Man, through sleep, peeps at death daily (sometimes more than once) without remembering that there is a day ahead when he would go to sleep but shall never wake up to return to this phenomenal world. Sleep and wakefulness, life and death, are also creatures of God. The mystery of sleep, which is “the twin brother of death”, lies in God taking of our soul; with the record of all that we did in our waking moments. This record sometimes appears to us in confused glimpses in our dreams. Allah (SWT) asserts in Qur’an 6:60 “It is He who doth take your souls by night, And hath knowledge of all that ye have done by day: By day doth He raise you up again; that a term appointed be fulfilled; in the end unto Him will be your return; Then will He show you the truth of all that ye did”.
By the beginning of each day in our life, we are awake to attend to our routine of activities and so it goes on until we fulfill the term of our life appointed for this earth. Then comes later the other sleep (i.e. death) with the longer record of our Day (i.e. Life); and then in the end comes Resurrection and Judgment, at which we would see everything clearly and not as in dreams. This, in essence, depicts the final reality.
Some of us, unfortunately, are so engrossed in their love for wealth, power, women and all that money can buy on this earth without reflecting upon the fact that the daily peeping by them at death is not a permanent experience but a natural condition designed to transform from a lower “stage” of death to a higher one; from which man is expected to prepare for the inevitable taste of death. Let us imagine for instance that when you went to sleep last night; you did not wake up in the morning but instead answered your creator’s call to the world beyond. Could you then say, given the kind of spiritual relationship you maintained with God and that which you kept with fellow creatures, whether or not you qualify to receive God’s mercy or deserve to be remembered by humanity, or at least, your people?
Take time to attend a funeral to see whether or not the grave where the dead is buried (which size would almost be same with the underground “bungalow” that would be built for you on your demise, sooner or later) is bigger than the room you currently live in. Grave is traditionally a residence meant to accommodate only a person at a time. Even if the space in it were mistakenly widened beyond the size of the occupant, none of the deceased’s closest relations including his wife/wives, children, parents, friends, colleagues, aides and maids would be ready to follow him/her into the underground apartment.
In a way, death also peeps at man but under different circumstances. Imam Bukhari relates on the authority of Ibn Umar (RA) who reported that the prophet (SAW) once took him by the shoulder and said “Be in this world as if you were a stranger”. Now Ibn Umar (RA) used to say “when evening comes on you do not expect morning; and when morning comes do not expect evening. Take from you health (a precaution) for you sickness, and from your life for your death”. Illness therefore, whether brief or protracted, is one of the ways through which death peeps at man. Apart from sickness, death also glances at man through old age, accidents, misfortunes, and failures; some mild and others so severe that they leave permanent scars on the victim’s mind. Such is meant to keep reminding us of the appointed term at which we would not just peep but stare at death face-to-face.
Assuming that after reading this column, you go to bed at night and in the process of stealing a look at death, it holds you back; meaning that you did not live to see tomorrow morning. How prepared are you to give account of your deeds before your creator? Do the dresses in the boxes containing your lace, getzener, super-wax and vlisco materials also include your alkafani (white shrouding sheet)? If the prophet (SAW) made it a duty to seek forgiveness of his sins from Allah (SWT), at least 100 times a day; how many times daily do you seek forgiveness of your sins from Allah or would you claim that you are not sinful in the contemporary world of corruption and evil? Would you say to your lord (SWT) when you meet Him that you have lived a fulfilled life or would you appeal to Him (SWT) to return you back to this material world (which is not possible) so that you could put forth good deeds?
When death decides not to disguise by twittering but come before man in her real form when the appointed term is fulfilled, it would be late to repent from sins because such repentance is considered hypocritical. Let us, therefore, not postpone today’s repentance for tomorrow. Allah (SWT) states in Qur’an 4:18 “Of no effect is the repentance of those who continue to do evil until death faces one of them and he says: ‘Now have I repented’; nor of those who die rejecting faith; for them have we prepared a punishment most grievous”.
Allah (SWT) accepts repentance only if it is tendered at a time when the sinner still possesses the strength or ability to indulge in sins. Allah (SWT) mentions in Qur’an 4:17 “Allah accepts the repentance of those who do evil in ignorance and repent soon afterwards; to them will Allah turn in mercy: For Allah is full of wisdom and mercy”. Let us repent now from being leaders who betray their followers; from being corrupt judges in the courts of law; from being self-seeking legislators; from being mendacious scholars; from being irresponsible parents; from being wicked husbands; from being disobedient wives; from being defiant children; and from being mischievous friends.
As real death approaches man, he realizes his inability to recognize his people (without losing sight) let alone respond to their offers or requests. His hands and feet would remain without movement and his ears without hearing. His mouth opens and his jaw drops. His brow sweats and he remains tongue-tied. This situation confirms that the journey to the world of truth and Justice had actually begun. Soon after the inevitable transition sets in, man loses hope in the world of illusion; the world of hatred; the world of wicked leadership, and the world of injustice.
As man bids farewell to the world of transient comfort, he discovers the irrelevance of his stupendous wealth; of his fleet of cars; of his one-in-town edifice; of his superfluous dresses; and of his gold-plated GSM handsets. At this point of reality, man admits the helplessness of his beloved wife/wives; of his dear children; and of his loyal aides and maids. Death is certainly inescapable. May Allah (SWT) make our end, when it is time, most fulfilling, amin.
