Selections from The Lives of Man

Selections from The Lives of Man

The Lives of Man

by Imam Abdallah Ibn Alawi Al-Haddad

The Lives of Man by Imam Abdallah Ibn Alawi Al-Haddad. Translated from the Arabic by Mostafa Al-Badawi. Editor's preface by Abdal Hakim Murad, London 1411 and Foreword by Shaykh Hasanayn Muhammad Makhluf, Formerly Grand Mufti of Egypt Member of the Senior Ulema Council. 

The Prologue bears the caption: The Way to Remember and Learn from the Lives of Man that Wane and Perish and consists of the following five chapters: 

1. The First Life: Life before conception.
2. The Second Life: Dunya –the Lower World, divided into: In the Womb, Youth, Maturity, Seniority, Decrepitude, Sickness and Death. 
3. The Third Life: The Intermediate Realm (barzakh), divided into: The torment of the Grave, How the Living may help the Dead, Visiting Graves. 
4. The Fourth Life: Judgment Day, divided into: The Balance and the Bridge, The Hawd, The Intercession. 
5. The Fire and the Garden, divided into: The Fire, The Garden with an Afterword captioned The Vision of God, and His Overwhelming Mercy.

The following is related on the authority of Anas ibn Malik, Allah is pleased with him: The Messenger of God, blessings and peace upon him said:

"For a newborn child until he reaches the age of discretion, his good deeds are written to the credit of his parents, while his bad deeds are written neither against him nor against his parents. Once he reaches the age of discretion and the pen begins to write [his acts], God the Exalted issues His command to the two angels who accompany him and guard and counsel him. 

When he reaches forty years in Islam, God gives him security from three [things]: madness, leprosy and vitiligo. 

When he reaches fifty, God makes his reckoning lighter

When he reaches sixty, God grants him to revert to Him as pleases Him.

When he reaches seventy, the inhabitants of Heaven love him

When he reaches eighty, God records his good acts and is lenient with his bad ones.

When he reaches ninety, God forgives him his bygone sins and those to come, allows him to intercede on behalf of his family, and he becomes God's prisoner on the earth .

Then should he be returned to the worst age, so that after having had knowledge he knows nothing, God continues to record as good acts for him those which he used to do knows nothing. God continues to record as good acts for him those which he used to do when he was well, and if he commits an evil act it is not recorded."

This hadith is mentioned by Shaykh Ahmad ibn Ali ibn Abil Qasim al Yamani among the forty hadith has collected regarding the forgiveness of sins that had gone by and sins to come.

A man dies in accordance with what he had lived in, and is resurrected in accordance with what he had died in. [Hadith]

When God wishes good for His servants, He wishes him up. They said: "How does He wish him up?" and he replied: "He blesses him with success in doing good before he dies."

And when a funeral procession once passed by him the Prophet, blessings and peace upon him, said: "Delivered or delivered from!" They asked: "O Messenger of God! What is delivered, and what is delivered from?" He replied: "God's believing bondsman is delivered from the hardship of the world and its harm into His mercy. As for a depraved person: people, town, trees and animals are delivered from him."

And he said to Abu Dharr: "O Abu Dharr! The world is the prison of the believer, the grave his place of safety, and the Garden his end. O Abu Dharr! The world is the Garden of the disbeliever, the grave is his torment, and the Fire his end."

Ibn Abbas, Allah is pleased with him, said: "If you see death nearing a man, give him good tidings, so that he may meet his Lord thinking well of Him, and if you see him well and alive, put fear into him."

Ali, is pleased with him, said: "When a believer dies the place where he used to pray weeps for him, and so does the place from which his deeds used to ascend to Heaven." Then he recited: The heaven and earth wept not for them. [44:29] 

And [the Prophet] said, blessings and peace upon him: "Someone whose death coincides with the close of Ramadan enters the Garden, and someone whose death coincides with the close of Arafat enters the Garden, and someone whose death coincides with the close of his charity enters the Garden."

And he said: "Someone who dies on a Thursday night or on a Friday is given protection against the torment of the grave, and shall arrive on the Day of Rising with the marks of the martyrs."

Our reality

Allah SWT teaches us in many ways. Here is an example from my personal experience.

I received an odd gift in 2007, a watched which had stopped and unfixable. How I happened to acquire it, is also another tale. The point of it is the reality of ourselves, life and obligations. The awe inspiring realisation that anyone who yearns will receive, and it is He who decides when and how. 

