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Chapter Of Death By Imam Al Ghazali Rematullah


Muneer Raza Atari

تجویز کردہ جواب

"Mukaashifatul Quluub" - The Remembrance of Death:

 

by

 

Hujjat ul-Islaam Abu Hamid al-Ghazzali(REHMATULLAH ALAIH)

 

Alhamdulillahi Rabb'il 'Alameen wa aSSalatu wa assalamu ala Sayyid al 'Alameen Saahib at-taaji w'al mir'aji w'al joodi

 

w'al karam wa 'ala aalihi wa aS-haabihi wa ahli baytihi wa az-zawaajihi wa baarik wa sallim.

 

 

All Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds and blessings and salutations of peace be upon the Chief of the Worlds, the

 

possessor of the crown and the Ascension and overflowing generosity and grace and also upon his Progeny and his

 

Companions and his Household and his Wives and blessings and (upon them all) blessings and peace.

 

 

We see that our hearts have hardened too much. we want to break away from our lives of sin, but we find ourselves

 

crippled. We want to tread the footsteps of our great ancestors who led lives of achievement but we are afraid. we

 

wish to emulate the Awlia in abstaining from desires and indulging in worship but we are constrained by a myriad of

 

reasons. Why ? The answer could be found in the Hadeeth : We have forgotten that we shall die.

 

 

Said Rasulallah sallallaho alahi wa ali hi wassallim "there shall come a time when the Kaafirs shall invite each other to kill/harm you (muslims) as

 

casually as one invites the other to food " the companions RaDiyallahu `anhum said " Yaa Rasulallah sallallaho alahi wa ali hi wassallim is it because we

 

would be less (in number?) " Rasulallah sallallaho alahi wa ali hi wassallim said " No, but that day (in those times) you will be like the foam of the

 

sea-waves (abundant) " [in another Riwaayah/Narration it is "like the blades of grass"] the companions asked "then

 

why yaa Rasulallah sallallaho alahi wa ali hi wassallim ?" HOLY PROPHET sallallaho alahi wa ali hi wassallim replied, "for then the love of this material world shall have engulfed you (muslims)

 

and you (muslims) will have forgotten to remember death".aw kamaa qaala `alayhis salaatu was azkas salaam;

 

 

Said the prince among the authors; the shaykh of many treasures; sayyiduna wa mawlaana Hujjatul Islaam, al-Imaam

 

Abu Haamid Muhammad ibn Muhammad al-Ghazzali raDiyallahu `anhu in his book :"mukaashifatul quluub" // The

 

remembrance of death:

 

Said Rasulallah sallallaho alahi wa ali hi wassallim :

 

"Akthiruu min dhikri Haadimil Ladhdhaat" // remember more often that which destroys the pleasures (and desires)

 

It is indicated in this Hadeeth for a man to remember death more often and thereby keep himself away from worldly

 

pleasures so that he is honored in the presence of his Lord Almighty Allah `Azza wa Jall.

 

Said Rasulallah sallallaho alahi wa ali hi wassallim " if the animals knew of death like you do (that is it is certain) you wouldn't find a plump animal to

 

eat.

 

Hazrat `Aayishah radiyallahu `anhaa asked Rasulallah sallallaho alahi wa ali hi wassallim "Yaa Rasulallah sallallaho alahi wa ali hi wassallim, will anyone be raised (on the day of

 

judgement) along with martyrs (without himself being a martyr?)" He sallallaho alahi wa ali hi wassallim replied : "Yes; he who remembers death for

 

twenty times in a day and a night"

 

The reason for such a high grade is by remembering death one becomes weary of the pleasures in this world and

 

begins the preparation for the hereafter; but forgetting death makes a man indulgent in the dunyaa.

 

 

Said Rasulallah sallallaho alahi wa ali hi wassallim "Death is a gift for the mu-min" for he lives in this world as a prisoner; and he is at constant war

 

with his desires (nafs) and Shaytaan. And this is not less than a torment for a believer and death relieves him of these

 

troubles, hence it is a present for the believer.

