Welcome Dzu al-Qa’idah & Remember Death

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

The following is adapted from a swuhbah from Shaykh Muhammad Nazhim Adil al-Haqqani (q.s.) on the 07^th October 2010. 

Shaykh Nazhim (q.s.) welcomed the arrival of the first night of the holy month of Dzu al-Qa’idah.  Dzu al-Qa’idah is the first of three holy months that appear one after another as Dzu al-Hijjah and Muharram follow Dzu al-Qa’idah. 

The reality of our lives is like a huge ice carving standing outdoors under direct sunlight.  As the minutes tick by, the ice-carving begins to melt, and after many hours, it has disappeared.  In each moment that we live, our clock is ticking, our bodies are growing weaker, our battery is running out of energy and we head closer to our deaths.  Each year, millions of people who go to sleep, pass away while they are sleeping.  They never awaken from their slumber.  Knowing this, how can we be certain that we will awaken the next time we sleep?  And since we have no certainty of ever waking up, why are we not making preparation for death? 

Rasulullah (s.a.w.) said, “O ‘Umar, let death be an adviser to you,” which means, let the remembrance of death always be with us.  The one making preparation for death will always be in worship and will always shun sinful acts.  This hadits is not just for Sayyidina Abu Hafsw ‘Umar ibn al-Khaththab al-Faruq (r.a.) alone.  It is directed at the entire ummah.  Death must be a constant reminder of our meeting with our Lord Almighty.  Death follows us like a shadow following our bodies.  When we have reached the end of our appointed term, death takes us without a moments delay.  We must prepare for that day when we part from this physical body. 

The Prophet (s.a.w.) used to pray, “Let the last day of my life on earth, be my best one.”  The Qur’an Teaches us to remind one another of death constantly.  Allah (s.w.t.) Says: 

سُوۡرَةُ العَنکبوت

كُلُّ نَفۡسٍ۬ ذَآٮِٕقَةُ ٱلۡمَوۡتِ‌ۖ ثُمَّ إِلَيۡنَا تُرۡجَعُونَ (٥٧) 

Every soul shall have a taste of death: in the end to Us shall you be Brought Back. (Surah al-‘Ankabut:57) 

Today, people are only interested in collecting worldly possessions.  Instead of preparing for the next life by enhancing our spirituality, many of us are thinking of how to enhance our lives.  It is Shaythan’s intention to encourage us to waste our lives in frivolous pursuits. 

Daily, as our physical body grows weaker, our souls must get stronger.  As our body prepares to descend into the grave, our soul must prepare to in ascension.  As we reduce our focus on seeking physical pleasure and entertainment, we increase focus on our spirituality, and ascend to the world of Light.  Our physical bodies are too heavy to fly, so when we discard it by ignoring its desires, we become lighter and lighter, until we can float.  But if our life is focused on feeding our carnal needs, we will forever remain heavy and never ascend.  We remain in this dark world and the world will get darker until we might find ourselves in the grave. 

Shaykh Abu Ishaq Ibrahim ibn Adham (q.s.) was a ruler.  He was once hunting deer in the forest.  He was in hot pursuit of his prey when he was addressed by a voice in his right ear, “O Ibrahim, do you think you have been Created for this?  You like hunting because your ego likes it.  Do you think that is your mission in this life?”  On his left ear, he heard, “Do you think you have been Created for frivolous pursuits?”  This story applies to us also.  Just as Shaykh Ibrahim (q.s.) was chasing the deer, we are chasing dunya.  And just as Allah (s.w.t.) Spoke to him, He Speaks to us. 

Shaykh Ibrahim (q.s.) quickly rode back on his horse.  When he reached his palace, he cried to his Lord, “O Allah, I give everything away, for Your Sake.  O my Lord, I seek Forgiveness.”  Allah (s.w.t.) Waits for us to do the same, to change our aim from aiming to be with dunya to aiming to be with Allah (s.w.t.).