Arabic geometrical values 

5 0 7 4 (+) = 1 6 (+) = 7 (days in a week) [back of the watch]

On the front face , the time is stilled at 5 - Muslims pray five times a day as an obligation and pillar of Islam.

5+7=12( being the months in a year) 5+7+12=24 (hours in a day) our reality

5= ه

0= 

7= ز

4= د

1= ا

6=و

7= ز

50 = ن

Arabic alphabet

Ha refers to HU ( Allah is HU, the breathing every human makes silently, hajj a pillar of Islam )

Zai refers to "z" ( As in zikir, zuhd,zakat a pillar of Islam)

Daal refers to "d" ( As in Daimah [continuously]Dunya, darood or sholawat, deen or faith,)

Alif refers in " A" ( As ALLAH IS ONE) 

Waw refers to "w" ( As in wudhu, witr that is sholat and ALLAH IS WITR)

Nuun refers to 'n' ( As in nuur which is light or illumination, niyyah which is intention, Nabi , our holy Prophet SAAW  ) 

Ba refers to 'b" ( As in bismillah or the basmallah 19 alphabets) in which we begin everything. There is barzakh (the waiting place after we die)and barakah , blessings from His Mercy through our devotions) 

Lam refers to 'l' (as in lauhil mahfudz where everything is written , shahadatain Laa ila ha ilallah Muhammad Rasulallah; Kalimat tauhid Laa ila ha ilallah; Laa haula wa la quwatta illabillah;19 alphabets) 

5074167(+) =30 (days in a month lunar)

Because 0 has no alphabet I complied 574167 divide by 19 [above it is 19] = 30

Combination of Roman & English alpha numerics

CB - 32(+)=5 (ه Ha) [face of watch/front] 3(ل lam) 2( ب ba)

Roman numerals C=100 B =2 

LB -50:2 -52(+)=7 (ز zai) total of back of watch numbers added up (50 نnun)

(2بba) (5هha) (2بba) 

Roman numerals L = 50 B=2 

5+7=12( months in a year) 

Research of verses in Al Qur'an 

50:74 (see below full Surahs) 

5:74

أَفَلَا يَتُوبُونَ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَيَسْتَغْفِرُونَهُ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ

Will they not then turn to Allah and ask His forgiveness? And Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.

57:4

هُوَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ ثُمَّ اسْتَوَىٰ عَلَى الْعَرْشِ يَعْلَمُ مَا يَلِجُ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَمَا يَخْرُجُ مِنْهَا وَمَا يَنزِلُ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ وَمَا يَعْرُجُ فِيهَا وَهُوَ مَعَكُمْ أَيْنَ مَا كُنتُمْ وَاللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ

He it is who created the heavens and the earth in six periods, and He is firm in power; He knows that which goes deep down into the earth and that which comes forth out of it, and that which comes down from the heaven and that which goes up into it, and He is with you wherever you are; and Allah sees what you do.

1:6

اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ

Keep us on the right path.

*details

32:5

يُدَبِّرُ الْأَمْرَ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ ثُمَّ يَعْرُجُ إِلَيْهِ فِي يَوْمٍ كَانَ مِقْدَارُهُ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍ مِّمَّا تَعُدُّونَ

He regulates the affair from the heaven to the earth; then shall it ascend to Him in a day the measure of which is a thousand years of what you count.

3:25

فَكَيْفَ إِذَا جَمَعْنَاهُمْ لِيَوْمٍ لَّا رَيْبَ فِيهِ وَوُفِّيَتْ كُلُّ نَفْسٍ مَّا كَسَبَتْ وَهُمْ لَا يُظْلَمُونَ

Then how will it be when We shall gather them together on a day about which there is no doubt, and every soul shall be fully paid what it has earned, and they shall not be dealt with unjustly?

