The Four Questions on the Day of Judgment
A Discourse by Huzoor Wala Shan Pir Sahib (May Allah Have Mercy on Him)
22 March 1986
Discourse No 47
بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ
فَنِعۡمَ الۡمَوۡلٰی وَ نِعۡمَ النَّصِیۡرُ
رَبِِّ اشۡرَحۡ لِیۡ صَدۡرِیۡ وَیَسِّرۡ لِیۡۤ اَمۡرِیۡ وَ احۡلُلۡ عُقۡدَۃً مِّنۡ لِّسَانِیۡ یَفۡقَہُوۡاقَوۡلِیۡ
اَللّٰهُمَّ صَلِ عَلٰی سَیّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍوَّعَلٰی اٰلِ سَیِّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍوَّعَلٰی اَصْحَابِہٖ وَعَلٰی اَذْوَاجِہٖ اَجْمَعِیْنَ وَبَارِکْ وَسَلِمْ وَصَلِ عَلَیْہٖ
All Praise is for Allah
Countless thanks to Allah Almighty, the Master of the Kingdom, Who has once again granted us the opportunity and ability to gather here for His pleasure, in His remembrance and in His love. Millions and billions of blessings and salutations upon the Leader of the Prophets, the Beloved of Allah, Hazrat Muhammad Mustafa (PBUH), through whose blessed intercession this grace has been bestowed upon us.
Dear listeners! It is mentioned in a Hadith that the Holy Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said that on the Day of Judgment, a person’s feet will not be able to move away from the Bridge of Sirat until he has answered four questions.
1. The first question will be: How did you spend your life?
2. The second question will be: In what activity did you wear out your body?
3. The third question will be: How much did you act upon the knowledge you acquired?
4. And the final question will be: Where did you spend your wealth?
Respected people! These four questions are remarkable. Their answers encompass a person’s entire life, leaving no place for him to hide. This is a complete examination of life, and we must prepare for this examination during our worldly life. Otherwise, on that inevitable day, there will be humiliation and disgrace.
To understand this examination, it is necessary to explain each question individually.
The First Question: How Did You Spend Your Life?
The first question is: How did you spend your lifetime?
This means that this life was neither a reward that someone gave us, nor did we create it ourselves. It was given to us by the Master. We were also told that we would be questioned about every single moment of it.
Yet, we became so careless that we began treating this life as if it belonged entirely to us.
When we slept, we remained absorbed in sleep, without concern for prayer or the remembrance of Allah. When we became immersed in worldly pleasures, we became heedless. When we became occupied with entertainment, we continued playing. And when we became absorbed in collecting worldly possessions, we pursued them blindly, without distinguishing between what was lawful and what was unlawful.
We failed to look at the purpose for which life had actually been given.
Allah Almighty says:
وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالْاِنْسَ اِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُوْنِ
“And I did not create jinn and mankind except to worship Me.”
(Surah Adh-Dhariyat, 51:56)
Life has come for servitude,
Life without servitude is a cause for shame.
Hazrat Pir Sahib, Al-Hazrat Al-Aqdas Khwaja Pir Nazir Ahmad Sahib, known as Sarkar Mohrawi (May Allah Have Mercy on Him), used to say that the account of worldly life is just like sending a person with a pot and telling him, “Go, clean this pot and bring it back.”
If that person returns with the pot even dirtier instead of cleaning it, he becomes a cause of disgrace and embarrassment. But if he brings it back clean and pure according to the command, the owner becomes pleased with him and rewards him.
Likewise, a person should constantly examine his own life. From morning until evening, and from evening until morning, he should ask himself: How much of my time did I spend according to the commands of Allah, and how much did I spend according to my own desires and the whispers of Satan?
If he becomes negligent, he should immediately feel remorse for his mistake and begin living a righteous life again.
This self-accountability should be practiced every day because no one knows when this life will come to an end.
The Second Question: How Did You Use Your Body?
The second question concerns the body.
These hands, feet, mind, heart, eyes, and indeed the entire body have been given to us by Allah.
A person should think every day: The Master Who gave me these faculties—am I using them more in His obedience, or am I exhausting and weakening them by using them for my own pleasures, desires, and disobedience to Allah?
This body is an entrusted possession, and we will have to answer before its Owner regarding how we used it.
The Third Question: What Did You Do With Your Knowledge?
Then comes the question concerning knowledge.
Knowledge does not necessarily mean that a person must acquire every branch of religious knowledge, philosophy, or science before he can be questioned about his actions.
Rather, every person will be questioned according to the knowledge that he possesses.
Whatever you knew—did you act upon it?
The Fourth Question: Where Did You Spend Your Wealth?
The fourth question concerns wealth.
If a person truly believes in a reality that is certain and must come to pass, many of his wrongdoings can come to an end.
He should examine his wealth from morning to evening and from evening to morning:
Was the wealth I acquired earned in accordance with the commands of Allah?
This wealth was earned through the intelligence, strength, ability, and opportunities given to me by Allah. So, how much of it did I spend in the love and pleasure of the One Who gave it to me?
If a person lives with this awareness, there is no reason why his life should not become valuable, pure, and clean.
Allah Almighty says:
يٰٓاَيُّهَا الَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللّٰهَ وَلْتَنْظُرْ نَفْسٌ مَّا قَدَّمَتْ لِغَدٍ ۚ وَاتَّقُوا اللّٰهَ ۭ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ خَبِيْرٌۢ بِمَا تَعْمَلُوْنَ
“O you who believe! Fear Allah, and let every soul look to what it has sent forth for tomorrow. And fear Allah. Indeed, Allah is All-Aware of what you do”
Surah Al-Hashr (59:18)
Allah already knows everything that a person has done. Nevertheless, on that Day, a person will be left without an excuse, because his own hands and feet will bear witness against him. All of his limbs and organs will testify.
Therefore, a person should live his life carefully, fearing that coming Day, and should remain prepared at every moment to answer these questions, because the coming of that Day is certain.
Preparation for the Four Questions
This gathering of Awraad-e-Naziriyyah is a preparation for these very questions.
It is a great blessing of Allah that this portion of our lives is being spent in such a valuable work. Our time, our lives, our wealth, and our bodies are being devoted to this righteous effort.
Then we shall present this good deed before Allah Almighty and say:
“O Master of the Kingdom! For the sake of Your Pure Names, grant us the ability to spend our bodies, knowledge, wealth, and time in Your pleasure. Save us from humiliation and embarrassment on the Day of Judgment.”
While reciting these blessed Awraad, we should remember their importance and keep this thought in our hearts.
Now, let us begin.
Bismillāhir-Raḥmānir-Raḥīm
The Awraad-e-Naziriyyah Sharif were recited, followed by a supplication.
