Travelog Haji : Mengubah Sempadan Iman

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Travelog Haji 
 

Seorang kawan yang sama-sama akan menunaikan fardhu haji tahun ini pernah suatu hari mencadangkan kami membaca Travelog Haji : Mengubah Sempadan Iman tulisan Muhd Kamil Ibrahim. Bila aku menanyakan judul buku itu pada seseorang lain, jawapannya ringkas sahaja, " A very typical & stereotype book by Lembaga Tabung Haji -- I m not so convinced."  Saat-saat terakhir , buku yang dicanangkan akhirnya berada di tangan kami. Aku meminjam buku itu dengan perasaan ingin tahu kandungan lanjut tulisan Muhd Kamil Ibrahim ini yang juga pernah menjadi penceramah jemputan di Qatar awal tahun ini. Membaca epilog pengatar kata buku ini sudah cukup meremangkan bulu roma ku. Tulisannya lahir dari perasaan seorang insan yang merasakan diri cukup kerdil di sisi Penciptanya. Travelog Haji - Megubah Sempadan Iman bukanlah buku panduan mengerjakan ibadah Haji, bukan juga buku fikh atau panduan doa. Sebaliknya buku ini menceritakan perjalanan hidup seorang profesor institusi pengajian tinggi yang cemerlang kerana kesungguhannya untuk mengubah sempadan imannya dengan menjadi tetamu Allah pada musim haji 1428H. 


"Maka yang mana satu di antara nikmat-nikmat Tuhan kamu, yang kamu hendak dustakan?" Quran : Surah Al Rahman 55:33


Pengertian yang cukup besar, cukup dalam dan cukup menginsafkan. Seorang intelek yang tidak malu mengaku kekurangan dirinya yang tidak tahu membaca Al Quran pada usia 40 tahun. Beliau mengubah sempadan itu , merobohkan tembok keegoan dan kejahilan dengan kesungguhan meminta, memohon, merayu kepada Allah SWT supaya dipermudahkan laluannya. Subhanaallah. Air mata mengalir laju setiap kali buku ini dibaca. Pengalamannya dibukukan dengan penuh rasa sayu dan rendahdiri. 


"Then which of the Blessings of your Lord will you deny?" (Qur'an 55:13)

Semoga Allah menganugerahkan keazaman yang sama buat diriku,  melihat perjalanan kehidupan ini dari sudut yang berbeza, bukan sekadar rukun Islam ke-5 maupun sekadar menepati syarat persepsi manusia tapi perjalanan yang mengubah sempadan imanku ....

" Hajj is unique , it ll give you a different perspective in life ...." quoted by a friend ....




“A person’s spiritual practice is only as good as that of his close friends; so consider well whom you befriend.” ..Hadith Tirmidhi

To joke or not to joke ?

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

We are all drawn to people with a good sense of humour. Humour has the power of warming people’s hearts and lifting the spirits like no other human characteristic, and it provides a welcome break amidst the pressures of life.

Guidelines for Humour:

• Joking should not deviate from the truth. The Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him said, “I only say what is true.”

• Joking should not become consistent in a person’s manner, for seriousness is also a virtue. Muhammad ibn Ar Rashid said, “The issues of Islam are more serious than to be dealt with jokingly. Smiling, joking, relaxing and laughing are certainly welcome at appropriate times and places. But at times of work, seriousness is called for.

• Bad language or reference to improper topics of conversation may not be subject of jokes.

• Joking must be at the appropriate time and place. Dr Adel Shuweikh said, “Humour is most welcome after the Fajr prayer. He is supported by what has been related by Sammak ibn Harb, “I asked Jaber ibn Samra if he spent time with the Prophet and he said, “Yes, the Prophet would often not leave the mosque after the Fajr prayer until the sun rose. They would be laughing and he would be smiling.” (Muslim).

He also said, “Another time for making light was after the ‘Isha prayer. Humour is permitted with family uncles and siblings. It is more preferred if it serves the purpose of advice and guidance, or if it creates friendship and warmth between people.” It is up to the person to decide whether the time is right for humour.

