All praise is due to Allah, who reminds his slaves that their lives have an appointed time and that the successful ones are those who are saved from the Fire and entered into Paradise, when He says:

"Everyone shall taste death. And only on the Day of Resurrection shall you be paid your wages in full. And whoever is removed away from the Fire and admitted to Paradise, he indeed is successful. The life of this world is only the enjoyment of deception." [Al-Qur'an 3:185]

And He reminds them that death will reach them no matter where they are when He says:

"Where ever you may be, death will overtake you even if you are in fortresses built up strong and high!" [Al-Qur'an 4:78]

And He reminds them that regardless of what their status in this world, they will face death. Even if they are from the greatest of warriors, or the most powerful of rulers, or even a Prophet when He addressed His Messenger, upon whom be peace, saying:

"Verily, you will die and indeed they shall die as well." [Al-Qur'an 39:30]

And reminds them that they should take heed, because a time will come where they will ask for respite to do more deeds yet shall not be granted this request when He says:

"And spend of that with which We have provided you, before death comes to one of you and he says: 'My Lord! If only You would give me respite for a little while (i.e. return to the worldly life), then I should give sadaqah of my wealth, and be among the righteous.' And Allah grants respite to none when his appointed time (death) comes. And Allah is All-Aware of what you do." [Al-Qur'an 63:10-11]

Death is indeed a reality that we all have to face one day. For most of us we will have to go through mourned times over our loved ones before we actually face our own destiny. And at that time, even though we may not realize it, Allah is bestowing a great favor upon us by reminding us that we too will one day face such a fate, so it is indeed time to be reminded.

"And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him. And that you be dutiful to your parents. If one of them or both of them attain old age in your life, say not to them a word of disrespect, nor shout at them but address them in terms of honour. And lower unto them the wing of submission and humility through mercy, and say: 'My Lord! Bestow on them Your Mercy as they did bring me up when I was little.' " [Al-Qur'an 17:23-24]

by Abu 'Abdir-Rahman Navaid Aziz Al- Madeenah An-Nabaweyyah

Source: www.islamicity.com

Narrated by Matar ibn Ukamis: Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said: When Allah decrees that a person is to die in a certain land, He creates a need for him to go there. (Tirmidhi, 110)

by Imâm al-Haramain 'Abdul-Bârî ibn ‘Awad ath-Thubaytî

All praise is due to Almighty Allaah Who has made Ramadaan a month of plentiful reward. I thank Him for favoring us with these last ten days. I testify that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allaah and that Muhammad r is His Servant and Messenger. May Allaah bestow peace and blessings upon him, his family and companions.

Brothers in Islaam, fear Allaah as He should be feared and be mindful of Him openly and secretly.

“O you who believe! fear Allaah as He should be feared and die not except in the state of Islaam.” (Aal ‘Imraan 3:102).      

Fellow Muslims, Our Almighty Lord says

“And march forth in the way (which leads) to forgiveness from your Lord and for Paradise as wide as are the heavens and the earth, prepared for the pious.” (Aal ‘Imraan 3:133).

He also says:

“Race one with another in hastening towards Forgiveness from your Lord, and towards Paradise, the width whereof is as the width of heaven and earth, prepared for those who believe in Allaah and His Messengers. That is the Grace of Allaah which He bestows on whom He pleases. And Allaah is the Owner of Great Bounty.” (Al-Hadeed 57:21)[1]      

Dear brethren, when one carefully looks at peoples’ behavior, he will notice different kinds of competition. Some people do compete over this mundane world as to conquer and hold it in their possession; some compete over the attainment of high positions; some compete to achieve fame and stardom and some compete on building luxurious houses just as if this world is an everlasting one.

