Learning From The Life & Dream of Malik bin Dinar RA

My Dear Respected Elders, Brothers and Sisters

We are living in a time when many people have swayed far from the religion of Allah SWT. Sin and immorality have become so widespread, and it may be said that there is no one who remains free from the faint of evil except those whom Allah SWT choose to protect. Should we make the effort to be in the shadows of protection of Allah SWT and supplicate - then InshaAllah, Allah's Mercy knows no bounds, and we will be selected too InshaAllah. Only those who do not want Jannah will not get Jannah. And only those who want Jahannam will get Jahannam. Allah SWT is Most Generous, Most Fair.

Since the early days of Islam, Allah Ta'ala has not stopped from showering Hidayat and the light of guidance to Insaan; and thus many people have awoken from the slumber of negligence. They have become aware of their failure to fulfil their duties towards Allah SWT, have regretted their carelessness and sin, and so have started to move towards the beacon of repentance. Others have grown weary of this wretched life of misery, and so they are looking for a way, out of darkness, to the light.

These people face many obstacles, which they think, stand between them and repentance, some of which exist within their ownselves, and others in the world around them, but for this is nothing hard, it is upon the individual himself, that how much he cares for his/her life, and thinks about the Hereafter often, let us bring our attention to the story of Malik bin Dinar RA.

The Sheikh - Malik bin Dinar RA was one of the most renowned divines of his times. It is said that, in his early life, he was not a pious man, and when someone asked him how he came to repent of his sins and abandon his evil ways, he related the following story about himself:

"I was a policeman in my youth, and was fond of wine and would drink like a fish. I drank day and night and led a carefree life. I bought a beautiful slave girl whom I loved most dearly. I had a daughter from her, a lovely child, and I was very fond of her, and she was very fond of me. When this baby daughter began to laugh and talk, my love for her increased and she remained with me all the time. The innocent child had a strange habit, whenever she saw a glass of wine in my hands; she would snatch it away and spill it on my clothes. However, being fond of her, I did not scold her. As fate would have it, my innocent child died when she was two years old and I was stunned with shock and heart-sore with bitter grief.

"One night I think it was the Fifteenth of Sha'baan. I was dead drunk and went to sleep without performing my Isha' Solat. I had the most horrible and terrible dream, in which I saw, it was the Day of Resurrection, with everyone coming out of their graves, and I was one of those who were being driven to the Place of Assembly (Maidaani Hasr). I heard the noise of something following me and looking back, I saw a huge snake chasing me close behind. It was the most horrible sight. The snake had blue cat-like eyes, its mouth was wide open, and it was rushing towards me most furiously! I ran faster in terror, desperate for my life. The horrible snake was still running after me and drawing closer.

I saw an old man dressed in elegant clothes with rich perfume wafting around him.

I greeted him saying:

"Assalaamu'alaikum"

- and he returned my greeting.

I said:

"For the sake of Allah Ta'ala, help me in my misery."

He said:

"I am too weak to help against such a mighty foe, it is beyond my powers, but you must go on running, perhaps you may find some help to save you from it."

Running wildly I saw a cliff in front of me and climbed it, but on reaching its top, I saw beyond it, the raging Fire of Jahannam, with its most horrifying spectacles. I was so terrified by the snake that I nearly fell inside.

Meanwhile I heard a voice calling aloud:

"Get back, for you are not one of them."

I came away and began to run in the opposite direction. The snake also turned around and came after me.

I saw again that white man and said to him:

"Old man, can't you save me from this snake, I asked you before but you did not help me."

The man gave me the answer and said to me:

"I am too weak to help you against such a mighty snake, but I can tell you that there is a hill nearby where they keep the sacred trusts of the Muslims, if you go up that hill, you might find something of yours, kept entrusted, which might save you from the snake."

I rushed towards the hill, which was round in shape, with a large number of open contained casements. The casements had golden shutters with rich rubies, and the most precious jewels. On each shutter hung a curtain made of the rarest silk.

When I was going to climb the hill, the Angels called aloud:

"Open the window, raise the curtains and come out of your closets! Here is an unfortunate man in misery; maybe you have with you some "trust" of his that might help in his distress."

The window opened at once, the curtains went up, and there issued forth from the casements a host of innocent children with faces bright as the moon.

By this time I was utterly despondent, for the snake had drawn close to me.

Now the children called their friends:

"Come out quickly, all of you, for the snake has come very close to him!"

Hearing this, more children came out of the windows in large crowds, and among them, I saw my own dear daughter who had died some time ago.

She also spied me and began to weep exclaiming:

"By Allah Ta'ala he is my own dear father!"

She jumped on a swinging cradle, which seemed to be made from Heavenly Light, and darted across me. The next moment, she was standing by my side and with her right hand she was motioning the snake away. The snake went away immediately. Then she gave me a seat and sat in my lap and began to stroke my beard with her right hand saying:

"My dear Father, has not the time come for the Believers that their Hearts should submit in all humility to the Remembrance of Allah Ta'ala and to the truth, which is revealed." (Surah Al -Hadeed: Ayat 16) "


Thus - Elders, Brothers & Sisters

Let us close our eyes for a few minutes and think deep:

How much have we broken the Commands of Allah Ta'ala?

Are we fulfilling His duties?

Are we practising the Sunnah of the Prophet SAW?

Is our life according to the Shari'ah?

If our answer is in the positive; then we must make Shukr and thank Allah Ta'ala and ask for from Allah to grant us Istiqamah (steadfastness) until our death.

But if our answers to the above questions are in the negative, then -

HAS NOT THE TIME COME FOR BELIEVERS TO TURN TO ALLAH TA'ALA?