As-Salamu Alaykum Warahmatullahi Wabarakaatuh.
JUMU’ATUN MUBĀRAKAH
ISLAMIC FUNERAL
SEEK FORGIVENESS FROM PEOPLE.
It is necessary for every Muslim to seek forgiveness from those who have been offended in addition to Allah. We have learnt that Allah forgives repentant sinners who seek His forgiveness. His forgiveness, it must be emphasised, does not cover the wrong or injustice inflicted on another person. Every offender must seek forgiveness from whoever is offended and obtain his/her pardon/forgiveness after apologising to the person. Otherwise, the offender will pay for his offence in the hereafter with the rewards of his good deeds (Ibādāt). The account book of the offended person will be credited with the good deeds of the offender commensurate to the offence/wrong doings/injustice suffered. At the end of the day, if care is not taken, a Muslim who is very “religious” carrying out all religious acts, including many voluntary good deeds, will end up empty, losing all what he had laboured for in terms of Ibādāh. He will become bankrupt (muflis). Rasūlullāh (SAW), called our attention to such scenarios in order for us to take heed.
Abū Hurayrah reported Rasūlullāh (SAW) saying, “… The bankrupt among my Ummah (community) is he who will come on the Day of Resurrection with Salāt, fasts and Zakāt but since he has hurled abuses upon others, brought calumny against others and unlawfully consumed the wealth of others and shed the blood of others and beat others (unjustly), his good deeds will be credited to the account of the person he has offended. If his good deeds are exhausted, the sins of the offended will be entered into the account book of the offender, and the offender will be thrown into hell.” (Sahīh Muslim 2581)
Q.4:58 also enjoins Muslims “to render back the trusts to those whom they are due…” Whatever property or wealth belonging to another person(s) in a Muslim’s hand must be returned to the owner(s) or stated in the Muslim’s testament to enable his heirs return it to the rightful owner(s). The same applies to any government’s money or property stolen or embezzled by any Muslim, whether civil/public servants or others must be returned. Muslims are expected to be the best in morals and other positive human endeavours (Q3:110).
INSTRUCTIONS TO CHILDREN
Any Muslim who does not want Islam to die in his family with him must teach his children his religion and make them practise the religion well while he is alive. More importantly, he must remind them about the need for them to practise Islam after his death as did Prophet Ya’qūb (ASW) (Q.2:133). Specifically, the children should be instructed to follow the Sharī’ah concerning his burial and the property he will be leaving behind. The whole life and death of a Muslim belong to Allah. The whole affairs of every Muslim ought to be governed and determined by the will of Allah and not by that of any Muslim. (Q.6:162 & 33:36).
Islam is almost nonexistent today in many homes built by Muslims. The reasons for that are not far-fetched. Many parents did not inculcate Islamic values in their children. The children were not given Islamic education cum orientation. Rather, they exposed the children to Christian education and culture in the name of Western education. Many of the children abandoned Islam while the parents were still alive, and they did not do anything to reverse the trend. When such parents died, the children would not pray for their parents because they do not believe that prayers are beneficial to them. At times, the children may want to play along with their larger family by organising prayer for their parents. They do that by inviting some Mallams/Alfas to pray because the children do not know how to pray. The parents may not benefit from the prayer because Rasūlullāh (SAW), did not say the child should request another person to do the prayer. He/she has to do it as long as they are “good children.”
According to the report of Abū Hurayrah, Rasūlullāh (SAW), said, “When a man dies, his acts come to an end except three things; recurring charity, beneficial knowledge and a good child who prays for him/her. (Sahīh Muslim 1631).
A dead person can no longer carry out any act of good deeds that can boost his/her record of good deeds. The record, however, is not closed permanently. Through the mercy of Allah, the record of good deeds keeps growing whenever any of the three acts mentioned in the aforementioned Hadith yields dividend. Muslims must take advantage of this provision and invest heavily in the three areas before they die. Muslim children must be taught how to make their dead parents benefit continually through their dua’a, which should be done as frequently as possible. It should not be limited to specific days or dates or time. Pray to Allah to shower His mercy on your dead parents as they cared for you while you were young. (Q 17:24). This is another lesson for the parents too. They should invest in the proper upbringing of their children and expect similar treatment in return in their old age and in death through prayers.
Sadaqatun Jāriyatun – Recurring Charity or Perpetual Charity is another channel through which a dead Muslim can benefit as long as the Sadaqah he instituted by himself while he was alive is beneficial to its users. Such Sadaqah could be an endowment (WAQF) for sponsoring indigent students in any area of human endeavour, building mosques where needed, building schools or hostels for indigent students, providing water (e.g well, borehole, etc) free of charge, planting trees to provide shade or a plantation to provide food for the poor.
Islam is a religion that caters for the welfare of the people. Every Muslim must, therefore, determine to be useful to others while he/she is alive as well as when he/she is dead. The acts of every Muslim will live after them. They will forever be remembered by what they did and not what is done on their behalf by their children or others.
JUMU’ATUN MUBĀRAKAH
WRITTEN BY: Anjola Annabi
SOURCE: Seyyada Bilkis Grillo
Coordinating Secretary, Ahlu-l-Faydah Global Peace and Leadership Foundation
EDITED BY: Abdulmalik King Suleiman
Project Director, AMDC
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