Is it really a lost when someone we know (or even love), dies? Do we think that a passed away friend or beloved is a lost forever or a long farewell?
Even though we Muslims believe that there is an eternal life after death, but what makes us most vulnerable of death is it’s uncertainty. The uncertainty of what kind of fate will occur upon us after death itself. There are parts of myself that is kind of frightened by the idea of how painfull death is (knowing that The Prophet said that death is the ultimate pain in life..), but what makes me really shiver is that there is no guarantee that I wont taste the wrath of torture in hell...in the after-death life. Or even taste the ultimate pleasure in Allah’s heaven...
Life has been so kind. With all its cruelty and agony that it propose to us, it’s real aim is to remind us for a greater life: after death life. How would we know that hellfire is heartshaking if we haven’t seen fire in our entire life? Even havent feel how painfull it is to be burned? And in the contrary, how will we know that heaven is soul soothing if we havent tasted the pleasure of mere cold water through our throat in a hot sunny day? For God’s sake, we cant imagine how demotivated we’ll be to achieve heaven and avoid hell without knowing what it feels to live..
Islam tells us to visit the grave (it is called “ziarah”. You can read it: zeeyarah) to soften the heart. It is as what prophet Muhammad says:
“Visit the grave (ziarahi kuburan), because grave makes you remember the life hereafter (akhirat).”
(rendered by Muslim, An-Nasai, Abu Dawud, Ibnu Majah, and Al-Hakim)
Visiting the graves of the descendants before us makes us remember. Remember that whether someone is rich or poor, strong or weak, famous or exiled, powerful or commoner, they are all the same. They will all die. So will us.
We cant bring anything to our graves except our deeds. Whoever is full of good deeds, his grave will be as lovely as the garden of heaven. Whoever is full of bad ones, his grave will be as excruciating as the pit of hell.
So, LIVE. Live your life with love... Love your life lively. But remember to love a greater love that emits our life. Love the greatest part of life. Not the life itself, but the One who has gifted life to us based on true love and care...
Love the One that has made you feel, understand, and truly comprehend of what life is truly for... By that He is the Greatest...
And as his servants, it is our honour to submit our life back to Him again...
Aware that our lives are truly His. That our lives is His and to Him we will return to...
Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi roji’uun
In memorium of a dearest friend, Trapsilo
Passed away on May 4th 2008
In a young age (about 20) by a traffic accident
Rests at Pare, Kediri
May Allah forgive him and grant him a good place by His side. Hope we will meet him again in Heaven...***
Notes
Dr. Najih Ibrahim wrote a book that is dedicated to Islam activists with the title “Risalatun ila Kulli man Ya’malu lil Islam”. This book was translated in Indonesian by Fadhli Bahri, Lc. In June 2003. The Fifth print was on August 2005. The indonesian version was titled “Taushiyah untuk aktivis Islam” (Remembrance for Islam Activists).
In this book, several ways are stated about how to renew or regenerate iman (or faith). You can see it in page 191. From 6 of the ways that Dr. Ibrahim wrote, one of them was Visiting the grave (ziarah kubur). See page 200 – 202.
