We’ve often come across articles, talk shows, lectures, clip arts and so on reminding us of death. Reminding us that someday we’ll be six feet under, cold and alone with only our deeds to account for. To some of us, it has become a common thing that we are desensitized to those reminders. At most, it’ll take minutes or even seconds to ponder over it and then we let go.
Take a moment to think, have you ever lost a loved one? a friend, family, acquaintances or even colleague in school or work place? The feeling is crippling, numbing and downright mind wrecking. It’s a feeling we can’t understand unless we’ve been there. At that time, amidst the sadness and emotional exhaustion, we are given a glimpse of understanding in the hadith of the Rasuul (Salallahu alayhi wasallam) where he was reported by Abu Hurayrah to have said “Remember often the destroyer of pleasure.”—Sunan Tirmidhi. Because nothing belonging to this dunya will be amusing or satisfying in that moment. It also serves as a wakeup call that we’ll be there someday. We’ll be in that position where we’ll be cried for.
When we appreciate these feelings, we’ll realize that it’s pointless to hold a grudge, to hate, to be envious and have any other negative feelings towards others. Because this life is just a passageway to a destination better than we deserve.
The Rasuul (Salallahu alayhi wasallam) said as reported by Ibn Umar ‘Be in the world as if you were a stranger or a traveler along the path.” And ibn Umar would say, “If you survive till late afternoon, do not expect [to be alive in] the morning. If you survive till morning, do not expect [to be alive in] the late afternoon. Take from your health before your sickness and your life before you death.”( al-Bukhari).
How much is this world worth? Is it really worth the heartache? We are too engrossed in it that we only focus on what will fulfill us here. Always forgetting that it’s a temporary place for us. We all including this world will come to an end.
We lose sight of our purpose in life-which is to obey and please Allah as much as we can. It does not matter how much mistakes or how far gone we are. Mufti Ismail Menk once said “Life is not guaranteed at all but death is guaranteed upon all, yet we still prepare for life more than death”. We can always reverse the situation if we mean well. Learn and put the knowledge to practice. We can always take a break once in a while to reset our values and priorities. Ask ourselves questions like what do we need to make our final destination comfortable? What are we really pursuing and is it worth it? Do not procrastinate change for tomorrow, the decree of your death can be today.
May Allaah (Subhanahu wata’ala) ease our affairs, make us steadfast in HIS diin and give us the strength to bare the patience of losing our loved ones. Ameen
Your Sister
UmmuAbdillah
