The Imam’s talk this
week is a continuation of his last Friday’s talk about the journey of the
human been from this life to the next. Last week the Imam talked about the
moments of death; the moment when the spirit or soul exits the body. Today the
Imam will talk about life in the grave.
As the spirit leaves the
human body, the body starts to decay, spoil and rot. Those who are close and
those who used to hug and kiss this individual; now they no longer can stand
to be close to him or her. They start eagerly work to get the process of
burying on the way. Burying in the ground and covering with earth. Only earth
can take the dead body. Earth is from which the body was created and to which
it does return.
The grave is a gloomy,
narrow place which one moves into from a spacious accommodation where one may
have lived. In a grave one lies on earth and a place shared with worms and
crawlies. You shall not be allowed to bring anything with you; except may be
for the mere cloth which may cover your body. Life in the grave is NOT
permanent; it is a temporary stage between the death and the resurrection.
One night you may be
with your family, children and loved ones, chatting; playing and having fun;
and the next night one may be laying in a grave; with worms; with darkness;
and with an unknown state of well being or a state of punishment.
It is in the grave that
great temptation and the tough test start. Some people will be winners and
some people will be losers. The prophet may peace be upon him pointing at a
grave said “It is for this that you should get ready and be prepared”. He was
also reported saying “The grave is the first state of the next life. He who is
saved in it; what follows is easier. And for he who is not saved in it; what
comes next is even worst”. The grave is a pointer to what is to come.
The grave is a strange
place. In it, the individual is asked three questions. Not all can answer such
questions. Answering does not depend on how much education one has received in
this life. The grave only recognizes one currency; and that is: Good deeds;
Good deeds which were done purely for the sake of Allah; which also is in
agreement with Allah’s teachings and the prophet’s guidance. This who has this
currency will enter the grave and answers those three questions. Who does not
have such currency will not be able to answer.
The prophet’s speech
describing the stages of death we started last Friday goes on to saying: “When
the spirit of a believer is brought to the seventh heaven, Allah says: write
my slaves record into an elevated place; and return him/her back to earth. It
is from earth I created them; and back to earth I return them and from earth I
shall bring them out again. The spirit is returned into the body. Two angels
approach him/her; set him/her up and ask: Who is your Lord? He/she shall
answer: my lord is Allah. The angels ask: What is your religion? He/she says
Islam. They ask: and who is this man sent to you by Allah? He/she will answer:
He is the messenger of Allah. They ask: and what have your learnt? He/she
answers: I read the book of Allah, I believed in it and I found it truthful. A
caller calls in heavens that my slave has told the truth. Lay for him/her
beddings from paradise, dress him/her with clothes from paradise; and open for
him/her a door to paradise so he can see his future place in paradise. He/she
will then get fragrance and breeze of paradise; the grave will be as wide as
the eye can see; and a human like creature with good face and great smell will
approach and says: Good tidings with what makes you happy. This is your day
that you were promised. What we call the dead person will ask: Who are you?
You bringer of good news!. The man answers: I am your good deeds. Then dead
individual will say: God, let the hour of the resurrection happen now, I want
to go to what is mine, to my people”
The unbeliever’s soul on
the other hand as we said last Friday will be prevented from elevating into
heavens. Allah says: Write him/her down into the lowest in earth. His spirit
is thrown down and is returned into the body. The two angels approach and ask
him the same questions to which the unbeliever shall answer with “I don’t
know, I don’t know”. A caller calls in the heavens that my slave has lied. Lay
for him/her beddings from hell; and open for him/her a door to Hell fire.
He/she will then feel its heat and poisons; the grave will shrink until the
ribs are put out of place. A man with an ugly face and filthy and smelly
clothes approaches and says: There is only bad news for you. This is the day
you were promised. “Who are you” the unbeliever will ask, “You bearer of bad
news”. The man answers: “I am your bad deeds” The unbeliever says “God do not
start the day of resurrection.”.
Allah says: “Those who
believe; Allah will keep firm, with the word that stands firm in the worldly
life and in the hereafter. And Allah will cause to go astray those who are
wrong-doers, and Allah does what he wills”
Indeed there is
punishment in the grave even before the day of resurrection. Allah Says about
Ferros:” The hellfire; they are exposed to it in the mornings and evenings;
and when it is the day of resurrection; enter Ferro and his follows the
toughest of punishment”. The prophet may peace be upon him in indicating how
horrifying the punishment in the grave is; said: “if not for you may stop
burying your dead, I would’ve asked Allah to make you hear what happens in the
grave”. The prophet recommended for us to often fortify ourselves against the
torture in the grave. As often as; after each prayer; by saying: “Allah my
Lord, I fortify my self with you against the torture of hell, against the
torture in the grave, against the temptation of life, temptation of death and
bad temptation of the false Messiah.”
What may save us from
the torture of the grave are:
1) Regular prayers of
asking for protection by Allah.
2) Avoiding what
causes the grave punishment and repenting. Some of those causes are: not
performing prayers in the appropriate time, making false accusations and lying
against people, dealing with interest (Reba), adultery, a woman hurting her
husband or neighbours, not fasting a day in Ramadan with out a reason, ill
feelings and the spreading of rumours against people.
3) Reciting the
chapter (surah) “Al-Mulk”, learning it and understanding its meanings. The
prophet may peace be upon him said: “There is a chapter in the Quran of 30
Ayas, it keeps mediating for its reader until he/she is forgiven” and he read
“ÊÈÇÑß ÇáÐí ÈíÏå Çáãáß . .”.
4) Shahada, dying
while striving in the way of Allah.
5) Dying while on a
watchful eye in way of Allah. It was reported that the prophet said: “staying
up as a guard for a day and a night is better that all the fasting and praying
for a entire month. And if one dies doing that; one will be guarded just as
he/she were doing; his/her deeds will continue to add up; and he/she will be
safe guarded from the temptation of the grave”
6) Death by internal
or abdominal causes.
7) Death on the day;
or the evening of a Friday.
We do ask Allah to keep
us right by word and deed, in this life and in the life after. We ask our Lord
to protect us and you against the punishment in hell and punishment in the
grave, from the temptations in life and death and the temptation of the false
Messiah.
Notes:
- Arafa (or Arafa or Arafat):
is a mountain that represents the climax of the Hajj worship. All doing Hajj
must stay at this location on the same day.
- Duaa:
a prayer in the form
of talking to Allah; praising him and asking him for help.
- Hadeeth:
is something reported that the messenger said. It includes all the speeches
and ceremonies he gave. It is usually narrated or told by one of his
companions. There is a list of hadeeths approximately 14000 that are
reported and checked to be genuine. No more hadeeths are acceptably added to
this list.
- Jihad: is striving in
the line of Allah in many forms. Includes a very wide scope varying from
improving oneself to fighting a defensive war in protection of Allah's word.
Ommah:
is the Arabic word for
a nation. It usually refers to the Islamic nation unless otherwise
specified. 
Friday Talks 
