Life after Death 4

This is where we near the end of our journey. We shall enter the everlasting domain, which comprises of the Garden and the Fire. There is no trip after it for it is the Domain of Eternity. We shall pass over Hellfire, some of us remaining while others continue on. "Not one of you but will pass over it: this is, with thy Lord, a Decree which must be accomplished. But We shall save those who guarded against evil, and We shall leave the wrongdoers therein, (humbled) to their knees." (19:71-72) The prophet (saw) said: "The mildest punishment to be inflicted upon a person in Hell is that he will be made to wear a pair of sandals made of fire which will be so hot that they will make his brain boil like things boil on a stove. He will imagine that no one is undergoing a punishment more severe although his punishment, in reality, will be the mildest in Hell." [Bukhari, Muslim] Others who are not qualified to enter Paradise or Hell may be taken to a waiting station called Al- A'raf, to wait until forgiveness is given to them through the Mercy of Allah. Others will finally end their journey with their life in Paradise. It is the last destination and hope of every person to arrive here. It is reserved for believers who submitted themselves to Allah and followed His teachings. They are the ones whose loyalty and obedience were to Allah. Paradise has all the beauties of life to enjoy without ever being tired. It is a life of excitement, peace and happiness. The prophet (saw) said: "Allah, the Almighty, says, 'I have prepared for My righteous servants that which no eyes have ever seen, no ears have ever heard and no heart has ever conceieved.'" [Bukhari, Muslim] This Life After is called the Real and the True Life. The Quran explicitly refers to the Life After as the True Life while the life in this world is a superficial one. "What is the life of this world but amusement and play? But verily the Home of the Hereafter -- that is Life indeed, if they but knew." (29:64) After completing this journey vicariously here, we should rethink our lives and our deeds as we do them today. We can hide from each other, and ourselves but we cannot hide from Allah. It won't be long before we are pushed along to the next part of our journey. Time passes quickly and is precious. Everything we do now affects our journey at a later stage. Everything is recorded; our deeds, appearances and even hidden intentions. As travelers, we can prepare and change to make our journey and especially our final stop a better one. Perhaps even one small deed or choice we make can save us if we keep conscious. Among the dreams of the early Muslims is one related by Yazid b Nu'ama who said, "A girl died in the al-Jarib plague. Her father met her in a dream after her death and asked her to tell him about the Next World. She replied, 'My father, this is a big subject you have raised. We know but cannot act. You can act but do not know. By Allah, one or two acts of glorification and one or two rakats of the prayer in the book of my actions are preferable to me than the world and all it contains.'" The prophet (saw) related in a true dream he had: " He saw one of the muslims. The Angel of Death came to take his soul but his correct behavior towards his parents came and drove the Angel of Death away from him.' " He saw another of the muslims surrounded by shaytans. Then his remembrance of Allah came and made the shaytans fly from him.' "Then he saw a thrid muslim surrounded by the angels of punishment. His prayer came and rescued him from their hands.' "The tongue of a fourth muslim was lolling out from thirst and whenever he approached a pool of water, he was stopped and driven away. Then his fasting of Ramadan came and gave him water to drink.' " He saw another man and the prophets sitting in circles. Everytime the muslim approached one of the circles, he was stopped and driven away. His ghusl for janaba came, took hold of his hand, and sat him down in the circle.' "Another muslim had darkness in front of him, behind him, on his right, on his left and above him. He was completely lost in it. Then his hajj and umra came and led him out of the darkness into the light.' "Another muslim was being pursued by flames and sparks of fire. His sadaqa formed a veil between him and the fire and shaded his head.' "Another muslim was speaking to a group of believers who would not speak to him. His upholding of kinship came and told the group of believers that he had maintained ties of kinship and ordered them to speak to him. Then the believers spoke to him and shook hands with him.' "Another muslim was surrounded by the Zabaniyya (angels of Jahannam). His commanding the right and forbidding the wrong came and rescued him from them and put him among the angels of mercy.' "Another muslim was kneeling with a veil between him and Allah. His good character came, took his hand and Allah let him enter His presence.' "Another muslim had received his book in his left hand. His fear of Allah came and took his book and placed it in his right hand.' "The scales of another muslim were light in the balance. Those of his children who had died young came and made the scales level.' "Another muslim was standing on the brink of Jahannam. His hope in Allah came and rescued him from it, and he withdrew from it.' "Another muslim had fallen into the fire. The tears that he had wept out of fear from Allah came and rescued him from it.' "Another muslim was standing on the Sirat trembling like a leaf in a strong wind. His good opinion of Allah came and his terror was allayed and he was able to go on.' "Another muslim was crawling on the Sirat, sometimes creeping, and sometimes just clinging on. His prayer came and put him on his feet and rescued him.' "Another muslim reached the gates of the Garden but they were locked against him. His testimony that there is no god but Allah came and opened the gates for him and let him into the garden." Let us pray that we are among those who work to have an easy trip and have as the end to their journey, the final abode of Paradise. O Allah, We seek refuge with You from the punishment of the grave. O Allah, help us to live and die as Muslims and help us to understand the true object of this life. O Allah, grant us good in this life and good in the life to come, and save us from the torment of the Hellfire. "We hear and we obey. Forgive us, our Lord! To You is the journey's end." (2:285) Ameen. "Every soul shall have a taste of death: and only on the Day of Judgement shall you be paid your full recompense. Only he who is save far from the Fire and admitted to the Garden will have attained the object (of Life): For the life of this world is but goods and chattels of deception" (3:185) Sources: "The Soul's Journey after Death" by Layla Mabrouk "Death and Dying" by Dr. Ahmad Sakr "The World of the Angels" by Sh. Abdul Hamid Kishk "A Treasury of Ahadith" by Dr. Mazhar U. Kazi Quran Al-Kareem trans. Abdullah Yusuf Ali