Dr. Bilal Philips' Blog

Ibn ‘Abbaas related that during the illness from which Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) died, he came out with a piece of cloth tied around his head and sat on the podium (mimbar). He then thanked and praised Allaah, saying: “Indeed there is no one who has given more of himself and his wealth to me than Aboo Bakr, the son of Aboo Quhaafah. If I were to take a person as my close personal friend, it would be Aboo Bakr, but the friendship of Islaam is better.” Collected al-Bukhaaree (Sahih Al-Bukhari, vol. 5, pp. 5-6, no. 6).

The abode of the souls of the Prophets is the level in paradise of the uppermost company (ar-rafeeq al-a‘laa). It is the uppermost part of the ‘illiyyoon, the highest level of the seventh heaven. Prophet Muhammad’s wife, ‘Aa’ishah, reported that at the last moment of his life the Prophet (PBUH) called out, “O Allaah, forgive me, have mercy upon me and admit me to ar-rafeeq al-a‘laa.” Rafeeq here refers to a group of prophets who occupy the uppermost part of the seventh heaven (An-Nihaayah, vol. 2, p. 246. See also Qur’aan 4:69. Sahih Al-Bukhari, vol. 7, p. 392, no. 578 and Sahih Muslim, vol. 4, p. 1301, no. 5986.

In the Islamic system, each and every human act can be transformed into an act of worship. In fact, God commands the believers to dedicate their whole lives to Him. In chapter al-A‘raaf, Allaah says:“Say: ‘Surely my prayer, my sacrifice, my living and my dying are for Allaah, the Lord of all the worlds.’ ” Qur’aan, 7:162. However, for that dedication to be acceptable to Allaah, each act must fulfill two basic conditions: FIRST, THE ACT MUST BE DONE SINCERELY FOR the pleasure of God and not for the recognition and praise of human beings. The believer also has to be conscious of God while doing the deed to insure that it is not something forbidden by Allaah or the last Messenger (PBUH). THE SECOND CONDITION IS THAT THE ACT BE done in accordance with the prophetic way, called in Arabic the sunnah. All of the prophets instructed their followers to follow their way because they were guided by God. What they taught were divinely revealed truths and only those who followed their way and accepted the truths would inherit eternal life in paradise.

The souls of the righteous believers meet each other, according to the orthodox Islamic view. This position is based upon the hadeeth in which Masrooq reported that on one occasion the companions said to Allaah’s Messenger (PBUH), “It is not right for us to part company with you in this world because when you die and are raised up [into the heavens], we will not be able to see you.” Then Allaah, the Exalted, revealed the following verse: “Whoever obeys Allaah and the Messenger will be in the company of those whom Allaah has shown favor—the Prophets, the affirmers of truth, the martyrs and the righteous. What a wonderful company they are.” According to Ibn al-Qayyim, this “wonderful company” is established in this life, in the barzakh and in the Hereafter. Man is with whom he loves in these three stages of his soul’s existence, since there is no evidence restricting it to this life and Paradise only. The following prophetic tradition leaves no doubt that the pious souls are able to meet and converse with each other after their death. Abu Hurayrah quoted the Messenger of Allaah (PBUH) as saying, “Verily, when a believer is about to die, angels of mercy come to him… They take his soul to the souls of other believers, who are happier to meet him than one of you would be at the approach of his absent loved one. They ask him, ‘What did So-and-so do?’ ‘What did So-and-so do?’ Some of them say, ‘Let him be, because he was [just now] in the sadness of the world.’ ” Collected by an-Nasaa’ee and authenticated by al-Albaanee in Silsilah al-Ahaadeeth as-Saheehah, vol. 3, p. 293, no. 1309.

Both the trials of good and the tests of evil benefit the believer. The lives of the true believers are balanced between the extremes of human behavior. They neither become so happy with life’s successes that they forget God, nor do they become so depressed with life’s difficulties and failures that they lose hope in God. Instead, they remember their Lord and Benefactor, and trust in His decisions. Suhayb ibn Sinaan related that the Messenger of Allaah () said, “The affair of the believer is amazing! The whole of his life is beneficial, and that is only in the case of the believer. When good times come to him, he is thankful and it is good for him, and when bad times befall him, he is patient and it is also good for him.” This is the state of one who has accepted God’s destiny. Consequently, belief in both the good and the apparent evil of what has been destined is the seventh pillar of faith in Islaam.

