SPIRIT OF ISLAM MAY 2O18

39 Spirit of Islam Issue 65 May 2018 A DOOR, NOT A GRAVE Look Beyond T HERE is a great lesson in a scene at the graveyard for those who contemplate. At the death of a young man, the Imam (prayer leader) led the funeral prayer. He conducted the whole prayer very quickly and thereafter people put on their shoes immediately as though in a great hurry to finish the formality of attending the funeral prayer and getting back to their activities. After the funeral prayers were said, the body was taken for burial to the adjacent graveyard. A few people accompanied the body to the grave. The graveyard was close by and the grave was still being dug. People stood around in groups. Some were relating stories of oppression. Some complained about the severity of the weather. Someone offered his knowledge about the prices of things. Others were discussing the political leadership in the country. In other words, people were talking about different topics of interest. The above behaviour was so opposite to the way as taught by the Prophet. At such times, the Prophet used to say the following supplication: “Peace be upon you, O dwellers of these graves! May God forgive you and us. You have preceded us, and we are following your trail.” ( At-Tirmidhi ) A grave actually should remind us of the verses from the Quran and sayings of the Prophet that talk about death, the Day of Judgement, Heaven and Hell. It should make us aware that it is an open door that we are standing in front of, and that, through it, we are witnessing sights of the other world with our own eyes. It should make our hearts restless. But unfortunately these feelings are not aroused in people. They are beset by their own problems. However, the real problems are not the ones in which people are entangled. Rather, the real problem is the one that will appear after death. If only people gave a thought to what they might have to face after their death! A person leaves this temporary world and heads A grave actually should remind us of the verses from the Quran and sayings of the Prophet that talk about death, the Day of Judgement, Heaven and Hell.