Let us leave those people moving directionlessly in their fake pleasures and ponder over a better and sublime competition; a competition that is encouraged by the Glorious Qur’aan. It is a race towards the Pleasure of Allaah and the Paradise, a competition in the field of righteous deeds. It is a competition in which the participants are wise people who are aware that this live is short hence they compete with one another in investing their lives in acts of obedience to Allaah.
The Messenger of Allaah saws kindled the fire of race towards what pleases Allaah in the hearts of his companions when he said:

“The Mufarridoon have gone ahead!’ The companions asked: ‘Who are the Mufarridoon O Messenger of Allaah!’ He answered: “They are those men and women who remember Allaah much.” (Muslim)

He also said

“Should I teach something with which you can catch up with those who have gone ahead of you and outstrip those who are behind you and none will be better than you except the one who does as you do?’ They said: ‘Yes! O Messenger of Allaah!’ He said: ‘You should glorify Allaah, exalt him and praise Him 33 times at the end of every prayer.” (Muslim)

He also said:

“If people had known the reward of Aadhaan and the first row (in the congregational prayer) and would not get a way to it except by casting lots they would have certainly done that; and if they had known the reward in the midnoon prayer, they would have raced with one another to attend it. If they had known the reward in the late evening prayer (‘Ishaa) and the dawn prayer (Fajr) they would have attended it even if they had to crawl.” (Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim).

When you read the stories of the Sahaabah, you will see that they are resolute, enthusiastic and serious as far as good deeds are concerned to the extent that the poor among them do compete with the rich in carrying out meritorious acts even though they had no excessive money with which they could compete with them in acts of charity.

Some poor companions came to the Messenger of Allaah saws one day and asked him of what they could do to be ahead of the rich in terms of reward.

They said: ‘O Messenger of Allaah! The rich people have made away with rewards. They pray as we do, fast as we do and spend their excessive wealth in charity.’
He answered: ‘Has Allaah not provided for you what you can do charity with? Indeed, every glorification (Subhaanallaah) that you do is charity, every exaltation (Allaahu Akbar) that you do is charity, every praise that you give(Alhamdulillaah) is charity, every ‘Laailaaha illa Allaah’ that you say is charity, enjoining what is good is charity, preventing evil is charity and even doing marital intercourse with one’s spouse is charity.’
They said: ‘O Messenger of Allaah! How can we enjoy ourselves and still get reward for it?’
He replied: ‘Tell me, if he does it in an unlawful way, is it not going to be a sin? Likewise is when he does it in a lawful way, he is going to get a reward for that.” (Muslim).

Here is a good example of the Sahaabahs’ competition with one another in the field of meritorious deeds. In the days of the Battle of Badr, Sa‘d ibn Khaythamah draw lots with his father as to whom of both will participate in the battle. Sa‘d’s lot emerged and his father told him: ‘My son, give me preference over yourself today.’Sa‘d answered: ‘If it is other things beside Paradise I would have done that.’So Sa‘d went to the Battle of Badr and was martyred. His father later took part in the Battle of Uhud and also got martyred.
The noble and commendable competitions that occurred between Aboo Bakr and ‘Umar is also well-known though ‘Umar never succeeded in outstripping Aboo Bakr. To cite an example, the Messenger of Allaah saws once called upon his companions to give charity.

‘Umar saw that as an oppurtunity to outstrip Aboo Bakr and he said: ‘Today, I am going to surpass Aboo Bakr.’ He said: ‘So I came with half of my property. The Messenger of Allaah r asked: ‘What have you left for your family?’ I answered: ‘As much as this.’ Then Aboo Bakr came with all that he has and the Messenger of Allaah r said: ‘What have you left for your family?’ He replied: ‘I left for them Allaah and his Messenger.’ It is then that I said: ‘I shall never compete with him on anything again.” (At-Tirmidhee).

It is quite wonderful that Aboo Bakr participated competitively in all aspects of good deeds; be it spending in the cause of Allaah, worship and propagation of Islaam.

Actually, entering the competition for meritorious acts creates in a Muslim a desire to meet up with those who are above him in terms of devotion, Da‘wah and Jihaad. Some ‘Ulamaa while commenting on the verse:

“Hasten towards all that is good” (Al-Baqarah 2:1448) said: “Whoever beats others to the righteous deeds in this world will be the foremost on the Last Day and the foremost people are the highest in position.”

