The Muslim's Light 💡

Chapter 2

Ali Ibn Abi Talib used to fear two things: the long hope, and following Ali Ibn Abi Talib's desires. He said:

"Long hope makes (you) forget all about the Hereafter, and following desires hinders (you) from the way of Truth (i.e. Islamic monotheism, good deeds, obedience, etc.)", and also he used to say:

"Verily, this world has run away and the Hereafter is coming forward (to us) very fast.

And there are sons for each one of them, so be of the sons of the Hereafter [i.e. loving the Hereafter and doing good deeds that Allah has enjoined so that He may admit you to Paradise], and do not be of sons of this world (i.e. who love this world and who live their lives committing sins, disobedience, etc.) for in this world there are deeds and no accounts but Tomorrow (Day of Account) there will be only account and no deeds (that could be done)."

Sudden death is a detested thing in Islam because it comes to a person all of a sudden and gives him no time (to repent), he might be doing something evil and so his life will end in such a state.

The righteous predecessors (the reverend Companions and their followers) used to fear the bad end of one's life with great fear.

Sahl At-Tusturi said: "The Siddiqun (truthful persons) used to fear the bad end of one's life in any move or at any moment and they were described by Allah in the Holy Qur'an as: 'their hearts are full of fear'" [Qur'an 23: 20] The fear of the bad end (of one's life) should be present in front of one's eye in every moment for fear induces (the person) to work (i.e. do good deeds).

The Prophet said: "Whoever fears (should) walk at night (i.e. begins early and works very hard to complete his journey; that is he races for good deeds) and who walks at night, reaches home (Paradise).

Allah's good is expensive, Allah's good is Paradise." [At-Tirmithi no. 2452].

But when the death of a person becomes very near and he is about to die, he should have more hope in Allah and he should look forward to the meeting with Him for whoever likes the meeting with Allah, Allah likes the meeting with him.

The Prophet said: "None of you (Muslims) should die but having a good thought of Allah, the All-Majestic, the All-Mighty."

But most of the ignorant Muslim common folk depended on Allah's spacious mercy, pardoning, and forgiveness and kept on committing disobedience and did not abstain from doing sins, on the contrary, their knowledge of Allah's attributes (i.e. Forgiveness, Mercy, etc.)

Induced them to commit more sins and this is a destructive mistake and a destructive inference (of Allah's Attributes) for Allah is the All-Merciful, the Oft-Forgiving and (He is) the severest in punishment as Allah, the All-Mighty, stated in many of His Holy Verses; He the All-Majestic said: "Declare [O Muhammad] unto My slaves, that truly, I am the Oft-Forgiving, the All-Merciful. And that My Torment is indeed the most painful." [Qur'an 15: 49-50] And He also said: "Ha-Meem. The revelation of the book [this Qur'an] is from Allah, the All-Mighty, the All-Knower.

The Forgiver of sin, the Acceptor of repentance, the Severe in punishment,..." [Qur'an 40: 1-3]. Ma'ruf Al-Karkhi said: "Your hope in the mercy of the One whom you do not obey is foolishness and disappointment (for your reference)." Some of the scholars said: "The One who enjoined that your organ (i.e. your hand) should be cut off for the stealing of 3 dirhams (1/4 of a gold coin).

Do not feel safe of his punishment in the Hereafter that it would be the like of it." A Muslim should always be keen to pay back people's debts and give them their due rights for whatever right is with a person which is due to his (Muslim) brother, the latter will surely take it back on the Day of Resurrection.

If the former has no rewards in his scale, the latter's sins will be laid on the former scale of sins (and eventually be admitted to Hell). The Prophet informed (us) that the believer's soul is hindered (from getting into Paradise) by his debts till they are paid on his behalf back to its owner.