Thus it can be seen that it is the topic of humour and its effects, which determine whether or not it is permissible by Islam. Imam Nawawi said, “Joking is prohibited when it is excessive and consistent. It becomes ineffective and causes the heart to harden. It distracts a person from worship of Allah and concern with religious issues. It often causes harm, envy and disrespect. If these elements are absent from a joke, then it is what is permissible by Islam. The Prophet would use humour to reach people and draw them together.”

In any case, being modest and natural will, much of the time, serve the same purpose as joking. This is useful for people whom jokes do not come naturally. It is good to always remember in mind that humour must have a purpose in order to be fruitful. Joking is like adding salt to food. It must be measured and we must remember that some people do not eat food with salt. In other words, it is inappropriate to joke with some people.

Adh-Dhahabi related that Khalaf ibn Salim said, “We were at Yazeed ibn Haroun’s and he made a joke. Ahmad ibn Hambal cleared his throat, and Yazeed said, ‘Who cleared his throat?’ When he found out who it had been, he put his hand on his forehead and cried, ‘Why didn’t you tell me Ahmad ibn Hambal was here, so I would not joke?”

At other times, joking may cause you to lose dignity. It is said, “Do not joke with children to the extent that they lose respect for you.” Ibn Hayan said, “Whoever jokes with an inappropriate person will lose that person’s respect, even if what he is saying is true. One should be selective with whom he jokes.” Ibn Al Muqafa’ said, “One should separate his behaviour between two groups of people. One group is made up of public. Here he should be serious and purposeful with every word he speaks. The other group is made up of people who are closer to him. With this group, he should be humorous and caring. Each of these behaviours will be beneficial and productive in the right place.”

Try to understand the people you deal with, in order to decide whether or not it is appropriate to joke with them. Such was the way of the Prophet, for he would not joke with all his friends. Here are a few points to keep in mind. Although it may seem common sense that we should be respectful when joking but many of us end up hurting someone’s feelings unintentionally. Humour is a great way to diffuse a bad situation, or ease an uncomfortable one but it must be used appropriately. Just as a knife is useful and necessary to prepare food, so it can cause you to bleed. Many people don’t realize it, but sarcasm is anger thinly veiled.

Points to remember:

• Is this time a right time to joke?
• Is this an appropriate person to joke with?
• Is this an appropriate topic to joke about?
• Is this the right place?


Also remember these points while joking:

• Never criticize while joking.
• Do not impose jokes if they do not come naturally.
• Beware of excessive joking with certain individuals.
• Show respect to the person you are joking with, as the Prophet Muhammad did when he told a man he was joking with, “In the eyes of Allah you are great.”
• Monitor yourself when you are feeling humorous.
• Maintain good behaviour with people who make a mistake when joking with you. Do not answer harshly or stare back.
• It is better not to joke with someone when you meet for the first time.

We must be careful to maintain a Muslim code of behaviour and never harm another Muslim through humiliation or insensitivity. While joking we should implement all the above-mentioned points and maintain a good Muslim personality.



Reference : Humour and Jokes In Islam written by Dont Be Sad's team.

Hajj Guide

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم



Hajj Flyer 




From brother Muhammad Alshareef, the founder of AlMaghrib Institute & HajjCoach.

Umrah guide : Step By Step

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم


Umrah flyer

From brother Muhammad Alshareef, founder of AlMaghrib Institute & HajjCoach.

Journey of Hearts

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Part I : Journey of Hearts by Muhammad Alshareef.

Couple of evenings ago I signed up on e-training of Hajj sessions offered by HajjCoach.com delivered by its founder, Muhammad Alshareef. I completed all the ten sessions in an hour time, it is indeed an effective online educational tool in preparing your journey for Hajj. The following sessions which discussed the relevant topics were presented in a simple format.

Session 01 - Everything You Need To Know
Session 02 - Measuring Salah Quality
Session 03 - Tying Up Loose Ends
Session 04 - Let's Go Shopping! (part 1 & 2)
Session 05 - The Heartwheel
Session 06 - Presentation
Session 07 - Prepare a MASSIVE Dua List
Session 08 - A Healthy Hajj, insha'Allah!
Session 09 - Memorize The Steps
Session 10 - Know Your Destination

The sessions touched on the concept of "Ihsan" (Excellence), self discipline on your daily prayers, khusyu'(concentration), application of heartwheel to increase your emaan, circle of patience, the black dot vs the infinite white dots, the journey of hearts, the Day in Arafah and knowing your destination.

