Dear Brothers and Sisters!

One of the greatest truths in the life we ​​live is that one day we will leave this world we were born into. Allah (swt) says,  “Every soul will taste death. Then to Us will you be returned.”[1] Death is a reality that cannot be avoided. In another verse, Allah (swt) says: “Say, ‘Indeed, the death from which you flee – indeed, it will meet you. Then you will be returned to the Knower of the unseen and the witnessed, and He will inform you about what you used to do.’”[2]

Dear Brothers and Sisters!

The most important reason why Allah (swt) created us from nothing and gave us life is the test. In the verse I read, the purpose of Allah’s creation of life and death is mentioned as follows: “[He] who created death and life to test you [as to] which of you is best in deed – and He is the Exalted in Might, the Forgiving.”[3] The most important reason that puts our test difficult and prevents us from being successful is that we get carried away with the fleeting pleasures of worldly life. It is to give much more value to the life of this world than we should give and to forget the eternal life of the hereafter.

Dear Brothers and Sisters!
Our endless desires and ambitions for the world will never make us happy. In this respect, in a hadith narrated from our beloved Prophet (saw) he said, “If Adam’s son had a valley full of gold, he would like to have two valleys, for nothing fills his mouth except dust. And Allah forgives him who repents to Him.”[4]

Our demands for the temporary world will overwhelm us with pain and sorrow. As Yunus Emre once said, “He who has the world’s troubles has as much trouble as the world.” No person who has ever lived on earth has been able to achieve all his wishes and satisfy all his desires.

Dear Jama’ah!

In order not to incline to the temporary world and not to forget the hereafter, we need to remember the certain death frequently. A Companion came to our Prophet (saw) and asked: “Which believer is wiser, O Messenger of Allah?”

Rasulallah (saw) then replied by saying:

“He is the person who remembers death frequently and makes the best preparations for the afterlife. Here are the real wise people.”[5]

Frequently remembering death, which we forget due to the daily rush of life, will control our endless passion for the world. It will almost put a brake on our worries about the temporary world, and it will be instrumental in us holding on to our worship and obedience in order to win the eternal hereafter.

May Allah (swt) make us servants among those who remember death, which is the greatest lesson, and thus enrich the world of the heart. Ameen!

[1] Surah Al-Ankabut, 29:57

[2] Surah Al-Jumuah, 62:8

[3] Surah Al-Mulk, 67:2

[4] Buhârî, Rikâk, 10

[5] İbn Mâce, Zühd, 31

Khutbe-Living Correctly By Remembering Death