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From the book: The Calamity of the Prophet's Death and its Effects on the Muslim Nation
By: Husayn al-'Awayishah

Ibn ‘Abbas (radi Allahu anhu and Saabit Al-Jumahee (radi Allahu anhu) both related that the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa salaam) said,“If one of you is afflicted with a calamity, then let him remember his calamity by me (i.e., by my death); for indeed, it is the greatest of calamities.”¹

It becomes clear to us from this hadith that the death of the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa salaam) is the greatest disaster that has occurred or will occur to the muslim nation. The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wa salaam) request that when we remember our calamities or afflictions, we should remember his death and his parting as well, a reflective process through which our other disasters will become insignificant in comparison.

Whenever we lost any of our relatives or loved ones, we are sure to have felt the pain of parting and the anxiety of the farewell. The question now is this: Have we had any such feelings or sentiments when we contemplate the death of the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa salaam).

What would happen if a man were to lose his entire family; his heart would ache and bleed while his tears would pour forth profusely. He marries after a period, and after many years pass, one of his sons dies. What is his sadness and pain if compared to the first calamity; is not the new affliction less painful in degree? And with that perspective – i.e., by remembering the death of the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa salaam) – we should console ourselves whenever we are afflicted with a hardship.

The Messenger of Allah is addressing us saying,

“O people, let any person – or any believer – who has been afflicted with a calamity remember his calamity by me and hence find solace in his calamity by any other person [or occurance], for no one from my nation will be afflicted by a calamity after me that is more severe upon him than my calamity.”²

The Prophet’s (salallahu alaihi wa salaam) words, ‘find solace’ are indeed curative and healing words that are like medicine for the heart. What would happen if one were to lose his beloved parents in a car accident? Would not the effects of that calamity remain in his heart for the rest of his life? And what would happen if he lost his mother, wife, or son? Why is it that we feel nothing, yet we have been afflicted with the loss of the Prophet (salallahu alaihi wa salaam)? It is a calamity that outweighs all others when we contemplate the Prophet’s statement:

“One of you does not believe until I am more beloved to him than his child, his father, and all people.”³

When we consider the hadith before this one, it is as if this hadith means: Not one of you believes until my death becomes a greater calamity for him than losing his son, his father, and all people.

By Allah, where are these feelings and sentiments? Yet they are the feelings and sentiments of the true believer.

Have you lost your mother? And if so, when you were weeping immediately after her death, did you remember that she took you out of the darkness of her stomach to the light of the world, after which she cared for you and raised you? Through the message of the Messenger of Allah (salallahu alaihi wa salaam) , Allah (Subhanna wa Ta’ala) has taken you out of the darkness of misguidance and has brought you into the light of guidance and tawheed (Islamic Monotheism) , and because of that guidance – by the will of Allah – you are saved from eternity in the Hellfire. But does the same hold true for your mother’s favors: are you saved from eternity in Hellfire because of the milk she fed you or because of her kindness and care?

By Allah in a single day, had I lost 1000 mothers, each equal in kindness and love to my mother, it is not befitting for me to be more sad on account of their loss than the sadness required from me over the death of the Messenger of Allah (salallahu alaihi wa salaam).

Have you lost your son? Do you not quickly burst into tears when you remember his help, dutifulness, and love? No matter what level these matters reach, they do not reach the level of what the Prophet (salallahu alaihi wa salaam) conferred upon us. What he left for us will – by the help of Allah- make us enter paradise, whose width is equal to the heavens and the earth, a place of eternity and eternal bliss.

We are given pleasure by the help of our children and by their love, yet the years pass and fade away, however, the bliss of Paradise knows no end. Does not the Messenger of Allah (salallahu alaihi wa salaam) deserve from us that we should be sadder over his death than over the death of anyone else; that we should remember him more than we remember anyone else we have lost, in terms of children, parents, and other loved ones?

