And obey Allah and the Messenger that you may obtain mercy.

All around in every part of the world, Muslims are being subjugated to forms of oppression that have not been previously known until now. But what is the reality behind this catastrophe; it is not but the fault of the Muslims themselves, as the sheikh points out. We as Muslims have allowed ourselves to be oppressed because we have failed in our obligations to Allah, but Allah has promised victory to the Muslims in the earth. The testing times of today are but a trial to be endured before the final victory!

A young, new ustadh (teacher) was walking with an older, more seasoned ustadh in the garden one day. Feeling a bit insecure about what Allah Ta’ala had for him to do, he was asking the older ustadh for some advice.

The older ustadh walked up to a rosebush and handed the young ustadh a rosebud and told him to open it without tearing off any petals. The young ustadh looked in disbelief at the older ustadh and was trying to figure out what a rosebud could possibly have to do with his wanting to know the Will of Allah for his life.

But because of his great respect for the older ustadh, he proceeded to try to unfold the rose, while keeping every petal intact…
It wasn’t long before he realized how impossible this was to do. Noticing the younger ustadh’s inability to unfold the rosebud without tearing it, the older ustadh began to recite the following poem…

“It is only a tiny rosebud,

A flower of Allah’s design;

But I cannot unfold the petals

With these clumsy hands of mine.

The secret of unfolding flowers

Is not known to such as I.

Allah opens this flower so sweetly,

Then in my hands they die.

If I cannot unfold a rosebud,

This flower of Allah’s design,

Then how can I have the wisdom

To unfold this life of mine?

So I’ll trust in Allah for leading

Each moment of my day.

I will look to Allah for His guidance

Each step of the way.

The pathway that lies before me,

Only Allah knows.

I’ll trust Him to unfold the moments,

Just as He unfolds the rose.”

“And whoever relies on Allah – then He is sufficient for him”
[surah at-Talaq; 65: 3]

“… And upon Allah rely, if you are true believers”
[surah al-Ma'idah; 5: 23]

“… And when you have decided, then rely upon Allah. Indeed, Allah loves those who rely [upon Him]“
[surah ali-'Imran; 3: 159]

“… And rely upon Allah. And sufficient is Allah as Disposer of affairs”
[surah an-Nisa; 4: 81]

Umar ibn al-Khattab (radiAllahu anhu), narrated that the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said, “If you rely on Allah with due reliance, Allah will provide for you as He does for the birds; they leave with empty stomachs in the morning and return full at dusk.”
[at-Tirmidhi]

Once there was a small house near to a river bank. There were three people living in the house. A man his wife and his old father. The man was very happy with his wife and they had good life. But his father was very old and sick and often used to be a trouble for both of them whole day and night.

During day they had to serve him food and medicine and at night he used to cough up a lot. That’s why they were not able to sleep properly. This routine kept on going for sometime.

One night the man and his wife discussed something in their room and then the man came out and he asked his father to ride on his back.

The father asked “O my son where are you taking me to?”

The man replied “Dad! I want you to take out for a change since it’s been long time you didn’t see the world outside of the house”.

The father was riding on back of his son tightly and the son started walking towards river until he reached near the river. The father thought his son would stop on edge of the river and let him enjoy the natural scene.

But the son entered into the river unless he reached deep into the water, where water was touching his chest.

The son was about to throw his father in the water that suddenlly father asked his son to stop for a bit.

The son froze where he was.

The father said “O my son I knew why and where you were going to take me, but before you throw me in the river I want to tell you something. The place where you are standing right now is exactly the place where I threw my father in the river. So please throw me in a little bit deeper water, so when it comes your turn then your son has to walk a little bit more…”

“Thy Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him, and that you be kind to parents. Whether one or both of them attain old age in your life, say not to them a word of contempt, nor repel them, but address them in terms of honour. And out of kindness, lower to them the wing of humility, and say: My Lord! Bestow on them Thy Mercy even as they cherished me in childhood. Your Lord knows best what is in your hearts: If you do deeds of righteousness, verily He is Most Forgiving to those who turn to Him again and again (in true penitence)”

[surah al-Isra: 23]

“In the end to Us shall you be brought back.”

