and remain heedless whilst death stands over us. The terrifying pit of the grave lies before us, yet we do not rectify ourselves. We will be resurrected on the Day of Judgement, yet we remain oblivious.

The affair of the grave is not easy

Dear Islamic brothers, we may have seen people pass away before our own eyes, but remember, dying is not easy. We may have even shrouded a deceased person; shrouding someone else is easy, but being shrouded is not. We may have carried a coffin, but lying in a coffin and being lifted is not easy. We may have lowered many people into their graves; lowering someone else is easy, but being lowered into a grave is not easy. It is certainly a most difficult affair.

Contemplate the moment if our soul is pulled out from our body like a thorny twig is wrenched violently from a bundle of wool. Every single part of our body would be in pain, pain that would be more intense than the strike of a thousand swords. In this dire situation, there would be no one to comfort us. Our parents, children, siblings, and close relatives would stand by our head, unable to aid us, all left staring helplessly.

We would be unable to express our pain to anyone, unable to converse. Around us would be sounds of grief and crying. Our wealth, bank balance, cars, houses, strength, status and degrees would no longer be of any avail. Our clothes will be removed from our bodies, and a new shroud put over us. Our own loved ones will raise us up on their shoulders, lay us in a dark grave, pour soil over us and depart. We will hear their footsteps but not be able to call them.

The pain will be like never experienced before, as will the solitude. Yet, it will not stop here. These calamities will have just come to pass. We will only have just arrived in our new abode, not yet accustomed to this new solitude. The pain of our souls being extracted will still be