The Reality of Life and Death

Friday Sermon - 11th September 2020

All praise is for Allah (swt) who is the Sustainer of all the universe. May the peace and blessings be upon Muhammad (saws), his family, his companions and all those who follow him in righteousness until the day of resurrection. I testify that Allah is one and I testify that Muhammad (saw) is the last and final Messenger of Allah (swt).

Respected brothers and sisters, today I would like to share with you some thoughts on the A‘aiah ”˹He is the One˺ Who created death and life in order to test which of you is best in deeds. And He is the Almighty, All-Forgiving”.

My dear brothers and sisters, it is reported that one of the great scholars of the past, Yazīd al-Riqāshīused to talk with himself. He used to ask himself by saying:
‘Woe to you, Yazīd! After you die, who will perform salah on your behalf? Who will fast on your behalf?

Who will make your Rabb pleased with you on your behalf?
Death is your ultimate destiny (promise), the grave will be your home, the earth will be your bed, and the worms will be your close companions. What will be your condition then?’ Then he used to weep so much that he would become faint. My dear brothers and sisters, this is one of many examples showing how death and the afterlife was so alive in the minds of the righteous. Death occupied their thoughts, they were concerned about it and they prepared themselves for it.

They realised that it was unavoidable and they knew that it was the most important event of their lives.
In A’aiah 34-35 of Suratul Ambya Allah (swt) says: O Muhammad, We have not granted immortality to any human before you: so if you are to die, will these unbelievers live forever? Every human being is bound to taste death; and we test you [all] through the bad and the good [things of life] by way of trial: and unto us you all must return. We know everyone has to die. But No one knows when they will die. No one knows at what age they will die. No one knows in what place they will die. No one knows in what manner they will die. But die they will. From the point we are born, we are heading unavoidably to the appointed time and place of our death. As soon as we are born, we are dying. It is inevitable, it is inescapable:

قُلْإِنَّالْمَوْتَالَّذِيتَفِرُّونَمِنْهُفَإِنَّهُمُلَاقِيكُمْ ۖ ثُمَّتُرَدُّونَإِلَىٰعَالِمِالْغَيْبِوَالشَّهَادَةِفَيُنَبِّئُكُمبِمَاكُنتُمْتَعْمَلُونَ

Tell them: "The death from which you are running away, will surely overtake you: then you will be sent back to Him Who knows the unseen and the seen; and He will tell you all that you have been doing."
No matter how much we may try to avoid it, death itself is heading towards us and it will meet us. No matter how much we may try to hug this world, how much establishment and power we possess, nothing can benefit or help us. It is heading away from us and we will leave it. The present virus and pandemic illustrates the weakness of the whole world together. My dear brothers and sisters, we can’t avoid death by doing dua to Allah (swt), nor we are allowed to Ask Allah (swt) for death, but we are taught to seek refuge to Allah (swt) from a bad death and we should ask Allah (swt) for good death and a righteous life. There is no might and power except with Allah (swt) and He is a best protector. If He does not protect us no one can save us.

You may know that the last Friday on 4th September at a mosque situated in Narayanganj Dhaka At about 8:30 p.m. just after salatul Isha several blasts shook the mosque and a fire broke out. This Caused by several gas leaks, killed at least 29 worshipers and left many with burns. If you remember the Grenfell Tower fire: The fire which destroyed Grenfell Tower in June 2017 was one of the UK's worst fire this century.

These sort of incidents illuminate the visible demonstration of the dua that we are recommended to do after every Fard salah.
“O Allah, there is none who can withhold what you give, and none may give what you have withheld; and the might of the mighty person cannot benefit him against you”. Reference: Al-Bukhari 1/255, Muslim 1/414.

Here I would like to mention a dua which is narrated by imam an Nasaa-ee, describingthat our Prophet (saw) used to seek refuge from seven. The dua is:

Life and Death

"O Allaah,
I seek refuge with you
From falling from a high place, and
From being crushed by a falling building, and
From drowning, and
From being burned to death, and
I seek refuge in you from the devil harming me at the time of my death,
I seek refuge with you from dying in your cause whilst fleeing away, and I seek refuge in you from dying of the sting of a poisonous creature."

I expect you all to please memorise this dua until next week when I bring forth the next one Insha Allah.

May Allah (swt) save all Muslims from all types of unpleasant deaths, may He ease all your difficulties and grant you all sabr.

Aameen.

Posted on September, 2020 by Md Yousuf Saleh


Make a Donation

Donate

How you can make a donation to the Ipswich Mosque.

Donate Now!
About Islam

Basic Principles of Islam

Some basic history and facts about Islam and the way of life as a Muslim.

Read more
About Islam

Friday Khutba

Important Friday Sermone (Khutba) during the Friday Jumu'ah salaah.

Read more
About Islam

Back to Basic

Masjid etiquette, General Dua's, & advice for when visting the Masjid.

Read more