 

 

Said Rasulallah sallallaho alahi wa ali hi wassallim that death is Kaffarah for a Muslim. It is he from who other muslims are in safety (by his hand and

 

tongue); it is he who has the lofty characters of a muslim; and he who keeps away from all Kabeerah (big sins). If

 

such a Muslim commits a Sagheerah (small sin), death becomes a Kaffarah for him; and doing the obligatory

 

commandments (Fards) makes him entirely clean.

 

 

It is reported from Hazrat `Ata Khuraasani raHimahullah that Rasulallah sallallaho alahi wa ali hi wassallim passed by a group of people who were

 

laughing loudly. He said: 'remember that which destroys the taste of pleasures' he was asked 'Master, what is that?'

 

he replied 'Death'.

 

 

It is reported from Hazrat Anas radiyallahu `anhu that Rasulallah said: 'Remember death too often; the sins will be

 

over and disinclination towards Dunyaa will increase'

 

Said Rasulallah sallallaho alahi wa ali hi wassallim 'Death is enough to sever ones ties' and said he : 'Death is a great teacher with sage

 

advice' (WaaiDH;)

 

 

Once Rasulallah sallallaho alahi wa ali hi wassallim was going towards the Masjid; he saw a group of people talking and laughing loudly. Said he:

 

'remember death. I swear by the Lord Almighty the Glorious, in whose power rests my life, if you come to know of

 

what I know, you would cry more and laugh less' (that is 'I know of the torments in the grave and also the power of

 

Allah to torment; and you don't')

 

A man was praised too much in the presence of Rasulallah sallallaho alahi wa ali hi wassallim . He asked ' does he remember death (often) ?' they

 

replied 'we have never heard of it', he said 'then he is not as worthy as you think he is'.

 

 

Hazrat `Abdullah ibn `Umar radiyallahu `anhuma reports that ' I was the tenth person present when a youth among

 

the Ansaar came to Rasulallah sallallaho alahi wa ali hi wassallim and asked " Yaa Rasulallah sallallaho alahi wa ali hi wassallim ! Who is the most wise and honorable ?" he replied "He

 

who remembers death the most and makes an excellent preparation towards it is the most wise and only such people

 

will be the most honorable on the day of judgement"

 

Hazrat Hasan raHimahullah said 'death hath made this dunyaa contemptible. There ain't no bliss for the wise here.

 

 

Hazrat Rabee`y ibn Khaythum radiyallahu `anhu said 'for a believer awaiting death is the best to wait for' 'a wise man

 

once wrote to his brother: ' Yaa akhi, before going to the place where you won't die even if you wish for it fear death

 

and be good in deeds'

 

When death was mentioned in the company of Hazrat Ibn Seereen radiyallahu `anhu he would be thunderstruck.

 

 

Hazrat `Umar ibn `Abd al-`Azeez radiyallahu `anhu would invite the scholars in the night and they would discuss

 

death and the day of judgement. When discussing the hereafter he would cry so much that one would think it was a

 

funeral!

 

 

Hazrat Ibraaheem at-Taymee rahimahullah said 'death and the fact that I shall be presented before my Lord Almighty

 

has removed all love of pleasures from my heart'

 

 

Hazrat Ka`ab radiyallahu `anhu said ' for he who recognized death, all the agonies and troubles have come to an end'

 

 

Hazrat Mutraf rahimahullah said : " I dreamt that a person was standing in the middle of a Masjid in Basrah and was

 

saying 'death had rent the hearts of those who fear their Lord Almighty Allah; by Allah you will always find them

 

disturbed.'"

 

 

Hazrat Ash`ath radiyallahu `anhu reports 'whenever we visited Hazrat

 

 

Hasan radiyallahu `anhu we would find him

 

discussing hell, Judgement Day and death'

 

Hazrat Umm al-Mu-mineen Sayyidah Safiyyah radiyallahu `anha reports ' a woman complained of a hardened heart to

 

 

Hazrat `Aayishah radiyallahu `anha. She said, 'remember death, your heart will soften.' she did likewise and her heart

 

did soften; she came to Hazrat `Aayishah and thanked her'.