Allaah says while lauding the foremost:

“Verily, they used to hasten on to do good deeds, and they use to call on Us with hope and fear, and used to humble themselves before Us.” (Al-Anbiyaa 21:90)      

The above verses are enough to make a Muslim aim for the highest possible rank through a noble race towards all acts of worship. As for the Taabi‘een, they have laid a great example in the arena of competition over good deeds. They used to rebuke their souls whenever it lagged behind in the race towards righteous acts and they would tell it:

“The Sahaabah rode behind the Prophet saws on the backs of the perfectly breeded race horses and we are riding on the backs of lame donkeys. Do you then want to hamper our movement so that they can win the Messenger of Allaah saws while we remain on the way? ..By Allaah, we shall meet up with them even though we have to crawl so that they will know that those they left behind are really men.”

If you therefore, want to increase your reward in the hereafter, hasten to join the arena of the great race, for you are now in the season of good deeds. The highest thing that people can compete for is the Paradise which is as wide as are the heavens and the earth. Allaah says:

“Such is the Paradise which We shall give as an inheritance to those of Our slaves who have been Al-Muttaqun (pious and righteous persons).” (Maryam 19:63)      

These are the last days of Ramadaan; days of bounties and rewards. It is a period in which supplications are answered and it is the best time to beseech the Lord of the heavens and the earth. For this let the competitors do compete.

Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim reported from Aaishah that she said:

“In the last ten days of Ramadaan, the Prophet saws would tighten his loincloth, spend his nights in worship and wake up his household.”

These three short sentences explain the manner in which the Prophet r spent the last ten days of Ramadaan in the most beautiful way. You all know how busy the Prophet r used to be, yet he would not allow this best season to go unused in acts of worship. He would devote himself exclusively during these ten days to Ibaadah, seeking for Allaah’s reward. He would do all this, regardless of the fact that Allaah has forgiven him all his sins. What then are we doing?!!

The phrase ‘ would tighten his loincloth’ is used figuratively to mean: ‘he would exert all efforts and vigor in the acts of ‘Ibaadah’.The Messenger of Allaah would preoccupy himself with different kinds of worship throught the day and night. You would see him standing in prayer, doing a lot of Istighfaar, reciting the glorious Qur’aan and raising his hand in prayer doing all these in the quest for Lailatu-Qadr upon which a Soorah -that will continue to be recited till the Day of Ressurection- was revealed:

“We have sent it (this Qur’an) in the night of Al-Qadr (Decree). And what will make you know the night of Al-Qadr (Decree). The night of Al-Qadr (Decree) is better than a thousand months (i.e. worshipping Allah in that night is better than worshipping Him a thousand months, i.e. 83 years and 4 months). Therein descend the angels and the Ruh [Jibrael (Gabriel)] by Allah’s Permission with all Decrees. Peace! (All that night, there is Peace and Goodness from Allah to His believing slaves) until the appearance of dawn.”      

Yet, it is quite unfortunate that Satan do overpower some people and prevent them from remembrance of Allaah and other acts of worship during these good and merciful seasons with trivialities like how to spend the Eid nights, what to wear, passing the night in pastime and the day in sleep hence making them lose the reality of fasting and the blessing of Laylatul-Qadr (night of majesty).

Dear brethren, your Lord is throwing His doors of Mercy opened and is providing you with means to prosperity. Why then would some people be unheeding?! He is saying:

“O ‘Ibaadee (My slaves) who have transgressed against themselves (by committing evil deeds and sins)! Despair not of the mercy of Allaah, verily Allaah forgives all sins. Truly, He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. And turn in repentance and in obedience with true Faith (Islamic Monotheism) to your Lord and submit to Him (in Islam), before the torment comes upon you, then you will not be helped.” (Az-Zumar 39:53-54)      

Footnotes
[1] This verse is included by the translator for its direct connection to the topic.

