For children, - Sakaratul Maut (Last Moments Before Death)

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A police officer in a Muslim country wrote the following letter to a Shaykh (Religious leader) describing the events that led to his return to Allah (SWT). He recalls:
Seeing accidents and crash victims was a normal part of my day, but one incident was different.
My partner and I had parked on the shoulder of the highway and began to chat. In a random second, the scene shattered to the hideous sound of metal bodies becoming one. We threw our heads back to see what had happened. It was a head-on collision, the result of a vehicle slipping into the lane of the oncoming traffic.
We couldn't describe the carnage. Two young men sprawled in the first car, both in critical condition. We carried them gently away from the car and rested them on the ground.
Quickly we returned to assist the owner of the second car. He was dead. Back we went to the two young men lying side by side on the pavement.
My partner began dictating the Shahadah to them. Say "Ash Hadu an La Ilaha Illallah (I bear witness that there is no god but Allah) ..."
Their tongues wouldn't acknowledge it. They started humming the hypnotic lyrics of some song. I was terrified. My partner had experience however, and he kept repeating his instruction.
I stood up watching, no movement, eyes locked. Never in my life had I seen anything similar to what was going on before me. In fact, I've never actually seen someone die, and never, in such a satanic way.
My partner continued to instruct them to say the Shahadah but there was no use. The hum of their song came to a slow silence, slowly. The first one stopped and then the other. Not a stir but Dead.
We carried them to our patrol car; my partner made no effort to speak. Not a whisper between us two as we carried the corpses to the nearest hospital.
The police officer fell back into routine, as he narrates, and started to drift away from Allah (SWT). But another event happened to him that sealed the return. He continues:
What an odd world. After some time, about six months, a strange accident took place. A young man was moving along the highway normally, but within one of the tunnels leading to the city, he got a flat tire.
To the side of the tunnel he parked and stepped to the back to remove the spare tire. The whistle of a speeding car could be heard from behind. In a second, it collided with the crippled car, with the young man in-between. He fell to the ground with critical injuries.
I rushed to the scene, myself and another partner other than the first. Together we carried the young man's body into our patrol car and phoned the hospital to prepare for his arrival.
He was a young adult in his blossom years. Religious, as you could tell from his appearance. He was mumbling when we carried him, but in our rush, we had not paid attention to what he was saying.
However, when we placed him on his back in the patrol car, we could make it out. Through the pain, his heart was reciting Noble Qur'an! He was so immersed in the recitation. Subhan Allah, you would have never said that this person was in intense pain.
Blood had soaked his clothes crimson red, his bones had clearly snapped in several places. To tell the truth, he looked like he was staring into the eyes of death.
He continued to read in his unique, tender voice, reciting each verse in proper rhythm. In my entire life, I had never heard any recitations like it. I said to myself, "I'm going to instruct him to say the Shahadah just like I saw my friend doing," especially since I had previous experience."
My partner and I listened intently to that soft voice. I felt a shiver shock my back and up my arm the hair stood.
Suddenly, the hymn ceased. I watched silently as his hand rose softly. He had his index finger pointed upward to the Heaven, saying the Shahadah (Ash Hadu an La Ilaha Illallah - I bear witness that there is no god but Allah). Then, his head slumped.
I jumped to the back seat, felt his hand, his heart, his breathing. He was dead!
I couldn't stop staring at him. A tear fell but I hid it in shame. I turned back to my partner and told him that the boy's life had ceased. He burst out loud crying. Seeing a man cry like that, I could not control myself and my partner faded away behind the fall of my own tears. The patrol car fogged from the emotions.
We arrived at the hospital. As we rushed through the corridors, we told all the doctors, nurses, and onlookers what had happened. So many people were affected by what we said, some stood there speechless and tearful.
No one wanted to lose sight of the boy, until they had been assured of the time and place he would be buried.
One of the hospital staffs phoned the boy's home. His brother picked it up and was told of the accident. His brother told us about him:
He used to go out every Monday to visit his only grandmother outside of town. Whenever he visited her, he made sure to spend time with the poor children idling on the streets, and the orphans. The town knew him; he was the one that would bring them the Islamic books and tapes. His dusty Mazda would be filled with rice and sugar and even candies - couldn't forget the candies - for those families who were in need.
