ISLAM HOW DO WE PREPARE FOR DEATH Ismail Waja from

A Prayer by Prophet Moses (AS) “O my Lord! Expand my breast and Ease my task for me and Remove the knots from my tongue, So that they may understand what I say.” (Qur’an 20: 25-28)

How do we prepare for death 1.How do we prepare a corpse for Burial 2.How do we as Muslims prepare to meet our Death

How do we prepare a corpse for Burial When we have a corpse we like everyone else will:  Give it a good funeral  Prepare the corpse in a respectable and dignified manner  A good send off with kind words of remembrance  A prayer for the soul to reach its destination  Consoling the bereaved family & encourage them to continue with life  Difference –we bury asap-in a shroud and not in a coffin

“Every soul shall have a taste of death. In the end to Us shall you be brought back” Qur’an 29:57  There is no escape no matter what belief path you follow.  All have to undertake this journey some time.  When ever we undertake long journey we need to prepare ourselves to meet all the likely and unknown expectations of our trip.  How does a Muslim prepare for this inevitable journey of our final destination. How do we as Muslims prepare to meet our Death

Preparation for the final Journey Muslims have a very clear and defined check list of how to prepare for this journey  Our conception of Life  Our Status on this earth  Our purpose on this earth

 GOD created man - shaped - system  Made from earth – dust, sand, water, mud, clay  GOD blew HIS spirit into man.  2 Dimensional being  Man - potential and capacity to move  Gave him knowledge  Man should function Our Conception of Life

 GOD’s viceroy on earth.  Man - act independently – guidance - 25  Accountable - day of judgement  Rewarded and suffer Man’s Status on this earth “Then shall anyone who has done an atom’s weight of good see it. And anyone who has done an atom’s weight of evil will see it,” (Qur’an 99:7,8)

Man’s Purpose on this Earth  Accept the oneness of God  The universe – controlled, governed, maintain  All our efforts, actions for GOD  Submit – Muslim  Position you hold in life – remain below the deity of God. “Who is superior to us in strength? God who created them is superior to them in strength” ( Qur’an 41:15)

 Cosmic realm – order, balance and harmony  Man - golden mean between the extremes Pleasures of world - abstain nor absorbed Stoop so low and mean - bows nor high and mighty to supersede the Lord His will - helpless & ineffective nor so powerful – his will is everything - humble  He is the viceroy of the LORD - obedience  This world is the harvest for the Hereafter.  The concept of accountability - a deterrent and limits him Man’s purpose on Earth cont.

A Saying and a Prayer “Say, Surely my prayer, my sacrifice, my living and my dying are for God, the Lord of all that exists.” (Qur’an 6:162) An Arabic Saying: ‘Work in life as if you are going to live forever Work for the Hereafter as if you are going to die tomorrow.’

CONCLUSION IN PRAYER We ask the ALL MIGHTY to forgive us from any feelings of pride that is unintentionally conveyed in this presentation. We ask ALL MIGHTY to soften our hearts and create greater understanding so that we can serve YOU as YOUR viceroys in the service of mankind.

Thank You Assalamu Alaikum Peace be with all of you

Postures in Salaat (prayer) One cycle