HOW often do we remember death? Yes death, a harsh and fearful reality that escapes no living person. None can avoid it. The people around a dying person don’t have the ability to prevent it. Death happens every moment and it does not discriminate between the young and the old, the rich and the poor, the strong and the weak. Everyone is equal in front of death, because no one has any means to escape it or use intercession to avoid it or even delay it.
 
Allah says in the Qur’an:

“Say: Indeed, the death from which you flee will surely meet you, then you will be sent back to Allah, the All-Knower of the unseen and the seen. And He will then tell you what you used to do.” (Qur’an, 62:8)
 
“Every one is going to taste death. And We shall make a trial of you with evil and with good, and to Us will you be returned.” (Qur’an, 21:35)
 
Our hearts tremble with fear on the thought of this indispensable reality. A person’s actions are sealed with death and what comes after that is more fearful, because will there be a place where one can flee to in order to escape the afflictions suffered in the grave? What will our reply be when we are questioned in the grave? None of us know where we will end up. Will it be Paradise whose width is like the heavens and the earth or will it be the Fire whose fuel is of men and stones?
 
Ibrahim Bin Adham (d. 160H) was asked about the verse: “Call upon Me and I will respond to you.” (Qur’an, 40:60)

that: “We call upon Allah, but He does nor respond to us.” So Ibrahim replied:
 
“You know Allah; yet you do not obey Him. You recite the Qur’an; yet you do not act according to it. You know Shaytan; yet you continue agreeing with him. You claim to love Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him); yet you abandon his Sunnah. You claim to love Paradise, yet you do not work for it. You claim to fear the Fire; yet you do not stop sinning.
 
You say ‘indeed death is true’; yet you have not prepared for it. You busy yourselves with the faults of others; yet you do not look at your own faults. You eat the sustenance that Allah provides for you; yet you are not grateful to Him. And you bury your dead; yet you have not heeded its lesson.” (Ibn Rajab’s Al-Khushu’-fis-Salah, pg. 62)
 
This reality must be firmly established in our heart – the reality that life in this world is limited and has an appointed end, and that this end will surely come. Sheikh Ali Hasan Al-Halabi mentions some good reflections in his book Al-Mawt:
 
“The righteous will die; and the wicked will die. The warriors who fight jihad will die; and those who sit at home will die. Those who busy themselves with correct beliefs will die; and those who treat people as their slaves will die. The brave who reject injustice will die; and the cowards who seek to cling to this vile life will die. The people of lofty goals and ambitions will die; and the wretched who live for cheap enjoyment will die.
 
“...So keep death in mind, and the passing on to the next life, and the number of sins that one has committed and the small amount of good that one has done. Think of the good that you would earnestly like to do at that time – then bring that forward and do it today. And think of all those things which you would desire to clear yourself of – then clear yourself from them now.”

Source: Received as an email

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by Shaykh Abû Amînah Bilâl Philips

The second way is that we remember the Hereafter, to remember our death. The one thing that we are one hundred per cent certain of - even if we have some doubt as to whether there is really a God; even if we wrongly wonder if what we are practising is really the truth when there are so many other people doing so many other things - is that we are going to die.

But our lives are such that we become so occupied with the things of this life that we forget that we are going to die. As Allâh said, the gathering of wealth has deluded them to the realities of life and they only come awake when they end up in their graves

"The mutual rivalry for piling up (the good things of this world) diverts you (from the more serious things), until ye visit the graves. But nay, ye soon shall know the reality." [Qur’ân At-Takâthur 102:1-3]

This is a fearful statement, that we should live lives unconscious of our deaths and thereby be lost in trivialities, things that are really ultimately not going to benefit us in the next life.

Consequently, Prophet Muhammad SallAllâhu 'Alayhi wa sallam had said:

I used to forbid you from visiting the graves in the early part of Islâm. But now I command you to visit them because they serve to remind you of the next life.

