When we die all people will face the judgment which awaits us and will then be divided into 2 groups which they will remain in for eternity. These are the groups of the people of Paradise and the people of the Fire.
The way to know to which group you will belong, you simply need to look at which group you are currently living like in this world. If you are one of those who lives for this world and forgets the Hereafter then you should be very worried. Allah says:
مِنكُم مَّن يُرِيدُ الدُّنْيَا وَمِنكُم مَّن يُرِيدُ الْآخِرَةَ
"Among you are some who desire this world, and among you are some who desire the Hereafter." [3:152]
It might be reassuring to you that you are a Muslim and you pray and you abstain from most sins, however when you realise that this verse was revealed to the Companions of the Prophet who were the best of generations it must make you realise that its not enough to simply do a little bit here and there and to expect to be saved on that Day.
This verse was revealed after the Battle of Uhud, in which some of the Companions were chastised by the Lord of the Worlds for disobeying the Messenger of Allah and chasing after the booty of war. Some dwell on this incident and think that the lesson of it is only about the importance of obeying the Prophet. Whilst this is true, it is but part of the lesson. It ignores the other part of the verse which supplies the other the other lesson - Which command was it that they had abandoned? By chasing after the war booty they had chosen this world, and by doing so they abandoned fighting in the Path of Allah. By abandoning this duty they had chosen this world over the hereafter. They had chosen the worldy life over death for Allah's sake. In this verse abandoning Jihad is equated with not being of those who want Paradise.
The reality of Allah's religion is that Jihad in His cause is the very epitome of living for Allah's sake, desiring Paradise and Allah's Mercy. The Muslim who fights in the Way of Allah is a person who has abandoned what the world has to offer him and has turned to the Promise of Allah, desiring nothing but Allah's Love and trusting completely in Words of His Lord.
وَفَضَّلَ اللَّهُ الْمُجَاهِدِينَ عَلَى الْقَاعِدِينَ أَجْرًا عَظِيمًا
"Allah has preferred the Mujahidin over those who remain behind." [4:95]
The Prophet was asked - “Who is the best of people?” He replied, “A believer who is waging jihad with his life and his wealth in the cause of Allah.” [Bukhari]
It is evident that Allah has preferred the Mujahid over all others and has made Jihad in His Way the greatest deed after believing in Him. The Mujahid is one who shows with his actions that he prefers the Hereafter over this world because he is ready to sacrifice his life for Allah's sake. This sacrifice is the best that a person can offer to Allah and it is the greatest Jihad. The Prophet said:
“The best jihad is the one in which your horse is slain and your blood is spilled.” [Ahmad]
When the Prophet was once mentioning the martyrs of Uhud he said, "I wish that I had departed with my companions under that mountain." [Al-Hakim, authenticated by Adh-Dhahabi] Meaning that he wished that he had been martyred with them under the mountain of Uhud.
To fight in the Path of Allah is an act that if it is done sincerely will lead a person to Paradise, it is a proof that the person desires the Hereafter and not this world. If he is martyred in Jihad then his reward is Jannah, and if he fights and kills the enemy then the Prophet has promised that he will earn Paradise by it -
"The kafir (disbeliever) and the one who kills him will never be joined together in the Hellfire." [Sahih Muslim]
Let us each then look at our lives and assess what we are ready to give for Paradise. Shall we be of those who sit back and desire for something temporary of this world? Shall we live a life of inferiority knowing that there are those who are better than us, yet we refuse to join them? Do we not wish to make Allah's Word the most high and to become the greatest of people? Let us not fool ourselves into thinking that our worship is enough, let us not think that because we organised a conference or because we fasted 2 days in a week that we are better than them. No, until we are with them then we cannot even be compared to them. Abu Hurayrah once asked those with him - “Can anyone of you pray continuously without rest and fast continuously without a break?” They said, “O Abu Hurayrah, who could do that?!” He said, “I swear in the Name of whom my soul is in His Hands: The sleep of the Mujahid better than all of that!” This is the status of the sleep of the Mujahid, that it is greater than the one who does not fight yet prays and fasts continuously, imagine then how great is his prayer and his fighting in the Path of Allah!
Allow yourselves to evaluate what you have and to choose, either this life, or the Promise of Allah. Either to live as one of those who sat behind or to be one of those who has chosen to exchange his life in return for Allah's Mercy. Contemplate on this following verse of Allah and may Allah make us all of those who choose to be Mujahidin in His Path:
قُلْ إِن كَانَ آبَاؤُكُمْ وَأَبْنَاؤُكُمْ وَإِخْوَانُكُمْ وَأَزْوَاجُكُمْ وَعَشِيرَتُكُمْ وَأَمْوَالٌ اقْتَرَفْتُمُوهَا وَتِجَارَةٌ تَخْشَوْنَ كَسَادَهَا وَمَسَاكِنُ تَرْضَوْنَهَا أَحَبَّ إِلَيْكُم مِّنَ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَجِهَادٍ فِي سَبِيلِهِ فَتَرَبَّصُوا حَتَّىٰ يَأْتِيَ اللَّهُ بِأَمْرِهِ ۗ وَاللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الْفَاسِقِينَ
"If your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your wives, your relatives, wealth which you have obtained, commerce wherein you fear decline, and dwellings with which you are pleased are more beloved to you than Allah and His Messenger and Jihad in His cause, then wait until Allah executes His command. Allah does not guide the disobedient people." [9:24]
By: Musa C.
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