He would not stand for anyone to discourage him from the long journey to that town. He would always politely reply that the long drive gave him time to review his Noble Qur'an and to listen to Islamic lectures on his cassette deck and that with every step to the town, he hoped for the reward he would find with Allah (SWT).
Rasool Allah - Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallamgave the example of a man who loses his camel in the desert and in that wasteland loses hope of life. In that state, he sits down awaiting death to come. Then, he opens his eyes and finds his camel standing beside him with all the provisions to take him home. In his extreme happiness he cries out, "O Allah, You are my servant and I am your Lord!" He says it wrong from the bliss of happiness.
Rasool Allah - Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam said that verily Allah (SWT) is more pleased with the repentance of His servant than this man is upon finding his camel!

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Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh), - Important statements from Al-Barzanji's book Al-Isha'at ul Ishraat us Saa'at'' (Portents of the Judgment Day)

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The Great Sheikh has a poem as follows:
Be aware, the end of the saints is a martyr. He is Mahdi the Sayyid (as), who will be a descendant of Ahl al-Ahmad. He is a sharp sword, warding off the evil! He is the sun that will eliminate all the pains and troubles. When he gives, he is like a fruitful rain.
Hazrat Mahdi (as) is a martyr. He is a very select leader. He is a descendant of the Prophet Mohammad (saas). He is the sword of knowledge, a very effective, very sharp sword that will ward off the evil, all pains and troubles, what does pain mean? He will take away all the pains, stresses, tension, pains, and psychological problems of people. He says Hazrat Mahdi (as) is a sun that will destroy all the oppression, torture, threats and ordeals of people. What does Ataturk say? He also says he is a sun. What does Bediuzzaman say? Sun. What does the Prophet Mohammad (saas) say in his hadith? A sun. he will be fruitful just like a rain.
The time has come. He has become apparent in the fourth century after the three centuries that had passed. Because the Prophet Mohammad (saas) talked at once about three centuries, followed by a fourth one. In one account, it is said ‘three centuries follow each other, one apart from others …’.
In other words, three centuries are one after another and another one is alone, which is four. And if you add one thousand? 1400 in Hijri calendar. Because Imam Rabbani says that he will come one thousand years after the demise of the Prophet Mohamed (saas). When you put it together with this report, you get 1400 in Hijri calendar.
As to him; he has authority and power. He will gain the power he needs from Allah. Because he is a verified caliph (spiritual successor) who speaks language of the birds and of all animals. For that reason, his justice will be witnessed by all the humans and jinns.
He will get the power he needs not from people, but from Allah. Because he is a leader whose reliability is confirmed by Allah, and who speaks the language of all birds and animals, as reported in hadith, which means that he will have love for all animals. He will love all of them. The hadith says his justice will extend to the jinns too, which means he will have contact with them. He will ensure justice amongst them too, and prevent them from oppressing each other.
As indicated above, Allah has bestowed him helpers who believe in him. He will make great accomplishments by the help of his aides.
He will accomplish great things by the means of his helpers, so we understand that he has students. The Prophet Mohammad (saas) says Hazrat Mahdi (as) will not be alone.
The qualities required by Hazrat Mahdi (as) for the duties he will assign to his helpers:
1. Prudence; because this quality is needed when people are invited to Allah’s path. As a matter of fact the Almighty Lord has told as follows while telling the stories of the Prophets:, "I call to Allah with inner sight, I and all who follow me.."
Hazrat Mahdi will no doubt follow the Prophet Mohammad (saas). Just like the Prophet Mohammad (saas) didn’t make any mistakes in inviting people to Allah’s way, Hazrat Mahdi (as) will not make a mistake too. Because Hazrat Mahdi (as) will follow in the footsteps of the Prophet Mohammad (saas).