Footnotes:

1. Related by Ibn Sa’d, al-Darimi, and others; through other narrations that attested to it, it is authentic, as mentioned in al-Sahihah (106)2. Related by Ibn Majah, and narrated by Aisha (radi Allahu anha) in Sahih Sunan Ibn Majah (No. 1300)3. Bukhari (15); Muslim (44)

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The Keys to the Life of the Heart
Compiler’s Introduction to Diseases of the Hearts and Their Cures

By Ibraaheem Ibn ’Abdullaah al-Haazimee

Ibnul-Qayyim, may Allaah have mercy upon him, said: “The keys to the life of the heart lie in reflecting upon the Qur‘aan, being humble before Allaah in secret, and leaving sins.” [1] Allaah, the Most High, said:

“A Book which We have sent down to you, full of blessings that they may ponder over its verses, and that men of understanding may take heed.” [Soorah Saad 38:29]

So Allaah informed us that He sent down this Great Qur‘aan, blessed in its wording, meaning, commands, prohibitions and regulations. Amongst its blessings is that the one who recites even one word of it then he has a reward, and this reward is increased tenfold, as mentioned in the hadeeth reported by at-Tirmidhee, and at-Tirmidhee said that it is hasan saheeh. Also amongst its blessings is that the one who reads it and actts upon it shall not be

misguided in this world, nor fall into distress and misery in the Hereafter as stated by Ibn ’Abbaas (radiyallaahu ’anhu) in the commentary to the verse,

“Whoever follows My guidance shall neither go astray nor fall into distress and misery.” [Taa Haa (20):123]

Amongst its blessings is also that the one who learns it and teaches it is from the best of people as occurs in the hadeeth reported by al-Bukhaaree, “The best of you is the one who learns the Qur‘aan and then teaches it.” [2] Amonsgt its blessings is that it will be an intercessor on the Day of Judgement for its companions who used to act by it in this world as occurs in the two ahaadeeth reported by Muslim in his Saheeh. [3] He, the Exalted informed us that He revealed the Qur‘aan so that its meanings, commands and prohibitions may be reflected over, such that if one were to come across a verse commanding something then he should follow it. If one were to come across a verse forbidding something then he should leave it.

If one were to come across a verse concerning the Mercy of Allaah then he would hope for this Mercy and ask for it. If one were to come across a verse threatening with punishment then he would fear this and seek refuge with Allaah from it. If one were to come across a verse concerning the glorification of Allaah then he would glorify Allaah, and through this faith, knowledge, guidance and taqwaa will increase. Allaah said while describing the believers,

“And when His verses are recited unto them, they increase their faith.” [Sooratul-Anfaal 8:2]

Due to their containing promises and threats that motivate hope and fear; and Allaah, the Most High, said,

“Do they not ponder over the Qur'aan or are there locks upon their hearts?” [Soorah Muhammad 47:24]

Amongst the ways of giving life to the heart is to be humble to Allaah in secret. Meaning to desire and long for Allaah through supplication, seeking forgiveness, turning to Him, asking for victory, Paradise and shelter from Hellfire at the time when Allaah descends to the lowest Heaven in the last third of the night, as occurs in the authentic hadeeth, “Our Lord descends tot he lowest heaven when a third of the night remains, saying: Who is supplicating to Me that I may answer him? Who is asking of Me that I may give him? Who is seeking forgiveness of Me that I may forgive him?” [4]

This hadeeth contains encouragement to stand in the last part of the night, praying, supplicating, and asking for forgiveness, Paradise and safety from the Fire, and supplicating for good in this life and the Hereafter. Indeed Allaah has commanded us with supplication and promisd to reply, and He who is far removed from imperfection, does not break His promises. Amongst the times that this reply will be attained is the last part of the night, and this is a blessing that Allaah bestows upon whomsoever He wishes, and Allaah is the Possessor of great blessings and bounty. And from the ways of giving life to the heart is to leave the sins that kill it, as in the hadeeth, “When the servant performs a sin a black spot appears on his heart, and if he seeks forgiveness this black spot is removed, and if he returns to sin the black spot grows until his heart becomes black, and this is the ‘raan’ about which Allaah spoke,

“Nay! But on their hearts is the covering of sins (raan) which they used to earn.” [Sooratul-Mutaffifeen 83:14]

The poet said,

‘I saw the sins killing the hearts;

Breeding ignominy due to their addiction;

And in the leaving of sins lies its life;

And it is best for your soul that you preserve it.’

Footnotes:

[1] Haadiyyul-’Arwaah ilaa Bilaadil-Afraah (p. 45) of Ibnul-Qayyim.

[2] Related by al-Bukhaaree (6/501)

[3] Related by Muslim (2/385)

[4] Related by al-Bukhaaree (no. 9474) and Muslim (no. 758)

[5] Hasan Saheeh: Related by an-Nisaa‘ee and at-Tirmidhee (1/128), who said it was Hasan Saheeh.

source: http://www.troid.org/articles/ibaadah