"Hajj is the journey of hearts"

***********************************************

Part II : Getting the Best out of Al-Hajj by Abu Muneer Ismail Davids

The writer mentioned in his book on the night of Mudzalifah :

" Your night stay in Mudzalifah will certainly make up for anything that you may have complained about. If the 5 star accomodation you were promised did not eventuate, or even the 2 star place, in Mudzalifah you will have as many stars as you like , when you lay down on the ground looking towards the sky and counting the stars as all pilgrims spend the night in the open in Mudzalifah.. "

In his closing speech, the author concluded :

"We all know that the shortest distance between two points is a straight line. So the best way to ensure that we obtain the highest reward for our Hajj is to follow a straight line. The straight line being, to perform it the way our Prophet Muhamad SAW performed it ;

• Salah is a "spiritual injection" we obtain five times a day ; 
• Fasting in Ramadhan is our yearly "spiritual injection" ; 
• And Hajj is the spiritual injection we receive only once in our lifetime.

Let us ensure that the dose we obtain is strong enough to vaccinate us for the rest of our life !

May Allah accept our Hajj ibadah and the journey of our hearts. Amin.

Lazy Boy - It's All in Your Mind!

by Muhammad Alshareef

During the time of Prophet Muhammad SAW, an incident happened in which a man slept the entire night and he missed the Fajr prayer. Despite the fact that this is a very common occurrence in our present day, at that time such things rarely happened. He missed Fajr, and so they came and spoke to the Prophet  SAW about this.

‘Abdullaah ibn Mas’ood, RA narrates: A man came and said to the Prophet SAW, “Oh Messenger of Allah, verily a person slept last night until the morning, until the dawn came and he missed Fajr.”

The Prophet SAW replied, “This is a person whom the devil has urinated in his ears.”

Dear brothers and sisters, try going to any books of hadith and in each and every one you will find a chapter entitled Baab al-Isti’aadhah Minal Kasl. Translated, this chapter is called: ‘Chapter of Seeking Allah’s Protection from Laziness.’

Kasl, or laziness, also known as procrastination, is a disease. University students know what procrastination can do to their studies. It is a disease that afflicts the minds, after the mind, it then afflicts the heart, and finally, through the heart, the body is afflicted.

Today, you will learn that laziness is a technique used by Satan, and today you will learn the techniques you can use to combat it.

The Prophet SAW frequently made the following supplication: “Oh Allah, I seek your protection from, alajz” – which means the inability to do something. And when someone said, “I can’t do that,” The Prophet SAW would seek protection from such negative speech by adding: “and I seek your protection (Oh Allah) from alkasl”- which is translated as laziness.

At its core this society is built on laziness. Consider that it is a society based on the idea that we have to rest on Sundays. “Why do you have to rest on Sundays?” some may ask, and society (may Allah protect us from this) would answer that even Allah got lazy on Sunday. He did His work all week long; He built the heavens and the earth, and then on Sunday He got tired and rested. So, may Allah protect us. Contemporary culture has us resting and watching football games on Sundays.

Allah SWT testifies to the lunacy of such an idea, implicitly stating that

…there is no drowsiness and no sleep that comes to Him (Al-Baqarah 2/255).

In addition, we live in a society that lives for ‘fast and easy’. You have the fast food joints, even the microwave meals that take 5 minutes are considered tedious because you have to take it out after a couple of minutes and stir it before it is finished cooking. Ever hear the promises to have the perfect body in ten minutes for only three days a week? Examples abound. And in its quest for ‘fast and easy’, society does not realize that the root of its problems, indeed, the root of all major sins, lies in laziness.

Why would a person take alcohol and drugs? They are too lazy to change their situation. Instead of actively striving for change, they take a drug to immediately change it. Why do people practice black magic, a phenomenon that is, unfortunately, prevalent in many of our parent’s societies? They do it because they are too lazy to go out and get married, or they’re too lazy to influence people in ways that will accomplish their various goals. Why do people partake in riba’ (mortgages as an example) and deal with financial interest? They are too lazy to get a proper job and work to pay for something honestly. Why do people gamble? They addictively buy lottery tickets at ridiculous odds of winning in the hopes that their one dollar will instantly earn millions. Laziness is again the culprit. Why do people backbite? People backbite because they are too lazy to go and tell the person the truth. And these, dear brothers and sisters, are all major sins.

