Flowers at My Grave
The most dangerous disease that will ever strike man is procrastination. As humans, we tend to carry this trait dominantly.
I remember an incident that happened to a fifth grade peer. She was a year older than me, and even though we didn’t know each other very well, we were distant friends.
Lana* was around 10 years old. She went to my same school in Saudi Arabia, and I looked up to her because she began wearing hijab that year. Lana was smart and beautiful, unique, and particularly funny. I especially admired Lana for finding the courage to wear the hijab at such a young age.
At the year’s end, Lana’s world changed. The city of Riyadh was showered with unexpected bombings. Lana’s house was even bombed, but she survived along with her family, unhurt. Naturally, though, the bombings were a huge scare for the city, and our school was worried and concerned about student safety, so they decided to end school early.
As the year came to an end, Lana and her family left to her older brother’s high school graduation. It was a wonderful, happy event, until they left home. It was written down for Lana to die that evening. Her family was in a car accident, and by the will of Allah, the angel of death visited her that night.
Verily! With Allah (Alone) is the knowledge of the Hour, He sends down the rain, and knows that which is in the wombs. No person knows what he will earn tomorrow, and no person knows in what land he will die. Verily, Allah is All Knower, All Aware (of things).[Surat Luqman: 34]
When I got a phone call the next morning (I was only 9), I didn’t really get it. My mind couldn’t wrap itself around her death, her departure from this world. Now that I remember this incident, and the beautiful girl Lana once was, it truly inspires and reminds me of how life is so unexpectedly short.
Lana began wearing the hijab, and who could have known that she was to die that particular year? Lana may have sensed her upcoming death, because earlier the day of the accident, she went around giving people flowers, telling them to put the flowers at her grave. But no one knows exactly when their time will come, and many die without warning. Subhan Allah – Lana’s house had been bombed earlier that year, but Allah willed her to die in a different state! Now, as I ponder the past, I feel so content and happy that Lana made her decision to wear hijab when she did.
For all of us procrastinators out there, just remember: life is short. Lana was only 10 when she wore hijab; she may not have reached puberty yet, and if that was the case, Allah would not have held her accountable for not wearing hijab. But Lana was also only 10 when she died. Death can come to any of us at any moment. Imagine if Lana was someone who knew she had to wear hijab, someone who hijab was an obligation for, but she decided it wasn’t time yet. What would it have been like for such a person? Never procrastinate an act of good thinking they’ll “always be time later.”
Someone once told me long time ago that you are never ready for something until you actually take the first step in doing it. That is when you are ready.
No person knows what he will earn tomorrow, and no person knows in what land he will die. [Surat Luqman: 34]
Who knows if tomorrow will ever come. As for the present, hear a command and don’t hesitate to obey.
*Name has been changed.
View Comments
Trackbacks
- Flowers at My Grave « A World of Dreams
- Rant: Stories like this make me angry.. « The Heretical Mind of a 'Bad' Muslim
‘Someone once told me long time ago that you are never ready for something until you actually take the first step in doing it. That is when you are ready.’
SubhanAllah – it’s that first step that is usually the hardest… and thinking of this, it isn’t just hijab we put aside – how many other things are we saying ‘we’ll do it tomorrow’ and we never do?
May Allah swt give us the tawfique to implement His commandments once we learn of them, Ameen!
Beautiful article, jazakiAllahu khayrn! <3
The Prophet salla Allahu alayhi wasallam said, “Remember often the destroyer of pleasures, death.” [at-Tirmithi, an- Nasaa'i, Ibn Majah]
Stories of people who died (especially people we know) help put so many things into perspective! Jazaki Allahu khayran for sharing this.
JazakAllah khair for this….
it really makes me think..makes me want to do good now because I don’t know if there will be a later…
@ Sarah; wa iyaaki my dear :)
@ Bint Abdel Hamid; subhanAllah, after this incident we learnt so many lessons, not just about procrastination but daily one’s like ‘put on ur seatbelt’. But after deaths of people we know it really does change us a lot subhanAllah– jazakiAllahu khairun habibty
@ Mahvish; wa iayaaki, alhamduliah :)
jazakAllah khair !!!
Wa iyaaki Anusha :)
Subhanallah… This story really helped making me realize how procrastinating can be bad.
Jazzakillahu Khayra…^_^
Allahu Akbar! so true
mashaAllah. awesome.
made me cry.
inshaAllah i will stand up for my Muslim brothers and sisters
i pray that Allah swt gives me and all of us the sterngth to do that ameen :)
loved it DAno-jazakAllah <3
jazakumAllahu khairun :)
@ Maryam – ameeen!
Asalamualaikum,
jazakallahukhairan for this good reminder.. and ameen for the duahs!!
wallahi this life is just a day or part of a day, betta make it good use of it because we r just strangers in this dunia……
Masha'allah, beutiful article.
SubhanAllah, such a good reminder and story…
Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raaji'oon, from Him we come and to Him we'll return.
Jazakallah for sharing. Allah blessed Lana (or whatever her name might've been) with a great privilege, to have made the choice to wear Hijab before her life ended.
Thanks for the reminder…