The subject of death scares us because we don’t know much about it nor the life in the grave and the life after death. We all know we will one day die but few are willing to discuss the details of what happens thereafter. We are afraid because of our own ignorance; because what is to come is unseen and unfamiliar…and we are unprepared. “Say: The Angel of Death, put in charge of you, will (duly) take your souls: then shall you be brought back to your Lord.”

Our biological make-up on this planet is not fit for the place of our roots – namely Heaven or Hell. There is no way we can enter Heaven with the flesh we are made of. Hence, the grave is a center of transformation a center of preparation and re-synthesis of the body of the individual to be ready for recreation. It should be stated here that everyone one of us is to die even if we hide ourselves anywhere in the world; or even if we try to protect ourselves.

Death is a fact of life!

Allah sends a special Angel i.e. Angel of Death whose name is ‘Izraeel’ to take the soul out of the flesh. Surah Al-Sajdah: “Say: The Angel of Death, put in charge of you, will (duly) take your souls: Then shall you be brought back to your Lord.” (32:11)

This angel knows us better than our parents know us. He knows where we are and how we are to die. His main responsibilities is extracting the soul out of the flesh. He can enter any and every place where a person is to die, in order to perform his duty, even if we hide ourselves in fortresses.

In Surah Al-Nisaa’ (The Women) Allah says the following:”Wherever you are, death will find you out, even if you are towers built up strong and high.”(4:78)

As far as the removal of the soul from the flesh is concerned, the Angel of Death will extract it from good people with ease. For those who are bad, the removal of the soul is tough and difficult. The Qur’anic expression for the removal of the soul from hypocrites and disbelievers is horrifying: More than one angel are to work together. They beat the face and back of the deceased while extracting the soul, otherwise, it will come out with difficulty.

Allah says in Surah Al-Anfal (The Spoils of War) the following: “If you could see, when the angels take the souls of the unbelievers (at death), how they smite their faces and their backs, saying: taste the penalty of the blazing fire. Because of the deeds which your own hands sent forth: For God is never unjust to his servants.” (8:50-51)

The Hadith of the Prophet about extracting the soul from the flesh of bad people is summarized as follows: Al-Baraa’Ibn ‘Azib narrated that the Prophet (pbuh) said “If an unbelieving servant is more concerned with the worldly life than he is about the other life, tar-faced angels descend from the sky. These angels, who are carrying bad smelling fragrance, sit in near proximity to the dying unbeliever. Then the Angel of Death descends and places himself near the head of the unbeliever. The Angel of Death says: ‘O bad soul! Come out to Allah’s curse and anger.’ The Prophet (p) said: The soul disperses in the dying person’s body. The Angel of Death grabs the soul like a sufud (a piece of metal stuck in wet wool). The Angel of Death takes the soul without letting it stay in his hand for even an instance. Then the angels put a rough garment that smells bad on the deceased’s soul. The soul comes out having a very foul smell.“

For those who are good, the Quran informs us that the extraction and pulling out the soul from flesh is very easy. The dying person will not feel the pain from the removal of the soul from his body. It will be as easy as pulling a strand of hair out of some dough. The Hadith of the Prophet (p) narrated by Al-Baraa’Ibn ‘Azib states the following: “If the believing servant refrains from coverting material things in his temporal life and desires the hereafter, white-faced angels descend from the sky. Their faces shine as brightly as the sun. They carry with them funeral garb and hanut (fragrance) from Heavan. They sit in near proximity to the dying person. The Angel of Death (may Allah bless him) comes and sits near the dying person’s head, saying: O good soul, come out to Allah’s mercy and forgiveness.”

The Prophet (p) said, “The soul comes out like a drop of water being poured out. Then the Angel takes the soul, without letting it stand in his hand; releases it like a blink. The other angels take the soul and clothe it in funeral gard and hanut. From that soul comes the best smell, one resembling the best musk on earth.”