Thus, like a poison, laziness corrupts all good things.

There are beautiful and amazing things that you want to do for yourself, or do for Allah subhaahanu wa ta’aala. Your intention is good, but if you don’t have the energy, or you suffer from the laziness plight, your desires will go nowhere; they will bear no fruit.

The causes of this disease, called laziness, are rooted in the heart.

Firstly, a lazy person doesn’t know and doesn’t understand his or her need to accumulate good deeds. We understand the need to accumulate money, but we may not understand why or how to accumulate good deeds. Very few people understand that this life is about collecting deeds and preparing for the journey of the hereafter.

Allah SWT advises,

…to prepare your provisions (for the journey to the hereafter) and the best provision is taqwa (fear/piety) of Allah subhaanahu wa ta’aala (Al-Baqarah 2/197).

Secondly, people are discouraged by the thought that others will consider them ‘holier than thou.’ Or perhaps the problem is that some people think too highly of themselves, glorifying themselves to such a high level that when they hear the commandments of Allah subhaanahu wa ta’aala they reply by justifying their laziness with excuses like, “My heart is clean,” or “Why do I have to do that,” or “I’m a good person.” Allah subhaanahu wa ta’aala states:

Do not claim piety to yourselves (An-Najm 53/32).

If someone says, “I’m good,” the response should be, “Allah knows best who is true, who is righteous.”

Indeed, those who suffer from laziness don’t understand the gold mine of opportunity awaiting them. There are thousands of people around you waiting to hear the call of Islam. You are living among sponges ready to listen to you say, “I am a Muslim.” And they are going to ask, “How can I become one too?”

A brother I knew overseas said it perfectly: “The North Americans have such enormous prospects. Imagine teaching a new Muslim Surah al-Fatiha, or how to pray. You will get the reward for this most noble lesson each time the person recites this surah. You can’t do that in Muslim countries, although there are other different opportunities there, most people don’t recognize them and this leads to laziness.”

Know that this concerns you, and if you start demonstrating the energy and zeal it takes to worship Allah to the best of your ability, then you will be the one to benefit.

This is your life; this is your soul. You are only going to live once on this earth, and you’ll be traveling to the hereafter with a suitcase of good deeds. Hopefully, you won’t be traveling light. The one who understands this early on, the one to get on the bandwagon of the worship of Allah subhaanahu wa ta’aala early on, accumulates everything.

Be a pioneer; bring Islam to everyone.

And so they come on the day of resurrection and they see mountains of good deeds that they never imagined they would have had and it will be said to them this is because you weren’t lazy when other people were lazy.

Recognize the opportunity, seize it, and kick start the worship of Allah SWT by others.

But if you choose not to heed these words, to yawn, and to be lazy, you are turning your back on the words of Allah SWT. And the consequences will be grave, for the sunnah of creation, indeed the law of nature, stipulates that that which does not contribute will be destroyed. What do you do with weeds in your garden? You pull them out, you get rid of them. What do you do when your nails get too long, when there is no purpose to their length? You snip them off, discard them in the trash. And so it is, as a community and as individuals in that community, if we are not contributing, and if we are not energetically producing, we will be deemed useless and we will be eliminated.

Allah SWT says:

In this way, He gives forth the parable of the truth and falsehood and the vanity. Vanity is like the foam, the dirt on the ocean (there is no benefit to it). But the things that do bring benefit (those devoid of laziness) will remain steadfast in the land (Ar-Ra’d 13/17).

Even after you are gone, your good deeds will continue to benefit.

Do not make the mistake of thinking that Allah pays attention to the lazy one’s worship. Prophet Muhammad SAW said:

“Do those deeds that you are able to perform, for verily, Allah will not tire of your ‘ibadah (worship) until you tire.”

Ponder the phenomenon of those who make du’a absent mindedly, not knowing what it is that they are saying. They may even be yawning, confused, or focused on something else entirely. Allah is not paying attention to that person just like they are not paying attention to their du’a. That is a du’a that is not answered by Allah subhaanahu wa ta’aala. A du’a that is answered is the one where the person’s heart and energy are invested in it. Allah will listen. If you can consistently take your du’a to that level, you’ll see dramatic changes in your life.

