Death: Beautiful Gift

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"To Allah (Almighty God) we belong, and to Him is our return." (Holy Qur'an 2:156)
Multitudes of men have walked on the surface of this Earth. They all belonged to different nations and cultures. A few of them made history for which they were remembered, whereas others were never to be mentioned again. Although each one was personally different from another - their habits, thinking and tastes differed - they all had two things in common, first, they were all delivered from their mothers womb (birth) and second, they all tasted death. Who claims he has lived a thousand years?
"The Sun travels to an appointed place. This is the decree of the Mighty, the All-Knowing." (Holy Qur'an 36:38)
Almighty God blesses us with all His gifts. The Sun gives us light during the day to help us see and it helps our crops grow so that we can eat. But the Sun also teaches us other things. Almighty God causes the day to die with its setting and allows the night to take over, which is a time for rest. In this way, He may be showing us that all of us will eventually have to die just like the day. And when the Sun rises in the morning again after our period of rest, it is as if Almighty God is telling us that we too will be raised to life after we have died. These are all signs of Almighty God to teach us to take care of our life.
One thing that we must remember is that death is inevitable, and everything except the Almighty God of course, will perish. Signs of death can be seen all around us. At funerals we see people who were once walking among us being buried in their graves. In the fall we see the leaves turn from green to yellow and fall one at a time, and in the winter we see trees, lifeless. In this way, all things in this world will wither away and die.
According to an old fable, a man made an unusual agreement with Hazrat Izraeel (pbuh) - the angel of death. He told Izraeel (pbuh) that he would be willing to accompany him (as though he had a choice) only if Izraeel (pbuh) would send him a notice well in advance. The agreement was made. Weeks became months and the months into years. One bitterly cold night, as the man sat alone thinking of his success in life, Izraeel (pbuh) tapped on his shoulder. "You are here too soon" the man cried out. "You sent no messenger. I thought we had an agreement!" Izraeel (pbuh) whispered "Notice your hair, once it was full and black, now it has streaks of silver in it! Observe your face in the mirror and see the wrinkles. Yes! I have sent many messages through the years! I have kept my part. I am sorry that you are not ready for me but the order of Almighty God cannot be averted!"
Hence, hair color turning gray from black or wrinkles on the face are also the signs of nearing death, and the Almighty God is the only one who can bring the dead back to life.
Surely all men die, and just surely Almighty God give them life with His ability, and judges them on their deeds and actions. We know Almighty God is the Creator and can recreate us, because if one can do something he has the ability to do it again.
For instance, if your teacher asks you to draw a picture on the blackboard and color it. Then if after you have drawn it with beautiful colors, the teacher asks you to rub it out and do it again, could you repeat the same drawing again?
Of course you would be able to repeat the picture. It is what you created and are capable of doing again.
From this example, we can understand Almighty God is able to give life to the dead because it is He Who created us in the beginning. Almighty God can surely give life to the dead. He judges them on their deeds. On Resurrection Day He will re-create the dead for judgment, and then allow the doer of good to enter paradise but cast the evil-doer into hell.
Hatred towards death and love of the world is the outcome of an ignorant person's mind, who thinks that the happiness of this world is his prosperity and good fortune. The world beset with numerous troubles and anxieties is about to end in misery and does not enjoy eternity, perpetuity and sincerity. A poet has referred to this in the following words - "Do not give your heart to this world, for its example is of an unfaithful bride who has never loved you, even for a night."
Imam Ali (pbuh) says: "If man will see how speedily his death is coming toward him he will abhor ambitions and will give up admiring the world."
It is of utmost importance that man should hold death dear and consider it an opportunity of meeting with his Almighty, and not hate it and consider it as evil, but should take lessons from it. He should ask forgiveness from Almighty for his sins and tame the rebellious self (Nafs). When the call of his Lord comes, he should welcome it with open arms accepting it to be a blessing from Almighty. He should be contented with the decree (Qadr) of Almighty. He should also rejoice that shortly he would be taken to the presence of Ahlul Bait [Household of Prophet] (pbut) and meet his deceased companions and other believer brothers. He should also not be disheartened by the delay in death but should consider it as an opportunity afforded by Almighty to him to repent. This delay would give him a chance to gather provisions useful for his journey to the other world, for the journey is tiresome and full of dangerous valleys and difficult paths.
In fact a believer always remembers death, since his or her main goal is to reach the Almighty God. Hazrat Qasim (pbuh), the son of Imam Hasan Al-Mujtaba (pbuh), when asked concerning death at Karbala, answered: "death to me is sweeter than honey." Therefore true believers, those who are sincerely devoted to the Almighty God, anticipate death since to them it signifies the long-awaited meeting with their creator.
During imprisonment, Imam Ali An-Naqi, Al-Hadi (pbuh)had a grave dug up ready by the side of his prayer mat. Some visitors expressed concern or surprise. The Imam explained, "In order to remember my end I keep the grave before my eyes."
Before a believer approaches the final moment of his/her life and death overtakes him, it is necessary that he wakes up from the state of negligence and prepares for the final everlasting place. This way he will be able to avoid bewilderment and the fear of the so-called untimely death.
At the time of leaving this world, as attested to by the Holy Qur'an, a person will be in one of two states - either he will be of the Companions of the Right, or the Companions of the Left (Refer Holy Qur'an 56:7-56). If he is counted amongst the Companions of the Right, he will be in a good, final state, but if he is one of the Companions of the Left, he will be of those who have suffered a great loss.

