Friday Talk – Part 1: Understanding Death
Praise be to Allah. We thank Him, ask Him for help and ask Him to forgive our mistakes. I testify that there is no god but Allah and Muhammad ﷺ is His Messenger. “O believers, be mindful of Allah, and do not die except as Muslims.” [Al‑Imran 3:102]
Brothers and sisters, the most important advice comes from Allah’s words and the best example is Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Today I want to remind you of something very important: death is real and it will happen to everyone. Life is like a dream. You are busy living, having fun, and working hard but one day it will end suddenly. Life is a test.
Imagine a beautiful place where people are told: “Collect as much money as you can.”
- Some work hard collecting money.
- Some just admire the beauty around them.
- Some do both sometimes.
When the time ends, only those who focused on the real goal – collecting money – succeed. Those who only admired the beauty fail. Those who mixed both fail depending on how distracted they were. Life is like that – focus on what really matters.
Allah reminds us: “Know that life is only play, fun, and showing off. It’s like rain that makes plants grow then it dries up. In the Hereafter, there is a painful punishment or forgiveness and reward from Allah. Life in this world is only temporary pleasure that tricks people.” [Al-Hadid 57:20]
The world looks beautiful – money, toys, friends, games – but it is just a test. “People love these things but Allah has something much better for us.” [Al-Imran 3:14]
Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: “The world is sweet and green. Allah is testing you to see how you act. Be careful with the world and with desires, especially with girls because the first test for the Children of Israel was through women.”
Whoever lives for the real purpose – worshiping Allah – will succeed. Allah says: “I created humans and jinn to worship Me. I do not need anything from them. I am the Provider, Strong and Powerful.” [Adh-Dhariyat 51:56-58]
“Everyone will die and you will only get your full reward on the Day of Judgment. Whoever is saved from Hell and enters Paradise is successful. Life in this world is just temporary and misleading.” [Al-Imran 3:185]
So always remember death and focus on what matters. Most people die young, before becoming old. Look around – elderly people are fewer than young people. Don’t be tricked by false hopes.
Part 2: Keep Your Heart Alive
Many people are physically alive but their hearts are “dead.” They don’t think about death or lessons from life. Visiting graves should remind us of death, but many laugh and joke instead. This shows the heart is not awake. Revive your heart by fearing Allah and remembering Him. The prophets were always quick to do good, humble and careful. Do you cry when you pray or read Qur’an? Or do you only feel sad at songs or games? If so, your heart needs attention.
Three things to watch out for:
- Delaying good deeds and making excuses. Don’t think: “I will do it later.” Life can end at any time.
- Being careless and forgetting Allah. Don’t ignore your prayers or good deeds.
- Checking yourself. Ask: Am I doing what Allah wants? Am I being kind to my parents and family? Am I avoiding bad things like lying or cheating?
Always try to do good, follow Allah’s rules and ask Him to guide you. Be quick to do the right things and race to earn Allah’s pleasure.
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