 

 

Whenever Hazrat `Eesaa `alayhis salaam heard of death, he would bleed.

 

 

Whenever Hazrat Daawuud `alayhis salaam heard of death and Judgement day he would be breathless. and his body

 

would shiver; then the mention of Mercy of Lord Almighty Allah would solace him a bit.

 

Said Hazrat Hasan radiyallahu `anhu 'all the wise men I have met were afraid and terrified by death'.

 

 

Hazrat `Umar ibn `Abd al-`Azeez radiyallahu `anhu asked a scholar to advise him. Said he, 'you shall not escape

 

death inspite of being a Caliph. All your ancestors upto Hazrat Aadam `alayhis salaam have tasted death, and now it

 

will be your turn'. The caliph kept sobbing for a long time.

 

 

Hazrat Rabee`y ibn Khaythum raziyallahu `anhu had dug a grave behind his house. He would go and sleep in it for a

 

number of times in a day and used to say, 'if i am negligient of death for a while, all my labor will go in vain'.

 

 

Hazrat Mutraf ibn `Abdallah ibn ash-Shukhayr rahimahullah said: 'death has snatched away the pleasures of those

 

indulgent in this dunyaa. Fear Allah and beseech him of pleasures that are permenant (that is paradise)'.

 

Hazrat `Umar ibn `Abd al-`Azeez radiyallahu `anhu said to 'remember death too often; if you are rich, death will

 

make you poor. and if you are poor, it will make you plentiful; forever'.

 

 

Hazrat Sulaymaan ad-Daaraani radimahullah said " I asked Umm Haarun once, whether she loved death. She replied

 

in the negative. I asked her why it was so. She said, 'How would I like to meet He, whom I have disobeyed ? i haven't

 

prepared for death hence i dislike it'"

 

 

Hazrat Abuu Muusaa Tameemi rahimahullah says that the famous poet Farazdaq's wife died. Prominent people of

 

Basra including Hazrat Hasan al-Basri radiyallahu `anhu were present at the funeral. He asked Farazdaq: 'O aba

 

Faraas, what have you prepared for this day?'. he replied: 'i have been a muslim for sixty years'. when his wife was

 

buried, Farazdaq said these verses:

 

translation:

 

1. I am afraid of the horrors buried in the grave if Thou dost not protect me my Lord; which is a cramped pit and

 

wherein are blazing flames.

 

2. And on the Judgement day a terrifying, hard-hearted angel shall drive Farazdaq

 

3. Verily amongst the progeny of Adam `alayhis salaam the condemned is he who walks towards hell, thirsty

 

wearing the blue collar of hell.

 

A poet has written well:

 

translation:

 

1. stand ye by the graves and ask 'em // who amongst thee is steeped in darkness

 

2. and who dwells in honour // and who tastes the calmness and sleeps in peace?

 

3. silence prevails without a difference // and the difference in status cannot be fathomed

 

4. if they can answer you, verily they shall // tell thee of the truth; of that hath befallen them

 

5. 'he who was pious dwells in a garden // and strolls in paradise wherever he wishes

 

6. and the criminal/sinner is shoved in // a gorge that is full of venomous serpent

 

7. and scorpions that scramble towards him and his soul // is in indescribable torment

 

 

Hazrat Maalik ibn Deenar radiyallahu `anhu passed by a graveyard. he said:

 

translation:

 

1. I came to the graveyard and said // where are the great ones and where, the contemptible?

 

2. and where are the powerful // and where are the virtuous who were conceited of their piety?

 

A voice replied:

 

translation:

 

1. all of them were annihilated and none remained to reply thee // all of them have died and so have the tales

 

(about them);

 

 

2. they are buried under tonnes of earth // and the soil is disfiguring their beautiful faces

 

3. and O ye, who asks of the people of yore // Hast thou gained any advice and are forewarned? ( i couldn't find a

 

better word for `ibrah..)