5:2

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تُحِلُّوا شَعَائِرَ اللَّهِ وَلَا الشَّهْرَ الْحَرَامَ وَلَا الْهَدْيَ وَلَا الْقَلَائِدَ وَلَا آمِّينَ الْبَيْتَ الْحَرَامَ يَبْتَغُونَ فَضْلًا مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ وَرِضْوَانًا وَإِذَا حَلَلْتُمْ فَاصْطَادُوا وَلَا يَجْرِمَنَّكُمْ شَنَآنُ قَوْمٍ أَن صَدُّوكُمْ عَنِ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ أَن تَعْتَدُوا وَتَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْبِرِّ وَالتَّقْوَىٰ وَلَا تَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْإِثْمِ وَالْعُدْوَانِ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ

O you who believe! do not violate the signs appointed by Allah nor the sacred month, nor (interfere with) the offerings, nor the sacrificial animals with garlands, nor those going to the sacred house seeking the grace and pleasure of their Lord; and when you are free from the obligations of the pilgrimage, then hunt, and let not hatred of a people-- because they hindered you from the Sacred Masjid-- incite you to exceed the limits, and help one another in goodness and piety, and do not help one another in sin and aggression; and be careful of (your duty to) Allah; surely Allah is severe in requiting (evil).

57:12

يَوْمَ تَرَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ يَسْعَىٰ نُورُهُم بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَبِأَيْمَانِهِم بُشْرَاكُمُ الْيَوْمَ جَنَّاتٌ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا ذَٰلِكَ هُوَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِيمُ

On that day you will see the faithful men and the faithful women-- their light running before them and on their right hand-- good news for you today: gardens beneath which rivers flow, to abide therein, that is the grand achievement.

5:12

وَلَقَدْ أَخَذَ اللَّهُ مِيثَاقَ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ وَبَعَثْنَا مِنْهُمُ اثْنَيْ عَشَرَ نَقِيبًا وَقَالَ اللَّهُ إِنِّي مَعَكُمْ لَئِنْ أَقَمْتُمُ الصَّلَاةَ وَآتَيْتُمُ الزَّكَاةَ وَآمَنتُم بِرُسُلِي وَعَزَّرْتُمُوهُمْ وَأَقْرَضْتُمُ اللَّهَ قَرْضًا حَسَنًا لَّأُكَفِّرَنَّ عَنكُمْ سَيِّئَاتِكُمْ وَلَأُدْخِلَنَّكُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ فَمَن كَفَرَ بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ مِنكُمْ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ سَوَاءَ السَّبِيلِ

And certainly Allah made a covenant with the children of Israel, and We raised up among them twelve chieftains; and Allah said: Surely I am with you; if you keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate and believe in My apostles and assist them and offer to Allah a goodly gift, I will most certainly cover your evil deeds, and I will most certainly cause you to enter into gardens beneath which rivers flow, but whoever disbelieves from among you after that, he indeed shall lose the right way.

7:12

قَالَ مَا مَنَعَكَ أَلَّا تَسْجُدَ إِذْ أَمَرْتُكَ قَالَ أَنَا خَيْرٌ مِّنْهُ خَلَقْتَنِي مِن نَّارٍ وَخَلَقْتَهُ مِن طِينٍ

He said: What hindered you so that you did not prostrate when I commanded you? He said: I am better than he: Thou hast created me of fire, while him Thou didst create of dust.

50:2

بَلْ عَجِبُوا أَن جَاءَهُم مُّنذِرٌ مِّنْهُمْ فَقَالَ الْكَافِرُونَ هَٰذَا شَيْءٌ عَجِيبٌ

Nay! they wonder that there has come to them a warner from among themselves, so the unbelievers say: This is a wonderful thing:

100:2

فَالْمُورِيَاتِ قَدْحًا

Then those that produce fire striking,

SUMMARY:

3:2

اللَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ

Allah, (there is) no god but He, the Everliving, the Self-subsisting by Whom all things subsist

12:2

إِنَّا أَنزَلْنَاهُ قُرْآنًا عَرَبِيًّا لَّعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ

Surely We have revealed it-- an Arabic Quran-- that you may understand.

*

Surah 7_Al-Araf

Surah 5_Al-Maeda

Surah 12_Yusuf

Surah 30_Ar-Room

Surah 50_Qaf

Surah 52 _At-Tur

Surah 74_Al-Muddathir

Surah 102_At-Takathur

(And ALLAH SWT knows best) 

Time for Istighfar

BismillahiRahmaniRahiim

S110:1- 3

When there comes the help of Allah and the victory,

And you see men entering the religion of Allah in companies,

Then celebrate the praise of your Lord, and ask His forgiveness; surely He is oft-returning (to mercy).

Assalamu'alaikum alaikum

We see these signs today and inshallah we realise that this verse from Al Qur'an will become a reality. And for those who will reflect, let them please reflect well and introspect their lives. For Allah SWT says the truth. For this is happening now. 

Lorraine Nur-Shufiya 2015