netlover
29th June 2005, 03:33 AM
READ AND THINK A MOMENT ...
It was yesterday morning when I got a call from my friend around noon time, and she asked me in her shy timid voice that she had a favor to ask of me. I said of course I'd be happy to help if I could. She said there was a lady in the hospital who is sick and my friend wanted someone to read Surat Yaseen for her as the doctors said she wasn't going to make it. The lady was comatose. I asked my friend about the lady's family members, and she said they were Muslim as well, but not practicing. I said I'll go.
I took my Quaran with me and as I was walking down a corridor, a door opened and a Muslim lady wearing Hijab on a stretcher was being moved from the ER to another unit. We exchanged salams and I asked her for duaa, she said "May Allah make it easy for you". Subhan Allah.
I went on looking for the room that the lady was in .. "2104" .. same as my appartment number ... "2104" ... "2104" ... and here it was.
Empty.
I asked the nurse about the occupant and she said the lady had passed away earlier that morning. Inna li Allah wa inna ilayhi raij'oon. To Allah we belong and to Him is our return. Subhan Allah.
I cried all the way to the car and then I called my friend to tell her. I didn't know this person, yet I was going to visit her, read Quaran to her, but I was too late. Might that happen to me too? Would I be in dire need of hearing Allah's words before I die, but no one would be with me to read them? Will my last words in this dunya be the Shahada? It was a scary thought. It woke me up all over again.
I took the experience with me throughout the day and read Surat Yassin for our sister (May she rest in peace and blessings from Allah). I even shared my story with my family and a few friends asking them to make duaa for her. Alhamdu li Allah. May Allah forgive her sins and give her light in her grave, may His mercy give her ease in the grave and in the akhira. Ameen.
This morning and just around the same time as yesterday I got another call from my friend, same one, but this time she sounded almost frantic. They can't find someone to pray over the sister for the burial.
I nearly fell off my bed!
What??? What do you mean no one to pray over her? What about her sons? The Muslim neighbours? The Muslim community? The Masjid she goes to? She said the lady who called her (a friend of the deceased) was in contact with the family and they said they can't find anyone. They had arranged for someone to do so, only he "cancelled"!
Needless to say I couldn't believe it. Something was amiss, someone had the facts all wrong, this couldn't be happening! I took down all the phone numbers and called the deceased sister's daughters in law (both non muslims) who basically confirmed that they (their husbands) can't find someone to pray over their mother before she got buried.
At that point I didn't know how to react. Could this really be the state of our Umma? Our brothers and sisters are massacred and humiliated all over the world, while those fortunate to survive and live in the blessings of Allah don't even know how to pray or read the Quaran?? Subhaaaaaaaanak Ya Rab.
I started calling Masjids and Funeral Homes asking for help or guidance, but all I got were apologies. One director of a Masjid actually told me they didn't have anyone to send to the cemetery where fortunately enough the sister's body was being washed and prepared for burial. Yes I called back the family just to make sure it was a Muslim Cemetery because at that point, anything was possible!!
At one point, I called one of the son's home and asked whom I was speaking to. The male voice gave me a nickname of a Christian name, so I asked to speak to the daughter in law (I asked for her by her name) or her husband. He said he was the husband. I said I was sorry for his mother's passing and told him that if push comes to shove that he'd need to do the prayer himself, to which he had to be in a bathed, purified state himself. He said ok. I asked him whether he knew how he'd need to be in that state, and he said there was a Muslim lady there whom he could ask. I gulped down my concern and asked him whether he knew how to pray or read Surat Al Fatiha. He said there was a Muslim lady there whom he could ask. I hung up.
I finally called a masjid whose Imam said he knew where that cemetery was; 30mins away from him. I then explained the situation and he said he'd go. I was ecstatic and relief never felt so good. I conferenced him in with the son (after I asked him again for his name, to which he paused then gave me his Arabic - Muslim name) and he took the Imam's phone number and told him he'd meet him there. The son would be the one wearing the red shirt and green slacks.
The Imam asked me whether I would be there, and I said no, I didn't know the family or the deceased. I asked him to mention the funeral and burial in the Dhuhr prayer at his Masjid and if he could ask those present to join him for I didn't know how many Muslims would be present to pray for her. He said he'd would. Barak Allahu feeh.
I called the Masjid whose director said he couldn't send anyone to pray on her and told him that I found someone who would. I gave him the sister's full name and asked him to make duaa for her after the Dhuhr prayer. Alhamdu li Allah, he actually wrote her name down.
I called my friend and the lady who is a friend of the deceased and told them that insha Allah all will be well. For the funeral that is. What is to happen for her afterwards? Only Allah knows. And I don't mean regarding the time when she is questioned in her grave, but rather regarding after that.
Our prophet salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam said that one of the things that will benefit a person in their grave is if they have righteous offspring who will make duaa for them. May Allah guide us all and give us all the means of having our good deeds continue even after we have departed from this earth. Ameen.
May the graves of all the Muslimeen be lit with the light of Allah's Mercy upon them. Ameen. May Allah make the graves of the Muslimeen gardens of Paradise and not holes from Hell. Ameen. May the Quaran be our companion in our graves and a witness for us (not against us) on Yawm Al Qiyama. Ameen. May Allah shower all the Muslimeen, those who passed, present, and those to come with His love, mercy, blessings and Forgiveness. Ameen. May Sayidna Rasool Allah salla Allahu alayhi wa Sallam be our intercessor Yawm Al Qiyama. Ameen. May Allah make us from those who gaze upon His face with His content and not His anger. Ameen Ameen Ameen.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<a href="http://www.alinaam.org.za" target="_blank">www.alinaam.org.za</a>
It was yesterday morning when I got a call from my friend around noon time, and she asked me in her shy timid voice that she had a favor to ask of me. I said of course I'd be happy to help if I could. She said there was a lady in the hospital who is sick and my friend wanted someone to read Surat Yaseen for her as the doctors said she wasn't going to make it. The lady was comatose. I asked my friend about the lady's family members, and she said they were Muslim as well, but not practicing. I said I'll go.