 

 

It was written on a tombstone:

 

translation:

 

1. they tell a tale though they seem silent // they, the ones buried under the soil, shrouded;

 

 

 

 

Ibn Samaak rahimahullah says i passed through' a graveyard it was written on a tombstone:

 

translation:

 

1. my relatives pass upon my grave // as thou' they do not recognize me

 

2. they divided my wealth amongst themselves // and did not care to repay my loans

 

3. everyone partook of his share and lived blissful // Oh! how soon they have forgotten me!

 

On another:

 

translation:

 

1. friends were parted // and no guard nor escort could prevent the coming of death

 

2. how can ye be blissful in this dunyaa and its pleasures // O ye, whose every word and every breath are being

 

counted

 

3. O ye the negligent! thou spends time wastefully // and so is your life being spent

 

4. know, that death shall not spare the ignorant pitying his ignorance // nor shall it spare the knowledgeable in

 

lieu of their knowledge

 

5. many are they whom death had silenced to their graves // and they cannot answer, they lie dumb

 

6. yea, your palace was talked about sometime ago // but now, even the signs of your grave have been wiped out

 

It was written on another:

 

translation:

 

 

1. I understood when the graves of my friends // were raised like the backs of camels

 

2. even thou' if i cried blood // their eyes wouldn't move (they wouldn't come to life)

 

It was written on a doctor's grave:

 

translation:

 

1. When someone asked of me, said i // even Luqmaan the great doctor had to go to his grave

 

2. Where is he who was famous for his medicine // and he who was acclaimed for his skill

 

3. Nay, nay; how can he ward off death from others // he who couldn't ward off that from himself!

 

It was written on another grave:

 

translation:

 

1. O ye, the people! I had many aspirations // but they were cut short by the arrival of death

 

 

2. It is better for a man to fear his Lord Almighty // and spend his life doing good

 

 

3. I am not the only one who has come here (to the grave) // every one shall come here someday.

 

The translation of chapter 28, mukaashifatul quluub ends here. wa billahi nasta`yeen.

 

footnotes:

 

Dunya: Dunya means the world literally. But here it means indulgence in the material pleasures of this temporal

 

world. Dunya is also described figuratively as an enticing female. All that is done to satiate one's desires is also known

 

as Dunya.

 

Aakhirat: It is the life in the hereafter.

 

Zuhd: It means to forsake the pleasures of this world. This necessarily doesn't mean that one should leave everything

 

and go and sit in a forest. Rather, it means how one should abstain from desires.

 

MubaaH: That which is neither prohibited by the Sharia`ah nor recommended by it.

 

Nafs: Nafs means one's life. A Nafs has states and that are three; Nafs Ammarah, Nafs al-Lawwamah and Naf al-

 

 

MuTma-innah - the lower ego, the reproaching ego and the Satisfied ego. (Psychologists term this as the superego;)

 

The Lower ego or the Nafs al-Ammarah is that which is base, which always craves for material comfort and has vast

 

desires; the Qur-aan says: "Innan Nafsa La-Ammaratunm Bis-Suui // The

 

 

Nafs al-Ammarah only commands/entices

 

towards sin (lust, desires)." This can think of only food, drink, ###### and such mundane things. Such a Nafs doesn't

 

differentiate between good and

 

bad, civility and bestiality. This has a devil-may-care attitude.

 

When it is a bit civilized it thinks a bit higher and reproaches itself on error. Such a nafs is Nafs al-Lawwamah. The

 

 

Qur-aan says: 'I swear by the life (ego) that reproacheth itself". Thou' it is on leash, it falls

 

into sin or the lower ego mode when not guarded. Vice is inherent and not entirely washed off.

 

When the ego improves in a better state, it reaches the state of Satisfaction or the ITminaan. Here the ego doesn't

 

desire anything; And this is the ego that is praised in the Qur-aan : // O ye, the

 

life (ego) that hath reached contentment". We should strive to make our Nafses, as a Nafs al-MuTma-innah.

 

Makhluuq is creation. Everything other than Allah `Azza Wa Jall is creation, Makhluuq.

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