The Journey Beyond Death: Mercy for the Believer and Agony for the Disbeliever

Discourse of His Eminence Pir Sahib, may Allah have mercy on him,

delivered on 20th September1986,

Discourse # 58

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

ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ

The Almighty Allah be praised that the Master of All Sovereignty once again granted us today the opportunity to gather in His remembrance and pleasure. Millions and billions of blessings and salutations upon the Leader of the Prophets, the Beloved of Allah, Hazrat Muhammad Mustafa, peace and blessings be upon him, through whom this grace has been granted.

Esteemed listeners! The Holy Quran states:

وَالنّٰزِعٰتِ غَرْقًا۝ وَّالنّٰشِطٰتِ نَشْطًا ۝

( آیت نمبر 1 تا 2 : سورۃ النازعات)

Translation:

“By those who pull out with force, and by those who draw out gently. Surely you will be raised again, and indeed you will be called to account.”

(Surah An-Nazi’at, verses 1–2)

“An-Nazi‘at Gharqan” refers to the angels who take the souls of the disbelievers with full force and severity, just as an arrow is pulled out by drawing a bow with full strength. “An-Nashitat Nashṭan” refers to the angels who take the souls of the believers gently, just as a camel’s knee-rope is slowly loosened to set it free.

It is mentioned in a noble Hadith that when a believer’s journey to the Hereafter begins, angels with faces as bright as the sun come with a shroud from Paradise and fragrance from Paradise. They sit at a distance as far as the eye can see. Then the Angel of Death comes and sits at his head and says, “O tranquil soul! Come out and proceed toward the forgiveness and pleasure of Allah Almighty.” Immediately, the soul comes out of the body and flows out just as a drop of water flows from a waterskin. The Angel of Death takes it, but those angels do not leave it with the Angel of Death even for a moment. They take it into their own possession and place it in the heavenly shroud and fragrance from Paradise, and the most fragrant musk emanates from it. Meanwhile, when a disbeliever is in the state of embarking on his journey to the Hereafter, angels with dark faces come down from the heavens carrying coarse cloth and sit at a distance as far as the eye can see. Then the Angel of Death comes and sits at his head and says, “O wicked soul! Come out and proceed toward the wrath of Allah Almighty.” The soul runs about inside the body, but the Angel of Death pulls it out with such force as wool is torn and pulled out from barbed wire. Finally, he seizes it, and the angels take it without delaying even for a moment. They wrap it in the coarse cloth, and a foul odor like that of a corpse emanates from it.

Respected attendees! Death is a state that every human being must inevitably experience, whoever they may be. To this day, no one has been able to escape it, nor will anyone ever be able to. Moreover, no one knows when death will come. A person makes preparations for a hundred years, yet death may come in a moment.

It is therefore understood that at this dangerous and frightening time, there are only two possible conditions. According to the Hadith, one is the condition of those people who recognized Allah as Allah, accepted Him as their Master and Creator, and spent their lives obeying His commands. They lived their lives in the love and remembrance of their Master. Such people undoubtedly live with great respect because they are servants of Allah and His Messenger ﷺ. Every particle of the universe observes due respect toward them. Whoever opposes them is, in fact, opposing Allah and His Messenger ﷺ. And its outcome is evident. Allah Almighty makes their lives into shining beacons, so that wandering humanity can walk in their light and reach its destination. I have already described how their journey to the Hereafter takes place, with what honor and dignity. Then they are blessed with everlasting and eternal blessings. But those people who consider the world dearer than the remembrance of Allah, and regard themselves as their own gods, live anxious and troubled lives despite having all the worldly means at their disposal. Every success brings them humiliation and distress. There is no time to go into its details; everyone knows it. I have also described how their journey to the Hereafter takes place, and thereafter they remain forever deprived and afflicted by deprivation.

Praise be to Allah that the people attending this gathering are those who consider the remembrance of Allah dearer than everything else. They entrust everything to Allah Almighty. By presenting these supplications before the Divine Court, they pray only that Allah Almighty keeps them steadfast on this path throughout their lives and that Satan and the lower self may never deprive them of this eternal treasure.

بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ

In the blessed name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful.

The Awrād-e-Naẓīriyyah Sharīf were recited, and supplication was offered.