After knowing the value of contemplation and the verses, many Hadeeth and sayings regarding it, it is worthy of us to pause and ponder our identity, creation and destiny; and, whether we are to live forever or die, and if we are to pass away, then where would we go: Hell or Paradise? Verily, life without Allah The Almighty is like a mirage that appears as water to a thirsty person, who comes to it only to find it to be nothing; but then, he finds Allah The Almighty before Him, Who will pay him his due, in full, for indeed, He is swift in account.
Hence, think of death, graves and the Hereafter; and, as Imam Ahmad used to say, if one is not deterred by that, “he or she will not be dissuaded if even two mountains smash into one another right in front of him or her.”
Contemplate, for life is short and your breaths are numbered; your shrouds are being made and your burial place is waiting for you. Those who are alive will follow those who preceded them in death, for that is the end of all; indeed, there is nothing other than that, but false hope, for one’s demise has already been destined. Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {Every soul will taste death, and you will only be given your [full] compensation on the Day of Resurrection. So he who is drawn away from the Fire and admitted to Paradise has attained [his desire]. And what is the life of this world except the enjoyment of delusion} [Quran 3:185]
Once, ‘Umar ibn ‘Abdul-‘Azeez sat pondering and said: “The graves have penetrated the burial cloths, ravaged the bodies, sucked the blood and devoured the flesh. I wonder what the worms have done with the corpses; they probably defaced them, broke the bones, bared the fragmented limbs and tore the organs. I wonder if [the dead] feel any difference between the day and night, for are they not in pitch-black darkness? How many of them whose faces were soft have rotten and their necks severed from their bodies? Their pupils dissolved and turned into pus that ran on their faces. Then shortly, their bones became disintegrated.” Then, he said, “I wish I knew how I would bear the harshness of the earth and which one of my cheeks would decompose first.”
Let us also reflect on the conditions of Muslims, for one who does not do so, is not one of them; and our only worry must be our Hereafter. It is really odd to find people preoccupied with football, cinema, Arabic or foreign songs, or fashion, at a time when Muslims are being subjected to massacres and annihilation everywhere.
Moreover, many among us do not even have a safe sidewalk to call their home; so, contemplate this, for you may find this to enable you to praise Allah The Almighty for the blessings that you have and to cease being ungrateful. You may feel ashamed when you consider your own negligence, for modesty and faith are linked; a lack in one denotes a failing in the other as well.
You may then save yourself before it is too late, because the enemies of the past are no different than those of today and they do not differentiate between one Muslim and the other, and, as Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {Hatred has already appeared from their mouths, and what their breasts conceal is greater.} [Quran 3:118] We have become an easy prey for the wicked, because of our love for life and our hatred of death. That is because one who makes life his major concern, Allah The Almighty will deprive him or her and he or she will have no share in life, except what is predestined. On the other hand, he who prioritizes the Hereafter, Allah The Almighty will enrich him in his heart and the world will be at his service.
We must also think about how we can achieve Islamic unity and brotherhood in faith. This is our task, for we are all sentries at the fortified borders of Islam and we must be careful that we are not the weakest links. We should supplicate to Allah The Almighty at night to bring the hearts of Muslims together, unite their word and grant them victory over their enemy. We cannot renounce our responsibility, for we will indeed be held accountable, as Allah The Almighty Says (what means):
{Then We will surely question those to whom [a message] was sent, and We will surely question the messengers.} [Quran 7:6]
{That He may question the truthful about their truth.} [Quran 33:8]
Furthermore, we should reflect on our own selves and the blessings bestowed on us by Allah The Almighty, Who Says (what means): {And in yourselves. Then will you not see?} [Quran 51:21] We must also know that Islam is the greatest favor of all, so have we expressed our gratitude towards Him for it?
Contemplating the realm of the heavens and the earth also guides those who feel at a loss, because everything is a sign that indicates the oneness of Allah The Almighty. Let us ponder how He has raised the heavens and proportioned it, gave the night its darkness and removed its brightness; then, He spread out the earth, extracted water from it and made pastures. Let us think of the omnipotence of Allah The Almighty in His creation and the accurate system of the universe that is in motion, as He Says (what means): {It is not allowable for the sun to reach the moon, nor does the night overtake the day, but each, in an orbit, is swimming.} [Quran 36:40]
Let us also consider the numerous miracles of the Prophet, , related to astrology, medicine, wisdom and eloquence and, of course, the greatest miracle of all is the Noble Quran. There is much that proves the prophethood of Muhammad, , in his morals, knowledge of the matters of the unseen, acceptance of his supplications and the fact that he was mentioned in the scriptures of the People of the Book. Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {Then do they not give thought? There is in their companion [Muhammad] no madness. He is not but a clear warner.} [Quran 7:184]
If we contemplate all this, our faith and conviction in our religion will certainly increase, and we will find ourselves supplicating to Allah The Almighty, saying, “O Lord, make me die a Muslim and join me with the righteous.” O Allah, let our silence be contemplation, our speech Your remembrance and our gaze a means of learning lessons.
We should also equip ourselves with beneficial knowledge and act on it, alongside performing righteous deeds. Let us be keen on strengthening the principles of creed inside ourselves, because our war with the enemies of Islam is ideological. Additionally, we must be aware that the only path toward the company of the victorious and the saved, is to adhere to the course of the Prophet, , and his Companions, may Allah be pleased with them. So, let us ask ourselves if we have truly adopted this methodology in our knowledge, acts and beliefs.
Also, if we consider the state of our righteous predecessors, all of us will, undoubtedly, find ourselves negligent. However, this should not discourage us from striving against our vain desires, for Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {And those who strive for Us - We will surely guide them to Our ways. And indeed, Allah is with the doers of good.} [Quran 29:69]
It is said that a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Our Lord reproaches us for being weak, so it is His help we must seek in abandoning vices, which must be done before looking to acquire virtues. We must beware of committing sins as that would be equivalent to one who makes a hole in a ship, making it sink. Further, as it is said, the disobedience of an army is more dangerous to itself than the swords of its enemy.
Contemplation and Consideration – Qualities of the Virtuous - I