Be a Strong Link

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

Mawlana Wafi’ Muhammad said every human being is a link in the human chain which began with the coming of Adam and Eve on Earth.  As a link in this important chain, man is required to keep two things in mind, one is regarding what he is sending before him, and the other is what he is leaving behind.  In this connection, Allah (s.w.t.) Says: 

سُوۡرَةُ الحَشر

… وَلۡتَنظُرۡ نَفۡسٌ۬ مَّا قَدَّمَتۡ لِغَدٍ۬‌ۖ … (١٨) 

… and let every soul look to what (provision) he has sent forth for the morrow. ... (Surah al-Hashr:18) 

One way of developing a strong link in the chain is to leave behind things that will continue to benefit us even though we are no longer physically alive in this world.  We can achieve this by leaving those of our relatives and friends who pray for our forgiveness and well-being in Barzakh and in the Hereafter.  Allah (s.w.t.) Taught the believers to pray as follows: 

سُوۡرَةُ إبراهیم

رَبَّنَا ٱغۡفِرۡ لِى وَلِوَٲلِدَىَّ وَلِلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ يَوۡمَ يَقُومُ ٱلۡحِسَابُ (٤١) 

 

“O our Lord!  Cover (us) with Your Forgiveness ― myself, my parents, and (all) believers, on the Day that the Reckoning will be established!" (Surah Ibrahim:41) 

سُوۡرَةُ الحَشر

وَٱلَّذِينَ جَآءُو مِنۢ بَعۡدِهِمۡ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا ٱغۡفِرۡ لَنَا وَلِإِخۡوَٲنِنَا ٱلَّذِينَ سَبَقُونَا بِٱلۡإِيمَـٰنِ وَلَا تَجۡعَلۡ فِى قُلُوبِنَا غِلاًّ۬ لِّلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ رَبَّنَآ إِنَّكَ رَءُوفٌ۬ رَّحِيمٌ (١٠) 

… “Our Lord!  Forgive us, and our brethren who came before us into the faith, and leave not in our hearts, rancour (or sense of injury) against those who have believed, Our Lord!  You are indeed Full of Kindness, Most Merciful." (Surah al-Hashr:10) 

We must also be careful regarding our deeds and actions; as it is only the good that will reach the Lord Who is the most High.  In this connection, Allah (s.w.t.) Informs us as follows: 

سُوۡرَةُ المُزمّل

۞ … وَمَا تُقَدِّمُواْ لِأَنفُسِكُم مِّنۡ خَيۡرٍ۬ تَجِدُوهُ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ … (٢٠) 

… And whatever good you send forth for your souls, you shall find it in Allah’s Presence ... (Surah al-Muzzammil 20) 

It is a known fact that evil cannot ascend, as Allah (s.w.t.) has placed a barrier below the first sky to protect whatever is above the lower sky from evil.  He Says: 

سُوۡرَةُ المُلک

وَلَقَدۡ زَيَّنَّا ٱلسَّمَآءَ ٱلدُّنۡيَا بِمَصَـٰبِيحَ وَجَعَلۡنَـٰهَا رُجُومً۬ا لِّلشَّيَـٰطِينِ‌ۖ وَأَعۡتَدۡنَا لَهُمۡ عَذَابَ ٱلسَّعِيرِ (٥) 

And We have, (from of old), Adorned the lowest heaven with Lamps, and We have Made such (Lamps) (as) missiles to drive away the Evil Ones, and have Prepared for them the Penalty of the Blazing Fire. (Surah al-Mulk:5) 

Allah (s.w.t.) has confirmed that the deeds of man are stored in two places; good up in the sky while evil is stored in a dungeon, Sijjin.  He Says: 

سُوۡرَةُ المطفّفِین

كَلَّآ إِنَّ كِتَـٰبَ ٱلۡفُجَّارِ لَفِى سِجِّينٍ۬ (٧) 

Nay!  Surely the Record of the wicked is (Preserved) in Sijjin (Surah al-Muthaffifin:7) 

سُوۡرَةُ المطفّفِین

كَلَّآ إِنَّ كِتَـٰبَ ٱلۡأَبۡرَارِ لَفِى عِلِّيِّينَ (١٨) 

Nay, verily the Record of the righteous is (Preserved) in ‘Illiyin. (Surah al-Muthaffifin:18) 

It is because evil will be stored in the material world that it will be destroyed when the Earth will no longer exist in its present form. 

In addition to a person’s personal deeds, each one of us is required to leave behind things that will benefit others, such as knowledge, beneficial facilities, trained Islamic workers.  Every time a person should benefit from what is left behind by one who has gone before, that person will continue to benefit for what is done. 

Sayyidina Abu Hurayrah ‘Abd ar-Rahman ibn Sakhr ad-Dawsi az-Zahrani al-Azdi (r.a.) narrated that the Prophet (s.a.w.) said, “The good deeds that will reach a believer after his death are: knowledge which he learned and then spread; a righteous son whom he leaves behind; a copy of the Qur’an that he leaves as a legacy; a mosque that he built; a house that he built for wayfarers; a canal that he dug; or charity that he gave during his lifetime when he was in good health.  These deeds will reach him after his death.”  This is recorded by Imam Abu ‘Abdullah Muhammad ibn Yazid ibn Majah (r.a.). 

As it is only one life we have to live, and our life span is fixed, let us make the best use of it, as the Hereafter is Eternal, and this short life span of ours can earn for us everlasting Bliss if properly managed.