Assalamu alaikum to all brothers and sisters. I'm sorry for not updating this blog for some time as I was busy with work and other matters.
I was pondering about all the objectives, goals or whatever reconciliation or commitments that I've been making for the last so many years. I realised and reaffirm that despite all yearly reconciliation that we make, it boils down to only ONE SIMPLE affirmation or rather a question which shall be enough for each one of us. I wrote it on the very front page of my Qur'an and I suggest you do the same or write somewhere you see it daily. I make the following as my objective. Do take it if you believe we could share the same understanding.
OBJECTIVE OF THIS LIFE - DAILY REMINDER
Are we making preparation of the provisions of the eternal return to meet ALlah ?
Note:
1 No one knows anything about his death, when how, where
2 No one knows whether whetever provision that he's making is even accepted by ALLah or adequate for the next world which starts on the very minute of his death.
3. We cannot rely on others except what we are making now with redha of ALlah because whatever you do is also by the will of ALlah
This shall be enough for our daily motivation irrespective whether it is for the so-called short term or long term goals in this life. None is beneficial unless this is the foundation of our reconciliation, renewal of commitment. It should not be yearly BUT daily or for a period lesser than that as we are not even sure when will be the last breath we are going to take.
Ok. I've edited the previous blog and updated the blog with another chapter of the book by Imam Al Qurthubi in this book-Secrets of Life After Death, Life in the Hereafter and Qiyamah. Once again I seek forgiveness from ALlah and the readers if the translation made is not to the best understanding or not accurate to the actual text. I've also added verses of Qur'an for easy reference.
Chapter 1 It is forbidden to ask for death due to any adversity. It was narrated by Muslim (and Bukhari) that Anas r.a said " RasuluLlah said, None of you should ask for death due to the fitnah he is suffering from. Even if he should ask for it, he should make do'a, ' Oh, ALlah keep me in this life if it is best for me, and let it be death if it is better for me." In a hadith narrated by Muslim and Ahmad, Anas r.a said that RasuluLlah said "None of you should ask for death and do not pray for death because whenever one dies, all his 'amal will come to an end. A mu'min should be able to make more good deeds as long as he can" Narrated by Bukhari from Saad bin Ubaid, khadam of Abdurrahman bin Azhar, that RasuluLlah said " None of you should ask fo death. If he is good, he shall be able to add more good deeds; and if he is otherwise, he shall be able to have time to repent to ALlah" Narrated by al-Bazzari from Jabir bin Abdullah that RasuluLlah said " Don't ever ask for death as the chaos and conditions of death is so great. It is happiness for those who has long life that ALlah gives him more consciousness (to make more good deeds)" According to 'ulama, death is not merely a sacred loss or destruction. It is an incident of termination between ruh (soul) and jasad (body), a change of condition, and a transfer from one place to another. Death is a biggest musibah (calamity) - see verse of Qur'an
AlMa'idah :106..if ye are journeying through the earth, and the musibah of death befalls you..Death is indeed a tremedous musibah. However according to ulama' the bigger calamity is forgetting about one's death, refuse to think about it, seldom pondering upon it and do not make necessary preparations towards it. Indeed in death itself there is a lesson for those who wants to think and take benefit from it. It is stated in a hadith narrated by Baihaqi from Abdullah bin Salamah bin Aslam ( a narrator considered dha'if by Daruquthni) that Nabi s.a.w said " If a cattle (animal) knows about death the way you knew it, for sure you will not eat another one fatter" The meaning of "he shall be able to have time to repent to ALLah" in the earlier hadith is that in search of redha and blessing from ALlah, the ONLY way is to make taubah (repentence) as well as not repeating the sin. This was said by Al-Jauhari. ALah has mentioned in Qur'an concerning the kafirin - see Al Fushshilat: 24)
If, then, they have patience, the Fire will be a home for them! and if they beg to be received into favour, into favour will they not (then) be received. Sahal bin Abdullah at-tastari said " None of you ask for death except 3 people. 1. One who does not know what happens after death. 2.One who intentionally run away from taqdir of ALlah 3. One who is longing to meet ALlah Azza wa Jalla A story was told by Abu Nu'aim in al-Hilyat (IV/278) that one day Malaikat Izrail a.s came down to meet Nabi Ibrahim a.s, HabibuLlah (Lover of ALlah) to take his life. Ibrahim a.s said "Oh malaikatul maut, have you ever seen a lover who takes life of his own lover?
Izrail went back up to meet ALlah and reported the incident. ALLah then requested Izrail to ask Ibrahim, "Is there anyone who does not like to see his lover?"