Man, through sleep, peeps at death daily (sometimes more than once) without remembering that there is a day ahead when he would go to sleep but shall never wake up to return to this phenomenal world. Sleep and wakefulness, life and death, are also creatures of God. The mystery of sleep, which is “the twin brother of death”, lies in God taking of our soul; with the record of all that we did in our waking moments. This record sometimes appears to us in confused glimpses in our dreams. Allah (SWT) asserts in Qur’an 6:60 “It is He who doth take your souls by night, And hath knowledge of all that ye have done by day: By day doth He raise you up again; that a term appointed be fulfilled; in the end unto Him will be your return; Then will He show you the truth of all that ye did”.
By the beginning of each day in our life, we are awake to attend to our routine of activities and so it goes on until we fulfill the term of our life appointed for this earth. Then comes later the other sleep (i.e. death) with the longer record of our Day (i.e. Life); and then in the end comes Resurrection and Judgment, at which we would see everything clearly and not as in dreams. This, in essence, depicts the final reality.
Some of us, unfortunately, are so engrossed in their love for wealth, power, women and all that money can buy on this earth without reflecting upon the fact that the daily peeping by them at death is not a permanent experience but a natural condition designed to transform from a lower “stage” of death to a higher one; from which man is expected to prepare for the inevitable taste of death. Let us imagine for instance that when you went to sleep last night; you did not wake up in the morning but instead answered your creator’s call to the world beyond. Could you then say, given the kind of spiritual relationship you maintained with God and that which you kept with fellow creatures, whether or not you qualify to receive God’s mercy or deserve to be remembered by humanity, or at least, your people?
Take time to attend a funeral to see whether or not the grave where the dead is buried (which size would almost be same with the underground “bungalow” that would be built for you on your demise, sooner or later) is bigger than the room you currently live in. Grave is traditionally a residence meant to accommodate only a person at a time. Even if the space in it were mistakenly widened beyond the size of the occupant, none of the deceased’s closest relations including his wife/wives, children, parents, friends, colleagues, aides and maids would be ready to follow him/her into the underground apartment.
In a way, death also peeps at man but under different circumstances. Imam Bukhari relates on the authority of Ibn Umar (RA) who reported that the prophet (SAW) once took him by the shoulder and said “Be in this world as if you were a stranger”. Now Ibn Umar (RA) used to say “when evening comes on you do not expect morning; and when morning comes do not expect evening. Take from you health (a precaution) for you sickness, and from your life for your death”. Illness therefore, whether brief or protracted, is one of the ways through which death peeps at man. Apart from sickness, death also glances at man through old age, accidents, misfortunes, and failures; some mild and others so severe that they leave permanent scars on the victim’s mind. Such is meant to keep reminding us of the appointed term at which we would not just peep but stare at death face-to-face.
Assuming that after reading this column, you go to bed at night and in the process of stealing a look at death, it holds you back; meaning that you did not live to see tomorrow morning. How prepared are you to give account of your deeds before your creator? Do the dresses in the boxes containing your lace, getzener, super-wax and vlisco materials also include your alkafani (white shrouding sheet)? If the prophet (SAW) made it a duty to seek forgiveness of his sins from Allah (SWT), at least 100 times a day; how many times daily do you seek forgiveness of your sins from Allah or would you claim that you are not sinful in the contemporary world of corruption and evil? Would you say to your lord (SWT) when you meet Him that you have lived a fulfilled life or would you appeal to Him (SWT) to return you back to this material world (which is not possible) so that you could put forth good deeds?
When death decides not to disguise by twittering but come before man in her real form when the appointed term is fulfilled, it would be late to repent from sins because such repentance is considered hypocritical. Let us, therefore, not postpone today’s repentance for tomorrow. Allah (SWT) states in Qur’an 4:18 “Of no effect is the repentance of those who continue to do evil until death faces one of them and he says: ‘Now have I repented’; nor of those who die rejecting faith; for them have we prepared a punishment most grievous”.
Allah (SWT) accepts repentance only if it is tendered at a time when the sinner still possesses the strength or ability to indulge in sins. Allah (SWT) mentions in Qur’an 4:17 “Allah accepts the repentance of those who do evil in ignorance and repent soon afterwards; to them will Allah turn in mercy: For Allah is full of wisdom and mercy”. Let us repent now from being leaders who betray their followers; from being corrupt judges in the courts of law; from being self-seeking legislators; from being mendacious scholars; from being irresponsible parents; from being wicked husbands; from being disobedient wives; from being defiant children; and from being mischievous friends.
As real death approaches man, he realizes his inability to recognize his people (without losing sight) let alone respond to their offers or requests. His hands and feet would remain without movement and his ears without hearing. His mouth opens and his jaw drops. His brow sweats and he remains tongue-tied. This situation confirms that the journey to the world of truth and Justice had actually begun. Soon after the inevitable transition sets in, man loses hope in the world of illusion; the world of hatred; the world of wicked leadership, and the world of injustice.
As man bids farewell to the world of transient comfort, he discovers the irrelevance of his stupendous wealth; of his fleet of cars; of his one-in-town edifice; of his superfluous dresses; and of his gold-plated GSM handsets. At this point of reality, man admits the helplessness of his beloved wife/wives; of his dear children; and of his loyal aides and maids. Death is certainly inescapable. May Allah (SWT) make our end, when it is time, most fulfilling, amin.
