minutes. If you invite those in the weekly Sunnah-inspiring Ijtima’ then they come up with lame excuses.

Remember! Consequence of falling prey to heedlessness and sins is nothing but destruction and devastation. Before the time of our death approaches and we enter our dark graves leaving this world forever, we should appreciate rest of our life and engage in performing virtuous deeds for the pleasure of Allah Almighty while being averted to the luxuries of this world. Let’s listen to an admonitory parable of those who were averted to this world and engaged themselves in preparing for their afterlife.

A strange nation

It is narrated that Sayyiduna Zul-Qarnayn رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ passed by a nation and saw that they did not possess any worldly belongings. They had dug numerous graves. In the daytime, they would clean them, offer Salah in them and satisfy their hunger by eating vegetables because no animal existed there whose meat they could consume.

Seeing their simple lifestyle astonished Sayyiduna Zul-Qarnayn رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ. Therefore, he رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ asked their chief: ‘I have seen you guys in such a state that I did not find any other nation in. What is the reason for it?’ When the chief asked the details of the question, then he رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ said: ‘I mean that you do not have any provisions of this world. You do not benefit from gold and silver either.’

The chief replied: ‘We considered gold and silver to be bad because whoever gets hold of a little bit of gold or silver, then he keeps running after them.’

He رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ inquired: ‘Why do you guys dig graves? In the daytime, you guys clean them and offer Salah in there?’

He replied: ‘It is for the reason that in case we fall prey to any greed of this world, then we abstain from it by looking at the graves.’