We belong to Allah and to Him we shall return

Transcript of the Friday Sermon delivered by Dr. Munawar Haque at the Islamic Organization of North America (IONA) on Friday, April 20, 2018

Brothers and sisters! The topic of today’s khutba is: “We belong to Allah and to Him we shall return.” A couple of hours back, I got the news of my beloved mother’s passing away in India. إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ

My mother’s passing away reminded me of my own approaching death. Generally, people consider it inauspicious to speak about death and avoid remembering their own forthcoming death. Surprising as it may seem, remembering death can actually motivate us to live a purposeful and useful life. This is so central to a Muslim’s life that even during the auspicious occasion of a Muslim’s wedding, the verse # 3 of Surat Aal ‘Imran is recited in the khutba of Nikah reminding the young couple and those witnessing the Nikah to have the taqwa of Allah and not to die except as Muslims. 

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ اتَّقُواْ اللَّهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِ وَلاَ تَمُوتُنَّ إِلاَّ وَأَنتُم مُّسْلِمُونَ

“O you who believe, be conscious of Allah with all the consciousness that is due to Him, and do not die except as Muslims.”(Aal ‘Imran, 3:102)

One of the reasons why reminding ourselves that we belong to Allah and to Him we shall return is so important is because each and every one has to experience death. Almost every day we hear of the death of someone. Yet, most people ignore the fact that they have to die one day. The knowledge of the reality of death can help us understand it and prepare ourselves for its coming. Death is certain and unavoidable.

كُلُّ نَفْسٍ ذَائِقَةُ الْمَوْتِ وَإِنَّمَا تُوَفَّوْنَ أُجُورَكُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ

“Every human being is bound to taste death: and you shall receive your rewards in full on the Day of Resurrection.” (Aal ‘Imran, 3:185).

أَيْنَمَا تَكُونُوا يُدْرِككُّمُ الْمَوْتُ وَلَوْ كُنتُمْ فِي بُرُوجٍ مُّشَيَّدَةٍ

“Wherever you may be, death will overtake you, even if you be in strongly built towers.” (al-Nisa, 4:78)

This being the case, do we ever think about the day we’ll die? Are we ready and prepared for our departure from this earth and our return to Allah (SWT)? Are we scared of death? There is no denying that fear of death is something natural. It hangs around with each one of us. Every day that passes by brings us closer to death. Every breath we take reduces a portion of our life and brings us nearer to death. No sooner than the appointed time comes, we belong among the dead. Then it becomes clear that life is like a flower that blooms; then withers, or like a lamp that illuminates; then dies down. Let us not be among those who at their dying moments will realize how they wasted their lives and how they did not perform the purpose behind their very creation, which is to worship their Lord. Allah (SWT) says in the Qur’an,  

وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالْإِنْسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِ

“I did not create jinn and humans except to worship Me” (adh-Dhariyat, 51:56).

References to drawing the last breath or the trance or the stupor of death is found in the Qur’an.

وَجَاءَتْ سَكْرَةُ الْمَوْتِ بِالْحَقِّ ذَٰلِكَ مَا كُنتَ مِنْهُ تَحِيدُ

“The trance of death will come revealing the truth: that is what you were trying to escape.” (Qaf, 50:19)

لَّقَدْ كُنتَ فِي غَفْلَةٍ مِّنْ هَٰذَا فَكَشَفْنَا عَنكَ غِطَاءَكَ فَبَصَرُكَ الْيَوْمَ حَدِيدٌ

“You were heedless of this, but now We have removed your veil, so your sight today is sharp.” (Qaf, 50:22)

These are the moments when the dying person bids this vanishing world goodbye, and casts a last look at it. Life will pass before his eyes like a flash, and he will realize how short it really was. What is the reality of death? When it occurs, the spirit leaves the body. We learn through prophetic traditions that a good soul comes out of the body with ease, while an evil soul, which resists leaving the body is taken out harshly by the angel of death. During a wicked person’s dying moments, he wishes that death were delayed so that if he were a non-believer, he would become a believer; or if he were a disobedient believer, he would repent from his sins.

حَتَّى إِذَا جَاءَ أَحَدَهُمُ الْمَوْتُ قَالَ رَبِّ ارْجِعُونِ () لَعَلِّي أَعْمَلُ صَالِحًا فِيمَا تَرَكْتُ

“When death comes to any of them, he says, My Lord, send me back; that I may act righteously in what I have left behind...” (al-Mu’minun, 23:99-100)

The two types of souls: the good and the evil. They are honored or dishonored in their respective journeys to their heavenly abodes: the Sijjin or the Illiyin respectively. Sijjin is the record in which the deeds of the evil souls are preserved, while Illiyin is the record in which the deeds of the righteous souls are preserved.

