“What will people say?”

What Will People Say? The greatest deprivation in life is not poverty, obscurity, or weakness. The greatest deprivation is spending an entire lifetime seeking a place in the eyes of people while losing your place in the sight of Allah. This world is a strange stage. Here, almost everyone is a prisoner of other people's opinions. Some beautify their clothes for people, others decorate their homes, their status, or their speech. Sadly, some even shape their religion according to what others approve of. Prayer is delayed because a gathering should not be interrupted. A beard is not kept because, "What will people say?" Proper hijab is neglected because society may call it old-fashioned. The truth remains unspoken because relationships might suffer. And so, an entire life is sacrificed to one sentence: "What will people say?" But have you ever asked yourself, in the silence of your heart: **"If my soul were to leave my body today, what would Allah say about me?" This is the question we spend our lives avoiding, even though death brings it closer with every passing moment. Allah says in the Qur'an: ﴿وَجَاءَتْ سَكْرَةُ الْمَوْتِ بِالْحَقِّ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ مَا كُنتَ مِنْهُ تَحِيدُ﴾ "And the agony of death will come in truth. That is what you were trying to avoid."(Surah Qaf 50:19) Pause and reflect. One day, the sun will rise just as it always has. The markets will open. People will go to work. Cars will continue to move. Laughter will still be heard. But on that day, you will not be among them. Your name will simply become a piece of news: "He has passed away." Then your body will be washed. The body you spent years grooming before mirrors will lie motionless. The face that once smiled will be wrapped in a white shroud. The hands that struggled to gather the treasures of this world will be folded upon your chest. The feet that traveled countless roads will never move again. Then your funeral prayer will be offered. Shoulders will carry your coffin. Some eyes will shed tears. Some tongues will recite: إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ "Indeed, we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we shall return." And then... Everyone will return home. The house that once echoed with your voice will become silent. The chair where you used to sit will be occupied by someone else. The wealth you spent a lifetime collecting will be divided among your heirs. The world you thought belonged to you will belong to someone else in a single moment. But there is one place where no one will accompany you. Your grave. There, your title will not matter. Your status will not matter. Your loved ones will not matter. Your social media followers will not matter. Your fame will not matter. Only two things will remain: Allah... and your deeds. Imam Al-Ghazali (may Allah have mercy on him) wrote that one of the greatest causes of heedlessness is that although people know death is certain, they never believe it is near. How remarkable it is: We plan for next year... Yet we have no guarantee of the next moment. We save wealth for our children's future... Yet we neglect to save righteous deeds for our own graves. A harsh word from people hurts us deeply... Yet we hardly fear the displeasure of Allah. On the Day of Judgment, no friend, family member, group, or worldly rank will stand beside us. Allah says: ﴿يَوْمَ يَفِرُّ الْمَرْءُ مِنْ أَخِيهِ ۝ وَأُمِّهِ وَأَبِيهِ ۝ وَصَاحِبَتِهِ وَبَنِيهِ ۝ لِكُلِّ امْرِئٍ مِّنْهُمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ شَأْنٌ يُغْنِيهِ﴾ > "On that Day, a man will flee from his brother, and from his mother and father, and from his wife and his children. Every person, on that Day, will have enough concern of his own."(Surah 'Abasa 80:34–37) Therefore... If the whole world is displeased with you, but Allah is pleased with you, then you are truly successful. But if the whole world praises you while Allah is displeased with you, then you possess nothing of lasting value. Remember: People's opinions survive only for a few days. Allah's judgment lasts forever. So before making any decision in life, ask yourself only one question: "Will this deed illuminate my grave, or will it darken it?" If this question becomes alive in your heart, countless worldly desires will fade away on their own. Supplication اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْ خَيْرَ أَعْمَالِنَا خَوَاتِيمَهَا، وَخَيْرَ أَيَّامِنَا يَوْمَ نَلْقَاكَ، وَاجْعَلْ قُبُورَنَا رَوْضَةً مِنْ رِيَاضِ الْجَنَّةِ، وَلَا تَجْعَلْهَا حُفْرَةً مِنْ حُفَرِ النِّيرَانِ، وَثَبِّتْنَا عِنْدَ السُّؤَالِ، وَيَسِّرْ لَنَا الْجَوَابَ، وَارْزُقْنَا حُسْنَ الْخَاتِمَةِ، وَاجْعَلْ آخِرَ كَلَامِنَا مِنَ الدُّنْيَا: لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ، وَاحْشُرْنَا مَعَ النَّبِيِّينَ وَالصِّدِّيقِينَ وَالشُّهَدَاءِ وَالصَّالِحِينَ، وَاغْفِرْ لَنَا وَلِوَالِدِينَا وَلِجَمِيعِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ، يَا أَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِينَ. آمِين. Translation: O Allah, make the best of our deeds the last of them, make the best of our days the day we meet You, make our graves gardens from the gardens of Paradise and not pits from the pits of the Fire. Grant us firmness when we are questioned, make our answers easy, bless us with a good ending, and let the last words we utter in this world be: "Lā ilāha illallāh, Muhammadur Rasūlullāh." Gather us among the Prophets, the truthful, the martyrs, and the righteous. Forgive us, our parents, and all the Muslims. O Most Merciful of those who show mercy. Āmīn. Written by: Shaykh Abu Ibrahim Israr Ahmad (may Allah preserve him), Graduate of Jamia Uloom-ul-Islamia, Allama Banuri Town, and Teacher at Hidayah Academy, Karachi.