On Maut

I am lying on the bed. My children, brothers and sisters are all sitting by my bedside. Some close friends too are standing and overlooking my face. Suddenly I start breathing with long breaths. Someone among the people sitting in the room, everyone around repeats with the reciter. My breath starts to ease out. I am opening my eyes and looking at something. The Angel of death has arrived. I am getting late for the eternal journey. My mouth has opened up. My brother is dropping some water into my mouth; it is perhaps the "Zam Zam" water which I had preserved for the very moment.

Then everyone starts to recite, "Laa'ilaaha illallaaha Muhammadur Rasoolullaah". I have lost my vision. I have lost my tongue, I have even lost my sensation but I can still hear. I can hear my loved ones weeping in grief. I'm not dead yet but I am almost lifeless. The Angel of death makes the final act and takes my soul out with an intensive jerk. I have now left this world.

All my wealth, cars, properties, bank balances, contacts and connections are of no use now. My identity is my grave and I am being referred to as 'dead body'. My near ones are preparing my grave and some of them think it as inauspicious to keep the dead body inside the house for too long. The house which I myself built and lived in is shrinking in space for me. My bath is being prepared. I am taken out in the compound for the final bath. My bathroom fitted with expensive bath fittings is not for me now.

I am being wrapped in the white cotton shroud. I am boxed in a wooden box for the travel to my grave. My expensive car is not for me now.

For what then did I amass so many worthless things? Why did I lie to earn the useless wealth? It is of no use to me. Woe to me for I wasted my life in vain. I forgot that my last journey is near and certain. Why did I sin so much? Oh! I have lost my game.

Now stop imagining! This is going to happen one day with you and me. So best start preparing.