Life is so fragile!

Today was a sad day; A friend of mine lost her husband. She is a friend but I refer to her as aunty because she’s much older than me. Anyway, they spent most of their lives together. I remember whenever I went to her house her husband was around, (he was a doctor so he got to decide his own work hours). He was a friendly uncle, someone down to earth and easygoing. I always remember thinking that they had such a good relationship. Up until recently they were studying further together, and they’d always be able to talk to you about important world events and such stuff.

As I waited at the hospital for this aunty to emerge from the room where her husband had just passed away I didn’t know what to say or think. Every time someone passes away it’s the same thing, the inevitability of death hits you hard. When she emerged I couldn’t believe that it was the same person I knew. It’s been a while since I last saw her but not that long. Today she looked tired, thin and sad. A vague resemblance of the bubbly and vibrant woman I’d sit with and happily discuss all types of issues. This reminded me of exactly how fragile life is. People are here and then before you know it, they’re gone. We take our health for granted, but this is something we should be more thankful of.

In our ladies workshops we learn about the stories of the Prophet’s (May Allah’s Peace and Blessings be upon them all). It’s strange that just this morning we learnt about a lady in the time of Nuh (AS) who came to complain to the Prophet Nuh that her baby had died. When Nuh (AS) asked her how old the baby was, she said he was something like 350 years old (I hope I have the number correct). Then Nuh (AS) told her that there will come a time when people will only live for about 70 years, and she said that if she had such a short lifespan she’d spend every day in sajdah (prostration to Allah). This is how precious our time on this earth is, but still we take life for granted.

We live like we’re going to live forever, we’ve forgotten that death is around the corner and that the grave awaits us. We’ve overlooked the hereafter and we act like we will have forever to repent and to change our ways. Life is fragile, it’s over in a flash, before you know it the people who were laughing and talking are gone! Soon, we will be amongst those who have passed. Have we prepared enough?

Life is so short, on the day of judgement it will seem like we were on this earth for a day only. The hereafter is eternal. I know it’s hard and we get caught up in this world, but Inshaa Allah perhaps we should all try to work harder for the hereafter and remember that life is indeed extremely fragile.

May the Almighty give peace to all those who have passed away. May Allah save them from the punishment in the grave and give them Jannah (paradise). And May Allah make it easy for the families of those who have passed. Inshaa Allah Ameen.