كَلَّا إِنَّ كِتَابَ الْفُجَّارِ لَفِي سِجِّينٍ

“Indeed! The record of the wicked is in the Sijjin.” (al-Mutaffifin, 83:7)

كَلَّا إِنَّ كِتَابَ الْأَبْرَارِ لَفِي عِلِّيِّينَ

“Indeed, the record of the righteous is in the Illiyin.” (al-Mutaffifin, 83:18)

Man takes nothing with him in his grave. We learn through a hadith which says, “When a man dies, his deeds come to an end except for three things: ongoing charity (Sadaqah Jariyah), beneficial knowledge that he leaves behind, or a virtuous descendant who prays for him.” Such admonitions remind us that we should hasten in doing good deeds lest our time is up and our book of deeds gets closed for ever. We should not be among those who will cry to Allah (SWT) to give them more time to spend in His way and to be one of the righteous.

وَأَنفِقُوا مِن مَّا رَزَقْنَاكُم مِّن قَبْلِ أَن يَأْتِيَ أَحَدَكُمُ الْمَوْتُ فَيَقُولَ رَبِّ لَوْلَا أَخَّرْتَنِي إِلَىٰ أَجَلٍ قَرِيبٍ فَأَصَّدَّقَ وَأَكُن مِّنَ الصَّالِحِينَ

“Give from what We have provided for you before death comes to one of you and he says, ´My Lord, if only you would give me a little more time so that I can give sadaqa and be one of the righteous!” (al-Munafiqun, 63:10).

Pursuing lawful means of livelihood is fine but we should not get entangled in the duniya to the extent that we cannot extricate ourselves from it to invest some of our time, energy, money and capabilities in the way of Allah (SWT). Allah (SWT) has undertaken upon Himself to provide for all His creatures.

وَمَا مِن دَابَّةٍ فِي الْأَرْضِ إِلَّا عَلَى اللَّهِ رِزْقُهَا

“There is no creature on earth except that its provision is from Allah.” (Hud, 11:6)

As believers, if we trust in Allah, think positively of Allah, humble our hearts before Allah, and try our best to have the taqwa of Allah, then we should know that death is a return to the most generous and merciful Lord. We are told in a hadith,

لاَ يَمُوتَنَّ أَحَدُكُمْ إِلاَّ وَهُوَ يُحْسِنُ بِاللَّهِ الظَّنَّ

“None of you should die except hoping good from Allah.” We should never ever despair of Allah’s mercy.

قُلْ يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ لا تَقْنَطُوا مِنْ رَحْمَةِ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ

Say: "O My servants who transgressed against themselves, do not despair of Allah's mercy. For Allah forgives all sins. He is the Forgiver, the Merciful."(Az-Zumar, 39:53)

Brothers and sisters! Remembering death softens the heart. It is an inspiration to leave bad habits, to do more and more good deeds, to help people in need, and to be good to our families and societies. It is wisely said that whoever frequently remembers death is honored with three things: (1) quick repentance, (2) contentment, and (3) energy for acts of worship; and whoever forgets death is punished with three things: (1) delayed repentance, (2) lack of contentment, and (3) laziness in acts of worship. Now let us look at ourselves. Are we often delaying our repentance and remaining unhappy with what we have? Do we feel too lazy to pray? All of these are signs that we don’t remember death in a productive way.

Remember that life and death are part of a divinely mandated plan. They are a test to see who among us would strive to be the best in deeds.

الَّذِي خَلَقَ الْمَوْتَ وَالْحَيَاةَ لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ أَيُّكُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلًا

“He who created death and life to test which of you is best in action.” (al-Mulk, 67:2)

There is no one on the face of this earth who is not undergoing a test. Sometimes we are tested in prosperity and other times in adversity; sometimes we are tested in ease and comfort, and other times in difficulties and hardships. Through the journey of life, we are tested as to how best we conduct ourselves in different circumstances.

One of the basic differences between this world and the hereafter is that in this life there is death, while in the hereafter there is no death. The inhabitants of paradise will live forever. Those who are in the hellfire will also live forever. This takes us to the question: What are we doing in this life to prepare for a death that will lead us to an eternal blissful life? Our children will inherit the good and bad that we leave behind. What kind of example are we going to leave behind for them? Brothers and sisters! Our ultimate goal should be to reach a level that when we die we know that we couldn’t have done better. 