One of the most important qualities of Hazrat Mahdi (as) is that he has prudence. ‘I call to Allah with inner sight, I and all who follow me’, which means ‘I invite people to Allah with my students’. The verse refers to Hazrat Mahdi (as) in that sense. Hazrat Mahdi (as) will be innocent in his decisions.
2. He understands the Holy book perfectly.
He will understand and explain the Qur’an perfectly.
3. He understands the meaning of the Words of Allah.
He will be able to interpret the Qur’an perfectly and explain it to people in an excellent way.
4. He knows perfectly the character and thoughts of the people he will appoint to positions…
Hazrat Mahdi (as) will be able to analyze the situation, mood, attitude, behavior, in other words, the character, psychological state of people very well.
5. He never ceases to be compassionate and just even when he gets angry…
Sometimes Allah will give a sense of great rage in him, but despite that he will never cease to be compassionate and just. He is very compassionate, in other words he is reasonable even when he gets very angry. He thinks reasonably, he acts by the Qur’an and never stops being fair. He always judges fairly even if it is against him. He is not seeking to save himself or protect his own interests.
6. Knows the classes of the beings..
He treats the kids the way they should be treated, and the grownups in the way grownups should be treated. Same thing goes for everyone, the elderly, the women. He treats everyone according to the way they would like to be treated. He knows how to speak to their soul. This is a quality of Hazrat Mahdi (as).
7. He knows about the complex details of the things; because a leader with this information will not make a mistake in his decisions… Hazrat Mahdi (as) knows the knowledge of comparison not for using it in his judgments, but for avoiding it. Because his judgment will be the result of right inspiration. He will act upon the Sunnah of the Prophet Mohammed (saas). For this reason, when the Prophet Mohammad (saas) described him, he said ‘He will follow in my footsteps, he will not make a mistake’. We understand from this that, he will not introduce a new command, but he will follow the existing Sunnah. He will also be innocent. With the phrase ‘innocent’, it is meant he will be innocent in his decisions. Because the real innocence can be possible only for a Prophet. But he is not a Prophet, he is a Saint. The saints are protected from making mistakes, they are not innocent.
He knows the complex details, fine details. He analyses why someone did something, for what reason, he is capable of doing a very detailed analysis.
Because a leader with this knowledge, will never make a mistake; Hazrat Mahdi (as) knows the knowledge of comparison not for using it in his judgments, but for avoiding it too, which means he will not act according to comparison. He avoids comparison, which was used in Islamic canonic law.
The Prophet Mohammad (saas) informs us upon revelation, that he will not make a mistake. He will be innocent in his decisions. When people think he made a mistake, it is still a right decision. Allah doesn’t allow him to make a mistake in his judgments. He is an innocent imam, this is exclusive to Hazrat Mahdi (as) only. He is under the special protection of Allah. The innocent imam. Always right in his decisions. But the real innocence can be seen only in the Prophets, the Prophets are protected in every way.
8. Understanding the needs of people well; because Allah has brought him over other people to take care of them. The actions and decisions of the leaders must be to seek the interests of the people, rather than themselves. A leader that does not work for the interests of the people and help them, must be relieved of duty. Because there is no more any difference between him and the people.
The quality of Hazrat Mahdi (as) is this: whole world is his family. If a kid’s leg is broken in Uganda, he will be taken care of, as if he was the child of Hazrat Mahdi (as). A Muslim in London and a Muslim in Uganda will be treated the same way. Both will eat very good food, will receive very high quality treatment, both will live in very good houses. There will be no more second class citizen, third class citizen. Everyone will be like the child of Hazrat Mahdi (as). For example let’s say a kid in Japan is to be operated on. You know in some communities, no one knows what’s going on in the life of others. It won’t be like that with Hazrat Mahdi (as). Hazrat Mahdi (as) will be as careful as it is his own operation. That’s why he will resist the offers to make him imam. He doesn’t accept, but they force him. Because the spiritual responsibility is too great, because he is responsible for the entire world, he is given the duty of imamate (religious leadership) by force, under the threat for his life. He will not seek his own interests, but he will make sure that the people’s interests are safeguarded in the best way possible. He will follow very carefully. Everyone in the hospital will be a first class citizen. Everyone will eat the best food. Hazrat Mahdi (as) will make sure that everyone will eat what he eats, everyone will wear what he wears, and everyone will live as comfortable as he does. This is the characteristic of Hazrat Mahdi (as). Because there is no more difference between him and other people, they are the same, he takes care of everyone so carefully, it’s like they will all be his own children.
