NAFS
TAZKIYAH AN NAFS
Class 5
JOURNEY OF THE SOUL
The Inevitable & The Results
Heedless?
We bury people every week. And yet we live as if we will never be buried. Usually in a few minutes after attending a funeral prayer we are back thinking about lunch/dinner, work, etc.
Ibn al-Jawzi said, Every breath we take is taking us closer to death. The time we spend in this world is short, the time we are held in our graves is long, and the punishment for following our lowly desires is calamitous. (Disciplining the Soul)
A Traveller, Not a Resident
The Prophet ﷺ took hold of the shoulder of 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar and said: "Be in this world as if you were a stranger or a traveller." (Sahih al-Bukhari 6416)
A traveller at an airport does not decorate the waiting lounge. He does not argue with strangers over a seat. He keeps his passport close and listens for his flight to be called. Ibn al-Jawzi puts it simply: this world is a bridge, and a bridge is not a place to build a home.
DEATH
كُلُّ نَفْسٍ ذَائِقَةُ الْمَوْتِ
Life slips away second by second. Are you aware that every day brings you closer to death or that death is as close to you as it is to other people? Allah says,
“Whatsoever is on it (the earth) will perish. And the Face of your Lord full of Majesty and Honour will remain forever” [al-Rahmaan 55:26-27]
“Every soul shall taste death in the end; to Us shall you be brought back.” (Surat al-‘Ankabut: 57)
All praise is due to Allah, who reminds his slaves that their lives have an appointed time and that the successful ones are those who are saved from the fire and are entered into paradise, when He says:
"Everyone shall taste death. And only on the Day of Resurrection shall you be paid your wages in full. And whoever is removed away from the Fire and admitted to Paradise, he indeed is successful. The life of this world is only the enjoyment of deception." (3:185)
Brothers and sisters (may Allaah preserve us upon the Sunnah and grant us a good end…Aameen). Indeed death is a reality faced by everyone who lives. No one has the power to avoid it, nor does anyone around the dying person have the ability to prevent it. It is something which happens every moment and is encountered by the old and the young, the rich and the poor, the strong and the weak. They are all the same in that they have no plan or means of escaping it, no power, no means of intercession, no way to prevent it, nor to delay it, which shows that indeed it comes from One having tremendous power-so that the human is helpless in this regard and can only submit to it. He S.W.T. reminds us that death will reach us no matter where we are when He says: "Wheresoever you may be, death will overtake you even if you are in fortresses built up strong and high!" (4:78)
People die every day, but when someone close to us dies the shortness of this worldly life becomes a more manifest reality and less attention is given to the worldly aspirations. This is the way it should be whether someone close dies or not, in order that we may make more effort in preparing for the meeting with our Lord. Let our gatherings be that of remembrance of Allaah and the aakhirah, ilm and advice towards that which increases the slaves in taqwah. The Messenger ﷺ said:
‘’Make much remembrance of the destroyer of pleasures, it is death.” And let us not be deceived by this worldly life and its glitter.
"The life span of my followers are between sixty and seventy. Very few of them do exceeds this age. " Reported by: Tirmidhi
All of us will die, repent and before its too late. After 100 years from now none of us here today might be on earth. This reality must be established firmly in one’s heart, the reality that life in this world is limited and has an appointed end - and this end will definitely come...
The righteous will die and the wicked will die...
The warriors who fight will die and those who sit at home will die...
Those who busy themselves with correct belief will die and those who treat the people as their slaves will die...
The brave who reject injustice will die, and the cowards who seek to cling on to this life at any price will die...
The people of great concern and lofty goals will die, and the wretched people who live only for cheap enjoyment will die...
-----ALL WILL DIE!!!---—
Are we prepared?
People wake up every morning making short term or long term plans for their lives. But death is not included in these plans. Whereas most of these plans might not occur, death will certainly occur.
One does not prepare for death by pre-paying funeral services or selecting a graveyard in advance. It is about fulfilling one’s purpose in life – to worship Allah alone, to live according to His commandments, and perform good deeds. The concept of worship in Islam is all encompassing and is not merely restricted to praying. In fact, any action that is pleasing to Allah is considered an act of worship, and a person will be rewarded for it.
Death is not a disaster, but a passing from this world onto the next. It should make us reflect and ponder about the purpose of life, and what will become of us after death.
