Value of Life - Mawlana Umar Palanpuri (Rahimahullah)

[Sheikhonderun]

This is an excerpt from one of Mawlana Umar Palanpuri’s (Rahimahullah) speeches. Its translated more or less meaning.

A great spectacle will come on Day of Reckoning in which good and bad will be decided. The Prophets would deliver this message from Allah. To prepare for that is this current life. After death, man will not be able to prepare anything.

When man enters his grave, his conditions will intensify whether good or bad. On the other hand his ‘ability’ to prepare (to face those conditions) will be taken away from him.

Suppose in this world if snake appears, man can either utilize a stick to strike (defend himself) or run away (protect himself from harm). If fire starts he can extinguish it using water. If daylight disappears, man can light a torch. If man experiences hunger here, he will be satiated by eating food.  If experiences thirst, he will fetch water & drink it to quench his thirst. Here any condition man experiences, he possesses ‘ability’ to prepare for that.

And what is meaning of death? Meaning of death is man’s ability to prepare will diminish. In the grave, snake appears the ability to repel it will be gone, darkness appears ability to bring about light will be gone, harm is being inflicted the ability to defend oneself will be gone. Even if relatives leave sticks in someone’s grave the sticks of this world cannot be used to defend oneself against the snakes in the grave. Water of this world cannot extinguish the fire in the grave. Torches of this world cannot eliminate the darkness in the grave. Means of this world will not be able to facilitate ease in the grave.

There when man will see that there is no alternative. He will ask Allah “Oh My Allah please return me”. He will realize that in grave he has no ability (to alter his condition). Here I cannot pray, here I cannot fast, cannot engage in remembrance or read Quran. “Oh my Allah please return me back”. What invaluable treasure was the life of this world that I didn’t avail!

Now I have realized had I glorified Allah once, there would be tree for me in heaven. Had I praised Allah a tree would be created (in heaven). In this world had I given in charity I would receive its recompense. In this world had I engaged in inviting to Allah, all human beings to whom message would be delivered and all human beings that adopted righteous life due to it. Equivalent to their actions O’ Allah I would be rewarded as such. Now please return me. Now I have understood. Now I will go into the world and perform righteous actions.

Allah will say “No!” (23:100)

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