"Said al-Asbagh al-Hanzali: 'At daybreak, shortly before the time when Ali (may God ennoble his face) was struck down, Ibn al-Tayyah came to him to call him to the Prayer. He was reclining and sleepy, and remained so when he returned to him. But when he came for the third time Ali arose and walked, saying:
Gird up your loins for death
Death shall surely meet you
Do not be angry at death
When it comes to your valley.
'When he reached the small door Ibn Muljam bore down upon him and dealt him a blow.....
According to Muhammad ibn Ali, after he was stabbed he counseled his sons, and then said nothing but 'There is no deity but God' until he died."
"When al-Hasan ibn Ali (may God be pleased with them both) became increasingly ill, al-Husayn (may God be pleased with Him) entered and said, 'O my brother, why do you sorrow? You are going to join God's Emissary (may God bless him and grant him peace) and Ali ibn Abi Talib, who are your fathers; and Khadija bint Khuwaylid and Fatima bint Muhammad, who are your mothers; and Hamza and Jafar, who are your paternal uncles.' And he replied, "O my brother! I am going to something the likes of which I have never been to before.' "
"Said Muhammad ibn al-Husayn, 'When the people bore down upon al-Husayn (may God be pleased with him), and he became certain that they would kill him, he stood up in the midst of his followers and delivered a sermon. He praised and lauded God and then said, 'The matter is as you have seen. The world has changed and been befouled, its good customs passing away; and it has shriveled up so that all that remains of it is as a drop in the bottom of a vessel. Enough of a life like bad pasturage! Do you not see that the Truth is not acted by, and that falsehood is not denounced? Let the believer aspire to the meeting with God (Exalted is He!). Truly, I see death as nothing but happiness, and life in the company of the wrongdoers as nothing save transgression.' "
"Al-Ghazali: Remembrance of Death and the Afterlife," Trans. T.J. Winter, pgs. 83-84
Masalaam,
Munira
Friday, March 16, 2007
Prayer of Abu Bakr
On his deathbed...speaks for itself...
"And Abu Bakr said, 'Whomesoever says certain words before dying, God shall set his spirit on the Clear Horizon.' 'What is the Clear Horizon?' they asked, and he replied, 'A vale which lies before the Throne. In it lie the Gardens of God, and rivers and trees. A hundred mercies cover it each day. God shall set in this place the spirit of whomsoever says these words: 'O Lord God! Truly You did create mankind, although You had no need for them. Then You did render them two parties: a party for bliss, and a party for the Blaze. Make me, therefore, of the former party. O Lord God! Truly You did create humanity in groups, and divided them before their creation. From them did You appoint the damned and the saved, the strayer and the rightly-guided. Do not damn me through acts of disobedience to You! O Lord God! Truly You knew what every soul would acquire before creating it; no escape has it from that which You have known. Render me, therefore, amongst those You make to act in obedience to You. O Lord God! No-one may wish for anything until You have willed it to transpire. So make it Your will that You decree that which brings me closer to You. O Lord God! You have determined the movements of Your bondsmen, nothing moves save by Your leave. Make, then, my movements to be in piety to You. O Lord God! Truly You have created good and evil, and appointed men who act by each. Make me therefore, of the better party. O Lord God! Truly You did create Heaven and Hell, and appoint people for each of them. Make me, then of the dwellers in Your Heaven. O Lord God! Truly You did will misguidance for some people, constricting with it their breasts. Open, then, my breast to faith, and adorn with it my heart. O Lord God! Truly You have disposed all things, making their final destiny unto Yourself. Raise me up, then after my death into a goodly life, and grant me great nearness to You. O Lord God! Despite He whose hope and trust, morning and night, it not in You, still you are my hope and trust. No power is there, and no strength, save in God.'
"Al-Ghazali: The Remebrance of Death and the Afterlife" Trans. T.J. Winter, page 76
Masalaam,
Munira
"And Abu Bakr said, 'Whomesoever says certain words before dying, God shall set his spirit on the Clear Horizon.' 'What is the Clear Horizon?' they asked, and he replied, 'A vale which lies before the Throne. In it lie the Gardens of God, and rivers and trees. A hundred mercies cover it each day. God shall set in this place the spirit of whomsoever says these words: 'O Lord God! Truly You did create mankind, although You had no need for them. Then You did render them two parties: a party for bliss, and a party for the Blaze. Make me, therefore, of the former party. O Lord God! Truly You did create humanity in groups, and divided them before their creation. From them did You appoint the damned and the saved, the strayer and the rightly-guided. Do not damn me through acts of disobedience to You! O Lord God! Truly You knew what every soul would acquire before creating it; no escape has it from that which You have known. Render me, therefore, amongst those You make to act in obedience to You. O Lord God! No-one may wish for anything until You have willed it to transpire. So make it Your will that You decree that which brings me closer to You. O Lord God! You have determined the movements of Your bondsmen, nothing moves save by Your leave. Make, then, my movements to be in piety to You. O Lord God! Truly You have created good and evil, and appointed men who act by each. Make me therefore, of the better party. O Lord God! Truly You did create Heaven and Hell, and appoint people for each of them. Make me, then of the dwellers in Your Heaven. O Lord God! Truly You did will misguidance for some people, constricting with it their breasts. Open, then, my breast to faith, and adorn with it my heart. O Lord God! Truly You have disposed all things, making their final destiny unto Yourself. Raise me up, then after my death into a goodly life, and grant me great nearness to You. O Lord God! Despite He whose hope and trust, morning and night, it not in You, still you are my hope and trust. No power is there, and no strength, save in God.'
"Al-Ghazali: The Remebrance of Death and the Afterlife" Trans. T.J. Winter, page 76
Masalaam,
Munira
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