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Prepare to Face your Lord Mona Islam
from Truth
I raced to pull my hijab in place, slipped out of the door, and was backing my car out of the driveway. 8:19 - school starts at 8:30. As I floored the accelerator, the only thought running through my mind was my first period chemistry test. "Mona - you don't pass this one, you blow your average."
Cruising down the busy Dallas expressway, I swerved into the right lane expecting to make an exit. "Maybe I can beat the tardy bell." I waited patiently at the next red light reviewing my chemistry formulas . Green arrow - I was making a left turn, when in the flash of an instant, a huge 18-wheeler came flying out of nowhere. It was headed straight for me! Too late for me to make a move, flashes of my life appeared before me. I regretted every bad deed I ever committed in my life. My heart was racing. Who could I turn to? "LA-ILLAHA-ILLA-ALLAH!!!" - then I woke up.
Are you prepared to meet your Lord? As young Muslims living in America, we struggle to meet the challenges of practicing our Deen. We are preparing for a day when nothing will save us from the torment of Hell except for our Amal as-salihaat and the mercy of Allah (subhanahu wa Ta'ala). This day is the Day of Judgement.
Allah (subhanahu wa Ta'ala) created life and death as a test to see which of us is best in our deeds. As Muslims, we believe that we are accountable for every deed. As stated in the Qur'an, "Every atoms worth of good, you shall see it. And every atoms worth of bad, you shall see it."
One can compare our life in this Dunyah (world) with a class at school. Whether you study for it or not, you will be given a grade. You will get a report card at the end of the semester. For Muslims, report card pickup day is the Yawm a l-Qiyamah (Day of Judgement. Although only Allah (subhanahu wa Ta'ala) knows when Yawm al-Qiyamah will approach us, it does not come to us without warnings so that we may prepare for it. We are given signs in the Qur'an which can be divided into two categories - major signs and minor signs.
Among the minor signs of the hour will be the excess of fornication, prevalence of wine drinking, and Wahan (love of the Dunya and hate of death.) Also, prayers will be neglected, transgressors will be leaders, usury will touch ev eryone, human blood will be cheap, and singing women will be rampant.
One sign that really hits home is stated in a Hadith: "The Hour shall not occur until time will contract." This means a month will seem like a week, a week will seem like a day, and a day will seem like an hour. Once the completion of the minor signs occur, then the major signs are right around the corner. Brothers and sisters, which of these signs hasn't appeared?
Some major signs include the fitnah of the Dajjal, the Sun rising in the West, the coming of Gog and Magog, and the return of Isa (alayhis salam). Once the beginning of the major comes, those who do not believe will not be allowed to believe. Then the trumpet will be blown.
Brothers and sisters, the scary thought is that at this very moment, Israfeel is waiting with the trumpet in place, only to hear the commandment of Allah (subhanahu wa Ta'ala). Following the first blow, all that is in the heavens and the earth will come down in a swoon. It will destroy every living thing except for four: Jibrael, Mikael, Israfeel, and Izrael (Malak al-Mawt). Then the angel Izrael will take the soul of the other three and Allah (subhanahu wa Ta'ala) will take the soul of the Angel of Death.
Mankind shall be gathered on an off white land, described to be like pure flour. The mountains will be brought down, trees flattened, and everything will become dust. Every creation - jinn, men, angels will be resurrected. The congregation will be so horre ndous that there will be no place to move.
The sun will be brought down to about two bows length (about a mile away) which will cause mankind to be submerged in perspiration. For some sweat will come up to their ankles, for some up to their thighs, and s ome will even drown in it.
Prophet Muhammed (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) will see mankind as drunken but we will not be intoxicated. The anxiety and fear of the occasion will cause every nursing mother to forget her baby and every pregnant mother will be delivered of her burden. Yawm al-Qiyamah will last for fifty thousand years. But for the Mu'mineen, by the mercy of Allah, the day will be shorter than the length of a prayer. That is reason enough to be the best that we can be here.
We must make dua to Allah (subhanahu wa Ta'ala) to make us on a day where there will be no shade save for those whom Allah wills. Everyone will come to account . The blessed prophet was once noted asking "do you know who the poor person is?" The sahabah responded, "Ya Rasullullah, Allah (subhanahu wa Ta'ala) and the messenger knows best. "But is it the one who has no money?"
The Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) answered, "No. The poor person is the one who on the Day of Judgement will come believing in Allah (subhanahu wa Ta'ala) and his messenger, praying five times a day, fasting every day in the month of Ramadan, and Having visiting the holy Ka'bah. But he will have backbitten, lied, insulted people, hurt people, and mocked them." Because of this he will go towards heaven, but then will be thrust toward hell.
Picture yourself on a day, Angels grasping your upper arms as you stand before Allah (subhanahu wa Ta'ala), and He demands of you, "Did I not bless you with your youth? How did you employ it? Did I not bless you with a long life? How did you spend it? Did I not bless you with wealth? How did you acquire it and what d id you do with it? Did I not give you knowledge of this Day and the Akhirah? How did you prepare for it?"
Prophet Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) once asked, 'Do you know who the wise person is? The wise person is someone who is constantly remembering death and preparing for it.'
Brothers and sisters, it is so easy to get caught up in life, but we must continuously remind ourselves of our purpose in this world. We must constantly remember death and do every deed as if it were our last, because once our soul is taken, then that's it. The book is closed, the exam is over. Brothers and sisters, we only have one shot - if we don't realize this now we will regret it then.
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