[ابوالوليد المسلم]

The Grave (8-9)

Dr. `Umar S. al-Ashqar


5 - The Lessons of Death
(1) Death is the greatest lesson
We have quoted above the texts which speak of death and its stupor, and the grave and its terrors. The wise man is the one who learns a lesson from this, for death is the greatest lesson. It was said to one of the ascetics (zaahid), "What is the most eloquent lesson?" He said, "Looking at the dead."[1] Qurtubi described death very well when he said: "Know that death is the greatest calamity, the most terrifying thing, the cup whose taste is most hateful and bitter. It is the destroyer of delights, which puts an end to all comforts and brings all that you dislike. The thing that cuts off your limbs, separates your body parts and destroys your strength is indeed a terrifying thing, an immense calamity, and the day when it happens is a terrible day."[2]
(2) Thinking about death
Just as life is one of the signs of Allah, so too death is another sign, the opposite of life, which is no less wondrous.
“How can you disbelieve in Allah? Seeing that you were dead and He gave you life. Then He will give you death, then again will bring you to life [on the Day of Resurrection] and then unto Him you will return” (Qur'an, Surah Al-Baqarah, 2: 28)
Thinking about this aayah means thinking about one of the wonders of Allah’s creation which points to the great power of Allah. It is narrated that a Bedouin was travelling on his camel. It fell and dead. The Bedouin got off the camel and started walking around it, pondering the matter, and saying, "Why won't you get up? Why won't you move? Your limbs are all there, your faculties are all sound. What is wrong with you? What was it that made you alive and kept you moving? What made you fall dead? What is stopping you from moving?" Then he went away, wondering at this matter. [3]
(3) Examples of lessons
Allah told His Messenger about death, and said:
“Verily, you [O' Muhammad] will die, and verily, they [too] will die” (Qur'an, Surah Az-Zumar, 39: 30)
According to a hadith narrated by At-Tabaraani in Al-Awsat, Abu Na'eem in Al-Hilyah, Al-Haakim in Al-Mustadrak and others, 'Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: "The Messenger of Allah (Blessings and peace be upon him) said: “Jibreel (Gabriel) came to me and said, "O' Muhammad, live as long as you like, for you are going to die. Love whomever you want, for you are going to leave them. Do whatever you want, for you are going to be requited for it. Know that the honour of the believer is his standing in prayer at night, and his pride is in his independence from the people."[4]
We have quoted many of the texts in which Allah and His Messenger have taught us about death. It was the habit of the righteous to remind themselves about death and to preach to the people about it. 'Ali ibn Abi Taalib (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "This world is moving away from us, and the Hereafter is moving towards us. Each of them has its own people, so be among the people of the Hereafter, do not be among the people of this world. Today is striving, not reckoning, but tomorrow will be reckoning and not striving." This is narrated by Bukhari in the chapter "Hoping to live long".[5]
Among the lessons taught by the scholars is that which was quoted in Tadhkirat al-Qurtubi: "Think, O' you who are deceived by this world, of death and its agonies, how difficult and bitter a cup it is. What a true promise death is! How fair a judge it is! Death is enough to fill the heart with fear and the eyes with tears, to separate people, destroy pleasure and put an end to all worldly hopes. Have you given any thought, O' son of Adam, to the day when you will die and will be taken out of your place? When you will move from the spaciousness (of this world) to the confines (of the grave), when friends and loved ones will let you down, and brothers and friends will desert you? When you will be taken from your bed and placed in a hole in the ground, and instead of a soft blanket you will be covered with dust and earth? O' gatherer of wealth, O' industrious builder, by Allah you will have nothing left of your possessions except shrouds, and even they will be destroyed and will vanish as your body disintegrates and turns to dust. Where is the wealth that you amassed? Will it save you from these terrors? No indeed, you have left it behind for those who will not praise you, and you have come with your burdens (of sin) to One Who will not excuse you."[6]
Qurtubi narrated that Yazeed al-Riqaashi used to say to himself: "Woe to you, O' Yazeed. Who will pray on your behalf after you die? Who will fast on your behalf after you die? Who will make Allah be pleased with you after you die?" Then he said: "O' people, why do you not weep and wail for yourselves for the rest of your lives? When you are being sought by the grave, when the grave is home, the earth your bed, the worms your companions, and you will be awaiting the greater terror?"[7]
Qurtubi said elsewhere: "Imagine yourself, O' you who have been deceived by this world, when the agony and stupor of death overwhelms you, and you start moaning in the throes of death. There will be some who will say, So and so has made a will, and his wealth has been calculated; others will say, So and so can no longer speak, he does not recognize his neighbours and he does not speak to his brothers. It is as if l can see you listening to these words and unable to respond. Imagine yourself, O' son of Adam, being taken from your bed to the place where your body will be washed and shrouded, and being forsaken by your family and neighbours, wept over by your friends and brothers. Imagine the one who has washed your body saying, 'Where is the wife of so and so to forgive him? Where are the orphans? Your father has left you and you will never see him again after this day."[8]
In one of the lessons preached by the great Sahaabi Abu-Dardaa', he said: "Three things make me smile, and three things make me weep. The things that make me smile are: the man who has great hopes in this world whilst death is seeking him, the one who ignores death but it does not ignore him, and the one who laughs out loud but he does not know whether Allah is pleased with him or angry. The things that make me weep are: departing from Muhammad (Blessings and peace be upon him) and his Companions, the terrifying moments at the point of death, and standing before Allah on the Day when all secrets will be made known and not knowing whether one is heading for Paradise or for Hell."[9]
Abu-Dardaa' or Abu Dharr said: "You give birth to those who are going to die, you build that which will be destroyed, you focus on that which will pass away, and you neglect that which will remain." [10]
Qurtubi gave the following advice in his Tadhkirah:
"Where is the wealth that you have gathered and prepared for hardship and terror? There is no money in your hand when you are dying. The wealth and pride that you enjoyed have been replaced with humiliation and poverty. What has become of you, O' prisoner of your burdens, O' you who have been taken away from your family and your home? What was it that concealed the right path from you, and caused you to have no interest in making provision for your long journey and time of difficulty? Did you not know, O' you who were deceived by this world that this journey to the Day of intense horror was inevitable, when the time spent in gossip would be to no avail? That is the Day when you are standing before the Sovereign, the Judge, and the blows struck by your hands, the places where your feet took you, the words uttered by your tongue, the actions of all your limbs and faculties, will be counted against you. If Allah has mercy on you, you will go to Paradise, otherwise you will go to the Fire of Hell. O' negligent one who ignores these matters, how long will this negligence last? How long will you delay? Do you think that the issue is insignificant? Do you think that the matter is easy? Do you think that your situation will help you when it is time for you to depart? Or that your wealth will save you when your actions condemn you? Or that your regret will help you when your feet are slipping? Or that your friends will show you any sympathy when you are gathered (for judgement)? No, by Allah, you are wrong in your thinking, and you will inevitably come to know the reality. You are not content with enough, you never have your fill of that which is haraam, you do not listen to lessons, you are not deterred by warnings. You persist in following your desires and you go about your life without guidance. You are happy with the things that you have accumulated but you do not think of what lies ahead. O' you who are sleeping unawares, wandering without guidance, for how long will the neglect last? Do you think that you will be left alone and let off, and that you will not be brought to account tomorrow? Or do you think that death can be bribed? Or do you think that death distinguishes between the lion and the gazelle?
No, by Allah, wealth and sons can never ward off death from you. Nothing can benefit those who will be forgiven except righteous deeds. So good news to those who listen and understand, who practice what they preach, and are deterred from following their whims and desires, those who know that the victor is the one who pays heed, and that man will have nothing except that for which he strives, and he will see what he has striven for. So wake up from this negligence, and make righteous deeds the provision with which you equip yourselves. Do not wish to attain the status of the righteous when you are weighed down with burdens (of sin), doing immoral deeds, when Allah is watching you even when you are alone. Do not be so deceived by hopes and wishes that you neglect to strive. One poet said:
“Take provision from this life to help yourself in the Hereafter.
Strive for the sake of Allah and do good deeds.
Do not accumulate too much in this world,
For that accumulation will eventually diminish.
Would you like to accompany people,
Who have provision when you do not?" [11]

(Continued)

[1] Tadhkirat al-Qurtubi, 99

[2] Tadhkirat al-Qurtubi, 24

[3] Tadhkirat al-Qurtubi, p. 5

[4] Silsilat al-Ahaadeeth as-Saheehah, 21505, hadith no. 831

[5] Mishkaat al-Masaabeeh, 2/659, hadith no. 5215

[6] Tadhkirat al-Qurtubi, p. 9

[7] Ibid, p. 9

[8] Tadhkirat al-Qurtubi, p. 21

[9] Ibid, p. 87

[10] Kitaab az-Zuhd war-Raqaa'iq by Ibn al-Mubaarak, p. 88

[11] Tadhkirat al-Qurtubi, 91