October 2013 – SEASONSALI

The Messenger of Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “Three (things) accompany a dead body: members of his family, his belongings and his deeds. Two of them leave him, and only one remains with him. Indeed, his family members and his belongings leave him but his deeds remain with him.” [Bukhari]

In Shadharat adh-Dhahab it is related that one of the kings of the Buwaih Dynasty, Fakhr ad-Daulah, said: “I collected enough wealth for my children and their army to suffice them for fifteen years.”

But when he died, the keys to his treasures were with his sons who ignored his funeral. Consequently, the people searched for an appropriate cover for him. They eventually bought one from the caretaker of the mosque. All the while his sons and soldiers bickered among themselves until his corpse rotted.

When the disputing was over, the people had to lasso his corpse and pull it from a distance because of its horrid smell. As they pulled his corpse, it fell apart on the stairway of his castle.

Here was a king who owned a great portion of worldly life, a legacy of two million dinars, eight hundred and fifty six thousand dirhams, and a sensational amount of 14,000 pieces of jewels, gems, pearls, diamonds, and gold. This is not to mention incredible amounts of silverware, furniture, weapons and carpets.

But when he died no one attended to him, with nothing to cover him except what they could scavenge from the caretaker of the mosque. This is the reality of this life. We come to this world empty handed and we leave this world empty handed. Only our deeds enter our graves alongside us. Indeed, the wisest person is he who prepares himself for the afterlife by obeying Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) in the best of ways.

This hadith has been sent to me by dailyhadith.adaptivesolutionsinc.com

Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) was one of Allah’s chose and beloved prophets who was convinced about the Oneness of Allah and denounced idolatry. He was chosen by Allah to sanctify the Ka’abah.

Allah commanded Prophet Ibrahim to leave his wife and infant son Ismail in a valley near the Kaabah under a tree on the spot of zamzam. During those days Makkah was not populated nor was there any water. So he made them sit there and placed near them a leather bag containing some dates, and a small water skin containing some water. To leave ones infant son and wife in an inhabited land can be worrisome for anyone. But Prophet Ibrahim (A) sought Allah’s protection for his wife and son with this supplication / dua:

“O our Lord! I have made some of my offspring to dwell in an uncultivable valley by Your Sacred House in order that they may perform As-Salat. So fill some hearts among men with love towards them, and (O Allah) provide them with fruits so that they may give thanks.”

((Quran, Surah Ibrahim, Verse, 37)

Allah answered his prayer and made water spring from the spot where the little child was placed. Later, some people passed by, saw the water and settled in the valley with their families.

Later in life, while he and his son Prophet Ismail were raising the foundations of Kaabah, Prophet Ibrahim prayed the following to to Allah:

……….”Our Lord! Accept (this service) from us. Verily! You are the All-Hearer, the All-Knower.”

“Our Lord! And make us submissive unto You and of our offspring a nation submissive unto You, and show us our Manasik (all the ceremonies of pilgrimage – Hajj and Umrah, etc.), and accept our repentance. Truly, You are the One Who accepts repentance, the Most Merciful.

“Our Lord! Send amongst them a Messenger of their own (and indeed Allah answered their invocation by sending Muhammad Peace be upon him ), who shall recite unto them Your Verses and instruct them in the Book (this Quran) and Al-Hikmah (full knowledge of the Islamic laws and jurisprudence or wisdom or Prophethood, etc.), and sanctify them. Verily! You are the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.”

(Quran, Surah Al-Baqarah; Verses 127-129)

Allah (SWT) answered Prophet Ibrahim’s supplication by sending the Messenger Muhammad (SAW) and revealing to him the Quran which contains full knowledge of the Islamic laws, jurisprudence and wisdom.

“And We bestowed on him (Ibrahim (Abraham)), Ishaque (Isaac) and Yaqoob (Jacob), and ordained among his offspring Prophethood and the Book (i.e. the Taurat (Torah) (to Moosa Moses), the Injeel (Gospel) (to Iesa Jesus), the Quran (to Muhammad SAW), all from the offspring of Ibrahim (Abraham)), and We granted him his reward in this world, and verily, in the Hereafter he is indeed among the righteous.”