When I was younger, there was an imam from overseas who came to lead the taraweeh prayers in Ramadan. We would have to pick him up at Fajr time and drive him to the masjid. One early morning, I was feeling particularly tired and lazy. My parents had an especially hard time waking me up. Yet, when we arrived at the Imam’s house, I noticed that the neighbors were in the midst of an all-night party. It was 5 am and their lights were blaring, their music was booming, and the party-goers were still drinking their alcohol. They’d spent the entire night awake in qiyaamul layl, but not to Allah subhaanahu wa ta’aala. Their worship was for the devil.

I remember thinking to myself that this disbeliever has the stamina and energy to waste the night away, how can the servant of Allah subhaanahu wa ta’aala not have the energy and ability to worship Him? After all, they too are humans like us. ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab radi Allaahu anhu is quoted as saying, “I seek Allah’s protection from the time when the fasiq or disobedient will have much energy and enthusiasm and the righteous will be lazy.” The fasiq will open up bars everywhere and run his houses of immorality with vigor. And the righteous will do little to nothing in the sake of Allah. When this happens, there is an imbalance on earth, and corruption will be widespread and prevalent.

Brothers and sisters, let me tell you about the blessedness of having energy and enthusiasm in worshipping Allah and what it will do for you.

Number 1: The extra energy will win you the pleasure of Allah subhaanahu wa ta’aala.

Musa AS was told to come to the mountain for 40 days. And come he did, not walking slowly, not ten minutes late, but running. In explaining his arrival, Musa said,

I came hastily to you, oh Allah, so that you will be pleased with me (Taha 20/84).

And indeed, his words were so pleasing to his creator that Allah recorded them in the Qur’an for all eternity.

When you hear a name of a prophet’s companion, you say, “May Allah be pleased with him.” Well, this is how you get that same distinction for yourself. Be hasty in your desire and actions that lead to goodness.

Number 2: Having energy is the characteristic of the believer. Being lazy is the characteristic of the hypocrite.

Allah SWT says the munafiq, or hypocrite is he who has disbelief in his heart, while outwardly claiming belief. Allah subhaanahu wa ta’aala describes them in the following verse:

If they get up for the salah (prayer), they get up with laziness (An-Nisaa’ 4/142).

“Give me ten more minutes…give me ten more minutes… oh! I missed Fajr…oh no. I’ll pray after Fajr. Give me ten more minutes…give me ten more minutes…”

A characteristic of hypocrisy is when they reach for that snooze button and get up lazily for prayer. In this moment they’re experiencing a state of nifaq or hypocrisy. May Allah protect us.

May He also protect us from using excuses to not follow through with our deeds.

PART II

The ramifications of laziness can be very harmful. Some of you may have come across a person who displays a genuine interest in Islam. That person may be about to take the shahada when Shaytan gets to him and her. An excuse the devil uses is, “You have to comprehend the Qur’an first.” Hence the would-be Muslim is convinced that they do love Islam, but perhaps further study is required. And so it is that he or she delays coming back to Allah subhaanahu wa ta’aala, and as time passes they may no longer possess the same enthusiasm.

Similarly, Muslims seeking to make repentance to Allah subhaanahu wa ta’aala might give themselves time by saying, “Let me wait till I pay off my mortgage (or pay off my student loans. Let me wait till I do this, let me wait till I do that) then I will repent to Allah.” But it doesn’t work like that because as time passes and sins grow, the heart consistently gets weaker and weaker. A time will come when the person knows it’s the last chance, but the heart may have already been sealed shut.

And as Prophet Muhammad SAW said:

“Race to good deeds before a time and a fitnah (test) comes that will sweep over you like the darkest of the darkest nights.”

Are not the trials apparent all around us?

Look to the Islamic educational scene. Scholars we may or may not know are being singled out by the dozens. Religious knowledge is being taken from us. If you have the chance to attend a halaqah, or an Islamic class, you have to race to it now! It may be that you won’t have another chance.

Fitnah will come to you, and you must survive it with whatever knowledge you hold. It may be that the knowledge you possess will suffice to protect you, and it may be that it will not be enough to avail you. The consequences thereof would be disastrous, and may eventually lead to hellfire. May Allah protect us.

