"What Do You Want To Be Remembered For After You Die?"

"What Do You Want To Be Remembered For After You Die?"

In his khutbah, Riad Ouarzazi mentioned that this was the question posed by his psychology lecturer at the end of his Masters Course -and subsequently the question he posed back to us... Human beings come and go, they live and they die, and so will you. But the question is: What legacy do you want to leave behind after you go?

Since then, this very important question that constantly lingers in my head - and provides the motivational boost to fuel and inspire the things that I do.

Recently, Dr. Sheikh Said bin Ali Wahf Al-Qahtani passed away (rahimahUllah); and his passing struck a chord on the powerful relevance of this question. 

Sheikh Said Al-Qahtani - a student of Sheikh bin Baz - was the author of Hisnul Muslim, a book compiling the supplications and azkar (words of remembrance) from the authentic narrations from the sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, in specific situations in our daily lives - what to recite when waking up, when riding our vehicle, entering the home, during eating, morning/evening dzikir, for the host, when visiting the sick, when someone shows kindness and does something for you, etc - pretty much every situation.

The title Hisnul Muslim literally translates to "Fortress of the Muslim", symbolizing the function and purpose of supplication - especially if implemented on a continuous and daily basis - as the stronghold of a Muslim's protection from evil/harm in this life and the Hereafter, and the foundations to provide the spiritual strength and motivation throughout one's life.

What is amazing is, how widespread this book has been distributed over the world and used by the Muslim nation. Hisnul Muslim translated over 20 languages, has been republished by numerous different publishers across the globe, even made into mobile phone applications by various developers across Android/iOS platforms. Because of its simple and compact nature and is sold for RM5 or less, it's the favorite "go-to" option to give out as free gifts to others.

A quick search of "Hisnul Muslim" at the Android Play Store revealed that this book - through various different apps and app publishers - has over TWELVE MILLION downloads (and that doesn’t include the iOS App store). And Allah Knows Best the number of hard copies sold, distributed and read from as we speak!

In other words, if there ever was an Islamic book in our times which can be described as "viral" - Hisnul Muslim would be that book. 

Imagine just how much reward Sheikh Said Al-Qahtani is getting for this one book! 

Through this book is how I personally came to learn - for the first time - many of these supplications, and slowly make it a habit to memorize and implement on a continuous basis, and many friends and family members I personally know. Every single time we recite these du'aa  - the Sheikh gets a reward for it: even after his death. And some of these du'aa/dzikir are repeated so frequently it becomes seared into our subconscious and we do it effortlessly. And so as we read every single dzikr/supplication we benefitted from these writings, our good deeds are "effortlessly" deposited into the Sheikh's account of good deeds rahimahUllah - even after he has passed away.

It is inspiring to note regarding the simple nature of the book itself. It is not a super-complicated research thesis or complex academic discourse: it's simply a compilation of du'aa from the books of hadith.

The striking point here is that there are already other books of this nature written by other scholars in the past, which also document the supplications and words of remembrance from the sunnah.

But somehow, Hisnul Muslim is the one that sticks and "goes viral" in our generation : both digitally and in print. ِAnd this - insha Allah - is a sign of Qabool (acceptance) and ikhlas, true sincerity.

If we do our tasks sincerely and do it well, sometimes the simplest things have the greatest impact on others.

The same holds true for anything in life - helping others, giving charity, positive words of encouragement,  giving advice: sometimes 2 minutes of advice can be more impactful than 2-hour lecture, if we put our hearts to it.

Back in my secondary school days, my tuition teacher once said, that if you want to be successful in life, think of something which you can invent, that is cheap and something that "everyone" - i.e. the masses of people - needs. Then you've strike jackpot and will be "set for life".

And in this context, it would seem here by this one achievement Sheikh Said here struck jackpot for his Akhirah. It is worth noting here that this isn't the only book authored by the Sheikh - he in fact wrote many more. And thus his contributions towards the ummah is more than meets the eye which only Allah Knows!

And for that, I have some serious ghibtah - yakni positive healthy jealousy - towards the Sheikh, to inspire us to continuously rethink what we can do to generate our constant 'investment' for our hereafter.

What can I contribute that will continue to benefit the society - and the ummah at large - after I depart from this world?

اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لَهُ وَارْحَمْهُ وَعَافِهِ وَاعْفُعَنْهُ
May Allah Forgive him, have Mercy on him, and pardon him.

The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said : 

إِذَا مَاتَ الإِنْسَانُ انْقَطَعَ عَنْهُ عَمَلُهُ إِلاَّ مِنْ ثَلاَثَةٍ إِلاَّ مِنْ صَدَقَةٍ جَارِيَةٍ أَوْ عِلْمٍ يُنْتَفَعُ بِهِ أَوْ وَلَدٍ صَالِحٍ يَدْعُو لَهُ
"When a man dies, all of his deeds come to an end, except for three: 

• recurring charity, or 
• knowledge (by which people) benefit, 
• or a pious son, who prays for him (for the deceased)."

(Narrated by Muslim) 

مَنْ سَنَّ فِي الإِسْلاَمِ سُنَّةً حَسَنَةً فَعُمِلَ بِهَا بَعْدَهُ كُتِبَ لَهُ مِثْلُ أَجْرِ مَنْ عَمِلَ بِهَا وَلاَ يَنْقُصُ مِنْ أُجُورِهِمْ شَىْءٌ  
"Whomsoever introduces a good practice in Islam which was followed after him (by others), he would be assured the reward like one who followed it, without their rewards being diminished in any respect."
(Narrated by Muslim)

لاَ حَسَدَ إِلاَّ فِي اثْنَتَيْنِ رَجُلٌ آتَاهُ اللَّهُ مَالاً فَسَلَّطَهُ عَلَى هَلَكَتِهِ فِي الْحَقِّ، وَرَجُلٌ آتَاهُ اللَّهُ حِكْمَةً فَهْوَ يَقْضِي بِهَا وَيُعَلِّمُهَا
"There is (to be) no envy, except in two: 
a person whom Allah has given wealth and he spends it in the Right Path, 
and a person whom Allah has given wisdom (i.e. religious knowledge) and he gives his decisions accordingly and teaches it to the others." 
(Narrated by Al-Bukhari)