Know Your Destination

A Journey for those who Dare - Pt. 3

2008-09-22T10:00:00.000-07:00

Asalamu 'alaikum,

Bismillah walhamdolilah wasalatu wasalam 'ala Rasool Allah,

What is keeping you and I from the remembrance of Allah? What is keeping us preoccupied? What has made us so busy that we have failed to pray? failed to fast? failed to carry out our purpose in life?

Allah says:

"By the (passing) time! Indeed mankind is in a state of loss"

Thus, Allah makes clear that by the passing time man is in complete loss. Why? Because we don't take heed, we don't learn, we don't listen, we go on doing what our hearts desire without thinking twice. We (in general) don't ponder about the real purpose of our life; we (in general) cover reality with our false notions and desires.

O Son of Adam! Let me ask you a question: What are you living for?

Are you living for food? For women? For wealth? for status? for fame? for houses? for cars? What are you living for? Let it be known that all of this will eventually come to an end and none of it will benefit you in your graves nor the Hereafter. Rather, what will benefit you is your worship of Allah. It is your good deeds that what will aid and assist you on that Day. How many good deeds have you packed? How many sins? Are you ready to meet Allah?

I said from the beginning this wasn't for the weak...but I know your still up for the challenge. Play the video below.

And so I reiterate again my dear and beloved brothers and sisters, what has preoccupied us from the worship of Allah? From the purpose for which we were created? Don't know? Allah knows. He says:

"The mutual rivalry for piling up worldy things diverts you. (It will do so) Until you visit your graves. Nay! You shall come to know! Again Nay! You shall come to know!"

Remember, this life is a test and know with certainty that you will meet Allah. We all want to gain Paradise. We all want to run away from the punishment of the Hellfire. Know O Slave of Allah! No matter what you have done in the past, you can always return to Allah. The contentment of the heart resides in this.

A Journey for those who Dare - Pt.2

2008-09-15T10:00:00.000-07:00

Asalamu 'alaikum,

Bismillah walhamdolilah wasalatu wasalam 'ala Rasool Allah,

How many of us know someone, a relative or a close friend, who was with us last Ramadan but is not with us this year? I'm sure we call think of at least one person. The reality is, no matter how long we runaway from death, it will creep up on us sooner or later. We will not be sent a post card with an invitation -- Date: September 28th, 2008; Time: 8:23pm -- telling us when we are to die. Rather, it will come to us unexpectedly without any warnings. One of the pious predecessors was asked how he attained such reliance unto Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, he listed four things and one of them was:

"I know death would come to me unexpectedly, so I prepared myself expecting it"

Reality is, we Muslims have become something I like to call "I Will Muslims". We are aware of death, we know its a reality, yet we push it off to the side and live life as if we will choose when Allah takes our souls. We have become a people who constantly say, "I will get to know Allah" "I will start practicing Islam" "I will start adhering to the Sunnah". It all remains at 'I will do' and only a few actually do.

The example of these Muslims is like a group of people who go on a long journey. After some time, they eventually reach a village. One person quickly goes and gets everything he needs so that he is prepared for the rest of the journey. Another person chooses to rest and relax. Then all of a sudden the leader says, "we are leaving now". The one who prepared is ready to go, just like the believer; he has prepared. The one who rested is not ready, just like the disbeliever; he chose not prepare thinking death will not come.

Ibn Umar ibn al-Khattab radhiAllah anhuma used to say:

"If you see the night do not expect to see the morning and if you see the morning do not expect the night"

How many of us are certain that we will live to see the morning? Every soul shall taste death my brothers and sisters and it could come at any time. Are you ready? Play video below.

Only 25 years old. Who would have thought that his life would be taken so quickly? What makes us think our life won't be taken as quickly?

Is it not time we think hard about our lives and come back to accomplish the purpose of our lives? Is it not time we all come back to Allah?

A Journey for those who Dare - Pt. 1

2008-09-08T17:17:00.000-07:00

Asalamu 'alaikum wa rahmatullah,

I want to take every single one of you on a little journey. But first, you have to be willing to tackle some very touchy issues. You have to be willing to face those realities which you have stored away in the back of your head. I challenge each and everyone of you to take this journey. If your ready...let's begin...but I warn you now its not for the weak. The next 15 minutes could change your life...that's if you dare to challenge yourself, open your mind, and be truthful to yourself.

Bismillah walhamdolilah wasalatu wasalam 'ala Rasool Allah

My brothers and sisters, the truth of the matter is...you and I are both on a journey towards the inevitable. We are on a journey towards something we fear, something we don't want to think about, but the truth is we will meet it whether we like it or not. We are all on a journey towards our graves. Can you doubt the fact that you will face death sooner or later? Can you guarantee when death will come and take your life? No. Yet, we live a life doubting the fact that we will die; we live our life thinking we know when death will come. Truth be told, there is no doubt that we will face death and that it can come whenever, wherever, and take your life at a blink of an eye. The question is are you ready? Play the video below.

How many times have you and I done the same as the person in the video? How many times have me heard the adzaan, we know its time to pray, yet we neglect our prayers. Are we so certain that Allah will not chose to take our life in that instant? Is that how we want to meet Allah? Think about it.

Allah says:

"Everyone shall taste death. And only on the Day of Resurrection shall you be paid your wages in full. And whoever is removed away from the Fire and admitted to Paradise, he indeed is successful. The life of this world is only the enjoyment of deception (a deceiving thing)." [Surah ale-Imran V.185]

My brothers and sisters, reality is that we live, we die, and we will face Allah alone on the Day of Judgment. Some people that Day will behappy with uncontrollable joy, knowing that they served a life of obedience to Allah, knowing that they're abode will be the everlasting Paradise. However, others on that Day will be sad and gloomy, knowing that they served a life of disobedience to Allah, knowing that their abode is the Hellire.

We all want to recieve our books in our right hands. We want to be successful on the Day of Judgment, we wan't to be of those who have no need to regret on that Day. So lets work towards it. Let's make use of this blessed month we are in to make an oath with Allah that we will start praying, starting today. Let's make an oath today, with Allah, that will try our best to cut out the evil things we are doing in our lives. Let's make an oath today, with Allah, that we will seek His forgiveness for all the wrong we have done in the past. Let 's all come together, holding on to the rope of Allah, and make sincere du'a to Allah that He makes our affairs good and that He guides us upon the straight path and that He give us strength to do whats right and to stay away from that which is displeasing to Him.

Why should we do this?

Because very simply, we want to be of the people of Paradise and not the people of Hellfire. We want to be of those that attain the pleasure of Allah and not His displeasure. We all want to be of those that get to see our Lord, Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala.

Stay tuned for Part 2.

Asalamu 'alaikum wa rahmatullah

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