By Haneesa Latif
What was the last thing you thought about before you went to sleep last night and the first thing as you woke up this morning? I bet it wasn’t death. ‘Death, but Im only young, I’ve got ages to go yet!’
As difficult as it may be to apprehend, death has no age; it can come at any time with no warning whatsoever. It won’t phone you and ask if you’re ready-‘no, oh ok, how does Monday sound then?’
We all know deep down that the day will come when we will be held accountable by the Almighty Creator, but most, if not all of us, try to forget what lays ahead. Is this because of guilt, ignorance or both?
The Prophet (pbuh) said: ‘Live in this world as though you are a stranger or a traveller (passing through it) [Muslim]. Our stay on earth is only for a short while, and it wont be long before we’ll be back-packing to our next destination-the grave, so let’s pack our suit cases with good deeds and begin preparing for the journey ahead.
Allah has promised us that ‘Every soul shall have a taste of death; and only on the Day of Judgement shall you be paid your full recompense’. (3:185) Death is inevitable; you can’t avoid it no matter what pills you’re popping or what elixir you’re drinking, so isn’t it time
you stopped making your false promises-Im sure most of you will be familiar with the following scenario:
Bro A: ‘It’s time for Maghrib, let’s go and pray salah.’
Bro B: ‘I’m just going to the library to get some work done.’
Bro A: ‘It’ll take you five minutes to pray. You can go to the library afterwards.’
Bro B: ‘errr…but I haven’t got wudu. I’ll pray at home. I’ve gotta go bruvs’ (and then bro B does a Lynford Christie sprint and mysteriously disappears…)
There’s only so many times you can avoid your salah before your time runs out.
What’s remarkable is that, regardless of the technological advances made in this day and age, nobody has been able to defy death. If you want life then you must take all that comes with it, and death is part of the package!
We have been blessed with natural fitrah-the ability to distinguish between good and bad, right and wrong, so we have no excuse in displeasing Allah, but as hard as it maybe, especially during our young lives, it is important that we look to the benefits attached to the worship of Allah as our motivation-Jannah.
However kushti you have it now driving around in your nice cars, living in your comfortable houses and luxurious lifestyles, forget it, because it all means nothing in comparison to the Gardens of Paradise. ‘What is the life of this world but amusement and play? But verily the home of the Hereafter-that is life indeed, if they but knew.’ (29:64).
Here’s something interesting that will have you thinking: ‘It is Allah that takes the souls at death; and those that die not (He takes) during their sleep; those on whom He has passed the decree of death, He keeps back (from returning to life) but the rest He send (to their bodies) for a term appointed. Verily in this are signs for those who reflect’. (39:42)
I expect a few of you have confused expressions on your faces-yes, you read correctly, our souls return back to Allah whilst we are sleeping. Freaked out? Do you now see how close death is to us; if you make it through the day don’t ever guarantee yourself that you’ll make it through the night. So, I wonder what you’ll be thinking about before you go to sleep tonight and as you wake up tomorrow morning!
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