Read the Friday Sermon Below:
The Tomb & Resurrection
Life on earth is a brief passage – a temporary
stop, much like a person in transit toward another destination (i.e. the Aakhirah,
or the Hereafter) – an illusion that often serves as a distraction.
Unfortunately, many Muslims place too much value on worldly pleasures,
forgetting that true life is, in reality, eternal life. The Holy Quran warns us
in Surah Al-Ankabut (29: 64): “Wa ma haadhihil hayaatud-dunyaa illa lahwuun wa
la‘ib; wa innad-daara-l aakhirata lahiyal hayawaan, law kaanuu ya‘lamuun.” (Worldly
life is merely an amusement and distraction; the life of the Hereafter is the
true life; if only people knew). Therefore, whoever prioritizes this
worldly life is choosing a fleeting pleasure over the prospect of eternal
punishment.
The Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said: “This worldly life is a prison for the believer and a paradise for the disbeliever.” (Muslim). This Hadith reminds the believer that this world is limited and filled with constraints; thus, while fulfilling one’s duties on earth, a believer must also prepare for the eternal freedom that awaits them in Jannah (Paradise).
The grave or tomb is the first stage toward the
Hereafter. When a person departs from this world – when their family or others
lay them (him or her) to rest in their grave – that is the moment their true destiny
begins. For a disbeliever or a hypocrite, the grave becomes an abyss of Hell;
for a believer, however, it becomes a beautiful garden. In a Hadith, the Holy
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) stated: “The tomb is either a garden among the
gardens of Paradise, or a pit among the pits of Hell.” (Bukhari). Thus, the
tomb is not a state of neutral slumber, but rather the beginning of either
reward or punishment.
Certain sins that lead to punishment in the
tomb have been identified: failing to cleanse oneself properly from splashes of
urine, spreading gossip to incite discord, lying, abandoning prayer, neglecting
the Qur’an, engaging in fornication, adultery, or homosexuality, dealing with
interest (usury), and failing to repay a debt. All such sins result in suffering
within the grave. In a Hadith narrated by Ibn ‘Abbas (ra), Hazrat Muhammad
(pbuh) said: “Two individuals were being punished in the tomb – one because
he did not protect himself from [splashes of] urine, and the other because he
used to spread gossip.” (Bukhari)
Conversely, there are actions that provide
protection against punishment in the tomb: performing good deeds solely for the
sake of Allah, seeking refuge from the torment of the grave through
supplications (Duahs), and reciting Surah Al-Mulk every night. The Holy
Prophet (pbuh) said: “Surah Tabaarak (Al-Mulk) protects the one who recites
it from the punishment of the tomb.” (Tirmidhi)
Among those who are protected from the
punishments of the grave are: a martyr in the path of Allah; a believer who
remains on guard (like a sentry, preserving his faith and remaining sincere) in
the path of Allah; and a believer who dies while suffering from an abdominal
illness.
When the Resurrection arrives – a truly
extraordinary moment – people will be raised naked, barefoot, and
uncircumcised, and they will behold the angels and the jinns. Each person will
be resurrected in the state in which they died: a pilgrim will be raised while
in the state of pilgrimage, reciting the Talbiyah (i.e., Labbaik
Allahumma Labbaik…); a martyr will be raised with his blood, which will
emit a pleasant fragrance; whereas one who was negligent in the worship of
Allah will be raised in a state of confusion. The Holy Prophet (pbuh) said: “Every
person will be resurrected in the state in which they died.” (Muslim)
Following this, when the time comes for each
individual to face judgement, the weak and the arrogant will shift the blame
onto others; the disbelievers will blame their devils, their own bodies, and
those around them. All those who have transgressed or indulged in sins will
curse one another. The wrongdoer and the disbeliever will bite their own hands
in regret, saying: “Woe to me! If only I had not
taken so-and-so as a friend!” (Al-Furqan 25: 29). As for the one who
habitually refused to pay the Zakaat, his wealth will be transformed into
blades of fire to burn him. The arrogant will be crushed like ants. Traitors,
fraudsters, and all those who associated false gods with Allah will be brought
to disgrace.
When Hell is unveiled before them, the
disbelievers will seek to ransom themselves for their sins, but – to their
misfortune – they will enter Hell. Only the true believers – those who
performed good deeds and whose minor faults Allah has overlooked – will enter
Paradise. On that Day, Allah will first accept the intercession of Hazrat
Muhammad (pbuh). When Allah’s creation finds itself in deep distress on that
Day, it is Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) who will be granted the permission to
intercede first.
In a Hadith, Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) said: “I
am the first to intercede, and I am the first whose intercession will be
granted/ heard.” (Bukhari). This shows the great rank and honour which
Allah has bestowed upon His beloved Prophet (pbuh).
Muslim belief is based on the authentic Qur’an
and Sunnah. The Holy Prophet did not utter anything by his own passion; Allah
says in the Qur’an: “He does not speak (driven) by his passion; it is only an
inspired revelation.” (An-Najm 53: 4-5). Therefore, belief in the
Hereafter is not imagination, but indeed a revealed truth.
Various Hadiths also highlight the rewards for Zikr
(i.e. the Remembrance of Allah). The Holy Prophet (pbuh) stated: “Whoever says ‘Subhanallah-il-‘Azim
wa bi-hamdih’ (Glory be to Allah, the Almighty, and I praise Him), a date
palm will be planted for him in Paradise.” (Tirmidhi)
This shows us that every sincere word carries a
beneficial, eternal consequence for a true and sincere believer. I emphasize
sincerity because if one’s faith and practice of Islam exist only on the lips –
and not in the heart or in one’s actions – or if deeds are performed merely for
the sake of being seen by others, then such a person forfeits their reward.
Performing actions solely for the eyes of others is condemned by Allah. In a
Hadith Qudsi, Allah says: “Whoever performs an action seeking the pleasure
of someone other than Me, I abandon him and his Shirk (associating partners
with Allah).” (Muslim)
Therefore, sincerity in faith is a prerequisite
for Allah’s acceptance of one’s deeds; for, consider this: Allah does not
merely look at a person’s outward appearance; He looks at what is within, at
their intention (Niyyah).
Thus, you must keep in mind that life on this
earth is very short; it is temporary and filled with distractions. Reflect on
the fact that, inevitably, the day will come when you will all pass away and
must return to Allah, to account for everything you did while on earth. This is
an unavoidable, inescapable truth. Whoever prepares for this journey through
faith, prayer, and good deeds – all while remaining sincere toward Allah – will
attain His pleasure and His Paradise. Conversely, whoever neglects the worship
of Allah, disregards His commandments, or associates false deities with Him,
will face eternal punishment.
So, always keep this in mind, perform actions rooted in Taqwa (piety, righteousness, and the fear of Allah), and prepare – each day, each minute, each second – for that eternal journey from which no one can escape. May Allah grant you – my sincere followers, and all Muslims across the world who are sincere toward Him and who respond to His call by fulfilling His commandments – His acceptance; may He deem you righteous and bestow upon you a better destiny in the Hereafter; a destination of peace and security, guaranteed by Allah Himself. Insha-Allah, Ameen.