"I [once] had forbidden you from visiting graves, [and I now enjoin] you to do so, so that the visit may serve as a beneficial reminder." (related by Muslim and others)

Al-Hâkim's version :

"…for [such visits] soften the heart, bring tears to the eyes, and serve as a reminder of the Hereafter, [but be careful] not to speak forbidden expressions [i.e. while visiting]." (Sahîh al-Jâmi' 4584)

To go to the graveyard, reflecting on the state of those in the grave (not necessarily of your relatives alone). As the Prophet SallAllâhu 'Alayhi wa sallam said, " The grave is either a garden from the gardens of Paradise or a hole from the holes of Hell Fire." There are people in the graves who are calling out for help but there is no one to help. When Munkar and Nakîr come and ask them, “ Who is your Lord?” “ What is your religion?” “ Who was the Prophet that was sent to you?” they will be unable to answer!

Narrated Anas: The Prophet said,

"When a human being is laid in his grave and his companions return and he even hears their foot steps, two angels come to him and make him sit and ask him: What did you use to say about this man, Muhammad? He will say: I testify that he is Allâh's slave and His Apostle. Then it will be said to him, 'Look at your place in the Hell-Fire. Allâh has given you a place in Paradise instead of it.' " The Prophet added, "The dead person will see both his places. But a non-believer or a hypocrite will say to the angels, 'I do not know, but I used to say what the people used to say! It will be said to him, 'Neither did you know nor did you take the guidance (by reciting the Qur’ân).' Then he will be hit with an iron hammer between his two ears, and he will cry and that cry will be heard by whatever approaches him except human beings and jinns."[Volume 2, Book 23, Number 422]

This is not something we can memorise in preparation for the questions, because it is not a matter of not knowing, but that we will be incapable of answering as part of the degradation of that life. We know that the answer is the key for the next life, but we cannot use the key. We don't have access to it because it never entered our hearts in this life. If it did not enter our hearts in this life that Allâh is our Lord and that Muhammad is our Prophet and that Islâm is our religion, then that knowledge will not benefit us in the next life.

So we are encouraged to visit the graves and on that basis, this is not unique to men, for the benefits that come from visiting he graves is not unique to men. This is why some scholars argue that visiting the graves is not prohibited to women, but that it is the frequent visits that are prohibited, due to the sensitivity of their nature. Hence not regular visits, but to go from time to time, as they need the reminder just as men need the reminder.

Allâh describes those, in the Qur’ân, who when they reflect on the Hereafter, are affected. It affects them in the nights. “ They slept little in the night and in the hours before dawn, they were found seeking Allâh's forgiveness.” They wake up in the night with the remembrance of the life to come – the trials of the grave and the Judgement to come. These lead them to get up from their beds at a time when sleep is so sweet.

Brothers and sisters! Let us reflect on that life to come. Let us reflect on the process after death; the process in dying itself - how the souls are taken from the bodies of believers, as the Prophet SallAllâhu 'Alayhi wa sallam said, " like water dropping from the spout of a bucket”; but for the disbelievers, " like silk being drawn over thorns ", tearing away. That soul that fears Allâh is taken in the next life up into the Heavens and the angels of the Heavens will praise it. It will return to that body and a Garden from Paradise will be opened up to it and it will lie in that state till Resurrection. But for those whose hearts have hardened towards the remembrance of Allâh, the soul will be barred entrance into the Heavens. It will be thrown back into the body. Their evil deeds will come before them as a horrible creature and they will suffer torments. A widow from Hell will be open and the heat will be over them until Resurrection.

And what happens on the Resurrection, when we stand before Allâh and answer for each and every deed that we have done, when nothing escapes Allâh, when the things that we have in this life will be of no benefit to us. The only thing that will benefit us is to stand before Allâh with a healthy heart.