Izrail went down and conveyed the message. Ibrahim a.s then said "Then take my life immediately" See Ali Imran:178- “Let not the Unbelievers think that our respite to them is good for themselves: We grant them respite that they may grow in their iniquity: But they will have a shameful punishment.” Hayyan al-Aswad said, "Death is a bridge which connects two lovers" (i.e between a mu'min and Allah, his lover)
Chapter Permissible condition in asking for death and pray for the sake of Deen
Allah Aza wa Jalla decreed about Nabi Yusuf a.s in surah Yusuf, verse 101,
Take Thou my soul (at death) as one submitting to Thy will (as a Muslim), and unite me with the righteous." Also in Surah Maryam: 23"Ah! would that I had died before this! would that I had been a thing forgotten and out of sight!"
Narrated by Bukhari, Muslim and Malik from Abu Zannad, from al-A’raj from Abu Hurairah r.a that Rasulullah said Qiyamah (Doomsday) won’t happen before someone passes a grave and said “ I wish that I’m at his place” This is of no contradiction with that stated earlier (on asking for one’s death). According to Qatadah, there is no messenger asking for death except Nabi Yusuf. After he has achieved all the blessings and all pleasures in life, Yusuf was longing to meet Allah. That was the reason he uttered in surah Yusuf, verse 101
"O my Lord! Thou hast indeed bestowed on me some power, and taught me something of the interpretation of dreams and events,-
He wishes to meet Allah immediately after gaining all the worldly conveniences and pleasures . That was the reason of his word to have his death as muslim (submitting to ALLah). There were two reasons which drive Maryam hoping for death. First, she was worried to be continuously having bad thoughts and presumptions by her kinsfolk which leads to the slander. Secondly she didn’t want to have her kinsfolk to fall in the lies accusing her to have adultery, which leads them to be cursed and have grevious punishment. Touching on the slandering of Aisyah, Allah decreed Those who brought forward the lie are a body among yourselves: think it not to be an evil to you; On the contrary it is good for you: to every man among them (will come the punishment) of the sin that he earned, and to him who took on himself the lead among them, will be a penalty grievous – An Nur, verse 11 ..and ye thought it to be a light matter, while it was most serious in the sight of Allah –An Nur, verse 15
Ulama’ tafsir have disputed on Maryam, whether she was merely righteous and truthful based on
..His mother was a woman of truth- Al Maidah, verse 75
Or, was she a woman messenger
..We sent her our angel.. Maryam, verse 17 and ..Behold! the angels said: "O Mary! Allah hath chosen thee..Ali Imran, verse 42
Based on the above verses, it is apparent that such big lie on slandering Maryam, and those people involved were punished severely. Therefore it could be concluded that asking for death is permissible based on the above reasons. Wallahu a’lam
The above hadith is also news. It means that it could have happened because of the moral degradation is so rampant that all religious values are lost. Thus, it was not merely the sufferings and adversities relating to health, economy and values. This is obvious in the supplication by Rasulullah
Oh Allah, verily, I ask you to give me strength to do good deeds, and leave all sinful deeds, and love the poor. And if You grant fitnah/test to mankind, please call me back to meet you without being inflicted (on the fitnah)
This is further explained by another do’a once made by Umar ibnul Khattab narrated by Malik in Kitab Al-Muwatha “ Oh Allah, my strength is degrading, I’m old and my people has scattered everywhere. Therefore please call me back to meet You, not as an irresponsible and reckless leader”. Umar passed away in less than a month later.
It was narrated by Abu Umar bin Abdul Barr in At-Tahmid adnd Al-Istidzkar, from Zadan bin Umar from a scholar (an alim) Al-Kindi, he said “ When Abis al-Ghifari was sitting with me, he saw a few people were suffering from cholera (Tha’un) epidemic. He said three times “ Oh cholera, bring me to you”. Hearing his weird statement, I asked “Why did you say that? Haven’t you heard Rasulullah said none of you should ask for death because it is the end for ‘amal and you could not come back for other reasons? He then said “ I’ve once heard Rasulullah said
“Ask for early death in six conditions. That is, when there is increase in the number of stupid wives, abundance of conditions, sales of laws (ahkam), belittling blood, rampant in the termination of family relations, and plenty youngsters ridiculing Al Qur’an (making Al-Qur’an as games) till they ask people to recite Qur’an with rhythm even though they are people of ignorance (hadith narrated by Ahmad)
I'll stop here for now. Till we meet again, insyaALlah. may ALlah accept this deed. ameen
Wassalam
Your Brother-In-Islam
Tags: Tazkirah Maut
