Preparing for the Inevitable - Are we Prioritizing Correctly?

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October 21, 2011 | Dhul Qa'dah 23, 1432

Al-’Ankabut (29:57)
كُلُّ نَفْسٍ ذَائِقَةُ الْمَوْتِ ثُمَّ إِلَيْنَا تُرْجَعُونَ
Every human being is bound to taste death, [and] in the end unto Us shall all be brought back:


Al-Anbiya (21:35)
كُلُّ نَفْسٍ ذَائِقَةُ الْمَوْتِ وَنَبْلُوكُم بِالشَّرِّ وَالْخَيْرِ فِتْنَةً وَإِلَيْنَا تُرْجَعُونَ
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.


Part I




Background for how this topic emerged:


Brothers and sisters, it has been a month since I was last year. In my last khutbah, I spoke about pride and humility. I spoke about how they are at opposite ends of iman. I spoke of how it is a fact that if pride is the thing that takes you further away from Allah azza wa jaal, then humility is the thing that will bring you back to Him. 


It is difficult when thinking of topics to address from the minbar. As members of the community, we see things that we want to address, but you have to address them in such a way that at the end of the khutbah, the community experiences a few things: they are reminded of the principles of Islam; they think critically about themselves and their actions and what they are doing to better themselves and their community, and the feel empowered to go out and be better and do more with the blessings that Allah has bestowed on them. This is the challenge of communicating with a community from the minbar. We as khatibs need to do these three things, in my opinion, else our message will be lacking. We cannot simply admonish, because that can leave people disillusioned. We cannot simply praise, because that may give a false sense of reality. Additionally, we cannot leave you devoid of concrete solutions and things you can implement to live Islam on the ground. This you can do to go out and actually experience the richness of your Islam. Yes, we can tell you to have patience, but how do you develop that? Yes, we can tell you to be grateful, but how do you go about inculcating more gratitude into your life? Yes, we can tell you to be humble, but how do you go out and actually be one of the khashieen, one of those who humble themselves before Allah? This is the task at hand. 


Brothers and sisters, I had many topics to choose from today: we are in the season of hajj, so that would be a good topic. We have many social issues: political, economical, religious, spiritual, educational, etc, that I can speak about that need to be spoken about. OccupyEverywhere (Greece, UK, US, Asia), Qadhafi, Awlaki, Awlaki's son, economic crisis, Libya, Syria, Iran, Somalia, Horn of Africa, corrupt banks and financial system, executions without due process, executions in the face of contrary evidence, police brutality, parents abusing kids in grotesque ways, ordinary people holding ordinary people as prisoners, Israel and Palestine, etc... We have ALL these things that any khatib can choose to speak about. However, today, the most pressing thing on my mind, is this idea of death and our preparations for it. This is not intended to be a morbid khutbah, but insha-Allah one that inspires and encourages us to go forward and do a little more than we are already doing to prepare for death. 


Why life and death
We all know that man has been created for no other purpose but to worship Allah. This is clear. We know that because Allah (swt) tells us that in His book. We know that we have to worship Allah as the end all and be all of our existence. This we know is a fact. But what is a main reason why Allah created life and death specifically? 


Al-Mulk (Dominion - 67:2)


الَّذِي خَلَقَ الْمَوْتَ وَالْحَيَاةَ لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ أَيُّكُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلًا وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْغَفُورُ


He who has created death as well as life, [1] so that He might put you to a test [and thus show] which of you is best in conduct, and [make you realize that] He alone is almighty, truly forgiving.


Tafsir Jalalayn: [He] Who created death, in this world, and life, in the Hereafter — or both of them in this world, since the sperm-drop is imbued with life, [life being] that [power] by which sensation becomes possible, death being the opposite of this or the non-existence of it — these being two [alternative] opinions; in the case of the latter [life in the Hereafter], ‘creation’ implies ‘ordainment’ — that He may try you, that He may test you in [this] life, [to see] which of you is best in conduct, [which of you] is most obedient to God, and He is the Mighty, in His vengeance against those who disobey Him, the Forgiving, to those who repent to Him;


We are tested with many things. We are tested with our health, our wealth, our patience our family, etc. We are tested with many things in life. How do we fear when given these tests? To whom do we turn to manage these tests? 