Source: www.islaam.net

To read the third method of acheiving a soft heart: Click Here

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By Sheikh Ahmad Kutty

"(Namely) those whose lives the angels take in a state of purity, saying (to them) "Peace be on you; enter ye the Garden, because of the good which ye did (in the world)." (16:32)

"If thou couldst but see how the wicked (do fare) in the flood of confusion at death!― the angels stretch forth their hands, (saying) "Yield up your souls. this day shall ye receive your reward a penalty of shame, for that ye used to tell lies against Allah, and scornfully to reject of His Signs!" (6:93)

Death is a tense moment both for the dying and for relatives and friends. The dying person is in a process of passing into the other world, and experiencing things which the living would never understand. He has a complete replay of his entire life's performance in flash, and has intimations of what awaits him in the other world. Thus the believer is given good tidings and the disbeliver is given bad tidings. A believer rejoices, and a disbeliver feels depressed, dejected and vainly asks for a second chance.

Allah says,

"And spend something (in charity) out of the substance which We have bestowed on you, before death should come to any of you and he should say "O my Lord! why didst thou not give me respite for a little while? I should then have given (largely) in charity, and I should have been one of the doers of good." But to no soul will Allah grant respite when the time appointed (for it) has come: and Allah is well-acquainted with (all) that ye do." (63: 10-11)

The dying is visited by the angels of death who seize his soul. In a hadith reported by Abu Hurayrah, The Prophet (upon whom be Allah's blessings and peace) said: The angels will descend upon a person who is nearing death. If he is good the angels will say, "Come out! O good soul proceeding from a good body! Come out in an honorable way, and rejoice in God's bounty and favor, and a Lord who is ever happy with you."

"The angels  will then escort his soul to the higher heavens, and in each heaven he will be greeted with the same sweet words. When the door opens, the inhabitants will ask, "who is there?" The angels will reply, "So and so (mentioning the person's name)." The inhabitants will say, "Welcome! O good soul proceeding from a good body, enter ye with full honor, and rejoice in the bounty and pleasure of Allah." His soul is then taken from one heaven to the next and eventually is escorted to the presence of Allah, the most exalted."

"As for the evil soul, the angels will say, "Come out, O evil soul dwelling in an evil body. Come out despised, and be warned of a fire, bitter drinks, and all sorts of torments." His souls will then be escorted to the heavens by angels, but he will be met with a stern, harsh greeting. The angels will ask for the door to open and the inhabitants will ask, "who is there?" The angels will then reply "So and so (Mentioning the person's name)." The inhabitants will further respond, "O evil soul proceeding from an evil body! Ye are unwelcome! Return ye despised! For the doors of heavens are not open for ye. His soul will then be sent back from heaven and returned to the grave." (Reported by Ibn Majah)

A Muslim, therefore, constantly keeps the final hour in his consciousness and is never slack with respect to his duties in this life and prior to his death. He desires to appear before his Lord in a state that is pleasing to Allah. He should be praying all along

Say: "Truly, my prayer and my service of sacrifice, my life and my death are (all) for Allah, the Cherisher of the Worlds" (6:162)

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Muhammed alShareef

In the name of Allah, the Merciful, the Mercy giving. We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides, none can misguide. And whoever Allah allows to go astray, none can guide them aright. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, alone, and that Muhammad is His Servant and Messenger. To begin..

Al Fudayl ibn Iyaadh Rahimahu Allah once sat with a senior and asked him, "How old are you?" The man replied, "60 years old." "Did you know," said Al Fudayl, "that for 60 years you have been travelling towards your Lord, and that you have almost arrived." The man was reduced to silence. He whispered, "Inna lillaahi wa Inna Ilayhi Raaji'oon (To Allah we belong and to Him we return)." Al Fudayl asked, "Do you know the meaning of that statement. You are saying that you are Allah's slave and that to Him you are returning. Whoever knows that he is the slave of Allah, and that to Him he shall return, should know that he shall be stopped on the day of judgment. And whoever knows that he will be stopped, let him also know that he will be responsible for what he did in life. And whoever knows that he will be responsible for what he did, let him know that he will be questioned. And whoever knows that he will be questioned, let him prepare an answer now!" "What then shall I do," asked the man. "It is simple," said Al Fudayl. "Do good in what is left of your life, forgiven shall be your past. If not, you shall be taken to account for the past and what is to come."

