Some reminders mentioned in Khutbah by Imam Dr. Shaheed Coovadia for pondering:
29:1
الٓمٓ ١
Alif-Lãm-Mĩm.
29:2
أَحَسِبَ ٱلنَّاسُ أَن يُتْرَكُوٓا۟ أَن يَقُولُوٓا۟ ءَامَنَّا وَهُمْ لَا يُفْتَنُونَ ٢
Do people think once they say, “We believe,” that they will be left without being put to the test?
29:3
وَلَقَدْ فَتَنَّا ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ ۖ فَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ صَدَقُوا۟ وَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ ٱلْكَـٰذِبِينَ ٣
We certainly tested those before them. And ˹in this way˺ Allah will clearly distinguish between those who are truthful and those who are liars.
— Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran
عَنْ جَابِرٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «لَا تَمَنَّوُا الْمَوْتَ فَإِنَّ هَوْلَ الْمُطَّلَعِ شَدِيدٌ وَإِنَّ مِنَ السَّعَادَةِ أَنْ يَطُولَ عُمْرُ الْعَبْدِ وَيَرْزُقَهُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ الْإِنَابَة» . رَوَاهُ أَحْمد
Jabir reported God’s messenger as saying, “Do not wish for death, for the terror of the place whence one looks down in severe. It is part of a man’s happiness that his life should be long and God who is great and glorious should supply him with repentance.” Ahmad transmitted it.
وَعَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «لَا يَتَمَنَّى أَحَدُكُمُ الْمَوْتَ إِمَّا مُحْسِنًا فَلَعَلَّهُ أَنْ يَزْدَادَ خَيْرًا وَإِمَّا مُسِيئًا فَلَعَلَّهُ أَنْ يستعتب» . رَوَاهُ البُخَارِيّ
Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, "None of you must wish for death; neither one who does well, for perhaps he may do still more good, nor one who does ill, for perhaps he may seek to please God.” Bukhari transmitted it.