Three Points about Joking

In the Name of Allaah, the Most Merciful…

Let us be reminded that while light-hearted, honest joking from time to time is permissible, there are indeed dangers in joking that many of us may not think about and therefore fall into, so let us be warned about them:

1) JOKES INVOLVING LIES

Indeed the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) warned us severely against using lies in our joking, with his statement:

ويل للذي يحدث بالحديث ليضحك به القوم فيكذب، ويل له، ويل له
“Woe to the one who lies to make people laugh, WOE TO HIM, WOE TO HIM!”

This is an authenitc hadeeth found in Sunan Abee Daawood (#4990), At-Tirmithee (#2315), and others.  At-Tirmithee called the hadeeth hasan, and Al-Albaanee agreed.

Someone may say, “Well, its obvious this joke is full of lies, but I’m not the one who made it up, I’m just passing it on.”

The reply: The hadeeth of the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) that Imaam Muslim brings in the introduction to his Saheeh could apply here:

كفى بالمرء كذبًا أن يحدث بكل ما سمع
“It is sufficient for a man to be considered a liar when he relays everything he hears.”

Lies in general are impermissible, in joking or outside of joking.  There are three exceptions to the general prohibition of lying in Islaam:

• Between spouses
• To correct a broken relationship
• In established military operations (jihad) under a Muslim government

Even in these three cases it must only be used to bring about a benefit.

The point is that none of the scholars exempted joking as a permissible form of lying.

2) EXCESSIVE JOKING

The Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) said:

لا تكثروا الضحك، فإن كثرة الضحك تميت القلب
“Don’t laugh too much! For verily, excessive laughter kills the heart!”

This is an authentic hadeeth found in Sunan Ibn Maajah (#4193).  Refer to Silsilat al-Ahaadeeth as-Saheehah (#506).

And he (sallallaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) also said:

والله لو تعلمون ما أعلم لضحكتم قليلا ولبكيتم كثيرا
“I swear by the One in whose hand is my soul, if you saw what I have seen, you would laugh a little, and cry a lot.” [Al-Bukhaaree & Muslim]

So the Muslim who recognizes his priorities in life does not get caught up in excessive joking, for example, joke books or comedy programs on TV or radio, since these things will only weaken his heart, keep it away from Allaah’s remembrance, or even kill it, and Allaah’s refuge is sought.

3) INSULTING PEOPLE IN JEST (Satire, Sarcasm, Roasting, etc.)

The disbelievers have a custom of intentionally insulting a person to honor him (?!), they call it a “roast.” They gather the best comedians together to humiliate their “honoree” on his 50th birthday, or his retirement party, or other big occasion. And from their customs as well is to jokingly insult a friend, out of love or respect (?!), as you may have seen.

They might say, “This is my friend, Fulaan, the fat pig,” and they all laugh, or, “My wife, the old ball and chain…” or other derogatory terms that are actually words of insult in their origin. They only spark hatred and do not achieve any goodness, so the Muslim must be the furthest away from this kind of action. The Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) said:

سباب المسلم فسوق، وقتاله كفر
“Insulting a Muslim is fusooq (sinful disobedience), and fighting him is kufr(ingratitude, a lesser kind of disbelief).” [Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim]

Or perhaps they may say these things without that person’s presence, then it is even worse. It falls into eating your brother’s dead flesh, the dreadful sin of backbiting.

And if someone said: “But it is understood by everyone to be good, honest fun…!”

The reply: Let us be reminded of Allaah’s Verse:

الخبيثات للخبيثين والخبيثون للخبيثات والطيبات للطيبين والطيبون للطيبات
( And bad things (filthy women, bad words, etc.) are for bad people, and bad people are for bad things.  Good things (upright women, kind words, etc.) are for good people, and good people are for good things. ) [Al-Qur'aan 24:26]

And the speech of His noble Messenger (sallallaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam):

من كان يؤمن بالله واليوم الآخر فليقل خيرا أو ليصمت
“Whoever believes in Allaah and the Last Day must speak with goodness or remain silent.” [Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim]

With these brief and simple points, let an honest Muslim open his heart to a beautiful reminder about how his Religion gives him personal honor and upright character, raising him above the silly and shameful behavior of the disbelievers.

And Allaah knows best.

Written by: Moosaa Richardson

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A Real Eye-Opener: Upset with the Qadr of Allaah!?

In the Name of Allaah…

Most people entertain bad thoughts about Allaah regarding their own personal situations and the situations of others.  The only ones who remain safe from this are those who truly know Allaah, His Names, His Attributes, and what His Wisdom and Right to be praised really entails.

So let every sincere, sound-minded individual focus on himself regarding this, and then repent to Allaah and seek His Forgiveness from the negative notions he entertains about his Lord.

Look closely at anyone!  You will find that people become upset with Qadr and blame things on it, saying that, “It should have been this way or that way…”

Some people behave this way only rarely, others more commonly!

Inspect yourself – Are you innocent!?

If you are saved from it, you are safe from something terrible… 
But really, I doubt you are even safe!

-Ibn al-Qayyim

This is a passage from the great writings of al-’Allaamah Ibn Qayyim al-Jowziyyah, as quoted in the book, Kitaab at-Towheed, by Shaykh Muhammad ibn ‘Abdil-Wahhaab.

This passage was an explanation of some Qur’aanic verses exposing the notions and ill assumptions of the hypocrites after the defeat suffered at the Battle of Uhud.  It is absolutely amazing how this great scholar tied the filthy beliefs of the hypocrites to our own hearts and actions, and guided us to take a an important personal lesson from the hidden enemies of Islaam and their false notions about the Wisdom of Allaah and His Qadr.

From the attributes of the hypocrites is that they do not submit to the Qadr of Allaah, instead they find fault with it, and claim that things would have been better had they been in charge of the affair!

Review Soorah Aal ‘Imraan (3:154).

Ibn al-Qayyim said, “Inspect yourself – Are you innocent?!”

I remind myself and my brothers and sisters in Islaam to sincerely think about the following statements and ponder over how distant we are from them in reality:

• “That’s just great!  This is why I hate Mondays!”
• “What is wrong with this laptop?  Another virus!!  And of course this would happen NOW, when I have all this important work to finish!!”
• “The car seems to break down every time I’m running late!”
• “My stupid cellphone keeps shutting down…!”
• “Oh great!  One more red light!  As if I’m not late enough!”
• “I stoved my toe on that stupid table!”

These small everyday trials we face and the emotions we react with are all part of our personal test.  Our reactions, beliefs, and statements are all being recorded!

With the above mentioned complaints and reactions, who are we actually displeased with?  We know that the table didn’t do anything to our toe, right?  We know that cars, cellphones, and laptops don’t actually choose to do things to harm us in reality, right?

So then, again – WHO or WHAT are we really displeased with when uttering these kinds of statements?

We desperately need our spouses, friends, and companions to remind us, quite simply, with the following question:

Are you unhappy with the Qadr of Allaah?

Let us replace the bad reactions mentioned with the very best guidance available, the guidance of the Prophet Muhammad (sallallaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam):

وإن أصابك شيء فلا تقل لو أني فعلت كذا لكان كذا وكذا لكن قل قدر الله وما شاء فعل…
“…And if something (bad) befalls you, do not say, ‘Had I only done such-and-such, then such-and-such would have happened, rather say: Qadrullaahi, wa maa shaa’ fa’ala (This is from the Qadr of Allaah, and He does whatever He wills).” [Muslim]  

Let us affirm everything we face as the Qadr of Allaah, submit to Allaah being pleased with the trial He (and no one else) has chosen for us, and be afraid of a bad reaction that would be written against us and handed to us on the Day of Account.

And Allaah knows best.