In the not-so-far-away days of old, whenever a journey was to be undertaken proper provisions had to be prepared. The deserts were long, hot, and harsh. Unmerciful. There were no truck stops to fill up with Doritos, or rest stops to buy a coke from a vending machine. In fact, there was not even a human in sight for miles upon miles of barren sand dunes.

Thus, you had to have the provision with you before you made the journey. Enough food, enough water, enough everything to carry you to your destination.

From here, in the verses dealing of Hajj, when everyone shall have to make some sort of journey to reach the Ka'bah, Allah tuned the attention of His slaves to another journey, a journey every soul is traveling, whether they know it or care to just remain heedless. Allah turned their attention to the journey to the Hereafter, to Paradise or Hell.

[And take a provision (with you) for the journey; verily the best provision is Taqwa (piety and righteousness).] Al Baqarah 2:197

Ibn Umar narrates: one day I was with the Messenger of Allah (Sal Allahu Alayhi wa Sallam). He then turned to me, held my shoulders with both of his blessed hands, and said: "Be in this life like a stranger or a traveler."

And whenever Ibn Umar narrated this to his disciples he would add: "If you reach the evening, do not await (to be alive) by dawn, And if you reach dawn, do not await (to be alive) by evening. Take advantage of your Health before you fall sick. And take advantage of your life, before you die." Bukhari

Your story and mine in this life should be the story of a stranger in town or a traveler. Recently, the writer lived the life of a stranger about to begin a journey. It had been six years that he had lived in Madinah Munawwarah and now had come the time to move on. In the last days, he would buy a bar of soap and think, "will I be around long enough to use the whole bar or should I get a smaller one." Gadgets and inventions bounced off the supermarket's shelves. It all looked interesting, but there was no time to enjoy it, it had to be left on the shelf. The journey was about to begin. A few extra trips were made to the Prophet's Masjid. Concentration was up a few notches in prayer. The journey was about to begin.

When our father and mother, Adam and Hawwa' Alayhumas Salam were expelled from Paradise, their hearts continued to sob in remembrance of their first home. You know how it is when some youth go to camp. Night after night they cry homesick. Well that's how our parents were. And as their children, believers in Allah, His Messenger, and the hereafter, that is the kind of homesickness we should have day after day, until we come home, in sha'Allah. That is what a stranger feels; this is how we should go through life.

The Prophet Sal Allahu Alayhi wa Sallam said, "What have I got to do with the material world. The example of the material world and I is that of a traveler. Traveling in the afternoon heat, he stopped to rest under the shade of a tree for some moments. Then, he rose and left it."- Ahmad, Tirmidhi. The hadith is Hasan.

The journey: life. The destination: Paradise or Hellfire. Ali Radi Allahu 'Anhu used to say, "The material world has gotten up to leave you and the Hereafter has gotten up on it's way towards you. Both of them have children, so be from amongst the children of the Hereafter and not from the children of the material world. For verily, today is deeds and no accountancy, and tomorrow is accountancy and no deeds."

A Wiseman once said, "Strange is he who has the material world walking away from him and the hereafter walking towards him. How could he busy himself with what is leaving him and turn his back to that which is coming towards him."

This is the journey that we are all traveling; now it is up to us to take advantage of the time. Muhammad ibn Waasi' Rahimahu Allah was asked once how he was feeling. He replied, "What's your opinion of someone who travels a mile towards the hereafter every single day?"