Picture this analogy: In Australia they have sharks that prey near the coastline. To warn bathing humans of impending danger, they have a certain whistle that rings when a shark is sighted. Now imagine if you’re feeling sluggish or you’re playing a game trying to see how long you can hold your breath under the water. You don’t hear the warning sound, and then you raise your head out of the water, and notice that nobody is in it except you. Everyone has made it to shore, they are yelling for you to hurry, but you are ten minutes from the beach. How would you make it? Would you make it? Only Allah knows for sure, but that’s exactly what laziness does to you. It not only renders you unprepared, but also helpless as to the actions you must take in order to survive.

But today is a new day, and by the grace of Allah subhaanahu wa ta’aala you and I can learn to let go of that laziness. We will work with renewed energy, striving to return to the worship of Allah subhaanahu wa ta’aala.

Here are some techniques to use.

Number 1: Yawning Promotes Laziness

Yawning is from the devil. And when it comes to us, we must fight it. Despite what your medical classes are telling you about needing oxygen through yawning, it was your Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam who advised on covering the mouth and resisting the yawn, by not letting out any noise. No (loud) “Ahhhsss!”

Number 2: Eating One-Third

The Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam taught us to eat using the one-third method. You don’t need much to sustain yourself; a few bites will usually do. If you are going to eat a meal, then one-third is the crucial number. One-third of your stomach should be for food, one-third for water, and one-third for breathing.

Realize that one of the most cunning tricks of Shaytan is urging people to fill their stomachs beyond capacity. How many times have you eaten a huge meal only to feel like taking a nap afterwards? And how many times has this nap dissuaded you from the worship of Allah subhaanahu wa ta’aala?

Number 3: Spend Time with Energetic People

Allah subhaanahu wa ta’aala says,

Be patient with those people who call upon their lord in the mornings and the evenings.

When you see a person going for salah consistently, always in a state of worship and remembrance of Allah subhaanahu wa ta’aala, you say to them, “Hey brother/hey sister, how about we go out for lunch? I’d like to spend time with you.”

Feed from their energy. Alternatively, if lazy people surround you, distance yourself from them, or give them da’wah, encouraging positive action. You want to pick the right people, because we tend to emulate those whom we befriend.

Do as your Prophet did and constantly seek refuge from Allah from the laziness that Shaytan uses to defeat the Muslims. When you find yourself reaching for that snooze button, a.k.a ‘the Shaytan button’, remember the ploy against you and seek Allah’s help to resist. You will have the strength to wake up for Fajr. Ultimately, laziness is a state of mind.

In conclusion, the one concept that ties this all together is honesty. Being honest about your laziness and sincerely striving to change is the first step in seeing results. The fact of the matter is that when Allah commands us to do something, it is not possible to have excuses, and know that tasks put upon you are doable, for Allah does not place a burden on a person more than they can bear.

You can do it, others have done it before you, and others continue to do it. Join the ranks of the energetic.

Ka’b ibn Malik radi Allahu anhu, went to the Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam after the Battle of Tabuk, and the hypocrites had been making excuses for their absence from the fighting. Ka’b had not participated in the battle and he thought that he too might come up with some excuse in order to save himself, but he realized that he could not lie to the Prophet of Allah. He told the Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam, “I have never had more energy or ability than this time, but I just didn’t go.”

And the prophet said, “He is the one who is truthful.”

And by the potency of his honesty and sincerity, the Qur’an mentions that Allah had forgiven Ka’b.

How do you truthfully word the reasons for your laziness? If the Fajr prayer has passed you by and the devil has urinated in your ears, do not place blame where blame is not due. Don’t make excuses like, “I had a long night.” Instead, say, “The truth is that the accumulation of my sins led me to miss Fajr. But this is not who I am. I am the slave of Allah. Oh Allah, tomorrow, with your permission, I will show you what I am going to do for your sake.” And so you make your repentance, you repeat your good intentions, and you continue until you reach those higher levels of energy.

I ask Allah subhaanahu wa ta’aala to bless you with that energy and I pray and hope that you can make the same du’a for me.

Reference : Khutbah.com

Portrait of a Traveller by Muhammad Al-Shareef

Portrait of a Traveller

Muhammad Al-Shareef

---

In the name of Allah, the Merciful, the Mercy giving. We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides, none can misguide. And whoever Allah allows to go astray, none can guide them aright. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, alone, and that Muhammad is His Servant and Messenger. To begin...

