What matters at death’s door is an article about finding the true goal to life and striving towards this so that we would be at peace when we die.
With the name of Allah, most Beneficient, ever Merciful.
Aunty Sajeda jumped out of bed and began to dress. Suddenly, the angel of death stood in front of her and told her “Its time to go.” Sajeda pleaded with him to give her just one more day. The angel of death refused, and Sajeda then pleaded for just an hour and she offered to give him everything she owned for that one hour. The angel refused to spare her a moment and pulled her soul out of her body.
One morning, I got up and looked into the mirror. My hairline was receding and the little remaining hair was turning white. My eyes were no longer as good as they used to be, my strength and reactions were slowly fading.
Suddenly, there were all sorts of aches and pains developing throughout my body – my children were almost adults, and they seemed to have lives of their own.
Gosh! It suddenly dawned on me that I was 45 and waxing. In another 15 years I would be sixty. 15 years to live is not a long time to live, especially when I have already lived 45 years.
For the first time in life I began to realise that life is very short, and it scared me. I heard people say that your whole life flashes in front of you in a few seconds at the time of death. Is this the sum worth of my life just a few seconds?!
“It will be on the day when He will call you, and you will answer (His Call) with (words of) His Praise, and you will think that ye stayed (in this world) but a little while.” 17:52.
In every person’s life, even you, O young one, there will definitely come that time of ill health, old age and finally death. This is inevitable. At these critical times, would you regret your life like Sajeda did and wish that you had more time or another go at life, or would the memories of your life bring pleasure, satisfaction and contentment?
You can always test how you are going to feel in such situations by imagining that you are at one of these critical junctures in your life right now and take stock of your feelings.
How does it feel?
The mere fact that Sajeda was prepared to give everything she owned for just one hour of life shows that life is priceless. In the black market of body parts, rich people are prepared to pay large sums of money for rare body parts that they need.
Reflect – How ironic. After spending a lifetime chasing after wealth a person is prepared to spend all this wealth for just one hour of life or for the return of their health.
O youth, you have these most valuable possessions of life right now. You have health and time. Cars, houses and clothing can be bought, but youth cannot be bought.
The Prophet (SAW) has said that good works done in youth is worth much more than good works done in old age.
In youth, all opportunities are open to you and if you choose to do good deeds then this means making sacrifices to do these good deeds. This is why good deeds are worth more here.
In old age, you know that you are over the hill and your number is coming up fast. You simply have no option but to do good deeds. Leftovers.
Apart from this, by starting good deeds at an early age, one has more time to develop and groom their souls to reach higher stages. By not doing good deeds in youth, a person gets accustomed to wrong habits and it is difficult to change these habits in old age.
How wisely the Prophet (SAW) has said that the most valuable possession is the contentment of the heart. A person with a content heart has fulfilled the purpose of life. A person can only achieve contentment by fulfilling the purpose of life which is to develop the soul. A satisfied soul would bring about contentment and readiness to leave this world when the time is up.
O youth, your whole life is in front of you. Do not fool or divert yourself with the trivialities and the vanities of life. Take a bit of time out to reflect and seriously ponder about life. Remember, we only get one shot at life and we have to make the best of it.
Want to learn more about who you are and what the purpose of life is then continue reading other articles.
Peace and Salutations be upon Muhammad Salallahu Alayhe Wasallam.
Published by Anjuman e Waris e Mohammedi in 2010 – Author: Mohammed Hassan Gaffoor (WhatsApp +27849101486)