أَقُولُ قَوْلِي هَذَا وَأَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ لِي وَلَكُمْ وَلِسَائِرِ المُسْلِمينَ وَالمُسْلِمَاتْ فَاسْتَغْفِرُوهْ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ 

الحَمْدُ لله رَبِّ العَالَمِينَ وَالصَّلاَةُ وَالسَّلاَمُ عَلَى أَشْرَفِ الخَلْقِ أَجْمَعِينَ وَخَاتَمِ الأَنْبِياءِ وَالمُرْسَلِينَ سَيِّدِنا مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِهِ وَأَصْحَابِهِ أَجْمَعِينَ

Brothers and sisters! If we ponder over reality, we learn that the world deceives the one who craves for it. One who keeps death in front of his eyes not only performs his routine tasks sincerely, but constantly strives to do more and more good deeds to seek the pleasure of his Lord—Allah (SWT). He is aware that death can overtake him at any moment and he does not have time on his side. The Prophet (SAW) said: “Surely the heart rusts like iron.” People asked: “How can it be polished?' He replied: “By remembering death and with the recitation of the Quran”. What is the best way to prepare oneself for death? Being mindful of Allah all the time, doing that which he has commanded us to do, and not doing that which has prohibited us to do is how we prepare for death. Having faith (iman) and doing good deeds is how we prepare for a good life and a good death. Allah (SWT) says,

مَنْ عَمِلَ صَالِحًا مِنْ ذَكَرٍ أَوْ أُنْثَى وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ فَلَنُحْيِيَنَّهُ حَيَاةً طَيِّبَةً وَلَنَجْزِيَنَّهُمْ أَجْرَهُمْ بِأَحْسَنِ مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ

“Whoever does good, whether male or female, and is a believer, We will surely bless them with a good life, and We will certainly reward them according to the best of their deeds.” (al-Nahl, 16:97)

This means that such persons will have peace, contentment, and lawful provision in this life, and paradise in the hereafter. Death being the most certain reality, a conscious believer prepares himself or herself, here in this world for the eternal and perpetual blissful life of the hereafter. We must learn from death, for the secret of life is hidden in the message it has to teach us. Death shows us that we are not our own masters; that our stay on earth is only temporary; that the world is no place for the realization of our dreams. Death teaches us how to live; it shows us the way to real success. The Prophet (SAW) in one of his sayings said, “Clever is the one who controls his passions and prepares for life after death.”

May Allah (SWT) give us the tawfiq to remember death and may He grant us the kalimah: La ilaha illallah Muhammad ur Rasoolullah in our inner most being and on our lips while we are living in this world and also while we are leaving this world to return to Him.  

O Allah! Forgive our living and our dead; those who are with us and those who are absent, our young and our old, our men and our women. O Allah! Whomever you give life from among us give them life in Islam, and whomever you take away from us take them away in Faith.” “O Allah, surely Safia Haque bint Sayyid Zamiruddin Ahmed is under Your protection, and in the rope of Your security, so save her from the trial of the grave and from the punishment of the fire. You fulfill promises and grant rights, so forgive her and have mercy on her. Surely, You are Most Forgiving, Most Merciful.” “O Allah, forgive her; raise her rank among the rightly guided; safeguard the family she left behind, and forgive us and her. O Lord of the worlds; widen her grave and illuminate it for her.” “O Allah, forgive her. O Allah, strengthen her.” “O Allah, ease upon her all matters and make light for her whatever comes hereafter and honor her with Your meeting and make that which she has gone to better than that which she came out from.”

 أِنَّ لِلَّهِ مَا أَخَذَ، وَلَهُ مَا أَعْطَى، وَكُلُّ شَىْءٍ عِنْدَهُ بِأَجَلٍ مُسَمًّى، فَلْتَصْبِر وَلْتَحْتَسِبْ

“Surely, to Allah belongs that which He takes and that which He gives, and everything has an appointed time with Him. So one should be patient and seek reward from Him.”

إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُ بِالْعَدْلِ وَالإِحْسَانِ وَإِيتَاءِ ذِي الْقُرْبَى وَيَنْهَى عَنِ الْفَحْشَاءِ وَالْمُنْكَرِ وَالْبَغْيِ يَعِظُكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَكَّرُونَ

“Surely Allah commands justice, good deeds and generosity to others and to relatives; and He forbids all shameful deeds, and injustice and oppression: He instructs you, so that you may be reminded” (al-Nahl, 16:90).

وَصَلَّ اللهُ عَلَى خيرِ خَلقِهِ مُحمَّدٍ وعَلَى آلِه وأصْحَابِه أجْمَعِين- بِرَحْمَتِكَ يا أرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِين– وأ قِمِ الصَّلاةَ

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