So Tuesday saw the 26th birthday of my beautiful brother Imran.
26 years... Mashallah - a grown man.
I haven’t seen Imran for just over six years now. I wonder how he is. I wonder
where he is. I wonder if he was here, what he'd be doing.
I imagine he's grown a beard - and expect he looks beautiful. He's stunning as it is, exceptionally handsome Allhumdulillah and the beard MashAllah would add perfectly to his innocent beauty...
Humble, sweet and sincere are my thoughts of him...
Those qualities radiate from the last picture I have of him. His face-beautiful, golden coloured, rosebud lips, thick eyebrows and a sombre expression.
Who knew?
The Quran reads:
“Verily the knowledge of the Hour is with Allah (alone). It is He Who sends down rain, and He Who knows what is in the wombs. Nor does anyone know what it is that he will earn on the morrow: nor does anyone know in what land he is to die. Verily with Allah is full knowledge and He is acquainted (with all things).”
(Surah Luqman – 31:34)
Ibn Kathir’s tafsir tells us that only Allah Subhanahu Wa Taala knows of the final hour. The timing of the final hour is one of 5 things that have not been revealed to us and are only known to Allah, Al Aleem ; The All-knowing, The Knowledgeable and The One nothing is absent from.
One day a man came to the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa-Sallam) and said “O Messenger of Allah, when will the Hour come' He said the one who is asked about it does not know more than the one who is asking”
When the rain is to fall... What may be in the womb... That which man is due tomorrow and the land in which he is to die is only known by one who is the all knowing Creator.
Although Allah does not will for the soul be taken in a particular land, it says in Hadith narrated by Usamah bin Zayd: If Allah wants to take a person's soul in a particular land, He will be give him a reason to go there.
Subhanallah! Who
BUT Allah Subhanahu as tala knew?
Your appointed time...
“But to no soul will Allah grant respite when the time appointed (for it) has come: and Allah is well-acquainted with (all) that ye do.”
(Surah Al Munafiqoon – 63:11)
“It is He Who has created you from dust, then from a sperm-drop, then from a leech-like clot; then does He get you out (into the light) as a child: then lets you (grow and) reach your age of full strength; then lets you become old― though of you there are some who die before; - and lets you reach a Term appointed: in order that you may learn wisdom.”
(Surah Al Ghafir – 40:67)
February 18th 2003.
The Angel of death came to you with a duty to be fulfilled. That was your time brother - THAT was your time. There was no way in which you would have been spared of this and your appointed Angel would only leave once your soul was taken and the duty was complete.
“He is Supreme over His creatures, and He appoints guards to protect you. When the appointed time of death comes to any of you, our messengers put him to death without delay.”
(Surah Al Anam – 6:61)
Blessed with the honour...There was something of a negative feeling about the trip that would lead to your demise.
I had so much love for you and loved time on the weekends with just us four...
It was unexplainable but I didn’t want you to go. My
heart didn’t want you to go. My heart didn’t want you to be away from us and leave us here...
But you did... you went and left us here without out you for good...
What was the message that Allah had sent in taking you from us?
What lessons were we to learn from losing you...?
How was this to make us grow?
Subhanallah!
We were truly tested with the most precious and beautiful gem to us all.
It has been authentically related that the Prophet, upon Him be peace said:
“Also a martyr is he who is killed in a strange land far away from his hearth and kin.”
(Narrated from Ibn `Abbas by Ibn Majah)
Other hadiths have also related: "The death of the stranger is shahada" (ie he who dies in a foreign land) as Narrated from Ibn `Abbas and Ibn `Umar by al-Daraqutni and a third wording, "Whoever dies a stranger, dies a shaheed" as narrated from Anas and Abu Hurayra.
Imam al-Bukhari and Muslim, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) mentioned five types of martyrs:
· One who dies in a plague
· One who dies of intestinal ailments
· One who dies of drowning
· One who dies under a collapsed building
· One who dies as a martyr in jihad
Imam Ahmad, Abu Dawud and others stated that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “There are seven martyrs”. Having said this, he added the following to the list mentioned above:
· One who dies in a fire
· A woman who dies during child-birth
A third report states that the Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him) said:
· Whoever dies while defending his own possessions is a martyr
· Whoever dies defending his own person is a martyr
· Whoever dies guarding his own faith is a martyr
· Whoever dies fighting in order to defend his own family is also a martyr
The shaheed are of two categories – the first is he who dies in Jihad in the way of Allah and the second he who dies from something that is not his own making.
There is a small difference in the 2 types of Shaheed – he who is slain in the way of Allah Subhanahu wa taala does not need to be bathed before burial as from the moment of bloodshed all his past sins are forgiven. The second type of shaheed is not thought of as a true shaheed in this world as such but receives the rewards and blessing of the shaheed in there hereafter and therefore still need to be bathed before burial.
According to Imam an-Nawawi, “The second category of martyrs will receive rewards of martyrdom, and yet unlike the martyrs of jihad, they will be bathed (before burial) and prayed over.”