Written by: Moosaa Richardson

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The Relationship Between Supplication and Ramadhan

Yousuf Jaafar Idris
Reprinted from Islaam.com

Making dua is a part of the month of Ramadhan. The connection between the noble practice of supplicating to Allah and the honored month of Ramadhan is shown in the following ways.

The ayah of supplication is preceded and followed by ayaat of fasting (2:183-187).

183. O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that ye may (learn) self-restraint,-

184. (Fasting) for a fixed number of days; but if any of you is ill, or on a journey, the prescribed number (Should be made up) from days later. For those who can do it (With hardship), is a ransom, the feeding of one that is indigent. But he that will give more, of his own free will,- it is better for him. And it is better for you that ye fast, if ye only knew.

185. Ramadhan is the (month) in which was sent down the Qur'an, as a guide to mankind, also clear (Signs) for guidance and judgment (Between right and wrong). So every one of you who is present (at his home) during that month should spend it in fasting, but if any one is ill, or on a journey, the prescribed period (Should be made up) by days later. Allah intends every facility for you; He does not want to put to difficulties. (He wants you) to complete the prescribed period, and to glorify Him in that He has guided you; and perchance ye shall be grateful.

186. When My servants ask thee concerning Me, I am indeed close (to them): I listen to the prayer of every suppliant when he calleth on Me: Let them also, with a will, Listen to My call, and believe in Me: That they may walk in the right way.

187. Permitted to you, on the night of the fasts, is the approach to your wives. They are your garments and ye are their garments. Allah knoweth what ye used to do secretly among yourselves; but He turned to you and forgave you; so now associate with them, and seek what Allah Hath ordained for you, and eat and drink, until the white thread of dawn appear to you distinct from its black thread; then complete your fast Till the night appears; but do not associate with your wives while ye are in retreat in the mosques. Those are Limits (set by) Allah. Approach not nigh thereto. Thus doth Allah make clear His Signs to men: that they may learn self-restraint.

The Prophet (s.A.a.w.s.) said that the du’a of the fasting one is accepted.

“Indeed for the fasting person, when he brakes his fast, is a supplication that will never be rejected.”

“Three people’s supplication will not be rejected: a just ruler, a fasting person until he brakes his fast, and an oppressed person.”

It is encouraged to make du’a in laylat’ul-qadr.

Aisha asked the Prophet (s.A.a.w.s.) “What should I say on Laylat’il-qadr?” And he replied, “O Allah, indeed you are a Pardoner, and you love pardon; so pardon me.”

The Prophet (s.A.w.s.) supplicated all night before the battle of badr, which occurred during Ramadhan.

Manners of Supplication

Asking Allah alone

Do not make dua to anyone alongside Allah. (70:18)

Say (O Muhammad): I make dua unto Allah only, and I ascribe unto Him no partner. (70:20)

The Prophet (s.A.a.w.s.) said, “Dua is worship.” Making dua is an act of worship; and directing one’s worship to other than Allah alone is major shirk, a sin which nullifies the person’s islam altogether.

Praising Allah at the beginning of the dua

The primary example of praising Allah before beseeching Him-subhanahu wa ta’ala- is in Surah al-Fatiha,

All praise is to Allah, Lord of the Worlds

The Beneficent, The Merciful,

Owner of the Day of Judgement

You alone we worship

And You alone we ask for help

Guide us on the straight path,

The path of those You favored,

Not of the on whom is wrath, nor the astray.

The Prophet was sitting in a masjid and a man came, and prayed, “O Allah, forgive me and have mercy on me.” So the Prophet (s.A.a.w.s.) told him, “You were hasty. When you pray, praise Allah and send the salah on me, then ask Allah.”Another man came and he praised Allah and he sent the salah on the Prophet (s.A.a.w.s.); so he (s.A..a.w.s.) said, “O suppliant, ask Allah and your prayer will be answered.” (Narrated by at-Tirmidhi)

Sending the salah on the Prophet (s.A.a.w.s.)

“Every supplication will be denied until the suppliant prays upon the Prophet.” (hasan) NB. Not every dua should contain the salah upon the Prophet. In fact, he (s.A.a.w.s.) instructed his companions with several dua without the salah upon him (such as the dua of istikhara).

Repenting to Allah

Telling Allah about your situation

A mention of the mercy of thy Lord unto His servant Zakhariyyah—when he cried unto his Lord a cry in secret, saying, “My Lord! Lo! The bones of me wax feeble and my head is shining with grey hair, and I have never been unblest in prayer to Thee, my Lord. Lo! I fear my kinsfolk after me, since my wife is barren. Oh, give me from Thy presence a successor who shall inherit of me and inhereit of the house of Jacob. And make him, my Lord, acceptable (unto Thee).” (Maryam:2-6)

Al-Yaqeen and full awareness (“presence of the heart”)

The Prophet (s.A.a.w.s.) said, “Ask Allah with certainty that He will answer your prayers, and know that Allah will not accept the supplication from an absent heart.”(hasan, at-Tirmidhi)

Asking Allah three times

“If you ask Allah for the jannah three times, the jannah will say, ‘O Allah, make him enter jannah.’ And if you ask Allah to protect you from hellfire three times, hellfire will say, ‘O Allah, protect him from the hellfire.’”

NB. Not every supplication should be performed thrice.

Having patience

Man prayeth for evil as he prayeth for good. [Isra:11]

Abu Hurayrah reported that the Prophet (s.A.w.s.) said, “The person’s supplication will be answered unless he asks for sin or severing the ties of kinship, except if the person is hasty.” Then the Prophet (s.A.a.w.s.) was asked about hastiness. So the Prophet (s.A.a.w.s.) described it as, “The person says, ‘I asked, and I have not seen the answer.’ Then he leaves dua.” (Sahih Muslim)

NB. It is not considered haste in dua to ask for a speedy answer.

Asking with persistence (Al-Ilhah ala Allah)

The Prophet (s.A.w.s.) said, “When you ask Allah, ask with confidence.”

Some of the early Muslims used to say that the suppliant should be like a child when you ask Allah, crying until you are answered.

Asking in secret

An example of this lies in the dua of Zakariyyah,

“A mention of the mercy of thy Lord unto His servant Zakhariyyah—when he cried unto his Lord a cry in secret.” (19:2)

Benefits of this secrecy include sincerity and belief in Allah’s attributes (Hearing, Seeing, Closeness).

Mentioning the result you expect from the fulfillment of the du’a

As in the surah,

“(Moses) said: My Lord! Relieve my mind and ease my task for me; and loose a knot from my tongue, that they may understand my saying. Appoint for me a henchman from my folk, Aaron, my brother. Confirm my strength with him. And let him share my task, that we may glorify Thee much, and much remember Thee. Lo! Thou art ever Seeing us.” [Ta Ha:29-34]

Omitting details in the actual request

Such as in the ayah,

“Our Lord, give us good in this world, good in the hereafter, and save us from the punishment of the fire.” (2:201)

Aisha narrated that the Prophet (s.A.a.w.s.) used to like comprehensive supplications, and he would leave others. (Sahih, Abu Dawud)

One of the Sahaba saw his child asking, “O Allah, give me the right palace on the right side of jannah.” So he told his child, “Do not do that. Rather, ask Allah to enter you into jannah and to protect you from the fire.”

Tahaarah

It is better to have wudu when making dua.

Facing the qiblah

The Prophet (s.A.a.w.s.), when he climbed the Saffa and the Marwa, he would face the qiblah and make du’a.

To ask Allah by His names and attributes

Allah’s are the fairest names. Invoke Him by them. (7:180)

Raising the hands

Salman narrated from the Prophet (s.A.a.w.s.), “Surely Allah is Hayyee, and He loves to conceal the shortcomings of His servants. If His servant raises his hands, He does not let him go empty handed.”

