THE UNEXPECTED CONFRONTATION
ASSEMBLED BY MALLAM ABBA
ABANA, KUBWA, ABUJA, NIGERIA
https://web.facebook.com/abba.abana
1st JUNE 2017 – 6th RAMADAN 1438
Praise be to Allaah; we seek His help and His forgiveness. We seek
refuge with Allaah from the evil of our own souls and from our bad deeds.
Whomsoever Allaah guides will never be led astray, and whomsoever Allaah leaves
astray, no one can guide. I bear witness that there is no
god but Allaah, and I bear witness that Muhammad (Sallalhu alaihi Wasalam)
is His slave and Messenger.
THE UNEXPECTED CONFRONTATION
Allah, Exalted is He says,
And there will appear unto them, from their Lord, that wherewith they never reckoned. [Holy Quran Chapter, 39:47].
This verse bore down heavily upon the fearful Gnostics for it states that some servants, when they meet Allah, will be confronted with things that they never expected. For example he could be unaware of what his hands have wrought, not paying it any attention, then when his covering is lifted he will see these terrible matters, and have things confront him that he never catered for. This is why Umar said, 'If I had the dominion of the whole earth I would gladly ransom it to save me from the terror of the unveiling.' A hadith mentions, "Hope not for death for the terror of the unveiling is great. It is from the felicity of a person that Allah grant him long life and nourish him with penitence." [Ahmad].
One of the sages amongst the Salaf said, 'How many occasions of sorrow will one face on the Day of Judgment that did not even cross his mind.' In this vein Allah, Exalted is He says,
You were in heedlessness of this. Now We have removed from your covering from you, and piercing is your sight this Day. [Holy Quran Chapter, 50:22]
THE TYPES OF ACTIONS THAT WILL
BE AS SCATTERED DUST
The First: comprising something more general than previously mentioned and that is one having deeds from which he hopes good but they end up scattered dust and are altered to evil deeds. Allah, Exalted is He says,
As for those who disbelieve, their deeds are as a mirage in a desert. The thirsty one thinks it to be water till he comes to it and finds it naught, and finds, in the place thereof, Allah Who will pay him his due; and Allah is swift at reckoning. [Holy Quran Chapter, 24:39]
And We shall turn unto the work they did and make it scattered motes. [Holy Quran Chapter, 25:23]
Fudayl said concerning this verse, "And there will appear unto them, from their Lord, that wherewith they never reckoned," 'They worked deeds thinking them to be good when in reality they were evil.'
The Second: Close to the above: a servant commits an evil deed to which he pays no regard, thinking it insignificant, and that sin will be the cause of his perdition as Allah says,
...you counted it a trifle but in the sight of Allah it is very great. [Holy Quran Chapter, 24:15]
One of the Companions said, 'You are doing deeds that are, in your eyes, more insignificant than a hair, whereas at the time of the Messenger of Allah (salallahu alaihi wa salam) we would consider them to be destructive sins!' [Bukhari].
The Third: Worse than the previous case: one to whom the evil of his conduct seems pleasing. Allah, Exalted is He says,
Say: Shall We inform you who will be the greatest losers· by their works? Those whose efforts go astray in the life of the world, and yet they reckon that they do good work. [Holy Quran Chapter, 18:103-104]
Ibn Uyaynah said, 'When death came to Muhammad ibn al-Munkadir he became apprehensive and so the people summoned AbuHazim and he came. Ibn al-Munkadir said to him, "Allah says, 'And there will appear unto them, from their Lord, that where with they never reckoned,' and I fear that things will become clear to me and confront me that I never expected." Then both of them broke down in tears.' Recorded by ibn Abi Hatim and ibn Abi al-Dunya adds in his report, 'So his family said, ''We called you that you may console him but you have only increased his apprehension!" He then told them of what he had said.' [Ibn al-Jawzi].
Fudayl ibn Iyad said, 'I have been informed that it was said to Sulayman al-Taymi, "You! Who is there like you!" He said, "Quiet! Do not say this! I do not know what will appear before me from Allah, I have heard Allah saying, ''And there will appear unto them, from their Lord, that wherewith they never reckoned."' [Dhahabi]
The Fourth: Sufyan al-Thawri would say upon hearing this verse, 'Woe to the people of ostentation.' This can be seen in the hadith about the three who would be the first to be hurled into the Fire: the scholar, the one who gave charity and the mujahid.
The Fifth: The one who has worked righteous deeds but has also wronged others and he thinks that his deeds will save him, so there confronts him that which he was not expecting. All of his deeds are apportioned amongst those who he wronged, then some wrong still remains to be requited, and so their evil deeds are piled onto his and as a result he is hurled into the Fire.