Al Fudayl ibn Iyaadh, rahimahullaah (May Allah have mercy upon him), once sat with a senior and asked him, “How old are you?” 

The man replied, “60 years old.”  

“Did you know,” said Al Fudayl, “that for 60 years you have been traveling towards your Lord, and that you have almost arrived.” 

The man was reduced to silence. He whispered, “Inna lillaahi wa Inna Ilayhi Raaji’oon (To Allah we belong and to Him we return).” 

Al Fudayl asked, “Do you know the meaning of that statement. You are saying that you are Allah’s slave and that to Him you are returning. Whoever knows that he is the slave of Allah, and that to Him he shall return, should know that he shall be stopped on the day of judgment. And whoever knows that he will be stopped, let him also know that he will be responsible for what he did in life. And whoever knows that he will be responsible for what he did, let him know that he will be questioned. And whoever knows that he will be questioned, let him prepare an answer now!” 

“What then shall I do,” asked the man.  

“It is simple,” said Al Fudayl. “Do good in what is left of your life, forgiven shall be your past. If not, you shall be taken to account for the past and what is to come.”

In the not-so-far-away days of old, whenever a journey was to be undertaken proper provisions had to be prepared. The deserts were long, hot, and harsh. Unmerciful. There were no truck stops to fill up with Doritos, or rest stops to buy a coke from a vending machine. In fact, there was not even a human in sight for miles upon miles of barren sand dunes. Thus, you had to have the provision with you before you made the journey. Enough food, enough water, enough everything to carry you to your destination.

From here, in the verses dealing of Hajj, when everyone shall have to make some sort of journey to reach the Ka’bah, Allah tuned the attention of His slaves to another journey, a journey every soul is traveling, whether they know it or care to just remain heedless. Allah turned their attention to the journey to the Hereafter, to Paradise or Hell.

"And take a provision (with you) for the journey; verily the best provision is Taqwa (piety and righteousness)." [Qur'an 2:197]

Ibn Umar narrates: one day I was with the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam (May Allah's peace and blessing be upon him). He then turned to me, held my shoulders with both of his blessed hands, and said: “Be in this life like a stranger or a traveler.”

And whenever Ibn Umar narrated this to his disciples he would add: “If you reach the evening, do not await (to be alive) by dawn, And if you reach dawn, do not await (to be alive) by evening. Take advantage of your Health before you fall sick. And take advantage of your life, before you die.” [Bukhari]

Your story and mine in this life should be the story of a stranger in town or a traveler. 

Recently, the writer lived the life of a stranger about to begin a journey. It had been six years that he had lived in Madinah Munawwarah and now had come the time to move on. In the last days, he would buy a bar of soap and think, ‘will I be around long enough to use the whole bar or should I get a smaller one.’ Gadgets and inventions bounced off the supermarket’s shelves. It all looked interesting, but there was no time to enjoy it, it had to be left on the shelf. The journey was about to begin. A few extra trips were made to the Prophet’s Masjid. Concentration was up a few notches in prayer. The journey was about to begin.

When our father and mother, Aadam (Adam) and Hawwaa’ (Eve), alayhumas salaam (May Peace be upon them), were expelled from Paradise, their hearts continued to sob in remembrance of their first home. You know how it is when some youth go to camp. Night after night they cry homesick. Well that’s how our parents were. And as their children, believers in Allah, His Messenger, and the hereafter, that is the kind of homesickness we should have day after day, until we come home, insha'Allah (if Allah wills). That is what a stranger feels; this is how we should go through life.

The Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam (May Allah's peace and blessing be upon him), said, “What have I got to do with the material world. The example of the material world and I is that of a traveler. Traveling in the afternoon heat, he stopped to rest under the shade of a tree for some moments. Then, he rose and left it.” [Ahmad, Tirmidhi. The Hadeeth is Hasan]

The journey: life. 

The destination: Paradise or Hellfire. 

Ali, radhiAllaahu 'anhu (May Allah be pleased with him), used to say, “The material world has gotten up to leave you and the Hereafter has gotten up on it’s way towards you. Both of them have children, so be from amongst the children of the Hereafter and not from the children of the material world. For verily, today is deeds and no accountancy, and tomorrow is accountancy and no deeds.”