NB. It is inappropriate to raise the hands in certain occasions of dua (i.e. during Friday khutbas) and sunnah upon other occasions (i.e. the dua for rain).

Not consuming Haram

On the authority of Abu Hurairah, The Messenger of Allah said,

“Allah the Almighty is good and accepts only that which is good. Allah has commanded the faithful to do that which he commanded the messengers, and the Almighty has said: ‘O ye messengers! Eat of the good things and do right.’ And Allah the Almighty has said, ‘O ye who believe! Eat of the good things wherewith We have provided you.’”

Then he (s.A.a.w.s.) mentioned [the case of] a man who, having journeyed far, is disheveled and dusty and who spreads out his hands to the sky [saying] : "O Lord! O Lord!" Meanwhile, his (the traveler’s) food is unlawful, his drink unlawful, his clothing unlawful, and he is nourished unlawfully; so how can he be answered!

(Related by Muslim)

Thinking well of Allah (Husnu thun bi’llah)

When the wife of Imran said, “My Lord! I have vowed unto Thee that which is in my belly as a consecrated (offering). Accept it from me, Lo! Thou, only Thou, art the Hearer, the Knower!” (3:38)

And your Lord hath said: Pray unto Me and I will hear your prayer. Lo! Those who scorn My service, they will enter hell, disgraced. (40:60)

An unto Thamud their brother Salih. He said, “O my people! Serve Allah, ye have no other God save Him. He brought you forth from the earth and hath made you husband it. So ask forgiveness of Him and turn unto Him repentant. Lo, my Lord is Nigh, Responsive. (11:61)

Hadith Qudsi: “I am as my servants thinks of me, and I am with him whenever he mentions me.”

Asking Allah by one’s good deeds

Bukhari and Muslim relate the hadith of the Prophet (s.A.a.w.s.) of the story of three men, who each supplicated to Allah by a good deed they had done earlier in their lives. As the story goes, “Three persons of a people before you were on a journey when they were overtaken by a storm and therefore they took shelter in a cave. A rock slipped down from the mountain and blocked the exit from the cave. One of them said, ‘The only way for deliverance left is to beseech Allah in the name of some virtuous deed.’” One of the men mentioned a good deed which they had done for Allah, and supplicated, “O Lord, if I did this thing seeking only Thy pleasure, then do Thou relieve us of the distress wrought upon us by this rock.” The rock moved, but not enough to free the men. So, the other two made similar supplications by their good deeds until the rock moved enough to free them.

Asking Allah in times of ease

The Prophet (s.A.a.w.s.) said, “Whoever is pleased that Allah answers his prayers during hardships and difficulties, let him make much supplication in times of ease.”(Hasan, at-Tirmidhi)

Choosing favored places.

For example, the Saffa and Marwa in Mecca are favored places, since the Prophet (sA.a.w.s.) made dua there.

Choosing favored times

The last third of the night is a favored time because Allah descends to the lowest heaven in that time and says, “Is there anyone asking for something so that I may grant him.”

Another favored time is between the adhan and iqamah, as the Prophet (sA.a.w.s.) told Anas, “Supplication between adhan and iqamah will never be rejected. So call upon Allah at that time.” (Authentic, Ibn Khuzaimah).

Another favored time is in sujud, as the Prophet (s.A.a.w.s.) said, “The servant is closest to his Lord while in sujud, so ask Allah in that time.”

Friday is also a preferred, especially in the last hour before maghrib.

Also, while the roosters crow, since the Prophet (s.A.a.w.s.) said, “When you hear the crowing of the rooster ask Allah from His favors because it saw an angel. And if you hear the braying of a donkey, seek refuge with Allah because it saw a devil.”

Since the Prophet (s.A.a.w.s.) said, “Two supplications will not be rejected: the supplication during adhan and under rain,” (hasan) then these two times are preferred for dua.

Supplication on Laylat’ul-Qadr, since it is a blessed and honored time. Aisha asked the Prophet (s.A.a.w.s.) “What should I say on Laylat’il-qadr?” And he replied, “O Allah, indeed you are a Pardoner, and you love pardon; so pardon me.”

Umm Salamah said, the Prophet (s.A.a.w.s.) entered when Abu Salamah was dying and he was looking at the heaven. So the Prophet (s.A.a.w.s.) closed his eyes and said, “When the soul is being seized, the eyes follow it.” Then some people from his relatives panicked. The Prophet (s.A.a.w.s) said, “Do not make du’a except for good. Indeed the angels will say, ‘Ameen’ for whatever you say. O Allah, fogive Abu Salamah, and raise his rank, and forgive us and forgive him, O Lord of the Universe, and expand his grave and illuminate it.”

Always remembering whom you are asking

You are asking Allah, Who loves to be asked, Who does not tire of suppliants, and He is Closest to you.

Miscellaneous Issues Related to Dua

Making dua for others

You can make dua for Others. The Prophet, sala Allahu alaihi wa salam, said“Whenever you make a supplication for another believer and he is not present, an angel will say ‘and same to you.’” One of the ethics when making dua to others is that, if you are going to make dua to yourself and others, start with yourself first, then you make dua to others. But if you are going to make dua for others only, then you don’t have to mention yourself first. An example of starting with one’s self is seen is the verse, “And those who came after them say, ‘Our Lord! Forgive us and our brethren who were before us in the faith…’” (59:10)

Wiping the face after making dua

It was never narrated that the Messanger of Allah, sala Allahu alaihi wa salam, wiped his honorable face during Salah, such as in Witr. If it is after Salah, the scholars of Hadith have differed in the Authenticity of the Hadiths regarding this issue, the correct opinion, inshallah, is that they are all inauthentic.Therefore it is better not to wipe the face after making dua. (There is a detailed research by the Muhaddith Sheikh Bakr Abu Zaid about this issue). And Allah knows best.

Making dua against oneself

Don’t make Dua’a against yourself or against your children.

The Prophet, sala Allahu alaihi wa salam, said, “Don’t make dua against yourselves. Don’t make dua against your children. Don’t make dua against your maids. And don’t make dua against your wealth. It might be in a time in which Allah answers the prayers.” (Authentic, Abu Dauood)

Dua for victory

When ye sought help of your Lord and He answered you (saying): I will help you with a thousand of the angels, rank on rank. Allah appointed it only as good tidings, and that your hearts thereby might be at rest. Victory cometh only by the help of Allah. Lo! Allah is Mighty, Wise. (8:9-10)

It’s from the Sunnah to make dua for the Muslims all over the world, especially in the month of victory, the month of Ramadhan. The Prophet, sala Allahu alaihi wa salam, made dua at the night before the Battle of Badr, which took place in the month of Ramadhan, until his upper garment fell. By dawn, he came with the glad tiding from Allah, tala, to the believers, concerning their enemies, “Their multitude will be put to flight, and they will show their backs. Nay but the Hour is their appointed time, and the Hour will be more grievous and more bitter.” (54:45-46)

Supplication of the Prophet, sala Allahu alaihi wa salam

The prophet, sala Allahu alaihi wa sallam, said that: “Every messenger has a Supplication that will be accepted, and I have saved my Supplication as a Shafaa Intersession for my Nation on the Day of Judgment.”

May Allah make us among those who follow and emulate His Prophet, sala Allahu alaihi wa salam, till they receive his intersession on the Day of Judgment. We beg Allah, tala, that He forgives the ones who wrote this article, and forgives the Muslims among their parents. May He benefit the readers, and guide them to the path of His beloved. We ask Allah by His most beautiful names to show mercy to those who spread guidance and stand together upon the truth. Ameen.

Subhanaka Allahumma wa behamdik. Ash’hadu a’laa ilaha illa Annt. Astaghfiruka wa atubu ilayk.

