The Muslim's Light 💡

Chapter 5

(C) - Washing the dead and following funeral processions:

Turning the dead body of the dead from one side to the other while washing it is a great admonition (for us and for the one who does the washing) for when he (this dead person) was alive, none could turn him to any side or even get

nearer to him except with his permission, and he may be of those who were of a great strength and a tremendous awe but now (as a dead) he is a unmoving body that the washer can turn it to the side he wants.

Mukhul Ad-Dimashqi used to say - whenever he sees a funeral: "Go ahead (i.e. and follow the funeral) for we will all going to die, (this is) a great admonition (for us), a swift unawareness (is our state in this world), the first and the last (of us) will go away (die) bearing no mind (out of fear)." Usman used to cry whenever he follows a funeral procession and stands on a

grave. It was said to him: "When you make mention of Paradise and Hell-Fire, you do not cry but whenever you stand near a grave you cry!" He said: 'I

heard the Prophet U say:

"(Being in) the grave is the first stage of the stages of the Hereafter, if he (i.e. the dead person) was delivered [by Allah] safely from it, what follows it is much easier, but if he is not delivered from it, then that which is after (this stage) is much worse."
Ahmad and At-Tirmidhi narrated it.

Ibn Majah and Al-Hakim said: "It is a sound hadith." [Al-Musnad (1/63), At-Tirmidhi narration no. 2309]

(D) - Visiting Righteous People:

Visiting righteous people awakens the heart and encourages the soul (to do

righteous deeds) for when the visitor sees how the righteous people strive in doing good deeds and how they compete each other in doing obedience to seek the pleasure of Allah only, and to win His Paradise paying no attention to this world and its attractions for these hinder them from walking on the honoured path (i.e. Islamic Monotheism,obedience...).

Allah, the All-Mighty, ordered His Prophet U to accompany such people and show perseverance in doing that:

"And keep yourself [O Muhammad] patiently with those who call on their Rabb [i.e. your companions who remember their Rabb with glorification, praising prayers, and other righteous deeds].

Morning and afternoon, seeking His Face, and let not your eyes overlook them desiring the pomp and glitter of the world; and obey not him whose heart We have made heedless of Our Remembrance, one who follows his

own lusts, and his own affairs [deeds] has been lost.) [Qur'an 18:28].

Al-Hasan was asked: "O Abu Hasan (father of Al-Hasan)! What shall we do?

Shall we sit with people who make-our hearts in our mouths (out of fear)?" He said:

"By Allah! To sit with people who make you fear (now) so that you

would feel safe later (in the Day of Resurrection) is better than sitting with people who make you feel safe (in this world) till fear comes to you (on the Day of Resurrection)."

Third - Loving the sin and getting used to it:

If a person gets used to any sin and ever repents from it, Satan (Shaitan) will seize his heart (over power it), and it (the sin) will be the only thing that he thinks of even in the last moments of his life, and if his friends induce him to utter the two testification at time of death - so that the last thing he would say is "La ilaha-illa Allah [There is no God but Allah]" - sin will have control

over his mind and he will utter only what he used to commit of sins.

The following are some real stories:

There was a man who used to work as an auctioneer in the market. When death came to him his sons induced

him to utter the two testification [i.e. saying:

"Ashhadu Anna La lllaha IllaAllah Wa'anna

Muhammadan Rasul Allah - There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is His Messenger],"
The father only said: "Four and half, four and half."

It was said to another: Say, "La ilaha-illa Allah" she said: "Many times she would say that she had got

tired."

It was said to a third person: Say, "La ilaha-illa Allah"

but he sang.

And death may reach the person (who insists on committing sins) while he is committing the sin and he will meet Allah on such a state and He (Allah)

would be angry with him. The Prophet U said:

"He who dies on something (i.e. doing it), Allah will

resurrect him on the same state (he was in) before his death."

Al-Hakim narrated it and he said: "It is authentic according to the conditions that Muslim put for the authentic ahadith," and

At-Thahabi agreed with him." [Al-Mustadrak (1/340)]

Fourth - Suicide:

If a Muslim is afflicted with a calamity and shows patience and seeks Allah's pleasure in that, this calamity will increase his rewards. But if the Muslim gives up (of Allah's mercy) and feels unsatisfied with his life and thinks that the best way to get rid of his problems and agonies is to commit suicide, in that case he chose disobedience and incurred Allah's anger on himself and killed his own self without just cause. Bukhari narrated that Abu Hurairah

said:

The Prophet U said:

"He who commits suicide by throttling shall keep on

throttling in the Hell-Fire (forever) and he who commits

suicide by stabbing himself shall keep on stabbing himself

in the Hell-Fire (forever)." [Bukhari (3/180)].Bukhari and Muslim, may Allah have mercy on them both, narrated that Abu

Hurairah W said:

"A man witnessed the battle of Khaibar with the Prophet

U, and he U said about a man claiming to be a Muslim:

"This (man) is from the dwellers of Hell-Fire." When the

battle began, the man [whom the Prophet U talked about

strove satisfactorily and he was wounded badly. Then it was said to the Prophet U: "The man you talked about earlier strove in the battle satisfactorily and died (isn't he a martyr?!)."

The Prophet then said: "To Hell-Fire (he shall go)." Doubt sneaked to the hearts of the Muslims.

While being in such a state, it was said that the man did not actually die but wounded badly. When night came, the man could not bear the pains and killed himself (i.e.

committed suicide). The Prophet U was told the matter and then he U said: "I bear witness that I am Allah's

Slave and Messenger." Then he U ordered Bilal to

announce for people that: "None will enter Paradise but a

believer. And verily, Allah may support this religion

(Islam) with a wicked (sinful) man." [Bukhari narration,

(6/125) and Muslim (111)].