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Depression in Islam

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"Verily my prayers, my sacrifices, my life, and my death are for Allah, the Lord of all the worlds." (Holy Qur'an 6:162)
The tides of life sweep many people onto new horizons of hopelessness. Life without Islam leaves the weak in this world vulnerable to misuse and oppression. One of the worst forms of abuse is that which is perpetrated by a trusted person in one's life. And this is the sad scenario of many people throughout the world who have had this sacred trust breached by either family members or close friends of the family. The laws of Allah (swt), the Almighty protect the individual and society. But sadly these laws are too often not known or implemented. Satan, the enemy of man, calls for all that destroys the human being. Why do we find so many victims in the world of today - lost, isolated, whose minds feel constant pain and frustration- an inability to change what has occurred. An inability to wipe away the memories of terror and fear and replace it with peace.
Some issues not only affect the body of the human being but reach far down into the spirit and threaten to touch the delicate balance that coordinates the harmony between the body and the soul. Loss of confidence, feelings of guilt and inability to trust - fear of broken trust, fear of loss, fear of fear...
The state of the heart is the key to the balance of the essence of man and so it is no wonder that the traps of Satan are those which urge the physical desires on to acts that will tamper with and destroy the spirit.
However, Allah (swt), the Almighty tells us that the plans of Satan are weak! What joyous news this is for those who have been held in its dark clutches. For Satan works with illusion, while Allah (swt) is reality. Whatever we fear, cannot harm us for we know that only Allah (swt) is to be feared - for nothing occurs without His guiding hand and He guides to all that is good. He is the One who can turn evil into good.
The evil touch, the memory of betrayal can so easily be replaced with the remembrance that Allah (swt), His light and guidance can lift us far and away - beyond time and space - to a place of peace, where the dismal memories that cloud the mind are dispelled in a puff. The heart finds lightness, grace and wispy breezes of comfort in the words of Allah (swt) - the final message to man, that contains all the knowledge essential for our growth and overcoming of the evil within ourselves and in the world around us.
The victims of the world, have a greater potential for growth than any others. The spirit once touched, is open to light and guidance, softer and more compassionate to the pain of others and inner troubles of the mind stir the individual to walk the steep paths of life and thereby, through their sincerity and efforts find the vast richness of the Mercy of Allah (swt), which extends to the oppressed who with sincerity seek His ever present help.
May Allah (swt) bind the hearts of the victims to Him, that they will never give up in this journey of life. For every single person in this world carries some form of burden, some fear, some care, some disappointment, some loss - but nothing can harm the spirit, which is the essence of man which belongs to Allah (swt) and will return to Him, in the form in which it was molded in this world.
The decision belongs to us. We sink or swim. We strive or give up. But before we choose we must remember that Allah (swt) promises not to give us more than we can bear if we sincerely strive to follow His way, trusting in Him. Alone we will surely destroy ourselves, but with His ever Merciful help, nothing - absolutely nothing is impossible!
Allah (swt) burdens not a person beyond his scope. He gets reward for that (good) which he has earned, and he is punished for that (evil) which he has earned. Above all, prayer and remembrance of Allah (swt) brings peace to the troubled mind and contains the only sure cure for the heart that cannot find peace. "Our Lord! Punish us not if we forget or fall into error, our Lord! Put not on us a burden greater than we have strength to bear. Pardon us and grant us Forgiveness. Have mercy on us."

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Women site, - Oppression and Intrigue, and the Ultimate Punishment - I

