Remembering Death

Rasulullah SAW is reportedly to have said, "Remember very often the cutter-off of all pleasures, that is death".

There is no escape from death and it is certain to come. Foolishly, we take so much of pain getting the best things in the world, without even thinking all these things, for which we are under going so much difficulty in acquiring, will have to be left behind by us one day. We try so much to make our earthly life as comfortable as possible, forgetting that tomorrow we will have to sleep on a bed of sand.

A few hadith are mentioned, so that we can always remember death and prepare ourselves for the hereafter.

Abu Zar says that once Rasulullah SAW said to him; "Visit the graves from time to time, for it serves as a reminder for the aakirah, wash the dead for it is a cure for a person who is devoid and helps him to take heed, attend funeral prayers for it might make you feel concerned for the aakirah and those who have this concern remain in the shade of Allah's mercy and seek a virtuous life."

We have forgotten our graves while it has not forgotten us. As Nabi Muhammad SAW said; "Not a single day passes when the grave does not call out, "I am a place of wilderness, i am a place of dust, i am a place of worms." When a Mukmin is laid in the grave it says; "Welcome to you, it is good of you to have come into me. Of all the people walking on the earth i liked you best. Now that you have come to me, you will see how i entertain you." It then expands as far as the occupant can see. A door of paradise is opened for him in the grave and through this door, he gets the fresh and fragrant air of paradise, but when an evil man is laid in the grave it says; "No word of welcome for you. Your coming into me is very bad for you, of all the persons walking on the earth i disliked you most. Now that you have been made over to me you will see how i treat you!" It then closes upon him so much so that his ribs of one side penetrates into the ribs of other. As many as seventy serpents are then set upon him, to keep biting him till the Day Of Resurrection. These serpents are so venomous that if one of them happened to spurt its venom upon earth, not a single blade of grass would ever grow. "

After this Rasulullah said; "The grave is either a garden of Janaah or a pit of Jahannam."

Let us again and again read the above mentioned hadith and also narrate it to other so that it is such that never a moment passes by while we are neglectful of aakhirat and death. Also, let us make the most preparations for death, thereby not having to regret over less provisions.

[Extract 'The Book Of Wealth' by Moulana Moosa Olgar]