The Sixth: His account could be scrutinized at which it will be asked of him to show how he was grateful for the blessings granted him. The least blessing would be balanced against his deeds and outweigh them with the remaining blessings yet to be weighed! This is why the Prophet (salallahu alaihi wa salam) said, "Whoever's account is scrutinised will be punished," or, "will be destroyed."
The Seventh: He could have evil deeds that destroy some of his deeds or the deeds of his limbs, save Tawhid, as a result of which he will enter the Fire. Ibn Majah records the hadith on the authority of Thawban that the Messenger of Allah (salallahu alaihi wa salam) said, "There are people amongst my nation who will come with deeds like mountains and Allah will render them as scattered dust." This hadith goes on to mention, ''They are a people who have your skin, (they speak your language), they spend part of the night in prayer as you do, but they are people who, when they are alone, violate the prohibitions of Allah." [Ibn Majah].
Yaqub ibn Shaybah and ibn AbI al-Dunya record on the authority of Salim, the freed-slave of Abu Hudhayfah, that the Messenger of Allah (salallahu alaihi wa salam) said, "A group of people will be brought on the Day of Judgment with deeds like Mount Tihamah and Allah will render their deeds to dust and they will be thrown face first in the Fire." Salim said, 'I fear that I am one of them!' He (salallahu alaihi wa salam) said, "They would fast, pray, and apportion some of the night for worship, but in secret, when an opportunity to do something forbidden presented itself, they would take it and as such Allah will invalidate their deeds." A person could have his deeds and nulled because of showing off or arrogance and the likes yet not even be aware of it!
SADNESS IN THE WORLD &
MISERY IN THE HEREAFTER
Daygam, the devout worshipper, said, 'If the Hereafter of the believer does not bring happiness then two matters have gathered for him: sadness in this world and misery in the Hereafter.' It was asked of him, 'How can a person who is striving hard in the abode of this world not face happiness in the Hereafter?' He replied, 'What of acceptance? What of safety? How many are the people who think they have worked righteous deeds yet on the Day of Judgment they are gathered together and thrown in his face.'
It is because of this that Amir ibn Abd Qays and others would be greatly apprehensive of the verse,
Allah accepts only from those who ward off (evil). [Holy Quran Chapter, 5:27]
Ibn Awn said, 'Do not feel secure because of a great number of deeds for you do not know if they have been accepted or not. Do not feel secure about your sins for you do not know if they have been expiated or not. This is because all of your deeds are unseen to you and you have no idea what Allah will do with them.'
Nakhai wept at the time of his death saying, 'I await the messenger of my Lord and I have no idea if he will give me glad tidings of Paradise or Hell.' Another also felt anxious at the time of death and it was asked of him, 'Why so anxious?' He replied, 'This is the time in which I have no idea where I will be led.'
One of the Companions was overcome with anxiety at the time of his death and he was asked after his state to which he replied, 'Allah took His creation in two handfuls, a handful for Paradise and a handful for Hell, and I have no idea to which handful I belong!'
BEWARE, BEWARE GREAT TERRORS
DURING HIS LIFE SUCH AS DEATH!
Whoever ponders this as it deserves will find himself in a state of apprehension for the son of Adam will face great terrors during his life such as death, the grave, the barzakh, the Standing; the Bridge and the Balance, and the greatest of all: standing before Allah, Mighty and Magnificent, and the Fire. He will fear losing his faith at the last minute and being condemned for eternity in the Fire. The true believer will never feel secure from all these matters,
None deems himself secure from Allah's scheme save folk that perish. [Holy Quran Chapter, 7:99]
All of these matters should prevent the son of Adam from resting and relaxing. A person was seen in a dream saying,
How can the eye sleep in peace and serenity?
Yet in which of the Two Abodes will it dwell?
- There is no guarantee.
One of those on his death bed, a devout worshipper, was asked about his state to which he said,
None who enters the grave knows what lies awaiting Save Allah, the One who to the graves is leading.
In this respect one of them said,
By Allah, were man to know for what he was created,
He would not be remiss nor would he sleep.
He was created for such a thing that be assured
Were hearts to see it neither stray would they nor sleep:
Death, then to the grave, then to be resurrected:
Rebuke dire and terrors appalling, (in this be weep!)
For the Day of Gathering have men exerted,
Praying and fasting in trepidation deep!
But we, when prohibited or commanded,
Are like the People of the Cave: awake yet asleep!
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