A wise man once said, “Strange is he who has the material world walking away from him and the hereafter walking towards him. How could he busy himself with what is leaving him and turn his back to that which is coming towards him.”

This is the journey that we are all traveling; now it is up to us to take advantage of the time. 

Muhammad ibn Waasi', rahimahullaah, was asked once how he was feeling. 

He replied, “What’s your opinion of someone who travels a mile towards the hereafter every single day?”
 
Dear brother, dear sister. Every soul is on this journey. Some have understood this and are spending their days in preparation for the questions to come, for the repayment. Others are living life ‘to the fullest’ as they say, heedless and negligent of the hereafter. Allah, subhanahu wa ta'ala (How far from imperfection is He and He is the Most High), describes the day that they will finally wake up and smell the fire:

(It will be said to the sinners): “Indeed you were heedless of this, now We have removed your covering, and sharp is your sight this Day!” [Qur'an 50:22]

They are living in a satanic intoxication. All that concerns them is a new car, a bigger house, and a handsome mate. Some wake up in this life with time to repent. Others will here the above verse when regret will be worthless.

Part II: The Heedless

In Surah Al Qiyaamah, Allah, subhanahu wa ta'ala, describes the extraction of the soul, those last minutes. He probably went to sleep that night not intending to pray Fajr. He promised his kids they would go to Disney Land in the summer. He promised his wife a new dress. He promised himself a new car if he beat his golf score. Tonight, however, he had an unexpected visitor. O the visitor had an appointment with him, he was just careless and forgot.

Nay, when (the soul) reaches to the collar bone (i.e. up to the throat in it’s exit) [Qur'an 75:26]

The soul does not leave the entire body in one swoop. It leaves body part by body part until it reaches the collarbone, until it reaches the throat. His legs were dead, his arms were dead. The soul gargled in his throat. He screamed. His wife and children ran to his side. What’s wrong? What’s wrong? Not now, he is about to begin another journey.

And it will be said: “Who can cure him and save him from death?” [Qur'an 75:27]

Even in the last breaths, the wife runs to the phone to call an ambulance. The children look left and right for someone to save their dad. Nay, no one can save him from death when death arrives. Everyone shall die.

And (the dying person) will conclude that it is the time of departure (death) [Qur'an 75:28]

Reality has hit him now. He knows this is the end. The time for departure has arrived, the journey is about to begin. What is he departing from though. From a Qur'an he used to recite after Asr? From 4 rakahs he used to pray during those long winter nights? Was he even departing from the 5 daily prayers?

And leg will be joined with another leg (i.e. shrouded) [Qur'an 75:29]

Strangers washed his body, strange hands shrouded his body, strangers prayed on his body. Down, down into that hole that was waiting for him from the day he entered this world. Now, the journey begins...

The drive will be, on that Day, to your Lord (Allah)! [Qur'an 75:30]

Dear brother, dear Sister. Do not leave your repentance till Ramadan. Do not wait until you go for Hajj. Do not even wait till tomorrow. Do it now and prepare for this journey. Come back to Allah before it is too late. Now.

Ali, radhiAllaahu 'anhu, once stood at the head of a grave and said to his companion, “If he had a chance to return to this life, what do you think he would do?” His companion replied, “He would do nothing but good deeds.” Ali, radhiAllaahu 'anhu, then said, “If it is not going to be him, then let it be you.”

If you are young and handsome now, fear Allah, subhanahu wa ta'ala, and cover as He commanded you. 

If you are healthy now, worship Allah, subhanahu wa ta'ala, as much as you can before you are old. If you are wealthy now, use your wealth for the sake of Allah, subhanahu wa ta'ala, before the day comes when you may lose it. 

If you have some free time now, spend it memorizing Qur'an and reading Hadeeth before a time comes when you will not find the time. 

If you are alive now, take advantage of your life in preparation for the next leg of your journey, in preparation for your meeting with Allah, subhanahu wa ta'ala.

Ibn Abbas, radhiAllaahu 'anhu, heard the Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam, advising someone saying,  


“Take advantage of five before five: You’re youth before your old age, your health before your sickness, your wealth before your poverty, your free time before you become occupied, and your life before your death.”