Note: To contact the author, you can email him at supplication@yahoo.com

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Value of Two Raka'At Salaah

Ibn Salmaan says that he heard one of the sahabah of our nabee sallal-laahu alayhi wa sallam narrating, " When we had won the battle of khayber, we began to buy and sell among ourselves the booty that had fallen to our lot. One of us came and said 'O rasoolullaah sallal-laahu alayhi wa sallam, no one else has earned so much profit as i have obtained in today's trade.' How much did you earn?' asked rasoolullaah sallal-laahu alayhi wa sallam. He replied, ' I kept selling and buying till i earned a net profit of three hundred ooqiya of silver.' Rasoolullaah sallal-laahu alayhi wa sallam said, ' Shall I inform you of something better than that?' He exclaimed, ' Do tell me, O rasool of Allah.' Rasoolullaah sallal-laahu alayhi wa sallam remarked, ' Two raka'At nafl after obligatory salaah.' "
end of actual hadith
Three hundred ooqiya of silver come to about thirty six and a half Kgs. According to nabee sallal-laahu alayhi wa sallam, the perishable gain of this world stands no comparison with the everlasting gain of the aakhirah. Our life will be pleasant and worth living if we develop our eemaan  to an extent where two raka'At of salaah, in our sight, are more valuable than all the riches of this world. Salaah is really a great treasure and that is why the nabee sallal-laahu alayhi wa sallam has called it " the comfort of His eyes " and has enjoined its observance right upto His last breath. Ummu Salamah radiyal-laahu a'nha narrates that the last words of nabee sallal-laahu alayhi wa sallam, which he could hardly utter, were about taking care of the salaah and kindness towards the slaves.


May Allaah guide us all. Allah Hafiz.


eemaan --> faith    ; salaah --> prayer ; aakhirah --> judgement day

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The Journey

By Huma Ahmad


Imagine yourself at the moment of your death.

What thoughts cross your mind? Memories of family and friends?
Panic?  Regrets? Remembrance of Allah? What is death? What happens to
us after we die? What is life in the Hereafter like, this new and
strange world after death? Do we lose consciousness of this life?
Where does our soul go? Do we feel and think the same?

The ineffable feeling of crossing the boundary between this world and
the next cannot be described in words, nor imagined in the mind, but
can be understood only through divine revealation and inspiration.
Let us for the next few moments seek an understanding of this, death,
the only certainty in life.

Sometimes we may not want to know about the processes that occur
after we die because we are afraid or don't want to think about it.
However, this is not the attitude of a Muslim. We should be foremost
in learning and understanding death, so we can live our lives
accordingly. The prophet (saw) said, "Live in this world as though
you are a stranger or a traveler (passing through it)." [Muslim] We
are on a journey and should know about the whole journey's itinerary,
not just one part.

Death is inevitable.  It is the one thing that we can be certain
about in life. We are born to die.  Every soul shall have a taste of
death no matter who they are. This is confirmed for us many times in
the Quran:

"Every soul shall have a taste of death: and only on the Day of
Judgement shall you be paid your full recompense." (Quran 3:185)

"Every soul shall have a taste of death: and We test you by evil and
by good, by way of trial. To Us must you return." (21:35)

"Every soul shall have a taste of death: In the end to Us shall you
be brought back." (29:57)

Death is not pure annihilation, but rather both the living and dead
are aware, but there is a difference that can't be compared.  Death
is merely movement from one world to another. It can be described as
a journey through a wormhole to a separate dimension of existence.

We begin this journey in our mother's wombs.  120 days after
conception the soul is blown into the fetus. Narrated 'Abdullah bin
Mus'ud:  "Allah's Apostle, the true and truly inspired said, '(The
matter of the Creation of) a human being is put together in the womb
of the mother in forty days, and then he becomes a clot of thick
blood for a similar period, and then a piece of flesh for a similar
period. Then Allah sends an angel who is ordered to write four
things. He is ordered to write down his (i.e. the new creature's)
deeds, his livelihood, his (date of) death, and whether he will be
blessed or wretched (in religion). Then the soul is breathed into
him'"[Bukhari]

We have no choice in who our parents are, our race, color or
nationality.  "He it is Who shapes you in the wombs as He pleases.
There is no god but He, The Exalted in Might, The Wise." (3:6) Allah
knows all of this before our birth even, but we still continue our
journey to fulfill our destiny.

The next part of our trip begins after we are born. This is the life
of this world, in which we now reside and are familiar with. We may
stay at this station for a few seconds or as long as 100 years or
more.  Here we grow up and acquire the means to happiness or misery.
We are given the ability to make choices after the age of puberty and
we will later be punished or rewarded based upon them. Allah gives
each of us the natural Fitrah, knowledge of good and bad as well as
right and wrong. The rest is up to us. As the Quran says, "By the
Soul, and the proportion and order given to it, and its enlightenment
as to its wrong and its right--Truly he succeeds that purifies it,
and he fails that corrupts it!" (91:7-10)

In this life, the soul and the body are together except during sleep
when the soul may leave the body and come back in the morning or
Allah may take the soul at that time. "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 sends (to their bodies) for a
term appointed.  Verily in this are Signs for those who reflect."
(39:42) It is indeed something to be pondered; that we die each night
and Allah gives us another chance at life when we wake up the next
day.

We also find continuous biological processes of life and death during
this time. In every cell, organ or system of organs, life and death
is occuring.  There are several hundreds of thousands of enzymatic
reactions that take place in the body every fraction of a second.
Some of these biochemical reactions are used to synthesize living
materials while others are either used to synthesize dead materials
or to get rid of living materials. "You (Allah) bring the Living out
of the Dead, and You bring the Dead out of the Living" (3:27)

This part of our journey ends as our death begins.

No one knows where, how and when he or she will die. "Verily, the
knowledge of the hour is with Allah (alone). It is He who sends down
rain, and He who knows what is in the wombs, nor does anyone know
what it is that he will earn on the morrow. Nor does anyone know in
what land he is to die. Verily, with Allah is full knowledge and He
is acquainted (with all things.)" (31:34) Nor does anyone have the
right to take his or her own life. If they do they will
automatically go to Hell. The One who gave life is the only one who
has the right to take life.

When someone begins to die the Angel of Death or Izraeel comes to
take the soul out of the body and puts it in a place called the
Barzakh. "Say: 'The Angel of Death, put in charge of you, will (duly)
take your souls. Then shall you be brought back to your Lord."
(32:11) "Wherever you are, Death will find you out, even if you are
in towers built up strong and high! " (4:78)

For those who led a life of evil, the removal of the soul is tough
and difficult. Sometimes, more than one angel has to work together to
beat the face and back of the deceased. But for those who lived a
good life, the soul yearns to meet its Lord and leaves the body with
ease, like a drop of water pouring out.  A light like the sun's ray
and a sweet fragrance come out to the soul.  Then it ascends amid
rows of angels, but those who are there cannot see or smell this.
The deceased is questioned, punished, beaten, and wails, and cries
out.  All this happens while they lie dead and their family is around
them, but they neither hear nor see it.  The sleeper dreams and
enjoys their dream or is tormented by it, while someone awake at
their side is not able to perceive what is going on at all.

Allah has given inanimate objects awareness and perception by which
they glorify their Lord.  The stones fall down out of fear of Him.
The mountains and trees prostrate. The pebbles, water and plants
glorify Him.  All this is going on but we are not aware of it. "There
is nothing which does not glorify His praise but you do not
understand their glorification." (17:44) The Companions heard the
food that was being eaten glorifying Allah.  That was because the
Companions had a transparency of heart that does not now exist among
us.  All these things are part of our world and yet we are in
complete ignorance of them.  It is not too much of an extrapolation
to extend this to our being unaware of the things of the Next World.

