When the time of death of any one comes no body can change it by either
deferring or postponing the timing by a minute or even a fraction of a
second. This reminds us of our fate as every man’s augury as Allah
mentions have “We fastened to his own neck and We shall bring forth for
him on the Day of Resurrection a book which he will find wide open.” And
it will be said to him “Read your book. Thy soul suffices as reckoned
against thee this day”. So this shows that Allah has decreed the timing
of death on every soul when the time comes it would never be postponed
or deferred and there is no difference between the poor and the rich
the famous and the stranger the pious and the impious all the same every
one would taste the same death only the taste may be different . This
reminds us of the comments made by various people that included wailing
and lamentation for the loss of their beloved ones after the latest air
crash which killed nearly 100 people including the Spiritual Leader of
the Nigerian Muslims Late Sultan Muhammad Maccido and many other top
government officials mainly from Sokoto. Unfortunately after the
accident so many people tried to blame the Minister of Aviation
Professor Babalola Borashide but the poor Professor could not defend
himself as accident after accidents happened previously in the Country
more than 3 times within a year which he could not adequately explained.
To begin with as the Minister has pointed when some Senators asked him
to resign because of this incident he rightly said he could not prevent
any accident which was destined to occur as he has no divine knowledge
of the unseen which was in order. I am not trying to protect the
Minister but unnecessarily blaming him for the fate which was destined
for this sudden unfortunate Air crash would be preposterous. Even though
we believe that one has to tie his camel by making adequate arrangement
and preparation but as he suggested they did their best and when fate
strikes no body can change it and I agree with him. Remember the
Honourable Angel of death has got no choice when He is instructed by
Allah to take the life of anybody he would immediately do so without any
delay on time and at the right place and the right moment. If the time
is not ripe or is not the right place for taking the soul He (the Angel)
would himself be surprised .This can be seen and illustrated from the
Story of Prophet Suleiman (A.S) ( Solomon ).One day Solomon was sitting
with his courtiers then the Angel of Death who was friend of Solomon
kept staring at one of his Ministers. So the Minister asked Solomon who
was this person that was staring at him. When he was told it was the
Angel of death then he begged Solomon to command the wind to take him to
a far place and the wind immediately took him to that place. So later
Solomon asked the Angel of death why was he staring at his Minister? He
(The Angel) replied that he was commanded by Allah to take the life of
this person in that place (most probably India) and I saw him in front
of you so this is why I was surprised seeing him sitting in front of
you. How can extract his soul there while he was still in front of you
as the command was to take his life somewhere. Praise be to Allah right
on time he was there waiting for me at the appointed place and the
appointed time decreed. (when he was carried by the wind). So this is
what we call fate which has been decreed. Allah says in the Quran “He is
the Omnipotent over His slaves. He sends Guardians over you until when
death comes to one of you Our Messengers receive him (completing their
terms) and they neglect not. Then are they returned unto Allah their
Lord the Just Surely His is the judgement and He is the Most Swift in
reckoning. So the Angel of death has been entrusted with our souls as
the Creator of Death and Life has mentioned in the Quran. Say the Angel
of death who has charge concerning you will (duly) take your souls then
you will be brought back to your Lord. So every soul will taste death as
promised by the Creator. “All that is on earth will perish but will
abide for ever the Countenance of your Lord of Might and Glory”.
Therefore as Muslims at the time of death or any calamity which might
strike us we don’t lament wail or say anything except “Inna Lillahi Wa
Inna Ilaihi Rajiun”. This is what our Prophet has taught us to say
beseeching the help Allah and turning to Him in patience with Prayers
which is indeed hard except for the humble minded. Obviously we know
that we have to tie our camels meaning that we make preparation and the
best preparation one can make is to resign and turn to Allah in
repentance. This is why we are forbidden to lament or cry loudly in form
of wailing when we come across any calamity such as the one seen all of
a sudden which is Haram Unlawful. It is our belief with total conviction
that whatever happens has been decreed by Allah and no body could change
it only Du’a or supplication that is the only thing which could help
make the outcome of such impending decree a better one turning
positively which is called Aqeebah or final ending. As death is no joke
it does not spare the life of anybody when it comes we cannot do
anything to avert it all we can hope is to die with Imaan. The only
thing we can do is to always prepare as no body knows his timing this
is why the Prophet has taught us to prepare and be on our guard all the
time before seven things occur. So then What are these seven things?
Are you waiting for such penury as will make you unmindful (of
devotion) or such prosperity as will make you corrupt or such disease as
will disable you or senility which makes you mentally unstable or sudden
death that may surprise you or Dajjal (anti Christ) who is the worst
apprehended or the Hour and the Hour will be most grievous and most
bitter”. Therefore what happened has happened with the full knowledge
and permission of the Creator. Therefore we must accept it with full
faith and Yaqeen that it was decreed and nobody could change it however
we wanted to. Rather than wailing lamenting or finding fault
apportioning unnecessary blame on people who cannot do anything to avert
this impending decree which came suddenly and gone it is high time we
turned to Allah in supplication for the deceased with the words “Inna
Lillahi Wa Inna Ilaihi Rajiun” which is the best Du’a for any Calamity.
Wa Akhiri Daawana Anil Hamdu Lillahi Rabbil Alameen.
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