Dear brother, dear sister. Every soul is on this journey. Some have understood this and are spending their days in preparation for the questions to come, for the repayment. Others are living life "to the fullest" as they say, heedless and negligent of the hereafter. Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'Alaa describes the day that they will finally wake up and smell the fire:

[(It will be said to the sinners): "Indeed you were heedless of this, now We have removed your covering, and sharp is your sight this Day!] Qaaf 50/ 22

They are living in a satanic intoxication. All that concerns them is a new car, a bigger house, and a handsome mate. Some wake up in this life with time to repent. Others will here the above verse when regret will be worthless.

Part II: The Heedless

In Surah Al Qiyaamah, Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'Ala - describes the extraction of the soul, those last minutes. He probably went to sleep that night not intending to pray Fajr. He promised his kids they would go to Disney Land in the summer. He promised his wife a new dress. He promised himself a new car if he beat his golf score. Tonight, however, he had an unexpected visitor. O the visitor had an appointment with him, he was just careless and forgot.

[Nay, when (the soul) reaches to the collar bone (i.e. up to the throat in it's exit)]26

The soul does not leave the entire body in one swoop. It leaves body part by body part until it reaches the collarbone, until it reaches the throat. His legs were dead, his arms were dead. The soul gargled in his throat. He screamed. His wife and children ran to his side. What's wrong? What's wrong? Not now, he is about to begin another journey.

[And it will be said: "Who can cure him and save him from death?"] 27

Even in the last breaths, the wife runs to the phone to call an ambulance. The children look left and right for someone to save their dad. Nay, no one can save him from death when death arrives. Everyone shall die.

[And (the dying person) will conclude that it is the time of departure (death)] 28

Reality has hit him now. He knows this is the end. The time for departure has arrived, the journey is about to begin. What is he departing from though. From a Quran he used to recite after Asr? From 4 rakas he used to pray during those long winter nights? Was he even departing from the 5 daily prayers?

[And leg will be joined with another leg (i.e. shrouded)] 29

Strangers washed his body, strange hands shrouded his body, strangers prayed on his body. Down, down into that hole that was waiting for him from the day he entered this world. Now, the journey begins...

[The drive will be, on that Day, to your Lord (Allah)!] 30

Dear brother, dear Sister. Do not leave your repentance till Ramadan. Do not wait until you go for Hajj. Do not even wait till tomorrow. Do it now and prepare for this journey. Come back to Allah before it is too late. Now.

Ali Radi Allahu 'anhu once stood at the head of a grave and said to his companion, "if he had a chance to return to this life, what do you think he would do?" His companion replied, "He would do nothing but good deeds." Ali Radi Allahu 'anhu then said, "If it is not going to be him, then let it be you."

If you are young and handsome now, fear Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'Ala and cover as He commanded you. If you are healthy now, worship Allah Subhanahu wa Ta 'Ala as much as you can before you are old. If you are wealthy now, use your wealth for the sake of Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'Ala before the day comes when you may lose it. If you have some free time now, spend it memorizing Quran and reading Hadith before a time comes when you will not find the time. If you are alive now, take advantage of your life in preparation for the next leg of your journey, in preparation for your meeting with Allah Subhanahu wa Ta 'Ala.

Ibn Abbas Radi Allahu 'anhuma heard the Prophet - Sal Allahu Alayhi wa Sallam advising someone saying, "Take advantage of five before five: Your youth before your old age, your health before your sickness, your wealth before your poverty, your free time before you become occupied, and your life before your death."

Source: www.islamicawakening.com

Narrated Abu Sa'id Al-Khudri: Allah's Apostle said, "When the funeral is ready and the men carry it on their shoulders, if the deceased was righteous it will say, 'Present me (hurriedly),' and if he was not righteous, it will say, 'Woe to it (me)! Where are they taking it (me)?' Its voice is heard by everything except man and if he heard it he would fall unconscious." (Bukhari, 1238)

Narrated Anas bin Malik: Allah's Apostle said, "When carried to his grave, a dead person is followed by three, two of which return (after his burial) and one remains with him: his relative, his property, and his deeds follow him; relatives and his property go back while his deeds remain with him." (Bukhari, 6106)