The Silent Preacher

Since 2012-11-29

The Grave is the house of loneliness, home of gloominess and residence of darkness. Its resident is in sleeplessness and abatement. His companions are pus and worms. It is the house of the dead and the home of sorrows and anguishes.

In the name of Allah the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

 
Praise be to Allah alone, and peace be upon the last and seal of the Prophets, our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his family and companions.
 
The Grave is the house of loneliness, home of gloominess and residence of darkness. Its resident is in sleeplessness and abatement. His companions are pus and worms. It is the house of the dead and the home of sorrows and anguishes.
 
The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, has said about the grave, “Verily, the grave is the first step of the Hereafter. If one survives from it, so what comes after is easier than it, and if one does not survive from it, so what comes after is severer than it.” [Reported by At-Tirmidhi and declared good by Al-Albani]
 
«إن القبر أول منزل من منازل الآخرة، فإن نجا منه فما بعده أيسر منه، وإن لم ينج منه فما بعده أشد منه» رواه الترمذي وحسنه الألباني
 
He, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, has also said, “I have not ever seen a sight but that the grave is more horrible than it.” [Reported by At-Tirmidhi and declared good by Al-Albani]
 
«ما رأيت منظرا قط إلا القبر أفظع منه» رواه الترمذي وحسنه الألباني
 
The Grave is a house where you will go after moments, hours, or years. No Muslim doubts that this will definitely happen.
 
The Grave is a sight through which the heart becomes tender and the eyes shed tears. It induces abstain from this world, awakens desire for the Hereafter, reminds of death; the destroyer of pleasures and the disperser of groups. It arouses example, learning lessons and awakening from inattentiveness.
 
The Grave silently preaches the living to remind them of the inevitable resort, so they are pushed to increase their preparedness for the Day of Resurrection. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, has said, “I had prevented you from visiting the graves; Muhammad has been allowed to visit the grave of his mother, so visit them as they remind of the Hereafter.” [Reported by At-Tirmidhi and authenticated by Al-Albani]
 
«قد كنت نهيتكم عن زيارة القبور ، فقد أذن لمحمد في زيارة قبر أمه فزوروها . فإنها تذكر الآخرة» رواه الترمذي وصححه الألباني
 
And there, ask the grave
Where are the money and belongings?
Where are the beauty and charms?
Where are the health and power?
Where are the illness and weakness?
Where are the might and omnipotence?
Where are the humility and servility?
It contains bodies that used to be soft, from which perfumes spread. What has it done with them?
 
In the grave, the charming face, the unjust hand, the lying tongue, the disloyal eye and the cruel heart turn into skulls and decayed bones. Only deeds done by the resident of the tomb remain.
 
The Grave Affliction made the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, seek refuge with Allah from the torture of the grave upon finishing every prayer. He has said, “When one of you finishes from the last tashahhud, he is to seek refuge with Allah from four [things]: from the torture of hell, the torture of the grave, the affliction of life and death and the affliction of the Antichrist.” [Reported by An-Nisaa’i and authenticated by Al-Albani]
 
«إذا فرغ أحدكم من التشهد الأخير فليتعوذ بالله من أربع من عذاب جهنم ومن عذاب القبر ومن فتنة المحيا والممات ومن فتنة المسيح الدجال» رواه ابن وصححه الألباني
 
The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, has said to his companions, “Seek refuge with Allah from the torture of the grave, verily the torture of the grave is true (to take place).” [Reported by Ibn Hajar, its chain of transmission meets the conditions of Al-Bukhari]
 
«استعيذوا بالله من عذاب القبر، فإنّ عذاب القبر حق» رواه ابن حجر، إٍسناده على شرط البخاري
 
He, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, has said, “These graves are full of darkness over their residents, Allah Glorified and Exalted enlightens them for them (residents) by my prayers on them.” [Reported by Muslim]
 
«إن هذه القبور مملوءة ظلمة على أهلها. وإن الله عز وجل ينورها لهم بصلاتي عليهم» رواه مسلم
 
Brother….
 
The Grave, that silent preacher… What have you prepared for it?
 
Have you prepared a good deed that rescues you from its torture and gloominess, or you are still inattentive to your fate?
 
Prepare, brother, for that day while you are able to do good deeds. Seize this life, as it is an opportunity for salvation, before you regret it after your death, where regret is useless.
 
 
Prepared by Ibn Khuzaymah House
Wathakker Islamic website