Most of us say this statement when someone dies but how many of us know what it actually means?
Okay, so it's translation is 'To Allah we belong and to Him is our return' but it's implications go a lot further.
The statement is actually trying to say that whatever we have is not really ours. It all belongs to Allah.
Everything around us; everything we see, all that we have and all that there is belongs to Allah, alone. It is He who has given us all the property and goods we possess, and that makes him the true owner of them all.
So the cars that we own, the houses that we live in, all our wordly possessions truly belong to Allaah. Even the family that He blessed us with, the health that He's given us, the time that He has allowed us, are all Allah's property.
"And to Allah belongs the inheritance of the heavens and the earth…." (Surah Aal-Imraan:180)Now, since everything belongs to Allah, then we have to include even our souls in that list. Essentially, we belong to Allah. And this is the essence of the concept of accepting God's will when He takes someone's life away.
He's merely taking back something that He gave you for a while.
He will bless you with a precious child that you love dearly… and then He may take it away.
He will grant you money, honour and status… and then He may take it away.
He will give you youth, vitality and health and then surely He will take it away.
So when Allah does reclaim what was rightfully His, why do we mourn our losses?
I know it's easier said than done but we should try and say Alhamdulillah and not grieve. We should be patient as Allah loves those who are patient. Allah says:
"But give glad tidings to the patient - those who, when afflicted with a calamity, say, "Truly, to Allah we belong; and truly, to Him will we return." It is those who will be awarded blessings and mercy form their Lord; and it is those who are guided." (The Holy Qur'an, Chapter 2, Verses 155-157.)
On the occasion of the death of his son Ibraahim, our Beloved Prophet (SAW) said:
'Our eyes are filled with tears, our hearts with grief, but we say nothing with our lips except that which pleases Allah... Verily, to Allah we belong, and to Him we return.' (Bukhaari)Subhanllah! What beautiful words at such a difficult time.
And when the companion of Muhammad (SAW), Abu Talha's son passed away, Abu Talha was not at home. His wife washed and shrouded the child when Abu Talha returned home and asked about his son, she said,
'The child is quiet and I hope he is in peace…' (Bukhaari)Subhallah… such patience! And such faith in the statement "Inna lillaahi wa inna ilayhi Raaji'oon"!
She truly understood its meaning and the effect it should have on her life as a Muslim, submitting to Allah's will and being pleased with whatever He has decreed for her. She knew that whatever she had, was not truly hers. Rather, it was Allah's and He took back whatever He owned at its appointed time.
May Allah grant us the same the patience and undestanding of the wife of Abu Talha. Aameen.
You have made a valid point, that we should not mourn our losses and rather have patience as these people have only ever belonged to Allah (swt) but surely the mere fact that they are a loved one to you as an individual means that there is a part of them which has belonged to you also. There are some people in my life whom with certainty I could never say, they only belong to the Lord, because they are mine too and will always be no matter what. I guess its all about perception. Interesting read :-)
ReplyDeleteI agree Zee. Even though the souls of the special people in our lives ultimately belong to Allah, luckily the memories are ours for keeps! :)
ReplyDeleteGood point sister, thanks for the feedback.