Islam Guidance

Every so often, we are shocked by the death of a young member of our community. We experience a short-lived rush to perform extra prayers, but the effect goes away quickly. Instead, we must learn to effectively reflect on our lives. Every day, we witness the deaths of people around us, but we pay minimal thought to the day when others will witness our death.
Attempts to speak about death are usually suspended by those who feel uneasy hearing about it. We are almost always subconsciously assuming that death will come only when we grow older, and so we do not want to concern ourselves with such an unpleasant subject. Yet it is imperative to keep in mind that living for even an additional hour cannot be guaranteed.
Life can be compared to fresh fallen snow. Our footprints show clearly, even if not to us. Let us dedicate ourselves to our Lord, the Holy Prophet, and the Pure Household (P.B.U.T). Let us not be led astray by meaningless materialistic enticements. Every action is recorded, and when the Day of Reckoning comes, all that will vouch for us will be our deeds. Let us devote our lives to Islam, devote ourselves to loving others, devote ourselves to the community around us, and devote ourselves to creating something that gives us purpose and meaning.
Imam Hadi (A.S) said: “People are respected in this world for possessing wealth and in the Hereafter for possessing righteous deeds.” An eye-opening tradition by Imam Ali (A.S) states: “If man perceived his death and its speed towards him, he would certainly detest the world and its hopes.” We must live graciously among people. Kindness is praised in Islam, and it is a blessed virtue we can all improve on. It is truly when we give of ourselves that we have truly given; likewise, it is when we finally begin to give that we also receive.
Countless thoughts cross our minds in a day. What to wear? Should I attend class today? What to have for lunch? Breakfast? Dinner? We kill time on worthless avenues such as Facebook, texting, and arguing with others. All of this is time lost doing nothing of benefit. Time waits for no one, and it will pass whether we act or not. We must restore our lives into our hands, and we should become the agents of change for ourselves on others. A positive influence can easily be spread, and others can take heed.
The biggest fear that we must have is not of death. Death is promised to each and every one of us. Instead, our biggest fear should be an inadequate life. We have been blessed with a religion that is so encompassing, yet surely we are at a loss! We continually disregard the blessing of Islam in search of a worldly alternative.
The solution? There is no simple answer. We must be willing to change and become better people. So, before you head out for work or school tomorrow, kiss your parents on the forehead and speak to them in kind words. Set your alarm clock so that you wake up for morning prayers. Remember all those people you wronged? How about catching up with them and asking their forgiveness? That reading of the Qur’an? Stop putting it off, please! Remember: a chapter a day keeps the devil away! The most important message: we only pass this way once, so let our lives be an enhancement of every good to us and our death a comfort from every evil.

Taken from: Islamic Insight

I read of a man who stood to speak at the funeral of a friend. He referred to the dates on her tombstone from the beginning...to the end.
He noted that first came her date of birth and spoke the following ate with tears, but he said what mattered most of all was the dash between those years. (1934 -1998). For that dash represents all the time that she spent alive on earth... And now only those who loved her Know what that little line is worth.
For it matters not, how much we own; the cars...the house...the cash, what matters are how we live and love and how we spend our dash.  So think about this long and hard... Are there things you'd like to arrange? For you never know how much time is left, that can still be rearranged.  If we could just slow down enough to consider what's true and real, and always try to understand the way other people feel.
And be less quick to anger, and show appreciation more and love the people in our lives like we've ever loved before. If we treat each other with respect, and more often wear a smile…
Remembering that this special dash Might only last a little while. So, when your eulogy's being read with your life's actions to rehash... Would you be proud of the things they say about how you spent your dash?
Imam Ali (A.S) quoted: Death is near and our mutual company is short.

Ref: Play and Learn

One of such fortunate person was a Jew at the time of the battle of Uhud. His name was `Makhreeq'.
He addressed his tribesmen as follows: "You are not aware that Muhammad (P.B.U.H&H.P) is the truthful and the promised Prophet." They replied, "How do you know we are not aware?" "Then why don't you come for his help?" he asked. The tribe said. "Today is Saturday." He said, "But that was at the time of Hazrat Moses (A.S), it is abrogated by the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H&H.P) and is not acceptable to him."
When he did not receive any response from the people of his tribe he went to the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H&H.P) and became a Muslim. He was extremely wealthy. He entrusted all his wealth to the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H&H.P) and he entered the battlefield to face the unbeliever. He was soon martyred. It is said that the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H&H.P) often gave charity from the property of Makhreeq, the martyr.
(Extract from the book "Greater Sins" by Shaheed DastGhaib)

Ref: Almujtaba Islamic network