Aisha Badeji
Death being a gift to the believer sounds weird right? I know you are like ‘’how is that even possible?’’ However, the Prophet of Allah (PBUH) said ‘’the gift to a believer is death’’ [At-Tirmidhi]. Imagine if you got the call to meet your Lord while in a good state and you are shown a glimpse of your beautiful home in Jannah (paradise). You have worked hard throughout your entire life up until the time Angel of death visits and just before you depart this world, you see yourself in one of the lush and beautiful gardens of jannah. Now tell me, is there a greater gift a believer can get?
So, I will continue by asking a couple of questions. Have you ever wondered what your end would look like? Are you even prepared for it? Allah says in Surat Imran, verse 185 ‘’every soul shall taste death and only on the Day of Resurrection shall you be paid your wages in full.’’ Over and over again, Allah reminds us in the Qur’an that this life is temporary, we will only pass through it before arriving at a permanent abode. Would you then choose this uncertain life over the Akhirah (hereafter) which is permanent and everlasting?
As Muslims, we must constantly remind ourselves about the inevitable event that will come upon us. When Allah decides to take this life He has given us, there will be no going back, not even for a second. What is more interesting is that only Allah, in His infinite wisdom knows when the Angel of Death will visit every one of us. The mere fact that death is not a respecter of age, social status or personal beliefs should propel us always work towards a good ending. Your judgment starts the moment the soul leaves your body, so you need to ask yourself ‘’if today was to be my last day, what would be my position?’’ Whether you will have a good or bad standing before Allah depends on how much good deeds you did while you had the chance.
Time should be of essence to every believer because at the end, what matters most is how well you used your time on earth. Ibn Abbas reported that the Prophet (SAW) said ‘’take advantage of five things before five things. Your youth before your old age, your health before your sickness, your wealth before your poverty, your free time before your work, your life before your death.’’ [Shu’ab al-Iman 9575]
This is not to say that you should not enjoy your time in this life. In fact, it is quite the contrary. When you think about death, it should make you want to embrace every opportunity to do good and seek Allah’s pleasure because you don’t know when you will be called and there is really no time to check time. Basically, seek the bounties of this life and the hereafter. Remember that famous Rabbana dua? ‘’Rabbana Atina Fid-dunya Hasanah Wa fil Akhirati Hasanatan Wa Qinaa ‘Adhba-n- Naar. Oh our Lord, give us in this world that which is good and in the hereafter that which is good and protect us from the punishment of the Fire’’ (Qur’an 2 verse 201). Perfect dua, isn’t it? May Allah accept it.
Prepare for your death, do everything in life because of Allah, hasten to the forgiveness of your Lord and most importantly, sincerity should be at the forefront of every good deed you perform. May the Almighty grant us blessed death, I pray He doesn’t take us until He is pleased with us. Aameen.