The prayers of other Muslims on behalf of the dead will benefit the dead. In chapter al-Hashr (59):10, Allaah praises the believers who pray for those who have passed away before their time. Furthermore, the funeral prayer itself consists mostly of prayers for the dead. Safwaan said: I visited Abud-Dardaa’s home in Syria, but did not find him there. Ummud-Dardaa asked [me]: Are you going to make Hajj this year? I said yes and she said: Pray to Allaah for good for us, for the Prophet (PBUH) said: “The prayer of a Muslim for his brother Muslim in his absence will be answered. There is an assigned angel near his head who says: ‘Amen and may the same be for you,’ as long as he prays for the good of his brother.” I left and went to the market place where I met Abud-Dardaa and he related from the Prophet (PBUH) the same as that. Sahih Muslim, vol.4, p.1429, no.6590.

Ibn ‘Abbaas reported that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said:
“The best water on the face of the earth is the water from the well of Zamzam. It satisfies the stomach and cures the sick.” Collected by Ibn Hibbaan in his Saheeh and at-Tayaalasee [S.J.S. 3322]. The spring which miraculously appeared in the desert plain of Makkah where Hagar, wife of Prophet Abraham, was left with her young son, Ishmael, according to God’s command to Prophet Abraham. Zamzama in Arabic means ‘abundant water.’ The Arab Jurhum tribe came and settled there because of the presence of water, and a well was dug around it. Prophet Abraham later returned and built the first house of worship (the Ka‘bah) near the well of Zamzam. The Jurhum tribe later filled in the well and it was Prophet Muhammad’s grandfather, ‘Abdul-Muttalib, who rediscovered it many centuries later. The well of Zamzam currently lies to the southeast of the Ka‘bah, opposite the corner of the Black Stone. Drinking Zamzam is a part of the rituals of Hajj in commemoration of Hagar’s patient struggle and ultimate success.

Since there is only One God, and humankind are one species, the religion which God has ordained for human beings is one. He did not prescribe one religion for the Jews, another for Indians, yet another for Europeans, etc. Human spiritual and social needs are uniform and human nature has not changed since the first man and woman were created. Consequently, no other religion is acceptable to God besides Islaam, as He clearly states in chapter Aal ‘Imraan of the final revelation. .“Surely Allaah’s religion is Islaam.” Qur’aan, 3:19.

“And whoever desires a religion besides Islaam will not have it accepted, and he will be among the losers in the hereafter.” Qur’aan, 3:85

According to authentic narrations, Munkar and Nakeer are two angels who will question each person following their death. The Prophet (PBUH) was reported to have said: “When a dead man is buried, two bluish-black angels will come to him. One of them is called Munkar and the other Nakeer. They will ask, ‘What did you used to say about this man?’ If he was a believer, he will reply, ‘He is the servant of Allaah and His messenger…’ ” rated authentic (hasan) by al-Albaanee in Silsilah al-Ahaadeeth as-Saheehah vol. 3, no. 1391, pp. 379-380.

The companions of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) used to recite chapters and verses of the Qur’aan as a cure for possession as well as other illnesses. The uncle of Khaarijah ibn as-Salt reported that he went to the Prophet (PBUH) and embraced Islaam. During his return journey, he came across a tribe which had among them a madman fettered in iron chains. The madman’s family said to him, “We have been informed that your companion [i.e., Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)] has come with good. Do you have anything with which to treat illnesses?” He recited over him Faatihah al-Kitaab, and he got well. [In another narration it stated : “He recited over him Faatihah al-Kitaab every morning and evening for three days. Whenever he would finish his recitation, he would gather his saliva and spit. And he got well.”] They gave him one hundred sheep [but he was in doubt about whether he should accept them] so he went back to Allaah’s Messenger and informed him of the incident. The Prophet (PBUH) asked him, “Did you recite anything else besides this?” He replied that he had not. The Prophet (PBUH) then said, “Take them, for by my religion, whoever devours the payment for a false incantation will be destroyed. Indeed, you have eaten the price of a truthful incantation.” authenticated by al-Albaanee in Saheeh Sunan Abee Daawood, vol. 2, p. 737, no. 3297.