I took my Quaran with me and as I was walking down a corridor, a door opened and a Muslim lady wearing Hijab on a stretcher was being moved from the ER to another unit. We exchanged salams and I asked her for duaa, she said "May Allah make it easy for you". Subhan Allah.
I went on looking for the room that the lady was in .. "2104" .. same as my appartment number ... "2104" ... "2104" ... and here it was.
Empty.
I asked the nurse about the occupant and she said the lady had passed away earlier that morning. Inna li Allah wa inna ilayhi raij'oon. To Allah we belong and to Him is our return. Subhan Allah.
I cried all the way to the car and then I called my friend to tell her. I didn't know this person, yet I was going to visit her, read Quaran to her, but I was too late. Might that happen to me too? Would I be in dire need of hearing Allah's words before I die, but no one would be with me to read them? Will my last words in this dunya be the Shahada? It was a scary thought. It woke me up all over again.
I took the experience with me throughout the day and read Surat Yassin for our sister (May she rest in peace and blessings from Allah). I even shared my story with my family and a few friends asking them to make duaa for her. Alhamdu li Allah. May Allah forgive her sins and give her light in her grave, may His mercy give her ease in the grave and in the akhira. Ameen.
This morning and just around the same time as yesterday I got another call from my friend, same one, but this time she sounded almost frantic. They can't find someone to pray over the sister for the burial.
I nearly fell off my bed!
What??? What do you mean no one to pray over her? What about her sons? The Muslim neighbours? The Muslim community? The Masjid she goes to? She said the lady who called her (a friend of the deceased) was in contact with the family and they said they can't find anyone. They had arranged for someone to do so, only he "cancelled"!
Needless to say I couldn't believe it. Something was amiss, someone had the facts all wrong, this couldn't be happening! I took down all the phone numbers and called the deceased sister's daughters in law (both non muslims) who basically confirmed that they (their husbands) can't find someone to pray over their mother before she got buried.
At that point I didn't know how to react. Could this really be the state of our Umma? Our brothers and sisters are massacred and humiliated all over the world, while those fortunate to survive and live in the blessings of Allah don't even know how to pray or read the Quaran?? Subhaaaaaaaanak Ya Rab.
I started calling Masjids and Funeral Homes asking for help or guidance, but all I got were apologies. One director of a Masjid actually told me they didn't have anyone to send to the cemetery where fortunately enough the sister's body was being washed and prepared for burial. Yes I called back the family just to make sure it was a Muslim Cemetery because at that point, anything was possible!!
At one point, I called one of the son's home and asked whom I was speaking to. The male voice gave me a nickname of a Christian name, so I asked to speak to the daughter in law (I asked for her by her name) or her husband. He said he was the husband. I said I was sorry for his mother's passing and told him that if push comes to shove that he'd need to do the prayer himself, to which he had to be in a bathed, purified state himself. He said ok. I asked him whether he knew how he'd need to be in that state, and he said there was a Muslim lady there whom he could ask. I gulped down my concern and asked him whether he knew how to pray or read Surat Al Fatiha. He said there was a Muslim lady there whom he could ask. I hung up.
I finally called a masjid whose Imam said he knew where that cemetery was; 30mins away from him. I then explained the situation and he said he'd go. I was ecstatic and relief never felt so good. I conferenced him in with the son (after I asked him again for his name, to which he paused then gave me his Arabic - Muslim name) and he took the Imam's phone number and told him he'd meet him there. The son would be the one wearing the red shirt and green slacks.
The Imam asked me whether I would be there, and I said no, I didn't know the family or the deceased. I asked him to mention the funeral and burial in the Dhuhr prayer at his Masjid and if he could ask those present to join him for I didn't know how many Muslims would be present to pray for her. He said he'd would. Barak Allahu feeh.
I called the Masjid whose director said he couldn't send anyone to pray on her and told him that I found someone who would. I gave him the sister's full name and asked him to make duaa for her after the Dhuhr prayer. Alhamdu li Allah, he actually wrote her name down.
I called my friend and the lady who is a friend of the deceased and told them that insha Allah all will be well. For the funeral that is. What is to happen for her afterwards? Only Allah knows. And I don't mean regarding the time when she is questioned in her grave, but rather regarding after that.
Our prophet salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam said that one of the things that will benefit a person in their grave is if they have righteous offspring who will make duaa for them. May Allah guide us all and give us all the means of having our good deeds continue even after we have departed from this earth. Ameen.
May the graves of all the Muslimeen be lit with the light of Allah's Mercy upon them. Ameen. May Allah make the graves of the Muslimeen gardens of Paradise and not holes from Hell. Ameen. May the Quaran be our companion in our graves and a witness for us (not against us) on Yawm Al Qiyama. Ameen. May Allah shower all the Muslimeen, those who passed, present, and those to come with His love, mercy, blessings and Forgiveness. Ameen. May Sayidna Rasool Allah salla Allahu alayhi wa Sallam be our intercessor Yawm Al Qiyama. Ameen. May Allah make us from those who gaze upon His face with His content and not His anger. Ameen Ameen Ameen.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<a href="http://www.alinaam.org.za" target="_blank">www.alinaam.org.za</a>