This is applicable to those who has prepared for it, those who has been playing and continue to play around then this stage is the start of the horrors. May Allah save us from it and make us amongst those who take heed of the seriousness of death.
Death is not the end, it is the beginning of the Eternal Life - PREPARE FOR IT!
The Moment Every Soul Will Meet
Everyone in the room can see the body. No one can see what the dying person is seeing. Allah tells us what many will say in that moment, "Until, when death comes to one of them, he says: My Lord, send me back, so that I may do good in what I left behind. No! It is only a word he is saying." (Surah al-Mu'minun 23:99–100)
Think about this carefully. The one thing the dying person begs for is more time to do good. Not more money. Not one more holiday. Just a little more time to pray, to give, to make things right.
You have that time right now. The request that will be refused on that day has already been granted to you today.
Journey of the Soul
For four classes we have studied the nafs: how it commands, how it blames, how it finds peace. Today we follow it to the end of its road in this world, and beyond. Not to frighten ourselves, but to see what is at stake. Tazkiyah means more when you know where the soul is going.
The Companion al-Barā' ibn 'Āzib reported a long hadith in which the Prophet ﷺ described what happens when a soul leaves this world (Musnad Ahmad 18534, Sunan Abi Dawud 4753; sahih). Here it is in summary.
The believing soul
'When the believer is about to depart from this world and go forward into the Next World, angels with faces as bright as the sun descend from the heavens and sit around him in throngs stretching as far as the eye can see. Then the Angel of Death comes and sits at his head and says, "Good soul, come out to forgiveness and pleasure from Allah!" Then his soul emerges like a drop of water flows from a water-skin and the angel takes hold of it. When he has grasped it, the other angels do not leave it in his hand even for the twinkling of an eye. They take it and place it in a perfumed shroud and a fragrance issues from it like the sweetest scent of musk found on the face on the earth.
'Then they bear it upwards and whenever they take it past a company of angels, they ask, "Who is this good soul?" and the angels with the soul reply, "So-and-so the son of so-and-so," using the best names by which people used to call him in this world. They bring him to the lowest heaven and ask for the gate to be opened for him. It is opened for him and angels who are near Allah from each of the heavens accompany him to the subsequent heaven until he reaches to the heaven where Allah the Great is. Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, says, 'Register the book of My slave in 'Illiyun and take him back to earth. I created them from it and I return them to it and I will bring them forth from it again."
'His soul is then returned to his body and two angels come to him. They make him sit up and say to him,
"Who is your Lord?" He replies, "My Lord is Allah."
They ask him, "What is your religion?" He replies, "My religion is Islam."
They ask him, "Who is this man who was sent among you?" He replies, "The Messenger of Allah."
They ask him, "How did you come to know these things?" He replies, "I read the Book of Allah, believed it and declared it to be true.
"Then a Voice from on high declares, "My slave has spoken the truth, so spread out carpets from the Garden for him and open a gate of the Garden for him!" Then some of its fragrance and perfume comes to him, his grave is expanded for him as far as the eye can see, and a man with beautiful garments and a fragrant scent comes to him and says, "Rejoice in what delights you for this is the day which you were promised." He asks, "Who are you? Yours is a face which presages good." He replies, "I am your good actions." Then he says, "0 Lord, let the Last Hour come soon so that I may rejoin my family and my property! "
The wicked soul
When the disbeliever and wicked person is leaving this world and go forward into the Next World, angels with black faces descend from the heavens carrying rough hair- cloth and sit around him in throngs stretching as far as the eye can see. Then the Angel of Death comes and sits at his head and says,
"Foul soul, come out to the wrath and anger of Allah!” Then his soul divides up in his body and it is dragged out like a skewer is pulled out of wet wool.
(Wet wool clings tightly, absorbs resistance, and snags on everything, while a multi-pronged or sharp skewer pulling through it encounters heavy friction, tearing through the fibers.
The imagery illustrates how the soul scatters and resists throughout the body, cutting painfully through the veins, nerves, and tissues as it is forcefully yanked out, contrasting sharply with the smooth, gentle release of a righteous soul.)
Then the angel takes hold of it. When he has grasped it, the other angels do not leave it in his hand even for the twinkling of an eye. They take it and wrap it in the rough hair-cloth and a stench comes out of it like the worst stench of a corpse on the face of the earth.