Subhanallah - Truly an honour to possess and something of a comfort for the immense loss experienced. The shaheed is considered one whose place in Paradise is promised according to the below verse in the Quran:
“Think not of those who are slain in Allah's way as dead. Nay, they live, finding their sustenance in the presence of their Lord; They rejoice in the bounty provided by Allah. And with regard to those left behind, who have not yet joined them (in their bliss), the (martyr's) glory in the fact that on them is no fear, nor have they (cause to) grieve.”
(Al Baqarah – 3:169-173)
Taken together, numerous verses from the Quran convey the undeniable message that for those shaheed, there is a unique and immediate reward. In the divine existence there will be six qualities from which they are blessed with:
· He will be forgiven from the first moment his blood is spilled;
· He shall see his seat in Paradise and be protected against the punishment of the grave;
· He shall be safe from the greatest terror [the rising of the dead];
· He shall be given the crown of dignity, one ruby of which is worth more than the entire world and its contents;
· He shall be coupled with seventy-two spouses from the wide-eyed Hurians of Paradise;
· He shall be granted to intercede for seventy of his members of his family as narrated Abu Darda.
It has reported that when man passes away in a land other than his birthplace or residence his grave is widened from the place of his demise as far unto the place of his residence...
The bodies of common people decay in their graves with the passage of time, whilst the bodies of the Prophets (Alaihi as-salaam) are preserved as a sign of honour. It is also known by observation that bodies of some martyrs are preserved.
The life in Barzakh…The stroke of your nose... the touch of your shoulder... the feel of your feet... Your flawless skin - Reliving those painful moments ill never forget...
Words simply just don’t carry enough meaning or importance to be able to express the deep and often complex, feelings and emotions experienced... There really are very few words that truly can put this into words...
"And say not of those who are slain in the Way of God: 'They are dead.' Nay, they are living, Though you perceive it not."
(Al Baqarah – 2:154)
Barzakh is an Arabic word derived from the Persian word “Pardah.” Linguistically, “Barzakh” means a veil, barrier or partition between two things.
It is the stage between this world and the other world - from the time of death until the time of Resurrection. Thus, whoever dies enters the Barzakh. There have been many different definitions of Barzakh but there is one underlying similarity between all: that the soul after having separated from its worldly body, enters into a realm behind which there is a barrier forbidding any return.
Souls dwell on different levels in the state of existence known as the Barzakh, the partition between this life and the Hereafter.
Some souls will be in the highest ranking, such as the souls of the Prophets (peace be upon them). Even they will be in different rankings with respect to one another, as Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) saw them during his Night Journey.
Other souls will be encased within green birds and will be able to go wherever they please in Paradise. These are the souls of some of the martyrs who hold the second highest ranking in the Barzakh
Ka’ab Ibn Malik related that the Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu Alaihi wa-Sallam) said: “The believer’s soul is a bird which feeds upon the fruits of the trees of Paradise, until Allah returns it to its body on the Day he is resurrected.”
Far superior luxuries will be enjoyed in the Barzakh than those found in the world that we can only but imagine of.
The latest kicks, the high tech gadgets the little indulgences of life..
I often think about those little moments in which your presence has been missed - the family gatherings, Birthdays, Eid...
I think about those sweet moments in life you've not been there to share with us - vacations, the next generation and family moments but mostly - you're the one missing from the photo of all the boys, the boys that you loved to be around and so dearly looked up to...
I remember a photo being taken on Eid last year. As all the boys gathered, Mash'Allah- I noticed everyone was there, uncles, cousins, the kids - Everyone. Sat watching from the sofa I looked to see there was a space unfilled - the portrait was missing someone... What would have been the perfect portrait, was missing you. Missing
you, one person amongst all those that most loved you
I remember it clearly. A poignant moment - captured for life...
You’ve missed so much but I wonder what it is you may have you been spared of?
Have you been spared of something so wicked in this life that is far greater than what you have missed?
There are of course conditions to which level of Barzakh you will reside of course, not all will be blessed with the highest eligible ranking of course and those of the unbelievers who chose to ignore will suffer in the lowest ranks and some will even remain on t his earth due to neglect of good deeds.
“Rejoicing in what Allah has given them out of His grace and they rejoice for the sake of those who, (being left) behind them, have not yet joined them, that they shall have no fear, nor shall they grieve."
(Al Baqarah – 2:170)
The Ayahs and Hadith are all so beautiful and relate so well to our loss – I often wonder had we known these then, had our knowledge been as it is now, had we had strong conviction in Allah Subhanahu Wa Taala, would this have eased the pain in our hearts that had been shattered to pieces?
6 years later, we have found our own ways of dealing with our enormous loss. You’ve cried so much that you get sick of crying, and after a while you think how could you possibly cry anymore?
I don’t think any of us will ever get over the loss of losing him and as for when we get tearful, I know I for certain may shed tears but never let myself truly let out what I’m feeling inside. Ive cried him a river and honestly, dont think I'll ever stop...
“Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi rajioon.”
(Al Baqarah – 2:156)
Just another little test and tribulation...
Allhumdulillah – Truly all praise and all thanks is to Allah Subhanahu wa Tala.
Asalaamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuhu
