A BIRTHDAY WARNING:FATHER TO SON

Dear Son, I wish to wish you well on your entrance into your 18th birthday and what is called in most of the states of the United States, adulthood. This means that you are now legally able to sign contracts, make lawful decisions for yourself, contract debts and much more. You can now, of your own accord legally enter into the sinful things of this society of your own accord because of you new age. I have tried to raise you from birth to be a Muslim and be a good Muslim. This was/is my duty to you and a right which you have over me. I pray that I have done it well, for if I have, then my work, with you, will be a continuing charity and blessing for me as I enter the grave, and it is inevitable that I die, and you live on, and a further extension of that charity will come to me by how you effect others in life and help others, Muslims and non Muslims. Know that If I have sinned, that the goodness of your life will find relief for you father even in the grave -- we have talked about life in the grave -- for I have done what I thought was right and best. We are told in hadith that each of us have three brothers, family, wealth and deeds, and at the time of death our [1] family take our body and wash it to be committed to the earth, and our [2] family take our wealth, to dispurse amongst themselves, but our [3] deeds, good or bad, go into the grave with us, as a help or a harm, and that continuing charity and good deeds help the sinner as well as the sincere prayers of those faithful remaining. I admonish you, now son, having reached the age of 18, to continue to live your life so that I might find relief in the grave and the next life, for while you may think your father have no fears, while you were growning up, as most children do, this is his greatest fear, that he did not please his Lord and did not do all that he could have done to prepare your for life in this world and prepared himself for the grave and the next life to which he will go, for I have tried to bring you up in Islam. Please read the following hadith from the Sahih Bukhari: Volume 1, Book 11, Number 629: Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet said, "Allah will give shade, to seven, on the Day when there will be no shade but His. (These seven persons are) a just ruler, a youth who has been brought up in the worship of Allah (i.e. worships Allah sincerely from childhood), a man whose heart is attached to the mosques (i.e. to pray the compulsory prayers in the mosque in congregation), two persons who love each other only for Allah's sake and they meet and part in Allah's cause only, a man who refuses the call of a charming woman of noble birth for illicit intercourse with her and says: I am afraid of Allah, a man who gives charitable gifts so secretly that his left hand does not know what his right hand has given (i.e. nobody knows how much he has given in charity), and a person who remembers Allah in seclusion and his eyes are then flooded with tears." There will come a time when did with be not more in this likfe. You wil not be able to reach me by telephone or live with me or visit or take a car ride or seek my advice or council or guidance and I will be sealed to this life. Look at the following hadith from one of the sahaba about his understanding and learning: "'Abdullah bin 'Umar said, "Allah's Apostle (صلى الله عليه و سلم) took hold of my shoulder and said, "Be in this world as if you were a stranger or a traveller.".... Ibn 'Umar used to say, "If you survive till the evening, do not expect to be alive in the morning, and if you survive till the morning, do not expect to be alive in the evening, and take from your health for your sickness, and (take) from your life for your death." [Sahih bukhari:5973] We do not know when or in what land at what time or under what circumstances we will be visited by the Angel of Death and our soul wiill be taken and we will have no other chance to say a last good by or give a last or lasting reminder or make a final pleas or make a final dua' or salat for you or for ourselves, and while we hope we die in ruku or sadja we still ask you to help your father by living the good Muslim life, going not astray, being serious about Islam and realizing the fire of hell is not what your father ever want to taste or feel or experience. Fight to be a good Muslim like you would fight against those whom you think are trying to harm your father. I have loved you since you were a little boy, shed tears when you were born, and called adhan and akhama for you at that time to start you off correctly. As you close your eyes in death, and I hope this is long after me, the adhan would have already been called for you and the Imam would only have to make the funeral prayer. Now you are on your own. I would love to know you, my offspring thru you and their offspring and their after them and play with you and talk with you in the next life, in the paradise, and if I do not go there or am not found worthy, I wish that you make it. This is my love for you, my son. I have asked Allah [S] to let me die in faith and in worship. I ask that you strive to do the same. [1] Worship Allah [S] as if you see Him and while you do not see him know that He see you. [2] Live as if adhan has been called [and indeed it did call it for yu when your were born] and you are waiting for salat to begin. [3] Respect your elders and give them their rights. [4] Marry, do not commit unlawful sexual acts. [5] Guide your offspring to Islam and fight for them to be Muslim, even if their mother go astray. [6] know that Allah [S]is always a friend even if everyone else turn away from you. [7] Know that heaven and hell is real and all of us must account for out deeds, though it may seem, in this life there will not be an accountin.[8] Know that it is lawful to weep in the heart and shed tears but do not allow for or permit unnecessary display of emotions like screaming and emotional rants and beating of chest and throwing or dust. [9] visit the grave for Prophet Muhammad [P] visited the graves of the martyrs of Uhud and after him Khalifa Abu Bakr [RA] and Umar [RA] did the same, and it is written that those if the grave know som eone is there. Muhammad Ibn Wasi [RA] is reported to have said: "The dead recognize those who visit the graves on Thursday and Friday." Furthermore, son, know that we have been told that the Holy Prophet [P] says that the dead body feels immense pain so please do not allow anyone to cut me or embalm me or burn me [cremate] but just the washing and incense and dua.