9. He will have the knowledge of the unknown , which will be needed particularly in his time, because only then, can he solve the emerging problems. As indicated above, Hazrat Mahdi (as) will not act on comparison. Because comparison will lead to many new issues, and this will only cause trouble for people. But the preferred action in Islam is facilitation. For this reason, the Prophet Mohammed (saas) said: ‘Leave me alone when I leave matters to you to decide’. In this way he didn’t want people to ask him many questions, in order to prevent too much judgments and offers. He only settled with communicating the message of Allah. So since we understand that Hazrat Mahdi (as) will follow in the tracks of the Prophet Mohammad (saas), he will not make a mistake, and he will be very compassionate to beings just like the Messenger of Allah.
So Hazrat Mahdi (as) will have these nine qualities. He will have knowledge of unseen, which is particularly needed in his own time. He will know what will happen in the future, based on the hadiths and the Qur’an verses. He will take appropriate measures since he will know what will happen in the future, by the leave of Allah.
There will be no more comparison, Hazrat Mahdi (as) doesn’t use comparison. He says that if comparison is used, then there will appear complex judgments and an inextricable understanding of Islam for people. He will not accept that. Because that would trouble the people. Our religion is the religion of ease. It is Allah’s orders to make the religion easier. And making it difficult would be what satan wants. Making the religion, worshipping, life easier, that’s the style in Islam.
"Leave me alone when I leave matters to you to decide’, meaning ‘don’t try to produce new judgments’. When the Companions asked him ‘how will this be?’, he answered ‘do whatever you think is the best, because if I say something, it will be a judgment, and you will have to do it from now on, so don’t ask me, live freely’ said the Prophet Mohammad (saas). ‘If it is something important, I will warn you anyway’ he says. ‘But if I don’t say anything, don’t try to produce judgments and don’t force me to do it’.
So he doesn’t want too many rules and judgments. What is the situation now? There are too many rules and judgments. That is what gave birth to superstitions, innovations, religion turning into something else. This is the real reason behind the pains of the Islamic world.
He confined to communicating the message of Islam. Allah gave him information about significant and critical matters, other than that, Muslims should be left free.
Since Hazrat Mahdi (as) will follow in the tracks of the Prophet Mohammad (saas) and will not make a mistake, then he has to be very compassionate towards the beings just like the Messenger of Allah. So he is not only compassionate, he is extremely compassionate, towards all living things, to dogs, cats, fish, people, kids, all of them…
The Prophet Mohammad (saas) said that Hazrat Mahdi (as) will not make a mistake but was silent about others; in other words, the Prophet Mohammad (saas) didn’t say that other imams like Abu Bakr, Omar, Uthman, Ali and other saints will be innocent. He only said Hazrat Mahdi (as) will not make a mistake, this is firm in the hadiths.
The Prophet Jesus (as), will descend onto a white minaret to the east of Dimashq, in the time of Hazrat Mahdi (as), while people are performing the afternoon prayer. The imam will step back and he will lead the prayer, and he will act as an imam and perform the salat in line with the commands of the Prophet Mohammad (saas).
Some people misinterpret this. Sham is a very wide area. A very vast land that includes Istanbul and Anatolia, is called Sham. So he will appear in a high building, a high house. Because when minaret is said, the first thing that comes to mind is a tall building. A high place, where he can be heard from everywhere.
Warning:
The meaning of this hadith is not contradictory to the hadiths which narrate that the Prophet Jesus (as) will follow Hazrat Mahdi (as) in the morning salat, when he will say ‘this was sent for you!’.
