Maut – Appreciate & Realise

APPRECIATE FIVE THINGS BEFORE FIVE THINGS

Hadhrat  Maimoon  Bin  Mahraan  (rahmatullah  alayh)  said:

“Appreciate five things before five things:

• Youth (young age) before old age.
• Health before sickness.
• Free time before involvement (which leaves no free time).
• Wealth before poverty.
• Life before death.

Almost all people abuse these five bounties of Allah Ta’ala. When these bounties are snatched away, their value dawns on the unfortunate person, but then it is too late to show appreciation. On the Day of Qiyaamah, long before the actual and Final Reckoning, there will come a stage when all people will be prevented from proceeding. They will first have to answer and explain how they had utilized the aforementioned five bounties of Allah Ta’ala. Even this mini-reckoning will have dire consequences for those who had abused these wonderful Ni’maat of Allah Azza Wa Jal during this earthly sojourn.

THE OPPORTUNITY OF WINTER

Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said: “Winter is a wonderful opportunity for the Mu’min. The nights are long, hence he stands during the night (i.e. performs ibaadat). The days are short, hence he fasts.” A Sage of Islam extolling the winter season said: “The night is long. Do not shorten it with your sleep. The day is glittering (but short). Do not contaminate it with your sins.”

THE GRAVE

Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said: “The Qabr (grave) is either a garden of Jannat or a pit of Jahannum.”

THE BITTER TASTE OF MAUT

Allah Ta’ala had granted Nabi Isaa (alayhis salaam) the power to raise the dead. Once Hadhrat Isaa (alayhis salaam) with the permission of Allah Ta’ala restored to life Saam, the son of Nabi Nooh (alayhis salaam). When Saam rose from the grave, his hair and beard were white. Hadhrat Isaa (alayhis salaam) said: “Why these white hairs? During your era there was no old age.” Saam responded: “When I heard the voice (i.e. Nabi Isaa’s command for him to rise), I thought that Qiyaamah had commenced. Its fear whitened my hair.”

A WISE MAN

Isaa (alayhis salaam) said: “When did you die?” Saam said: “Four thousand years ago. But, the bitter taste of Maut has not yet ended.”

A WISE MAN

Hadhrat Muhammad Bin Sammaak (rahmatullah alayh) said: “Do not be deceived by the silence and equality of the graves in the Qabrustaan. Many are the inmates of the grave suffering fear and grief. There is immense inequality among them. A wise man is he who makes preparations for the grave before entering it.”

THE CALL OF THE GRAVE

Daily the grave proclaims five times:

“O man! You walk on my back. One day you will be encased within my bowels.

“O man! You eat varieties of food on my back. One day worms and insects will devour you within my bowels.

“O man! You laugh on my back. Soon will you cry within my bowels.

“O man! You are happy on my back. Tomorrow you will grieve within my bowels.

“O man! You commit sins on my back. Soon will you be punished within my bowels.”