So, Allah says clearly that life and death are a test for us. It is a test to see who among us would strive to be best in our conduct. If this is the reason why Allah created this cycle of life and death, then what are we doing to insure that what are we doing to insure that we are striving our utmost to be the best in deeds and actions?  We need to be certain that when the time comes, that we are prepared to meet our lord. The issue is that we do not know when that time is, so we have to live life normally, but with the consciousness that we can die at any point in time. If you or I were to die immediately after Jumu’ah, are we ready to meet our lord? Are we even trying to be ready to meet our lord?


In the past 4 weeks, since I gave the last khutbah, I have attended 3 different janazahs. One for sister Malikah El, one for Br. Yazid Jones and one for Sr. Hafeezah Nurid-Din. For many of us, these deaths touched very close to our inner circle. Two out of these three deaths were expected or anticipated, to a certain extent, because the individuals were ill. One death, that of Sr. Hafeezah, was very sudden and unexpected. It was tragic. May Allah have mercy on all their souls and grant them jannah. 


Subhanallah, are we ready to meet Allah if Allah suddenly takes our souls? Have we laid the foundation for our CHILDREN who will inherit the good AND bad that we will leave behind upon our death. When I say “inherit”, I mean the good and bad of the behaviors in which we engage. We may think that preparing for death is different from living our life is a wholesome and good way. I disagree. Living your life in a wholesome and good way IS how you prepare for death. As Allah has said, it is to try which of us are good in our deeds and actions. What are some deeds in which we can engage?


Give Charity
I know you hear this ALL the time. I do. I know it is like a broken record. But maybe we repeat it because ALLAH Himself repeats it so often in the Quran. Brothers and sisters, charity is not just something we do to make us feel better or to help others, it is for the direct benefit of our own souls. 


Allah Himself links charity to Iman and Taqwa in the Qur’an.
لَن تَنَالُواْ الْبِرَّ حَتَّى تُنفِقُواْ مِمَّا تُحِبُّونَ وَمَا تُنفِقُواْ مِن شَيْءٍ فَإِنَّ اللّهَ بِهِ عَلِيمٌ
3:92 [But as for you, O believers,] never shall you attain to true piety unless you spend on others out of what you cherish yourselves; and whatever you spend - verily, God has full knowledge thereof.

• Birr: Reverant, dutiful, kind, devoted.. Chairtable, beneficient, do good. Think of when you wish someone a “hajj mabrur”. You are praying that their hajj is accepted (because of its devotion and completeness) by Allah.
• Tafsir Ibn Kathir: Imam Ahmad reported that Anas bin Malik said, "Abu Talhah had more property than any other among the Ansar in Al-Madinah, and the most beloved of his property to him was Bayruha's garden, which was in front of the (Messenger's) Masjid. Sometimes, Allah's Messenger used to go to the garden and drink its fresh water.'' Anas added, "When these verses were revealed, (By no means shall you attain Al-Birr unless You spend of that which you love,) Abu Talhah said, `O Allah's Messenger! Allah says, (By no means shall you attain Al-Birr, unless you spend of that which you love;) No doubt, Bayruha' garden is the most beloved of all my property to me. So I want to give it in charity in Allah's cause, and I expect its reward and compensation from Allah. O Allah's Messenger! Spend it where Allah makes you think is feasible. ' On that, Allah's Messenger said, (Well-done! It is profitable property, it is profitable property. I have heard what you have said, and I think it would be proper if you gave it to your kith and kin.)Abu Talhah said, `I will do so, O Allah's Messenger.' Then Abu Talhah distributed that garden among his relatives and cousins.'' This Hadith was recorded in the Two Sahihs.

