In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

The Companions of our Prophet Muhammed (SAW) used to gather to remember death so that they would benefit their souls by increasing in fear of Allah and strive to gain His pleasure. If this was the case of the Sahaabah and they were the best of generations, the most pious and God-fearing of this ummah, then what about us? Surely, it means that we need to engage in the remembrance of Allah (SWT) even more. After all, we are in far more need of this act of worship than they were.

Let us begin at the end of a man`s life, in his last moments. He is lying on his death bed and his family is at his side. His father is calling for the doctor. His wife asks him: "To whom are you leaving us?". The man`s little daughter asks him, "Why do you not answer me?", and his small boy cries but nobody responds to him. This is the situation Allah, The Most Perfect and the Most High, has informed us about:

"Nay, when the soul reaches the throat, and it is said: "Who will cure him now?". The dying person concludes that this is the time for departing. The leg joins the other leg." [Al-Qiyaamah: 75:26-29]

This transgressor will remain in his grave alone, there will be no one to sit with him and no one to keep him company. He will feel the heat of the fire, smell its foul odor, and be tortured therein. This man`s grave will squeeze in upon him so much so that the bones of his rib cage will cross each other. Despite all this punishment and all this torture and pain, he will hope that the hour will never be established. For this man knows that the hour is far worse and of he will be in greater loss on that Day.

The man hears `As-Saakhah` from within his grave, and what is `As-Saakhah`? It is the second blowing of the trumpet. This is when all that is in the graves shall be raised and resurrected.

So the criminal will cry: "Woe to us, who has woken us from our resting place?" It will be said: "This is what the Ever-Merciful promised and the messengers where truthful" [Yasin 36:52]
Transliteration: Qaloo ya waylana man baAAathana min marqadina hatha ma waAAada alrrahmanu wasadaqa almursaloona

The earth will be torn away from above him. This man will see the heavens being cleft asunder, the stars falling and being scattered, the oceans in their greatness bursting forth, burning, the graves will at that time bring forth their contents. Every person shall know what he has sent forth of good and bad deeds at that moment. [Al-Infitaar 82:1-5]

Then he will be raised up and driven to the crowding place: `Al-Mahshar`. That day, the mother who is nursing her child will become careless of it, the mother who is carrying her child will drop her load. That day, mankind will appear as if they are drunk yet they are not drunk. Indeed the punishment of your Lord is great. [Al-Hajj 22:1-2]

Transliteration: Ya ayyuha alnnasu ittaqoo rabbakum inna zalzalata alssaAAati shayon AAatheemun Yawma tarawnaha tathhalu kullu murdiAAatin AAamma ardaAAat watadaAAu kullu thati hamlin hamlaha watara alnnasa sukara wama hum bisukara walakinna AAathaba Allahi shadeedun

The mother will come to her son and say: "Oh my son, my breast was a container for you, my womb was a container for you. Oh my son I seek from you a hasanah (merit) that I may approach Allah with. My son, do not be greedy towards me". In the world this son would have sacrificed his life, rather many lives for merely the happiness of his mother so how does he treat her now? He responds to her plea: "Get away from me! Leave me! Indeed I am in need of this merit more than you."

"So when `As-Saakhah` comes. That day a man will flee from his brother, from his mother and his father, from his wife and his children. That day every man shall have enough to make him careless of others." [Al-Abasa 80:33-37]

Faitha jaati alssakhkhatu (33) Yawma yafirru almaro min akheehi (34) Waommihi waabeehi (35) Wasahibatihi wabaneehi (36) Likulli imriin minhum yawmaithin shanun yughneehi (37)

So mankind will wait in this crowding place for 50,000 years, after which Allah, The Most Perfect and The Most High, will come to judge them. So He will call the criminal and say to him, "Oh so and so, did I not give you of the cold water to drink? did I not give you a healthy body? Did I not give you many bounties? What have you done with all that which I bestowed upon you?"

So the man replies, "I have done nothing my Lord."

So he lies to his Lord on that day. Allah says: "Where are the witnesses!". So the Angels come and bear witness that this criminal did not pray in those moments of prayer, he drank, fornicated, lied, cursed and insulted. He turned away from belief and was proud and arrogant. So the criminal says to his Lord, "I do not acceptaccept a wintness except one from myself."

His Lord replies to him, "And you have that?"

"The day when we shall seal their mouths, their hands will speak to us and their legs will bear witness to that which they used to earn" [Yasin 36:65]
Transliteration: Alyawma nakhtimu AAala afwahihim watukallimuna aydeehim watashhadu arjuluhum bima kanoo yaksiboona

So he turns to his skin and says to it: it was only for you that I was arguing.

"Nay, when the earth is shaken a true shaking and your Lord comes with the Angels in rows. That day the Fire will be brought near. That day man will remember but how will that remembrance avail him? He will say, `Woe to me! Would that I had put forth something for this life.` " [Al-Fajr 89:21-24]

Transliteration: Kalla itha dukkati alardu dakkan dakkan (21) Wajaa rabbuka waalmalaku saffan saffan (22) Wajeea yawmaithin bijahannama yawmaithin yatathakkaru alinsanu waanna lahu alththikra (23) Yaqoolu ya laytanee qaddamtu lihayatee (24)

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