وَلَا تَحْسَبَنَّ الَّذِينَ قُتِلُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ أَمْوَاتًا ۚ بَلْ أَحْيَاءٌ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ يُرْزَقُونَ
فَرِحِينَ بِمَا آتَاهُمُ اللَّهُ مِن فَضْلِهِ وَيَسْتَبْشِرُونَ بِالَّذِينَ لَمْ يَلْحَقُوا بِهِم مِّنْ خَلْفِهِمْ أَلَّا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ
يَسْتَبْشِرُونَ بِنِعْمَةٍ مِّنَ اللَّهِ وَفَضْلٍ وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُضِيعُ أَجْرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ
Think not of those who are killed in the Way of Allah as dead. Nay, they are alive, with their Lord, and they have provision.
They rejoice in what Allah has bestowed upon them of His Bounty, rejoicing for the sake of those who have not yet joined them, but are left behind (not yet martyred) that on them no fear shall come, nor shall they grieve.
They rejoice in a Grace and a Bounty from Allah, and that Allah will not waste the reward of the believers. (Al ‘Imran:169-171)
These ayath are very, very weighty. There is so much to relish. Where does one even begin? Every word is filled with joy. But there is also a lingering feeling of nervousness. Will this ever be our portion? In this one chance of life, will this honour be ours too? Death is certain. It will happen somehow, in some way or the other. Will we have the opportunity to make it be for Him? We know our weaknesses, and we know how we fall short. Will this honour; the highest honour, be granted to someone like that? Bittersweet. A longing that is difficult to put in words.
Most of us have seen the video. Or read the news about how Allah chose one more of His slaves. Unwavering in his offering to Allah until the end. Only that the shaheed has no end; he lives forever around the arsh of Ar Rahman. This is what we wish and we do not purify anyone over Allah.
It makes one wonder. What must their secret with Allah have been? What did they used to tell Him when the curtains of the night came down and everyone was asleep? What did they secretly desire by Him? What kind of a degree of sincerity was it that He made their end so?
Allah…
This brings the islander Muslim back to Darga Town, June 2014. For the longest time, the heroes were “nameless.” What did they used to do in their days that when the time came, they stood unshakeable protecting the masajid? They knew for sure the intentions of the approaching mob. They knew they may not return home safely. Yet they stood firm guarding Allah’s house with just their bodies. Only a few months ago, I stumbled upon their names and a single line description about them in Wikipedia. “Mediocre” it would be said about their lives, but truth is far, far from it. Mediocre is us, waking up each day and worrying about trivial things.
What must their secret with Allah have been? What did they used to tell Him when the curtains of the night came down and everyone was asleep? What did they secretly desire by Him?
Chosen by Ar Rahman
وَيَتَّخِذَ مِنكُمْ شُهَدَاءَ ۗ
“and that He may take martyrs from among you.”
Allah chooses for the greatest honour of martyrdom whom He wants. Age, gender, place of origin— nothing seems to matter. But for Allah to choose, there seems to be a pattern if we look carefully. A pattern to be followed that makes one closer to being chosen. After all, He said He rewards according to effort and striving. I heard in a lecture a few years ago that the speaker had met with several of such people. He mentioned a notable quality that every one of them shared— they had zero ghill (hatred or ill-feeling) towards any believer. They were all amicable and easy and held nothing in themselves against another believer. This quality specifically was common to all of them. It adds up, doesn’t it? They can not be offering their lives to protect an ailing Ummah, its women, children, elderly and its sanctified sites while at the same time harbouring ill will against another Muslim in their hearts. This is a quality easy to talk about but requires top-level sincerity to fully bring to action. It demands lots of introspection and forbearance just for His Sake. Many other qualities need to come together with true effort for this one to come true.
In another place that I don’t remember exactly where, it was mentioned that to reach this station and be chosen, they pray tahajjud every night and give in charity.
All of them seem to have a significant history, too. Even a brief look into their lives would show that they did not achieve what they achieved overnight. They worked their way up slowly but surely. Not necessarily to leadership positions, but there was notable consistency to get to the goal they were eyeing, that is, to give the most precious thing they have—their life— to Allah. They upped their game gradually, adding on more to their book of deeds and involving themselves in choices that helped refine their souls. Day in, day out, they preoccupied themselves with the condition of their hearts. So when the time came, they were ready. They were actually waiting, not having changed from their position one bit. They were waiting to show to their Rab what they could do, even though He was already aware. What kind of love is that. Show me a similar kind if you can ever find.
It seems like the shuhada (martyrs) grasped the ‘secret’ long before the others. We hear many things being presented forward in this world. Different kinds of achievements, prizes and goals. It seems like while they lived in the same world as us, with the same attractions and the same challenges, their hearts and intentions were soaring above the cage of this world. It seems like they refused to be moved by the temporary and preferred with all their heart, what will be forever. So they travelled light and chose the forever. Beyond the narrowness of what we became accustomed to and fought over.
They got the point— the whole point of this life. To Whom their souls belong and what needs to be done to reach His Pleasure. The reality of this world and the deception of its glitter. They understood the truth of these. So they took just what they needed and did not allow anything to shift their focus or disturb them from reaching their goals. To use this one chance of life— and death— to live forever by His Side. They sold their souls to Ar Rahman for His Pleasure and Jannah. The Most Merciful, Who accepts and appreciates every sincere heart.
As caravan after caravan leave for Jannah, Allahumma, it is a big ask, but it is You we are asking. We do not suit the honour, but You are Most Generous. We have seen that nothing matters with You except the contents of our hearts. So purify us and do not deprive us, Allahumma, of being in Your List, amongst Your chosen, oneday. Ameen.
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