“A-úthu billáhi minash shaytánir rajeem. Bismilláhir rahmánir raheem.
Al hamdu lillahi nahmaduhu wanasta’eenahu, wanastagh-firuhu, wanatoobu ilayhi, wana’oothu Billaahi min shuroori an-fusinaa, wamin sayyi aati a’maalinaa. May- Yahdillahu fa huwal muhtad, wa may- yudlill falan tajidaa lahu waliyan murshida. Wa ash-hadu an Laa ilaaha ill-Alláh, wahdahoo laa shareeka lah, wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan ‘abduhoo warasooluh”
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Today’s topic will be about life, death and the hereafter.
Allah (SWT) says in the Qur’an:
“All that exists on earth will perish
Save the face of your Lord with its magnificence and glory”
Every now and then we are reminded that life is fragile and that it will come to an end. We are at times reminded about death by scholars who illuminate the closeness of death and at times are reminded when there is a tragic death in the family. At such times we ponder about what will happen to us after death and the hereafter, yet our attention quickly becomes saturated with worldly things and we forget that our time here is limited and that everything in life apart from our good deeds will be left behind.
In the Qur’an Allah (SWT) tells us:
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 tomorrow; nor does anyone know in what land he is to die. Verily with God is full knowledge and He is acquainted with all things (Qur’an 31:34)
Dear Brothers and Sisters, we need to reflect on death as much as possible. This will help us realise that the power we have over our own lives is extremely limited. It is Allah (SWT) who decides when we are born and when we shall die and there is no other power which can change what has already been destined for us.
As human beings we spend our lifetime trying to succeed, be it in education or work. We are constantly revising projects or planning meetings, all associated with worldly things. But are we prepared for death? If you were to leave the world tomorrow would you be ready? Death can befall anyone at any hour; Azrail (angel of death) can come and take your life whenever your hour has come and nobody knows when this will be other than the Almighty.
We all should be aware that everything which is created has two points on the scale of existence: a starting point and an end point. Everything which has a beginning in time has an ending in time, whether it is man, animal, sun, moon, planet or star.
Dear Brothers and Sisters, let us reflect upon death and we shall become closer to our creator and will understand the true natures of our perishable life on earth and will start preparing ourselves for the next world.
Many of the companions of the Prophet (SAW) would reflect upon death many times in a day in order to feel an even stronger connection with Allah (SWT) and also to be able to conduct their lives in the knowledge that death will befall all of mankind.
Dear Brothers and Sisters, the belief in the hereafter is one of the tenets of Islamic belief; let’s not neglect it. By believing in the hereafter we come to realise that what we do here in this world will have consequences in the hereafter. Therefore, we become less inclined to transgress against our souls and our Lord.
May Allah (SWT) forgive us and guide us to the straight path.
Amin