So it is not contradictory with the situation where the Prophet Jesus (as) pushed Hazrat Mahdi (as) forward to make sure that he leads the salat. So the Prophet Jesus (as) makes Hazrat Mahdi (as) the imam and then Hazrat Mahdi (as) makes the Prophet Jesus (as) the vizier. What is related here happens after this prayer. So Hazrat Mahdi’s (as) position as the imam is verified, it is recognized that he is the leader of the world. The Prophet Jesus (as) confirms that he is the imam. And Hazrat Mahdi (as) appoints various other people as imams, the Prophet Jesus (as) will be his head vizier, he makes him an imam too.
It is a miracle that Prophet Mohammed (pbuh) knew that white minarets would be built in the end times. There weren’t minarets in his time. And he says that it will happen. It is an amazing miracle. So in Istanbul, or in Jerusalem, or in a place like that, the Prophet Jesus (as) will lead the prayer in a mosque with a white minaret, in the area called Sham.

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Quran Related, - Avoiding idle talk

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Idle or empty talk contains no remembrance of Allah, nor is it aimed at His approval. Thus, precious time is lost that should be spent engaging in good deeds for the Hereafter.
It is among the strategies of satan to hinder man from remembering Allah, from seeing the countless signs and miracles of Allah surrounding him, and from reflecting upon the purpose of life.
For example, the subjects that keep common people busy are sports, recipes, the problems of child raising, and so forth.
Exchange rates, the stock exchange and other subjects related to commerce and economy occupy the minds of people involved in business.
Another sector of society who call themselves intellectuals and who want to show themselves off as cultured indulge in prolonged dialogues, thinking that they have solved great difficulties, but which generally bring no benefit to society.
One frequently sees examples of this in open forums held on television. Participants discuss a particular issue for hours, only to be recognized for their knowledge and to impress others.
There are people who take such forums as an opportunity to attack religion and reveal their aversion to truth.
Allah describes these attitudes in the Qur’an:
But there are some people who trade in distracting tales to misguide people from Allah’s Way knowing nothing about it and to make a mockery of it. Such people will have a humiliating punishment. (Surah Luqman; 6)
While indulging in worthless talk is a characteristic of unbelievers, avoidance of it is a quality of believers:
When they hear worthless talk they turn away from it and say, ‘We have our actions and you have your actions. Peace be upon you. We do not desire the company of the ignorant.’ (Surat al-Qasas; 55)
A believer must always avoid ignorance, unbecoming manners and blameworthy speech. The absence in Paradise of any offensive speech is described among its blessings:
Gardens of Eden which the All-Merciful has promised to His slaves in the Unseen. His promise is always kept. They will not hear any prattling there—nothing but ‘Peace.’ They will receive their provision there morning and night. (Surah Maryam; 61-62)

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Quran Related, - Controlling Rage

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In the Qur’an, the control of anger is described as exemplary behavior since it hinders harmful reactions likely caused by it.
Those who give in times of both ease and hardship, those who control their rage and pardon other people —Allah loves the good-doers. (Surah Al ‘Imran; 134)
Although rage may surface as an instant reaction in particular situations, a believer should comply with the description in this verse by controlling it.
That is because rage clouds one’s mind and hinders sound reasoning. In such a case, a person runs the risk of transgressing the limits of Allah, since the emotional judgments he makes under the influence of anger will usually be rash and incompatible with Qur’anic ethics.
A believer must immediately strive to overcome resentment he feels pertaining to personal matters, especially toward other believers, and try to replace it with compassion and mercy.
If a person’s anger is based on unjust grounds, then he has no right to be furious in the first place. He must accept his mistake, apologize and make up for his misbehavior.
But even if he was in the right, he must still control anger, and in compliance with the verse, it is better to forgive.
What has been related so far concerns the mundane situations believers are likely to encounter.
Apart from these there is a group of people who become angry at the least provocation. They actually fail to grasp some basic faith-related issues, such as putting one’s trust in Allah or recognizing the fact that all people are under His control.
In the Qur’an Allah reveals:
Everything in the heavens and the earth belong to Allah. He knows what you are engaged upon. On the Day when they are returned to Him, He will inform them of what they did. Allah has knowledge of all things. (Surat An-Nur:64)

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