After the soul is taken, if it is a pure soul and has relatives in
the Next World who are people of the Garden, they come to meet the
soul with yearning and great joy. They ask it about the condition of
those who are still alive and 'suffering' in this world.  The angels
then bear the soul from one heaven to the next until it comes into
the presence of Allah, Then it returns and sees the washing of the
body, its shrouding, and the funeral procession. It says either,
'Take me forward!  Take me forward!' or 'Where are you taking me?'
The living, of course, hear none of this.  The soul comes back and
stays floating above the body and when the corpse is placed in the
grave, the soul inserts itself between the body and the shroud so
that the questioning can take place.

Whenever someone died, the prophet (saw) would stand for awhile at
the burial site and then say, "Seek forgiveness for your (Muslim)
brother and pray for his steadfastness since he is now being
questioned." [Abu  Dawud]

The angels pray for the soul of the believer in the heavens just as
people pray over the body on earth. The soul hears the receding
footfall of the last of the people who followed the funeral and the
earth is levelled over them. The earth or even a rock hollowed out
and sealed over with lead, would not prevent the two angels, Munkar
and Nakir from reaching it.

This is all narrated in the following sound hadith of the prophet
(saw):

"When the believer is about to depart from this world and go forward
into the Next World, angels with faces as bright as the sun descend
from the heavens and sit around him in throngs stretching as far as
the eye can see. Then the Angel of Death comes and sits at his head
and says, "Good soul, come out to forgiveness and pleasure from
Allah!" Then his soul emerges like a drop of water flows from a
water-skin and the angel takes hold of it. When he has grasped it,
the other angels do not leave it in his hand even for the twinkling
of an eye. They take it and place it in a perfumed shroud and
fragrance issues from it like the sweetest scent of musk found on the
face of the earth.'

"Then they bear it upwards and whenever they take it past a company
of angels, they ask, 'Who is this good soul?' and the angels with the
soul reply, 'So-and-so the son of so-and-so,' using the best names by
which people used to call him in this world.  They bring him to the
lowest heaven and ask for the gate to be opened for him.  It is
opened for him and angels who are near Allah from each of the heavens
accompany him to the subsequent heaven until he reaches to the heaven
where Allah the Great is.  Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, says,
'Register the book of My slave in 'Illiyun and take him back to
earth.  I created them from it and I return them to it and I will
bring them forth from it again.'

"His soul is then returned to his body and two angels come to him.
They make him sit up and say to him, 'Who is your Lord?' He replies,
'My Lord is Allah.' They ask him, 'What is your religion?' He
replies, 'My religion is Islam.' They ask him, 'Who is this man who
was sent among you?' He replies, 'The Messenger of Allah.' They ask
him, 'How did you come to know these things?.' He replies, 'I read
the Book of Allah, believed it, and declared it to be true.' Then a
Voice from on high declares, 'My slave has spoken the truth, so
spread out carpets from the Garden for him and open a gate of the
Garden for him!'

"Then some of its fragrance and perfume comes to him, his grave is
expanded for him as far as the eye can see, and a man with beautiful
garments and a fragrant scent comes to him and says, 'Rejoice in what
delights you for this is the day which you were promised.' He asks,
'Who are you? Yours is a face which presages good.'  He replies, 'I
am your good actions.' Then he says, 'O Lord, let the Last Hour come
soon so that I may rejoin my family and my property!'

"When an unbeliever is about to depart from this world and go forward
into the Next World, angels with black faces descend from the heavens
carrying rough hair-cloth and sit around him in throngs stretching as
far as the eye can see. Then the Angel of Death comes and sits at his
head and says, 'Foul soul, come out to the wrath and anger of Allah!'
Then his soul divides up in his body and it is dragged out like a
skewer is pulled out of wet wool. Then the angel takes hold of it.
When he has grasped it, the other angels do not leave it in his hand
even for the twinkling of an eye.  They take it and wrap it in the
rough haircloth and a stench comes out of it like the worst stench of
a corpse on the face of the earth.'

"Then they take it up and whenever they take it past a company of
angels, they ask, 'Who is this foul soul?' and the angels with the
soul reply, 'So-and-so the son of so-and-so,' using the worst names
by which people used to call him in this world.  They bring him to
the lowest heaven and ask for the gate to be opened for him. It does
not get opened.'

"The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace,
then recited, 'The gates of heaven will not be opened to them nor
will they enter the Garden until the camel passes through the eye of
the needle.' (7:40) Then Allah the Mighty and Majestic, will say,
'Register his book in Sijjin in the lowest earth.' Then his soul is
flung down.  The Prophet then recited, 'Whoever associates anything
with Allah, it is as though he has fallen from heaven and the birds
snatch him away or the wind sweeps him headlong into a place far
away.' (22:31)

"Then his soul is returned to his body and two angels come and say to
him, 'Who is your Lord?' He replies, 'Alas, alas, I do not know!'
Then a voice calls from on high, 'My slave has lied, so spread out
carpets from the Fire for him and open a gate of the Fire for him!'
then a hot blast from it comes to him, his grave is made so narrow
for him that his ribs are pressed together, and a man with a hideous
face and clothing and a foul odour comes to him and says, 'Grieve on
account of what has brought you disgrace for this is the day which
you were promised.' He asks, 'Who are you? Yours is a face which
presages evil.' He replies, 'I am your bad actions.' Then he says, 'O
Lord, do not let the Last Hour come!'"

This life in the grave or Interspace is the next part of our
journey.  An 'interspace' is something that separates two things:
heaven and earth, this world and the Next World or the period between
death and resurrection.  The bliss or punishment of the Interpsace is
not the same as that of the Herafter, but rather something that
happens between the two worlds.

In death, the body remains in the ground while the soul is in the
interspace or Barzakh between the two worlds.  However, the two are
still connected and so the bliss or punishment happens to both of
them.  When Allah desires bliss or punishment for the soul, He
connects it to the body. This is dependent on the will of Allah and
dependent on a person's own actions. The soul is diffused in more
than one place at the same time.  The proof of this is that the
prophet (saw) saw Musa (as) on the night of the Night Journey
standing in prayer in his grave and he also saw him in the sixth and
seventh heavens.

During this life in the grave part of our journey the souls are
divided into two groups: one group is punished and the other group is
in bliss.  Usually when we think of the 'grave', it is a word that
inspires fear.  We are pained, but not aware of the delight it can
contain.  Indeed, the bliss of the Grave is better than any delight
that this world can offer.

The liberated souls of those who are in bliss visit each other and
discuss what happened in the world they have left and the people of
that world.  Allah says, "Whoever obeys Allah and the Messenger, they
are with those whom Allah has blessed, the prophets, the sincere, the
martyrs and the righteous. Very excellent companions they are!"
(4:69)


As the hadiths narrate, if the soul was a believing one, a door onto
the fire is opened and the soul is shown it's place in the Fire had
they disobeyed Allah. Then that door is locked and another door onto
the Garden is opened and they are shown their place there. This door
will remain open until the Day of Rising.  Some of the sweetness and
fragrance of the Garden reaches them and their grave is made
spacious.  The believer sleeps in peace just as if they were in one
of the meadows of the Garden.  Their narrow grave expands and
stretches for the soul as far as the eye can see.


This spaciousness, light and greenery in which the believer remains
from the time of his death until the Day of Rising is not the same as
we know in our world.  If a living person were to open a grave, they
would not find any expanse, light or greenness there.  They would not
find an open door through which they could see the Garden.  They do
not see bliss or torment.  It is only the dead person who is aware of
these things and sees them.  Allah, through His wisdom, has the power
to veil this from the living.  The proof that this is so is shown by
the fact that there are other creatures like the Jinn who live with
us on the earth. They converse in raised voices among us but we do
not see or hear them.  There were angels who fought with the
believers (at Badr) and struck down the unbelievers and shouted at
them, but the Muslims did not see or hear them.  Jibril came to the
prophet (saw) in the midst of the people and they did not see or hear
them.

