Worrying about Death…..Concerned About Life

 Those who know the supplication prayed in Salatul Janazah, the  funeral prayer, must have noticed the words that the supplication begins with..

“Allahummagfirli hayyina wa mayyitinaa…..”

Did you note the first phrase of the supplication?

It begins with a prayer for those who are alive !!!!!

O Allah forgive those of us who are living and our dead..
The title of the  salat( prayer ) is ?
Salatul Janzah, the prayer for the dead.
But it begins with ?

“O Allah forgive those  of us who are living.”

The same salatul Janzah begins with Surah al Fatiha and in the entire surah Fatiha the supplication is for the person who is alive.

There is no mentioning  about the dead !!! 

It is about guidance…

Ever wondered why when praying for dead we are praying for our selves first?

Every man is reponsible for himself..

Note this Qur’anic verse ..

Ya ayyuhal ladhina amanoo, koo anfusakum…O You who believe ! Save yourselves ……

Then comes the next command.. and your family….but first? .. Your self…
Right?

When we die ,people will not even call us by our name.. rather they will say : “When is the mayyat being taken ? “

They will not  ldentify you by your name.. but? Mayyat.. so!!!

Nisaar Nadiadwala when alive , he is called Nisaar bhai or Brother Nisaar but the moment he is dead , the dead Nisaar Nadiadwala is now Mayyat..

When you leave the world  the people left behind will ask ” what has he left behind ? ” but when you go up,  you will be asked , “What have you brought along ?!!!!”

Life is only one chance... But most of our life is passed away chasing careers and  collecting wealth which we leave behind.

But don’t forget that the   accounts of this wealth  is also carried along with us. That is why the Qur’an reminds us : Let every soul look for what he has sent for the morrow….Surah al Hashr ch 59 verse 18

So what have I and you sent ahead for morrow?
Slanders ? Back biting ? Insults of people? Check your account before Allah calls you for the  account….

If you are really worried about your death then be concerned about your life.. Live it properly.

Author : N. Nadiadwala can be reached at nisaar_yusuf@yahoo.com

Ibn Khaldun: Father of Social Sciences

Ibn Khaldun, the father of social sciences, was an eminent figure who hailed from northern Africa; he lived from 1332 to 1406 A.D. He was born in present-day Tunisia and traveled extensively across North Africa, not to mention a stint in Granada, Spain. He died in Egypt.

As a child, Ibn Khaldun received a classical Islamic education which included memorization of Qur’an along with a study of Arabic linguistics, Qur’anic and hadeeth sciences, fiqh, and shariah. He was also trained in mathematics, logic, and philosophy. As a young man, he entered politics and remained in the service of numerous rulers of North Africa. His last position was that of Grand Qadi (Judge) of the Maliki school of thought in Egypt.

A judge, university scholar and a diplomat, Ibn Khaldun diligently recorded his thoughts and academic research, leaving behind a rich legacy for centuries to come. His lasting contribution to humanity is the Muqaddimah (also known as Prolegomenon), the first book of his universal history, Kitab al Ibar, which means Book of Lessons.

While Kitab al Ibar has a total of seven books, dealing with world history up until Ibn Khaldun’s time, his introductory volume, Muqaddimah, is more of a commentary of history and touches on topics such as politics, urban life, economics and knowledge. It is “a philosophy of history which is undoubtedly the greatest work of its kind that has ever yet been created by any mind in any time or place,” according to British historian Arnold J. Toynbee, whose own works have been influenced by Ibn Khaldun.

Ibn Khaldun employed a revolutionary approach to writing history, rejecting the prevalent notion of history consisting of mere facts. He acknowledged that a documentation of history is directly dependent on who is interpreting it, when, and where. Historians are using this methodology even today. Along with analyzing how the Islamic civilization unraveled over time, he has left a detailed study of nomadic and non-nomadic life, dynasties and caliphates, and society in general.

His analysis of the rise and fall of civilizations has formed the basis of social science, the science of civilization and sociology, according to 1001 Inventions: Muslim Heritage in Our World. Ibn Khaldun was also a forerunner in terms of his economic theory, paving the way for economics as we know it today.

Best times for Du'a

In the Name of Allah; Most-Merciful, Most-Compassionate.

The Qur’an and Prophetic Sunnah specify times within which it is recommended to make supplications, I will inshaAllah briefly summarize some of these times and additional details may be sought in the text: Du’a by Yasir Qadhi (p. 120-136).

1. The Last third of the night: It is recorded that the Prophet (may Allah exalt his mention and protect him from every evil) said: “Our Lord – all Glory and Praise be to Him – comes in the last third of the night to the skies of this world, and He says: ‘Who is there that is making du’a, so that I can respond to him? Who is there that is asking Me, so that I can give him? Who is there that is seeking my forgiveness, so that I can forgive him?’” (Reported in al Bukhari #1145 and Muslim #758).

2. When the Adhan is called: It is recorded that the Prophet (may Allah exalt his mention and protect him from every evil) said: “Two are never rejected, or rarely rejected: the du’a during the call for prayer and the du’a during the calamity, when the two armies attack each other” (reported in ibn Majah and al Hakim). Anas ibn Malik also narrates that the Prophet (may Allah exalt his mention and protect him from every evil) said: “The du’a said between the adhan and the iqamah is not refused, therefore offer your du’as” (reported in Ahmad, abu Dawud and Tirmidhi).

3. In sujud: abu Hurayrah narrates that the Prophet (may Allah exalt his mention and protect him from every evil) said: “The closest any worshipper can be to his Lord is while he is in prostration, so increase your du’as in it” (reported in Muslim, abu Dawud and al Nasa’i).

4. After salah: It is recorded that the Prophet (may Allah exalt his mention and protect him from every evil) was asked by abu Umamah al Bahili “O Messenger of Allah. Which du’a is the most likely to be responded to?” He said: “In the last part of the night and after the obligatory prayers” (narrated in Tirmidhi).

5. An hour on Friday: It is recorded that the Prophet (may Allah exalt his mention and protect him from every evil) said: “On Friday, there is an hour during which, if any Muslim is standing in front of Allah in salat, and asking Allah for something good, he will be granted his request” (narrated in al Bukhari).

6. Before drinking Zam Zam water: It is recorded that the Prophet (may Allah exalt his mention and protect him from every evil) said: “The water of Zam Zam is for whatever it has been drunk for” (narrated in Ahmad and ibn Majah).

7. On the Day of Arafah: It is recorded that the Prophet (may Allah exalt his mention and protect him from every evil) said: “The best of all du’as is the one given on the Day of Arafah, and the best statement that I or any of the Prophets before me have said is: ‘There is no other deity worthy of worship, He is One, and He has no partners. To Him belongs the Dominion, to Him is given all Praise and He is aware of all things” (narrated in Tirmidhi).

8. When it rains: It is recorded that the Prophet (may Allah exalt his mention and protect him from every evil) said: “Two are the du’as that are never returned: the du’a made when prayer is being called and at the time of rainfall” (narrated in abu Dawud and al Hakim).

And Allah knows best.