Preparing for Death

عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ أَنَّ أَعْرَابِيًّا قَالَ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: مَتَى السَّاعَةُ؟ قَالَ لَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: مَا أَعْدَدْتَ لَهَا؟ قَالَ: حُبَّ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ. قَالَ: أَنْتَ مَعَ مَنْ أَحْبَبْتَ.

Anas ibn Malik (RAA) reported: A bedouin asked the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, “When is the (final) Hour?” The Prophet (SAW) said, “What have you prepared for it?” The man said, “Love for Allah and His Messenger.” The Prophet said, “You will be with those whom you love." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

Note: Love for Allah and His Messenger (SAW) means to be in obedience to them. Allah Almighty says:

قُلۡ إِن كُنتُمۡ تُحِبُّونَ ٱللَّهَ فَٱتَّبِعُونِى يُحۡبِبۡكُمُ ٱللَّهُ وَيَغۡفِرۡ لَكُمۡ ذُنُوبَكُمۡ‌ وَٱللَّهُ غَفُورٌ۬ رَّحِيمٌ۬ . قُلۡ أَطِيعُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَٱلرَّسُولَ‌ فَإِن تَوَلَّوۡاْ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلۡكَـٰفِرِينَ .

Say, (O Muhammad, to mankind): If you love Allah, follow me; Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. Allah is most Forgiving, most Merciful. Say: Obey Allah and the Messenger. But if they turn away, indeed Allah loves not the disbelievers (in His guidance). [Quran 3: 31-32]

If you do not pack “taqwa” (righteousness) as provisions for your journey (to the Hereafter),

And then on the Day of Reckoning you meet those who did indeed pack it,

You will regret that you will not be as fortunate as them,

And that you did not invest (for that Day) the way they did.

خرج هارون الرشيد يومًا في رحلة صيد مع بهلول.

فقال هارون: عظني يا بهلول.

قال: أمير المؤمنين! أين آباؤك وأجدادك؟

قال هارون: ماتوا.

قال: فأين قصورهم؟

قال: تلك قصورهم.

قال: وأين قبورهم؟

قال: هذه قبورهم.

فقال بهلول: تلك قصورهم وهذه قبورهم.

فما نفعتهم قصورهم في قبورهم؟

قال: صدقت. زدني يا بهلول.

قال: أما قصورك في الدنيا فواسعة *** فليت قبرك بعد الموت يتسع

One day Caliph Haroon al-Rashid (d. 194 AH/809 CE) went out hunting with Bahlool (the wise-madman).

Haroon: “Tell me something that will benefit me, Bahlool.”

Bahlool: “Leader of the Faithful, where are your parents and grandparents?”

Haroon: “Passed away.”

Bahlool: “Where are their palaces?”

Haroon: “Over there.”

Bahlool: “And their graves?”

Haroon: “Here.”

Bahlool: “Those are their palaces and these are their graves; so how did their palaces benefit them in their graves?”

Haroon: “That’s true. Go on, Bahlool.”

Bahlool (quoting poetry):

“Your palaces of this world are so spacious,

I pray that your grave after you die will also be wide enough.”