(7/3/16) Journey to Allah Day 2 - رحلة إلى الله - The Good and Evil Ending

- The Good and Bad End -

You will die the way you lived. If you lived a good life, you'll have a good end. If you lived a wicked life - you'll die a bad end.

We need to constantly ask Allah to keep us firm.

Narrated by Ibn Masoud that the Prophet ﷺ said, "...By Allah, other than Whom there is no deity, verily one of you performs the actions of the people of Paradise until there is but an arm's length between him and it, and that which has been written overtakes him, and so he acts with the actions of the people of the Hellfire and thus enters it; and verily one of you performs the actions of the people of the Hellfire, until there is but an arm's length between him and it, and that which has been written overtakes him and so he acts with the actions of the people of Paradise and thus he enters it..."

This is because the person may outwardly be doing the deeds of Paradise/Hell, but Allah knows what's in their hearts of good or evil. Don't be proud of your good deeds - depend on Allah until the end. And don't judge people for committing sins, you don't know what's in their hearts. 

- Signs of a Good Death -

We're not learning this to judge other people's deaths, just for us to know.

1) The last word the person says is La Ilah Illa Allah. 

2) Sweat appears on the person’s forehead.

3) Dying on the night of Friday (After Maghreb on Thursday) or on Friday.

- Deaths where people are considered Shaheed -

1) The person who dies in the battlefield 

2) The person who dies of drowning

3) The person who gets eaten by a beast

4) The person who dies choking on drinking water 

5) The person who dies while holding on to his religion at a time of the فتنة - He will have the reward of 50 men.

6) The person who dies falling from a mountain 

7) The person who dies by burning

8) The person who died by a building or wall falling on them.

9) The person who died due to a stomach pain

10) A woman who died while giving birth 

11) The person who died in Madinah

12) The person who died due to a plague 

Sahl ibn Abi Umamah reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Whoever sincerely asks Allah for martyrdom will be given the status of a martyr from Allah even if he were to die in his bed.” [Muslim]

There's no one like Allah. He's اللطيف، الكريم. 

- The means of having a Good End -

1) Living with Tawheed in your life. 

2) Taqwa

You hold yourself from desires. It's like a horse wanting to go forward but you pull it back. This isn't easy. 

E.g. You get angry. You desist and pardon the person because you want Allah to pardon you.

3) Frequently remembering death 

4) Always thinking good about Allah 

5) Constantly repenting 

Generally repent before you go to sleep every night for everything you did during the day. 

- The Reasons which cause a Bad End -

1) A Corrupted Aqeedah

Your belief is important - and it's obligatory to learn. The Shaytan doesn't want you to learn it, because he knows its importance. He makes it seem unimportant, complicated, and boring, so that you don't study it.

You have to know about the 6 Pillars of Faith:
- Allah
- The Angels
- The Books
- The Messengers
- The Day of Judgement
- The Qadar

Belief comes before learning the Qur'an. Not all the companions of the Prophet memorized the entire Qur'an, but their beliefs were sound.

Jundub ibn Abdullah said, "We learnt Eeman, and then we learnt the Qur'an, and it increased our Eeman"

E.g. We need to know the answers to questions like:
Where is Allah? (Above His throne)

Does Allah have hands? (Yes)

2) Postponing repentance 

This happens when you know you're committing a sin but not making an attempt to quit it or ask Allah to forgive you. The Shaytan deceives us by promising us more time.  

3) Misguidance after being guided 

This happens when a person who knew the religion and tasted its sweetness falls into the trap of the Dunya and leaves guidance.

Don't ever depend on yourself - constantly ask Allah to keep you firm.

There was a man who used to make the Athan. Once he was giving it, he look down, and saw a beautiful woman and fell in love with her. He wanted to marry her but she said that he had to convert to Christianity. In the end he left the religion. Years later his Muslim companions saw him and asked what had happened. He said he forgot all the Qur'an he memorized, except one verse. (15:2):

This verse is a proof against him.

And you are with whom you love. If you had bad friends previously and you changed and became religious, you can't continue carrying on being friends. They'll lead you astray. You need to worry about yourself. 

4) The attachment of your heart to something other than Allah

Ask yourself - Who or what is the centre of your life? 

A man was in love with a girl and would always go to her house. Once she was late. When she came he automatically prostrated to her and died while in prostration to a girl. Attachment comes with admiration and love and it makes a person restless. It becomes an idol or a God in your heart. 

Only attach your heart to Allah - remember Allah all the time, learn about His names and attributes. 

5) Thinking evil of Allah 

Allah is the only One that can grant us a good end. But we need to take the means of it and avoid the means to an evil ending.