If however the soul was a disbelieving one, a door to the Garden is
opened for the unbeliever and they are told to look at what their
place would have been in the Garden had they obeyed Allah.  Then it
is locked and another door is opened and they are told to look at
their place in the fire.  It stays open and the blast of hot air from
it continues to reach them until the Day of Rising.  The earth
presses in on them and they are crushed to the point that their ribs
split apart.

If a righteous person were to be buried in a fiery furnace, their
portion of bliss would still reach their soul and body and Allah
would make the fire cool and peaceful for them.  For the wrongdoer,
the cool air becomes fire and hot wind.  The elements and the matter
of the universe obey their Lord, Originator and Creator. None of them
are able to do anything except what He wills and everything obeys His
will in humble submission to His decree.

This part of our journey in our graves is still mostly unknown
territory.  Outwardly the grave is stillness and quiet while inwardly
it contains secrets and terrors which an ordinary person cannot
percieve.  It is a strange fact that animals are able to hear the
punishment in the grave while human beings as a general rule cannot.
The prophet (saw) said, "They are punished and the animals hear it."

Various forms of punishment rain down on a person in the grave
according to the type of wrong actions they committed. There are
hadiths of the prophet (saw) about the Night Journey which contain
descriptions of the many types of punishment he saw in the interspace
between the two worlds.

There are those who are driven like cattle and forced to eat herbage
more bitter than aloes and the bitter fruit of Zaqqum and driven on
to the hot stones of Jahannam because they did not purify their
property by paying Zakat.

There are those who have to eat foul putrid meat because they
fornicated.  Some of them have bellies as big as houses and whenever
one of them gets up, they are knocked down and say, "O Allah, do not
let the Hour come!" They are in the path of the people of Pharaoh who
come and trample them while they can do nothing but scream. These are
people who devoured usury.

Some of them are screaming with their mouths gaping open while they
devour hot coals which come out of their anuses.  These are people
who consumed the property of orphans.

Some of them cut pieces from their own sides and eat their own
flesh.  They are the slanderers and those about whom the prophet
(saw) said,  "We saw people cutting flesh from their sides and eating
it.  It was said, "As you used to consume the flesh of your brother!"
I asked, "Who are they?" and I was told, "Those of your community who
slandered." Some of them have brass nails with which they scratch
their faces and chests. They are those who were backbiters and
maligned peoples honour.

Part of the hadith of the Night Journey is as follows: "Some people
were cracking open their heads with a stone. Every time they did
this, their heads were restored to what they were like in the first
place.  This went on and on without stopping.  I said, "Jibril, who
are they?" Jibril replied, "They are the people who turned away from
the prayer."

All of this shows that the Punishment of the Grave is true beyond any
doubt.

"Race to forgiveness from your Lord, and a Garden whose breadth is
like the breadth of the Heaven and the Earth" (57:21)

The intelligent are those who protect themselves against the evil of
this punishment before it is too late. They know with certainty that
sooner or later this day will come and maybe without any warning.
When it does, they will leave behind everything and move to another
world.   Only there will they feel regret, but regret then will not
do them any good.  In that place, only good actions will be of any
use.  They alone will be useful currency on that Critical day.  Only
with them will a person be able to purchase a magnificent mansion in
the Garden with all the luxuries and blessings it contains, an
everlasting mansion, not one which will disappear as things do in
this world. The intelligent person is the one who acts for this world
as if they were going to live forever and acts for the Next World as
if they were going to die tomorrow.

The Grave is an embrace from which neither believer or unbeliever can
escape. Our souls stay in the Barzakh and visit the grave regularly
for rewards or punishments.  Afterwards, our journey continues and
the believer is relieved of its pressure while the unebliever remains
in punishment.

The next part of our journey includes the rebirth from what is left
of our bodies, the seed and its embryo, called Ajaf of the sacrum.
This method of rebirth of human beings is as simple as the rebirth of
a plant from its own seeds.  Plants carry seeds that have their
genetic traits embedded on chromosomes. The genes on the chromosomes
carry everything needed to bring the plant back to its shape, height,
variety, chemical composition and other characteristics.  In the same
way, the embryos of human beings germinate and the new life will
start on the Day of Rising.

Allah instructs Angel Israfeel to blow the horn twice. The first is
to ready every seed for germination. Water of Life is then poured
upon these seeds in their graves. The soul comes back from the
barzakh to join its biological entity at this time. The second blow
of the trumpet helps those seeds to germinate and produce every
person back to normal. They come out of their graves in a state of
shock, naked without any clothes or shoes.

"The trumpet will be sounded when all that are in the heavens and in
the earth will swoon except such as will please Allah (to exempt).
Then will a second one be sounded, when, behold, they will be
standing and looking on!" (39:68)  "The trumpet shall be sounded,
when behold! From the sepulchres (men and women) will rush forth to
their Lord! They will say:  'Ah! Woe unto us! Who had raised us up
from out beds of repose?' (A voice will say: ) 'This is what Allah,
Most Gracious had promised, and true was the word of the messengers!"
(36:51-52)

Everyone will be raised up with the same identification features down
to our very fingerprints.  "Does man think that We cannot assemble
his bones?  Nay, We are able to put together in perfect order the
very tips of his fingers." (75:3-4)

After our rebirth our journey continues as each of us is taken to a
place of Assembly.  "On that day We shall leave them to surge life
waves on one another. The trumpet will be blown, and We shall collect
them all together. (18:99) All will be waiting for the Court of
Allah, the Court of Justice to decide for them.  The Day of Assembly
is a day of fear, agony and anxiety.  It is a day when each of us
will be worried about what will happen to us personally.  "At length,
when there comes the Deafening Noise--that day shall a man flee from
his own brother, and from his mother and his father, and from his
wife and his children.  Each one of them, that Day, will have enough
concern (of his own) to make him indifferent to the others."
(80:33-37)

With the heat of sun, sweating, and presence of too many people next
to one another, the situation will be very scary and chaotic. "O
mankind!  Fear your Lord! For the convulsion of the Hour (of
Judgement) will be a thing terrible! The Day you shall see it, every
mother giving suck shall forget her suckling babe, and every pregnant
female shall drop her load (unformed). You shall see mankind as in a
drunken riot, yet not drunk; but dreadful will be the Chastisement of
Allah." (22:1-2)

On this day seven groups of people will be protected by Allah, these
are mentioned in Hadith:  "Seven types of people will be under the
shelter of mercy on the Day when there will be no shade other than
that of Allah's mercy: 1) a just imam, 2) a young person who kept
busy in Allah's worship, 3) a person whose heart is attached to the 
masjid, 4)two people who loved each other for Allah's sake, gathered 
for His sake and parted, remembering Him, 5) a man who was invited by 
a beautiful and charming woman but declined her offer, saying "I fear 
Allah"; 6) a person who gave charity so secretly that their left hand 
did not know what was given by the right hand , and 7) a person who 
remembered Allah privately, so that their eyes brimmed with tears." 
[Bukhari, Muslim]

Each person shall then be grouped behind his or her leader, prophet,
messenger, mentor, celebrity, etc. All will be put in lines waiting
for the Court of Allah to take place and our journey to continue. "On
the day We shall call together all human beings with their
(respective) Imams" (17:71)

Judgement Day will be our next stop. This is the day when Allah
personally will judge everyone directly with absolute justice.  Abu
Hurayrah related that the prophet (saw) said: "Every servant of Allah
will remain standing before Allah on the Day of Judgement until he
has answered five questions about five things: His life--how he spent
it; his knowledge--how much he acted upon it; his wealth--how he
acquired it and how he spent it; and his body (and health)--how he
used it." [Muslim]

Each person will then receive their book that contains each and every
thing they have done from the time of birth till death. This book
includes activites, appearance and intention.  Such a book could be
similar to videotape which records all these three paramaters. It is
not unfathomable to think about this in a time in which we have
CDRoms whose glinting thin surface contains encyclopedias full of
information.

