He’s back……………….

It has been some time since I last did anything with this blog…..there are many reasons for that I guess.  Reality had the audacity to intrude and demand of me that I actually do things!  I’ve also generally reduced my online life as it had become a distraction from more important things.  But it seems there are still a few people out there who stumble across my little piece of online serenity and when one does I hear the tinkle of bells to alert me to their presence (just in case one was thinking of borrowing the silverware!).  Such an occurrence (the silverware is all accounted for by the way) prompted me to log back on and it seems the last time I was here was in December of 2009.  How do I know this?  Well, it seems that on that day I actually started a post that I never finished and the draft was saved.  All I had written was:

When Allah(swt) created Paradise he directed Jibrail(as) to go and look at what had been created.  Jibrail(as) went and saw the beauty and bounty of Paradise and returned to Allah(swt) and said , Oh Allah anyone who hears of the beauty of Paradise will not be able to help but enter it.

What was on my mind at the time I have no idea.  The above is paraphrasing from the beginning of a Hadith Qudsi and the full text is:

On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:

“When Allah created Paradise and Hell-fire, He sent Gabriel to Paradise, saying: ‘Look at it and at what I have prepared therein for its inhabitants.’” The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “So he came to it and looked at it and at what Allah had prepared therein for its inhabitants.” The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “So he returned to Him and said: ‘By your glory, no one hears of it without entering it.’ So He ordered that it be encompassed by forms of hardship, and He said: ‘Return to it and look at what I have prepared therein for its inhabitants.’” The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “So he returned to it and found that it was encompassed by forms of hardship (1). Then he returned to Him and said: ‘By Your glory, I fear that no one will enter it.’ He said: ‘Go to Hell-fire and look at it and what I have prepared therein for its inhabitants;’ and he found that it was in layers, one above the other. Then he returned to Him and said: ‘By Your glory, no one who hears of it will enter it.’ So He ordered that it be encompassed by lusts. Then He said: ‘Return to it.’ And he returned to it and said: ‘By Your glory, I am frightened that no one will escape from entering it.’

It is actually number 38 in Imam Nawawi’s collection of 40 Hadith Qudsi.

There are no such things as coincidences in life.  Allah, Most Exalted, doesn’t operate on chance – so why have I come back on now and why this hadith?

This hadith teaches us many things because just like a kaleidoscope it paints a different picture depending on which way you look at it.   But essentially it is about fighting our lower selves and not succumbing to our whims and desires.   If you genuinely believe in the Divine and that our existence does not end with death then the reality is that we are just transients in this world.  The world is a means to an end and not the end itself – it is the means by which we travel from one point to another or more accurately to travel back to the same point for Allah, Most Exalted, tells us many times in the Quran that we came from Him and it is to Him that we shall return.

So if we are just passing through this world, why do we insist in putting down roots?  For this is what our whims and desires do – they weigh us down and tie us to this world.  Surely any seasoned traveller would confirm for us that it is better to travel light.  This is a journey where you can’t simply pay extra and get your excess baggage through.  The price for that excess baggage is not even worth contemplating and yet we still do it thinking perhaps that it is like one of those interest free deals where you can put the pain of payment off for a while in the hope that something will come along that will take the burden off you.  But this account will just continue to pile up.  As Allah, Most Exalted, warns us:

Surah Al-Humaza
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

Woe unto every slandering traducer, (1) Who hath gathered wealth (of this world) and arranged it. (2) He thinketh that his wealth will render him immortal. (3) Nay, but verily he will be flung to the Consuming One. (4) Ah, what will convey unto thee what the Consuming One is! (5) (It is) the fire of Allah, kindled, (6) Which leapeth up over the hearts (of men). (7) Lo! it is closed in on them (8) In outstretched columns. (9)

And:

Surah At-Takathur
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

Rivalry in worldly increase distracteth you (1) Until ye come to the graves. (2) Nay, but ye will come to know! (3) Nay, but ye will come to know! (4) Nay, would that ye knew (now) with a sure knowledge! (5) For ye will behold hell-fire. (6) Aye, ye will behold it with sure vision. (7) Then, on that day, ye will be asked concerning pleasure. (8)

It looks like it is time for me to sit down and look at all these suitcases I have around me – carryon luggage only on this trip.  No check-in, the cost is too high!

Advertisement