You will not die before your appointed time

 

(When their term is reached, neither can they delay it nor can they advance it an hour [or a moment].)

( Qur'an 7: 34)

 

This verse contains within it a consolation for cowards, those that die many deaths before their actual death. This verse tells us that for every person there is an appointed time to die: it cannot be brought forward, nor can it be held back, even if all of the creation were to join together in the attempt.

 

(And the stupor of death will come in truth…)  (Qur'an 50: 19)

 

And know that hoping in other than Allah is misery:

(T hen he had no group or party to help him against Allah, nor was he one of those who could save themselves.)  (Qur'an 28: 81)

 

Adh-Dhahabi's Siyer A'laam an-Nubalaa is a 20-volume work. It contains the biographies of scholars, kings, ministers, rulers, and poets. As I was reading some of their biographies, two points came to mind:

 

1. Whoever places his hopes or trust in something or someone other than Allah, then Allah will abandon him and make that thing or person the cause of his min.

 

(And verily they [Satans/Devils] hinder them from the Path [of Allah], but they think that they are guided aright!)  (Qur'an 43: 3 7)

 

For Fir'aun (Pharoah) it was status; for Qaaroon (Korah) it was wealth; for

 

Umayyah it was business; for Waleed it was his child:

(Leave Me Alone [to deal] with whom I created Alone [without any means, i.e. Al-waleed ibn al-Mughirah al-Makhzumi].)  (Quran 74: 11)

 

For Abu Jahl it was status; for Abu Lahab it was lineage; for Abu Muslim it was the throne; for Al-Mutanabbi it was fame; and for Al- Hajjaj it was power and authority.

 

Whoever seeks honor with Allah and does righteous deeds, Allah will honor him and bestow upon him ranking even if he has no wealth, status, or noble lineage.

 

For Bilal it was the call to prayer; for Sulmaan it was the Hereafter; for Suhaib it was his sacrifice; and for 'Ataa it was knowledge (may Allah be pleased with them all):

 

(And made the word of those who disbelieved the lowermost, while it was the Word of Allah that became the uppermost, and Allah is All- Mighty, All-wise.)

(Qur'an 9: 40)