By Ishola Balogun
Bismillahi Rahamani Raheem.Wasalatu wasalam ala seyidina Muhammad, wa ala alihi, wa ashabihi, wasselim.

“Whoever works righteousness — whether male or female — while he (or she) is a true believer (of Islamic Monotheism) verily, to him We will give a good life (in this world with respect, contentment and lawful provision), and We shall pay them certainly a reward in proportion to the best of what they used to do (i.e. Paradise in the Hereafter)” {al-Nahl 16:97}

It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allaah (s.a.w) said: “Hasten to do good deeds before there come tribulations like pieces of a dark night, when a man will be a believer in the morning and a kaafir by evening, or he will be a believer in the evening and a kaafir by morning, selling his religious commitment for worldly gain.” Narrated by Muslim.

The sermon on good deed is not only a weekly affair at Jumat service, we hear it every day but many still prefer to strive for materialism and values that will give nothing other than pain even after one ceased to live. Every good deed we do counts for us in this life and in the hereafter.

If our politicians, leaders at various areas of our lives are conscious of the fact that it pays to always do good; if the community leaders jettisoned the quest for money-money-money and concentrate on good deeds to the people and deliver service to humanity; and if only we realise that whatever we do in this transcient world will count for us in our eternal abode, the world might be better than what it is. Every thing in life will lose its value in the hereafter but what will remain evergreen is your work.

Once Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w), was sitting amidst his companions in the mosque, and suddenly he said: “Today I shall narrate a story to you all, which will reveal three riddles for all of you to solve”. There was a grave-yard silence and the crowd with keen interest, listened to the riddles.

The Prophet (s.a.w) said A man at one time got to know that death was fast approaching him. With this knowledge, he feared his loneliness in the grave and went searching for true friends who could accompany him. Yes! a dear friend that would accompany his friend in the grave.

He met his first friend and asked whether he could help. The friend said, “of course, what are we here for.” But then the man went on to say that he had very few days to live after which he would have to be with him in the grave.

As soon as his friend got the message clearly, he said: “I am sorry but when death do us apart, there is nothing we can do for each other.  He went further to say “I could only buy you a place in the graveyard and some pieces of cloth to cover your dead body.”  Grieved but looking forward to his next friend, the man moved on.

On meeting his second friend, and after narrating his story and his request, the same answer was his fate again. His second friend said “I have been there with you all your life and can only help you here. But there’s nothing I can do for you after you die other than take your corpse to the graveyard and bury you.”

Deep in agony and despair, he headed for the third friend  with a tinge of hope.   When he met the third friend, and told him his story and that he needed his help; the friend eagerly volunteered to help. But the man continued to say: “I need help after I die.”

The third friend replied, “Do not worry, my dear friend! I shall accompany you to the grave, be there with you in the grave, even when the angels arrive for questioning (Munkar and Nakir), I will be by your side, then assist you on the Pul-e-Sirat  bridge and then lead you to heaven. To this, the man heaved a sigh of relief and then passed away in peace.

The Prophet (s.a.w) then turned and asked his companions to identify the three friends and the man. There was silence and when they could not proffer an answer to it, the prophet said: “The man in the anecdote is any other human being.” The first friend is “money/wealth”, things that help us only in life and not after we die.

The second friend is our “family/children/sons and daughters”, we strive for them all our life and all they give us is a shoulder to the grave.

And the third and most important friend is “Aamal (deeds)”. This will accompany us all the way through. Money/weath, children or family members cannot help when each one of us will be alone in the grave. Our deeds whether good or bad will live with us eternally.

It is enough to remember William Shakespare “The evil that men do lives after them; the good is oft interred with their bones”, so shall it be with all mankind.

Aqeemu salat; Jumuatul-Mubarak.