"Then he who is given his Record in his right hand, soon will his
account be taken by an easy reckoning, and he will turn to his
people, rejoicing!" (84:7-9) "And he that will be given his Record in
his left hand will say:  "Ah! Would that my record had not been given
to me!" (69:25) Their faces will be in gloom and they will be
distressed with fear and anxiety.  They will wish and beg to start
their life all over again on the earth

Allah will also select a third group of people: "And those Foremost
(in Faith) will be Foremost (in the Hereafter). These will be those
Nearest to Allah. In Gardens of bliss: a number of people from those
of old, and a few from those of later times. (They will be) on
Thrones encrusted (with gold and precious stones), reclining on them,
facing each other." (56:10-16)

This is where we near the end of our journey. We shall enter the
everlasting domain, which comprises of the Garden and the Fire.
There is no trip after it for it is the Domain of Eternity.

We shall pass over Hellfire, some of us remaining while others
continue on. "Not one of you but will pass over it: this is, with thy
Lord, a Decree which must be accomplished. But We shall save those
who guarded against evil, and We shall leave the wrongdoers therein,
(humbled) to their knees." (19:71-72)

The prophet (saw) said: "The mildest punishment to be inflicted upon
a person in Hell is that he will be made to wear a pair of sandals
made of fire which will be so hot that they will make his brain boil
like things boil on a stove.  He will imagine that no one is
undergoing a punishment more severe although his punishment, in
reality, will be the mildest in Hell." [Bukhari, Muslim]

Others who are not qualified to enter Paradise or Hell may be taken
to a waiting station called Al- A'raf, to wait until forgiveness is
given to them through the Mercy of Allah.

Others will finally end their journey with their life in Paradise.
It is the last destination and hope of every person to arrive here.
It is reserved for believers who submitted themselves to Allah and
followed His teachings. They are the ones whose loyalty and obedience
were to Allah.  Paradise has all the beauties of life to enjoy
without ever being tired.  It is a life of excitement, peace and
happiness.  The prophet (saw) said:  "Allah, the Almighty, says, 'I
have prepared for My righteous servants that which no eyes have ever
seen, no ears have ever heard and no heart has ever conceieved.'"
[Bukhari, Muslim]

This Life After is called the Real and the True Life. The Quran
explicitly refers to the Life After as the True Life while the life
in this world is a superficial one.  "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)

After completing this journey vicariously here, we should rethink our
lives and our deeds as we do them today.  We can hide from each
other, and ourselves but we cannot hide from Allah. It won't be long
before we are pushed along to the next part of our journey. Time
passes quickly and is precious. Everything we do now affects our
journey at a later stage.  Everything is recorded; our deeds,
appearances and even hidden intentions.  As travelers, we can prepare
and change to make our journey and especially our final stop a better
one.  Perhaps even one small deed or choice we make can save us if we
keep conscious.

Among the dreams of the early Muslims is one related by Yazid b
Nu'ama who said, "A girl died in the al-Jarib plague.  Her father met
her in a dream after her death and asked her to tell him about the
Next World. She replied, 'My father, this is a big subject you have
raised. We know but cannot act.  You can act but do not know.  By
Allah, one or two acts of glorification and one or two rakats of the
prayer in the book of my actions are preferable to me than the world
and all it contains.'"

The prophet (saw) related in a true dream he had:

" He saw one of the muslims.  The Angel of Death came to take his
soul but his correct behavior towards his parents came and drove the
Angel of Death away from him.'

" He saw another of the muslims surrounded by shaytans. Then his
remembrance of Allah came and made the shaytans fly from him.'

"Then he saw a thrid muslim surrounded by the angels of punishment.
His prayer came and rescued him from their hands.'

"The tongue of a fourth muslim was lolling out from thirst and
whenever he approached a pool of water, he was stopped and driven
away.  Then his fasting of Ramadan came and gave him water to drink.'

" He saw another man and the prophets sitting in circles. Everytime
the muslim approached one of the circles, he was stopped and driven
away.  His ghusl for janaba came, took hold of his hand, and sat him
down in the circle.'

"Another muslim had darkness in front of him, behind him, on his
right, on his left and above him.  He was completely lost in it.
Then his hajj and umra came and led him out of the darkness into the
light.'

"Another muslim was being pursued by flames and sparks of fire. His
sadaqa formed a veil between him and the fire and shaded his head.'

"Another muslim was speaking to a group of believers who would not
speak to him.  His upholding of kinship came and told the group of
believers that he had maintained ties of kinship and ordered them to
speak to him.  Then the believers spoke to him and shook hands with
him.'

"Another muslim was surrounded by the Zabaniyya (angels of Jahannam).
His commanding the right and forbidding the wrong came and rescued
him from them and put him among the angels of mercy.'

"Another muslim was kneeling with a veil between him and Allah.  His
good character came, took his hand and Allah let him enter His
presence.'

"Another muslim had received his book in his left hand.  His fear of
Allah came and took his book and placed it in his right hand.'

"The scales of another muslim were light in the balance. Those of his
children who had died young came and made the scales level.'

"Another muslim was standing on the brink of Jahannam. His hope in
Allah came and rescued him from it, and he withdrew from it.'

"Another muslim had fallen into the fire. The tears that he had wept
out of fear from Allah came and rescued him from it.'

"Another muslim was standing on the Sirat trembling like a leaf in a
strong wind.  His good opinion of Allah came and his terror was
allayed and he was able to go on.'

"Another muslim was crawling on the Sirat, sometimes creeping, and
sometimes just clinging on.  His prayer came and put him on his feet
and rescued him.'

"Another muslim reached the gates of the Garden but they were locked
against him.  His testimony that there is no god but Allah came and
opened the gates for him and let him into the garden."


Let us pray that we are among those who work to have an easy trip and
have as the end to their journey, the final abode of Paradise.  O
Allah, We seek refuge with You from the punishment of the grave.  O
Allah, help us to live and die as Muslims and help us to understand
the true object of this life.  O Allah, grant us good in this life
and good in the life to come, and save us from the torment of the
Hellfire.


         "We hear and we obey. Forgive us, our Lord! 
             To You is the journey's end." (2:285) 
                         Ameen.


"Every soul shall have a taste of death: and only on the Day of
Judgement shall you be paid your full recompense. Only he who is save
far from the Fire and admitted to the Garden will have attained the
object (of Life):  For the life of this world is but goods and
chattels of deception" (3:185)


Sources: "The Soul's Journey after Death" by Layla Mabrouk
  "Death and Dying" by Dr. Ahmad Sakr 
         "The World of the Angels" by Sh. Abdul Hamid Kishk 
         "A Treasury of Ahadith" by Dr. Mazhar U. Kazi
          Quran Al-Kareem trans. Abdullah Yusuf Ali

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The Purification of the Soul

compiled from the works of Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali, Ibn Al-Qayyim
al-Jawziyya,
     and Abu Hamid al-Ghazali
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

        THE NATURE OF INTENTION

 The intention of a person is not his utterance of the
 words, "I intend to do so and so." It is an overflowing
from the heart which runs like conquests inspired by Allah.  At
times it is made easy, at other times, difficult.  A person
whose heart is overwhelmingly righteous finds it easy to summon
good intentions at most times.  Such a person has a heart
generally inclined to the roots of goodness which, most of the
time, blossom into the manifestation of good actions.  As for
those whose hearts inclide towards and are overwhelmed by worldy
matters, they find this difficult to accomplish and even
obligatory acts of worship may become difficult and tiresome.