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The tradition of Allaah The Almighty has no scope for favoritism or flattery, as He Says )what means(:}You will not find in the way of Allaah any change{]Quran 33:62[, and, in fact, stresses in another place,}You will never find in the way of Allaah any change.{]Quran 35:43[ The fair Sharee‘ah neither distinguishes between equals nor renders the unequal as equivalent.
Thus, the inevitable destruction of the evil planner, the one who breaks his word and the unjust person is only a question of time, which, in itself, is a chance for reform. However, that does not reflect a change in principles and what has been established as the tradition of Allaah The Almighty.
Muhammad ibn Ka’b Al-Qurathi, may Allaah have mercy upon him, says, “Three traits beset those who possess them: scheming, as Allaah The Almighty Says )what means(:}Evil plans shall not beset any save the authors of it{]Quran 35:43[; injustice, as in the verse )which means(:}O mankind, your injustice is only against yourselves{]Quran 10:23[; reneging, as Allaah The Almighty Says )what means(:}So he who breaks his word only breaks it to the detriment of himself{]Quran 48:10[.”
Why these attributes particularly, and others in general, affect their bearer is because consequences are closely related to the causes, as Allaah The Almighty Says )what means(:}Whoever does a good deed - it is for himself; and whoever does evil - it is against the self.{]Quran 45:15[ Similarly, He Says )what means(:}]And said[, "If you do good, you do good for yourselves; and if you do evil, ]you do it[ to yourselves."{]Quran 17:7[ Moreover, the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said,"Do whatever you want, for you will be rewarded or punished accordingly."
He, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, also narrated that Allaah The Almighty Said:"O My servants, indeed, I enumerate and record your deeds for you, then I grant you your reward or punishment in full, correspondingly. Therefore, anyone who finds ]in life[ delight and good reward, should praise Allaah The Almighty ]for His enabling him or her to do good[. Likewise, whoever finds otherwise, should blame none but him/herself."
Once, a man went to a scholar and said, "The people of so-and-so have collaborated to harm me, as if they are a single hand." So, he read out the verse )what means(:"The hand of Allaah is over their hands."]Quran 48:10[ The man then complained, "They hatch plots", so the scholar recited )what means(:"The evil plot does not encompass except its own people."]Quran 35:43[ Then, when he said: "They are so many", the scholar recited the verse )which means(:"How many a small company has overcome a large company by permission of Allaah."]Quran 2:249[
The plots of the disbelievers destroy only them
If you want to be saved from the unbelievers and the immoral people, have faith in their inescapable destruction being caused by their scheming, oppression and betrayal. In fact, they destroy themselves with their own hands before anyone else’s weapons touch them and they alone suffer the outcome of their evil qualities. Allaah The Almighty Says )what means(:}And the disbelievers planned, but Allaah planned. And Allaah is the best of planners.{]Quran 3:45[ He also Says )what means(:}And thus We have placed within every city the greatest of its criminals to conspire therein. But they conspire not except against themselves, and they perceive ]it[ not.{]Quran 6:123[
The Noble Quran tells us of the intrigues of Thamood against their Prophet Saalih, may Allaah exalt his mention, where Allaah The Almighty Says )what means(:}And they planned a plan, and We planned a plan, while they perceived not. Then look how was the outcome of their plan - that We destroyed them and their people, all.{]Quran 27:50-51[
Commenting on these verses, some scholars said that the phrase}while they perceived not{implies that the people of Thamood were unaware of the angels that Allaah The Almighty ordered to descend to protect Saalih, may Allaah exalt his mention, from their assassination attempt. These angels pelted every one of them with stones until they were all killed, and their Prophet, may Allaah exalt his mention, was safe from their conspiracy.
In another version, it is said that the people plotted to kill him, may Allaah exalt his mention, so, they pretended to embark on a journey, when, in reality, they hid in a cave, so as to return and murder him at night. However, Allaah The Almighty caused a rock to roll down over the mouth of the cave until it became blocked; and this was His scheme against them.
Similarly, the disbelievers hatched plots against Prophet Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, as Allaah The Almighty Says )what means(:}And ]remember, ]O Muhammad[, when those who disbelieved plotted against you to restrain you or kill you or evict you ]from Makkah[. But they plan, and Allaah plans. And Allaah is the best of planners.{]Quran 8:30[
Thus, He saved the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, who consequently immigrated safely to Madeenah and managed to eliminate the leaders of the disbelievers, such as Abu Jahl, ‘Utbah ibn Rabee‘ah and Shaybah ibn Rabee‘ah. Later, Allaah The Almighty spread Islam among their very own after the conquest of Makkah. When the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, passed away, Allaah The Almighty had granted him victory over them and exalted him in status and reputation.
The hypocrites had also contrived evil plans against the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. Allaah The Almighty Says )what means(:}But they who plot evil deeds will have a severe punishment, and the plotting of those - it will perish.{]Quran 35:10[ Therefore, their schemes were eventually thwarted and their deception was evident to all rational people. In this manner, anyone who conceals anything evil will have it divulged by Allaah The Almighty through his or her facial expressions and slips of the tongue; then, he or she will surely be affected suitably.
In addition, the Jews conspired extensively against the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, tried to assassinate him and colluded with other disbelievers against him several times. Yet, he, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, managed to kill some of them and evicted others; later, he emerged victorious and his message was propagated to all. As the ultimate response to their attitude, before the end of time, the stones and trees, except the Al-Gharqad )boxthorn(, which is their shrub, will betray the Jews hiding behind them by revealing their location to the Muslims pursuing them; and, Allaah The Almighty will let the Muslims conquer the Al-Aqsaa Mosque in Jerusalem.
Therefore, beware of scheming and do not be stunned by the people who plot against you. Qays ibn Sa‘d ibn‘Ubaadah, may Allaah be pleased with him, said: "Had I not heard the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, say that plots and deception are in Hell, I would have been one of the most evil planners." ]Al-Albaani: Saheeh[

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