then, they replied as “Of course, we believe about death, but it is such a depressing thought so I should just enjoy this life. “At that point of time, the Shaykh realised that they do not understand the DEATH properly.
- As a Muslim, we understand the DEATH differently, it is not the end. Most people, think that death is the end of everything.
-Our DEATH is the transition to a new chapter , it is the birth to something that is even better life. A life that is unlike you can ever imagine or desire.
In Summary:
- So, of course, death makes us detach from the worldly things, bringing you closer to Allah
-And, then remind ourselves that” We know what there is amazing things waiting for us in Akhira and whatever trials/struggles/problems will be gone in the blink of an eye”.
-Death is not a depressing or bad thing, but it is something that open our hearts.
And, Allah(SWT) knows the best.
If there is any error in the transcriptions, it is only by our shortcomings and due to Shaytan and NOT ON THE SPEAKER.
If you have benefitted from this , DO MAKE DUA FOR US:)
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