Purification of The Heart - Important Basics 104

MEDITATING UPON DEATH

We are advised to meditate upon death. A way to do thisis - when we lie down upon our bed at night, imagine it to be the last moments of our life. Hence we should repent and seek forgiveness for all our sins. Thereafter we should imagine that our soul is actually leaving us. And after that we can imagine that we are thenbeing given the ghusl (bath) and our body is being wrapped in kafan (shroud). Thereafter the Janazah Solat is being performed and then our bodies are lowered into our grave. In the grave we are being faced with the questions from Munkar and Nakeer (the two angels who question the deceased in the grave).

So - in short, we should ponder over the aspects that will follow after death until we fall asleep.

When we wake up the next morning, regard it is as an extension in our life that Allah Ta'ala has granted us. This extension is also to enable us to prepare for death. Therefore we should not be involved nor perpetrate any such actions which we will find difficult to answer for on the Day of Judgement. Also during the course of the day with everything that we do, we should regard it as the last day of our life until it is finally night. And then at night we then repeat the same process.

In the Ahadith - Rasulullah SAW has exhorted the Ummah to remember death excessively. The above prescription is to induce that required awareness of death.


ANGER OVER HUMILIATION

Being angry after being humiliated is a spiritual illness. In such situations, whenever anybody belittles or humiliates a person, that very person will become enraged. This trait is very prevalent among the more well-off of society especially the educated and professionals.

Truth is - the remedy to this problem is extremely easy provided that we have the courage.

When such episodes of humiliation happens, or whenever a person belittles us, immediately we should ponder thus:

"I have committed various other sins. My character is also poor. I carry much impurity within my body all the time. Hence if somebody belittles or humiliates me, SO WHAT? He has truly not even come close to the reality (of my evils). Furthermore, whatever happens in this world is first sanctioned from above (by Allah Ta'ala). Only then does it become apparent here. My being humiliated was also sanctioned from above, hence it has occurred. Why then do I have to become angry? Besides this, whatever occurrence upsets me takes place as a compensation for my sins. I should therefore be grateful to the one humiliating me that as a result of this my sins are being forgiven."


PRIDE

Every person should at all times look at his own shortcomings and make an effort towards self-reformation. We should train ourselves to become blind of the shortcomings of others. The person who looks towards his own shortcomings and is blind towards the faults of others has been praised in the Ahadith.

However pride is a great obstacle in this regard. It prevents one from recognizing one's faults. Pride always engages one in looking for the fault of other. May Allah Ta'ala save us from this serious malady. Ameen.

The remedy for such spiritual maladies requires lengthy discussion. Nevertheless - we can achieve much by:

(a) control the tongue
(b) do not quarrel or dispute with anyone