>From: sai <[log in to unmask]> >Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list <[log in to unmask]> >To: [log in to unmask] >Subject: Re: Obituary >Date: Wed, 26 Feb 2003 08:44:53 +0100 > >May her soul rest in perfect peace, and may Allah soften the grief of those left behind. Aameen > >Mounir > >Kullu Nafsin dhaikatul maut >"Every soul must taste death..." >Suratul 'Ankabut - 29:57 > >Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi rajioon >"..Indeed we are from Allah and indeed to Him we will return." >Suratul Baqara 2:156 > >There are only two things that are certain in one's existence. One is birth - as in the above aya - indeed we are from Allah - and the other is death - and indeed to Him we will return. >We prepare for the birth of a child, even calling the mother an 'expectant' mother but we do not call ourselves 'expectant' marhumeen even though the journey of death to the aakhira' is inevitable and unavoidable. > >However, sooner or later, because of our old age or illness, or that of someone we love, or the news of the death of someone in the community, we are forced to face the reality of death, realising the need for preparation for the journey. > >According to an old fable, a man made an unusual agreement with Izraeel - the angel of death. He told Izraeel that he would be willing to accompany him (as though he had a choice) only if Izraeel would send him a notice well in advance. The agreement was made. Weeks became months and the months into years. One bitterly cold night, as the man sat alone thinking of his success in life, Izraeel tapped on his shoulder. "You are here too soon" the man cried out. "You sent no messenger. I thought we had an agreement!". Izraeel whispered "Notice your hair, once it was full and black, now it has streaks of silver in it!. Observe your face in the mirror and see the wrinkles. Yes! I have sent many messages through the years! I have kept my part. I am sorry that you are not ready for me but the order of Allah cannot be averted!" > >The Prophet (S.A.W.) has said: >"You have not been created to perish, but to remain forever. You only transfer from one home to another when you die." > >Imam Husayn (A.S.) said to his companions on the day of Ashura: >"Death is nothing but a bridge over which you pass from this world of distress and affliction towards a vast heaven of eternal bliss. Who amongst you does not like to migrate from the (worldly) prison to the (heavenly) palace? And as for your enemies, it is like migrating from the palace towards the prison." > >~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ >To Search in the Gambia-L archives, go to: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/CGI/wa.exe?S1=gambia-l >To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to: >[log in to unmask] > >To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface >at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html > >~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~