"Keep us with the anbiya!" - Habib Umar bin Hafiz

Bismillah.

Know that a person will die as he has lived his life. Once the pledge of shahadah enters the heart, the heart shall instantly direct itself towards the Lord. Now that you have renewed your shahadah be ready to receive rahmat from Allah. You must keep renewing the pledge and your tawbah. Repent from your misdeeds, be they small or big, plenty or few. Have a strong determination now that you will not repeat your mistakes.

O Allah grant us seriousness in our determination to return to You. Forgive us for our past and protect us in the future. O Allah grant us Your pardon. Forgive our parents and our families. So that we may experience the kind of death as those who have fulfilled their pledge do.

When Saidina Abu Bakar as-Siddiq was ill. He was eagerly waiting to die to see the Prophet s.a.w. He died for two reasons. Zahir-wise, he died of food poisoning but bathin-wise he died out of missing the Prophet s.a.w. He was always counting the days. He would ask his companion, 'what day is it?' They said, Saturday. And the next day he asked again 'what day is it?" They said Sunday. Then Saidina Abu Bakar said 'I might die either today or tomorrow. I wish to die on the same day as the Prophet.' But he did not. He passed away on Tuesday befitting his ranking as the first caliph after the demise of the Prophet. Rasulullah died on Monday so Saidina Abu Bakar died on Tuesday.

Saidina Abu Bakar had a habit of walking about his neighborhood. One day he overheard a young child complaining to his mother. "Who will provide our milk, now that Saidina Abu Bakar has become the Caliph. He must be busy with his new role and would not be able to supply us milk as he used to do.' Upon hearing this Saidina Abu Bakar said, "I will still provide you with milk. I pray to Allah that I will stick to my good habits when I become the Caliph." So he kept true to his words and continued giving milk to his neighbors. Saidina Abu Bakar was one who would always fulfill his promises.

Someone attempted to murder Saidina Umar while he was performing solat yet he continued praying. While he was suffering from the injuries, he sent his son Abdullah to see Aishah asking her if she would allow him to be buried next to the Prophet and Saidina Abu Bakar. Abdullah went back to see his father saying, "O father, Aishah gave her permission for you to be laid next to the Prophet because she honored you even though the spot was reserved for herself. She wanted to be by her father and her husband." Upon hearing that, Saidina Umar said, "Nothing makes me happier than to be close with the Prophet and Saidina Abu Bakar. But I think Aishah has given permission out of respect for me. When I die O son, take me to her house and ask her again, but don't say 'Amirul mukminin ask' but say 'my father ask' because at that time I will no longer be Amirul Mukminin. Say, 'My father asks for your permission to bury him next to the Prophet and Saidina Abu Bakar.' If she refused, bury me at Baqi." When the day comes to pass, Abdullah did as instructed, but Aishah again gave her permission and gave way to Umar to be buried at the place she had reserved for herself.

Saidina Uthman's life too was threatened. He was denied water. Saidina Ali sent his two sons Hassan and Hussain to bring water to Saidina Uthman's house. During the night, Saidina Uthman dreamed of Rasulullah and told him about his predicament. The Prophet said to Saidina Uthman, 'If you so wish, I could make a du'a for you but tell me if you wish to break your fast with me instead.' Saidina Uthman told the Prophet that he would surely prefer the latter.' So that night he was killed.

Saidina Ali was reported to have said, 'I am waiting for the man who wanted to hurt my forehead until blood streams down my beard. I'm waiting for that man to kill me.' The night before he was killed he looked up to the skies and understood from the stars that it was to be his last night. In his dream, he saw the Prophet who asked him whether he wanted to break his fast with him. Saidina Ali chose to be with the Prophet and consequently the following morning he was killed. Before dying, Saidina Ali reminded his son Hassan not to torture his murderer but to treat him fairly.

When Hassan was sick and dying, he was seen crying, so Hussain asked him if he was afraid of death. Hassan said, 'no I am crying because I am afraid I might not be resurrected together with our father and grandfather.' Hussain, was murdered too. When he set off to travel, he met Abdullah bin Abbas who told him of his impending fate. Hussain told Abdullah bin Abbas that he knew what was going to happen to him. When he eventually died during the journey, the blood from his body formed a shair (poem): 'O you murderer, do you think you will ever get shafaat from my grandfather for what you've done to me?'

O people, tonight we have mentioned the Prophet's name, Saidina Abu Bakar, Saidina Umar, Saidina Uthman, Saidina Ali, Hassan, and Hussain. O people if you wished to see their holy faces, love them, pray to Allah, Allah will not let you down. Pray to Allah with a khusyuk heart so that we belong with those who could see their faces. Those who could see them will surely be given Heaven and get to see wajhullah (the Face of Allah). Those who could not see their faces will never get to go to heaven. They will instead look at the faces of the kafir. Each one of us will be raised with those whom we love.

O Allah, make our hearts love You truly. And love Rasul, ahlul bayt and sahabah. And love the salihin. O Allah, You have gathered us here to recall their histories, so please gather us with them. Don't make our face be far from them. Do not let anyone of us stray from the holy gathering. O Allah, we ask only from You O Allah. There is no God save You that we could hope for. O Allah, gather our face under the banner of Rasulullah. Make us gather at a respectable and honorable place. You have gathered us here so please do not let us a part from one another there. O Allah, make our gathering here be a preparation for us to gather on the big Day. On that day don't make us belong with those who are sad. Keep us with the anbiya and people who are close to the angels, those who neither fear nor feel sad.

O Allah, give us good tidings. O Allah the Most Merciful, protect us, guide us, be with us always. O Allah, we ask of You, we plead You, we ask You, You are our goal. Grant us qabul, accept us, shine our heart, shine our heart...

Ya Arhamar Rahimin.

Ya Akramal Akramin.

Ya Allah...
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Habib Umar's lecture at Masjid al-Falah, Selangor, Malaysia on 10 January 2010.