'Then they take it up and whenever they take it past a company of angels, they ask, "Who is this foul soul?" and the angels with the soul reply, "So-and-so the son of so-and-so," using the worst names by which people used to call him in this world. They bring him to the lowest heaven and ask for the gate to be opened for him. It does not get opened.'
'Then Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, will say, "Register his book in Sijjin in the lowest earth." Then his soul is flung down.'
'Then his soul is returned to his body and two angels come and say to him, "Who is your Lord?" He replies, "Alas, alas, I do not know!" Then a voice calls from on high, "My slave has lied, so spread out carpets from the Fire for him and open a gate of the Fire for him! "Then a hot blast from it comes to him, his grave is made so narrow for him that his ribs are pressed together, and a man with a hideous face and clothing and a foul odour comes to him and says, "Grieve on account of what has brought you disgrace for this is the day which you were promised." He asks, "Who are you? Yours is a face which presages evil." He replies, "I am your bad actions." Then he says, "0 Lord, do not let the Last Hour come! "
The questions are simple. Every Muslim child knows the answers. So why is it a test? Because on that day you cannot read the answer from your memory. You can only answer with your life. The person whose Lord was really his money, whose religion was really his desires, will not find the words.
Allah says, "Allah keeps firm those who believe with the firm word, in the life of this world and in the Hereafter." (Surah Ibrahim 14:27)
Both of these souls once lived in this world. Both woke up, ate, worked, scrolled, laughed and slept. What made the difference? Allah answered this in the verse we started the course with:
"He has succeeded who purifies it (Nafs), and he has failed who corrupts it." (Surah ash-Shams 91:9–10)
Now read again the verse from our first class, with everything we have learned: "O tranquil soul, return to your Lord, well-pleased and pleasing to Him. Enter among My servants, and enter My Paradise." (Surah al-Fajr 89:27–30)
The way a soul leaves this world is the result of what was done with it inside this world. To conclude, we quote the hadeeth of the Prophet ﷺ where he said: "The grave is either a garden from the Gardens of Paradise, or a pit from the pits of Hell." [At-Tirmithi)
May Allah make us amongst those who are considered as the Good Soul, who are able to answer the questions in the Grave and are saved from its trials.
Tazkiyah in Practice: This Week
Remember death once a day
Write your will
Settle your accounts with people
Do the "send me back" deed
Your Muhasabah notebook: page 5
Write a short letter to yourself, from your grave. Imagine you have already died. What would you tell the person you are today? What would you beg yourself to start, and to stop?
The Prophet ﷺ taught us to seek refuge from four things in every prayer, after the final tashahhud and before the salam:
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ عَذَابِ جَهَنَّمَ، وَمِنْ عَذَابِ الْقَبْرِ، وَمِنْ فِتْنَةِ الْمَحْيَا وَالْمَمَاتِ، وَمِنْ شَرِّ فِتْنَةِ الْمَسِيحِ الدَّجَّالِ
"O Allah, I seek refuge in You from the punishment of Hell, from the punishment of the grave, from the trials of life and death, and from the evil of the trial of the False Messiah." (Sahih Muslim 588)
Notice: the trials of life and death. The Prophet ﷺ sought protection for both journeys. Make this dua with full attention in every prayer this week.
Next class: Tazkiyah in Practice, a complete plan for life.
TIPS FOR THE TEST
Do not have to memorise the ayahs or hadeeths word for word and their references, but remember their meanings and the msg being given.
Remember the what brings peace.
ASSIGNMENT
There will be an Assignment Question asked in the Test. Marks will be given based on the following: -
I. Invite atleast 10 people to the course (can invite via WhatsApp, Facebook, Email, telegram or word of mouth) 4 Marks. (check the note below for exceptions)
Note:
Those who have already invited whether on Whatsapp, Email or FB, do not need to invite again.
It does not matter, whether people join or not, our job is to invite.
II. Talk to 3 people (friends or family) about any three topics from the course - (5 Marks)
III. Pray for the Ummah, pray for the ease of all the poor & oppressed Muslims and Maghfirah of the Muslims who passed away. Pray that Allah make us all strong in imaan and give us the hidayah to work for the aakhirah and to help each other. - 1 Mark
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As Salam Alaikum Wa Rahmatullaahi Wa Barakaatuh :)
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