We know that the houses of Allah should be maintained by the believers. How do we know this? Allah tells us. I want to give you an example of how we sleep on this and we are lulled into a false sense of reality. Let us say that the utilities for the masjid cost 1200 a month. Let us say the light runs $800 a month and the water runs $400. We know Muslims love to use water when making Wudhu. Let us say that you give $20 a week (and that is being generous) in sadaqah. That is $80 a month. You are contributing about 6% a month to the expenses that are necessary to maintain the house of Allah. Now, let us take this a step further - when we have functions and events. Or when there are maintenance issues. It is not like we give much more. How do we as Muslims “maintain” the house of Allah, when we are not really MAINTAINING Allah’s house? 


Speak about the different churches and synagogues we visit...


Engaging our civic duty
We are the best ummah raised from mankind because we enjoin the good and forbid the wrong. This is true, right?


How come we are not doing more to make sure that we are enjoining the right? Enjoining the right does not only mean that we pray, fast and give charity:

• OccupyEverywhere
• Are we aware? Are we participating? Think of the following hadith:
• "Verily what destroyed those who came before you is that when one of prestige stole, they let him go, but when an underprivileged person stole, they enforced the legal penalty. I swear to you by God that if Fatima, the daughter of Muhammad, was to steal, I would cut off her hand." 
• Men are the Qawwamunah of women? correct?
• Are we protecting our sisters? How do you help the oppressor? By stopping him from oppressing.
• How are we helping to reduce crime in our city? What are we getting involved in? Are we doing our part to foster compassion, understanding and tolerance or are we going along as though if it not touching us? It was refreshing to the community come together after the death of our beloved sister, but this was long after the city was already taking a bad turn. Where are we now? Are we still paying attention, or have we returned to the normal routine of “it does not concern me?”

Remember, we receive more good than we deserve and we are not given the amount of punishment that we deserve. Let us ask Allah to soften our hearts, increase us in gratitude and forgive us our sins.


May Allah (swt) grant us forgiveness, guidance and mercy.


Part II


Recap
We have it. We really do. We have the guidance and we have the talent. When are we going to get real about this?


Action Plan:


Al Mu’minoon - 23:1 - 5
قَدْ أَفْلَحَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ
الَّذِينَ هُمْ فِي صَلَاتِهِمْ خَاشِعُونَ
وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ عَنِ اللَّغْوِ مُعْرِضُونَ
وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ لِلزَّكَاةِ فَاعِلُونَ
وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ لِفُرُوجِهِمْ حَافِظُونَ
TRULY, to a happy state shall attain the believers:those who humble themselves in their prayer (offer with attention and sincerity),and who turn away from all that is frivolous,and who are intent on inner purity;and who are mindful of their chastity

• Du’a
• Make SINCERE du’a 
• Are we praying for our brothers and sisters when we pray? Are we mentioning people by name? There is a narration that when we pray for the good of someone Allah will instruct the angels to pray for us. Follow a good bad deed with a good one so that we can remove it.
• Pay attention to Allah’s gifts:
• We are coming up on the first 10 days of dhul-hijjah. It is currently the 23rd of Dhul Qa’dah.
• Ibn Abbaas, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that the Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) said: There are no days during which good deeds are more beloved to Allah than these days; meaning the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah. They inquired: Not even Jihad in the cause of Allah? He said: Not even Jihad in the cause of Allah, unless one goes out for Jihad sacrificing both his life and property and returning with neither. (Al-Bukhaari)
• In another version, Ibn Umar (radiallahu anhumaa) reported that the Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam), said: There are no days during which good deeds are greater or more beloved to Allah than these ten days. So recite more often the Tahleel (Laa Ilaaha Illallah), Takbeer (Allahu Akbar), Tahmeed (Alhamdulillah). (Imam Ahmad) Jaabir reported that the Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) said: The best day is the Day of Arafah. There are no days during which good deeds are greater or more beloved to Allaah than these ten days. So recite more often the Tahleel (Laa Ilaaha Illallah), Takbeer (Allahu Akbar), Tahmeed (Alhamdulillah).
• Develop empathy
• Insha-Allah, one of my topics will be about empathy. We need to develop empathy. This is very much a part of our deen. We need to have a deep concern for Muslims and humanity that we are affected when they are affected.