 The Prophet (saw) said: "Actions are only by intention,
 and every man shall only have what he intended.  Thus he
whose hijra was for Allah and was for Allah and His Messenger,
his hijra was for Allah and His Messenger, and he whose hijra
was to achieve some worldly benefit or to take some woman in
marriage, his hijra was for that for which he made hijra."(1)

 Imam ash-Shaf'i said: "This hadith is a third of all
 knowledge." The words, "actions are only by intention",
mean that deeds which are performed in accordance with the
sunnah are only acceptable and rewarded if the intentions behind
them were sincere.  It is like the saying of the Prophet, may
Allah bless him and grant him peace, "Actions depend upon their
outcome."(2)

 Likewise, the words, "every man shall only have what he
 intended", mean that the reward for an action depends
upon the intention behind it.  After stating this principle, the
Prophet (saw) gave examples of it by saying, "thus he the
Prophet (saw) gave examples of it by saying, "Thus he whose
hijra was for Allah and His Messenger, his hijra was for Allah
and His Messenger, and he whose hijra was to achieve some
worldly benefit or to take some woman I nmarriage, his hira was
for that for which he made hijra." So deeds which are apparently
identitcal may differ, because the intentions behind them are
different in degrees of goodness and badness, from one person to
another.

 Good intentions do not change the nature of forbidden
 actions. The ignorant should not misconstrue the meaning
of the hadith and think that good intentions could turn
forbidden actions into acceptable ones.  The above saying of the
Prophet (saw) specifically relattes to acts of worship and
permissible actions, not to forbidden ones. Worship and
permissible actions can be turned into forbidden ones because of
the intentions behind them, and permissible actions can become
either good or bad deeds by intention; but wrong actions cannot
become acts of worship, even with good intentions.(3) When bad
intentsions are accompanied by flaws in the actions themselves,
then their gravity and punishment are multiplied.

 Any praiseworthy act must be rooted in sound intentions;
 only then could it be deemed worthy of reward.  The
fundamental principle should be that the act is intended for the
worship of Allah alone. If our intention is to show off,then
these same acts of worship will in fact become acts of
disobedience.  As for permissible deeds, they all involve
intentions -- which can potenitally turn them into excellent
acts which bring a man nearer to Allah and confer on him the
gift of closeness to Him.

The Excellence of Intention

 Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him,
 said: The best acts are doing what Allah has commanded,
staying for away from what Allah has forbidden, and having
sincere intentions towards what-ever Allah has required of
us."(4)

 Some of our predecessors said: "Many small actions are
 made great by the intentions behind them. Many great
actions, on the other hand, are made small because the
intentions behind them are lacking."

 Yahya Ibn Abu Kathir said: "Learn about intentions, for
 their importance is greater than the importance of
actions."

 Ibn Umar once heard a man who was putting on his ihram
 say: "O Allah! I intend to do the Hajj and Umrah." So he
said to him: "Is it not in fact the people whom you are
informing of your intention? Does not Allah already know what is
in your heart?"(5)  It is because good intentions are
exclusively the concern of the heart, that they should not be
voiced during worship.

The Excellence of Knowledge and Teaching

 There are many proofs in the Qur'an concerning the
 excellence of knowledge and its tranmission.  Allah, the
Mighty and Glorious, says:

  "Allah will raise up to high ranks those of you
  who believe and those who have been given
  knowledge. (58:11)"

  And also:

  "Are those who know equal to those who do not
  know? (39:9)

 Also , in the Hadith, the Prophet (saw) says, "When
 Allah desires good for someone, He gives him
understanding of the deen."(6) He (saw) also said, "Allah makes
the way to the Garden easy for whoever treads a path in search
of knowledge."(7)

 Travelling on the path to knowledge refers both to
 walking along an actual pathway, such as going on foot
to the assemblies of the ulama', as well as to following a
metaphysical road, such as studying and memorising.

 The above saying of the Prophet (saw) probably means
 that Allah makes learning the useful knowledge that is
sought after easier for the seeker, clearing the way for him and
smoothing his journey.  Some of our predecessors used to say:
"Is there anyone seeking knowledge, so that we can assist him in
finding it?"

 This hadith also alludes to the road leading to the
 Garden on the Day of Judgement, which is the straight
path and to what precedes it and what comes after it.

 Knowledge is also the shortest path to Allah. Whoever
 travels the road of knowledge reaches Allah and the
Garden by the shortest route.  Knowledge also clears the way out
of darkness, ignorance, doubt and scepticism. This is why Allah
called His Book, "Light".

 Al-Bukhari and Muslim have reported on the authority of
 Abdullah ibn Umar that the Messenger of Allah (saw)
said: "Truly, Allah will not take away knowledge by snatching it
away from people, but by taking away the lives of the people of
knowledge one by one until none of them survive.  Then the
people will adopt ignorant ones as their leaders. They will be
asked to deliver judgements and they will give them without
knowledge, with the result that they will go astray and lead
others astray."

 When 'Ubadah ibn as-Samit was asked about this hadith he
 said: If you want, I will tell you what the highest
knowledge is, which raises people in rank: it is humility."

 He said this because there are two types of knowledge.
 The first produces its fruit in the heart. It is
knowledge of Allah, the Exalted - His Names, His Attributes, and
His Acts - which commands fear, respect, exaltation, love,
supplication and reliance on Him. this is the beneficial type of
knowledge. As ibn Mas'ud said: "they will recite the Qur'an, but
it will not go beyond their throats. The Qur'an is only
beneficial when it reaches the heart and is firmly planted in
it."

 Al-Hasan said: "There are two kinds of knowledge:
 knowledge of the tongue, which can be a case against the
son of Adam, as is mentioned in the hadith of the Prophet (saw):
'The Qur'an is either a case for you or a case against you'(8),
and knowledge of the heart, which is beneficial knowledge.  The
second kind is the beneficial kind which raises people in rank;
it is the inner knowledge which is absorbed by the heart and
puts it right. The knowledge that is on the tongue is taken
lightly by people: neither those who possess it, nor anyone
else, act upon it, and then it vanishes when its owners vanish
on the Day of Judgement, when creation will be brought to
account."

Notes:  1. Al-Bukhari and Muslim 2. Al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Qadar,
11/499.  3. This is illustrated in a hadith recorded by Imam
Muslim in his Sahih, in which it is related on the authority of
Abu Dharr that the Prophet Muhammad, may Allah bless him and
grant him peace, said, "You will receive the reward for sadaqa
even when you have sexual intercourse with your wives." The
sahaba said, "Will we really be rewarded for satisfying our
physical desires?" He replied, "If you have haram intercourse,
you will be committing a sin; similarly, if you have halal
intercourse, you will be rewarded." Imam an-Nawawi said, "This
hadith clearly shows that permissible actions become acts of
obedience if there is a good intentino behind them; sexual
intercourse becomes an act of worship if it is accompanied by
any one of the following good intentions: keeping company with
your wife in kindness, as Allah ta'Ala has commanded; hoping to
hae, as a result of intercourse, good and righteous offsping;
guarding your chastity and that of your wife; helping to prevent
haram lustful glances or thoughts, or haram intercourse; and any
other good intention." 4. Tahdhib al'Asma' li-Nawawi, 1/173. Abu
Ishaq ash-Shirazi once entered the mosque to have something to
eat, as was his custom, and then realised that he had dropped a
dinar. He retraced his steps and found it lying on the ground,
but then left it where it was, saying, "Perhaps it is not mine;
perhaps it belongs to somebody else." 5. Sahih, Ja'mi 'l-'Ulum
wa'l-Hikam, p. 19.  6. Al-bukhari and Muslim.  7. Muslim,
21/17.  8. Muslim, Kitab at-Tahara, 3/99.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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