In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful; blessings and peace be upon Prophet Muhammad s.a.w.
Reflection
The Declining Day (Al-'Asr)
1. By the declining day,
2. Lo! Man is in a state of loss,
3. Save those who believe and do good works, and exhort
one another to truth and exhort one another to endurance.
***
IT was 8.00 am Sunday, June 7th. I was at my parent's house discussing with my mother and father the schedules for the day. We were invited to some 'kenduris' (feasts). At 10 am there would be a 'kenduri' at a neighbour's house, at 11.00 amthere would be another 'kenduri' at another neighbour's house and there was also an invitation for a 'kenduri kahwin' (wedding feast) which I decided to attend after 'zuhur' (mid-day prayers).
It was drizzling then; but a few minutes later it rain cats and dogs. The downpour lasted for a few hours. If during the early hours of the weekend (Sunday) our hearts were cheerful and we were in full of spirit and eager to attend all the 'kenduris', but the 'unusual downpour' brought uneasy feelings in our hearts. As human beings we could only do the planning, Allah The Greatest (SWT) decides.
The sound of rain hitting the roof of the house became louder and louder and looking out of a door, I saw water from a big drain gushing into the small drain around my parent's house. It was an unusual sight. Normally water from the small drain would moved into the big drain but at that time it was the opposite.
In a few minutes time, water started flooding the lowest floor of the house such as the toilet's area and then the whole floor of the house was immersed in water.
Flood caused panic in many household including my parent's and neighbours'. We in the state of Melaka were 'not familiar to floods' compared to those living in the East Coast especially in Kelantan and Terengganu.
Members of my families were busy shifting things on the floor to higher places and soon as the water ceased a few hours later we were busy cleaning the house. As we were working hard doing our chores, we forgot some other important matters such as attending to the 'kenduris'! Subhanallah (Glory to God), 'a small test or trial' by Allah SWT caused 'havoc' in our lives.
Imagine what would be our reactions if we were being tested with bigger tribulations? If a small flood made our spirit down and our lives miserable, then what could be said to those who faced bigger disaster in which they lost their love ones and their properties such as earthquakes, tsunamis and hurricanes?
When people were to face tribulations involving their own lives, they would abandoned what were in their own hands. Regarding 'qiyamah' (end of the world), in a hadith narrated by Abu Huraiyah, the Prophet s.a.w. said: "On that Day parents will run from their children, the children will run from their parents, the mother who is nursing will abandon her child. The pregnant woman will abort. Every person will only be concerned about themselves on that terrible day. You will see the human beings as if they were in a drunken state (i.e. they will fall into a swoon) and a state of delirium, although they will not actually be drunk. They will be terrified and paralysed out of fear and trauma."
Then there is a hadith which stated that: "When our master the Prophet s.a.w. stated, "People will be gathered naked on the Day of Judgment,' our mother Aisha-i Siddiqa asked him, 'Won't everybody look at one another then?' Thereupon, our master the Prophet recited this Qur'anic verse, 'On that Day, everybody will have concerns adequate for him.' ('Abasa 37). That is, the situation on the Day of Judgment will be so severe that people will have no strength left to turn to look at one another."
As 'ordinary poor human beings' (our 'iman' still at the lowest level), we were relieved that the flood did not only hit our area but other places in the state. This report was filed by the national news agency, Bernama.
Flood hits Melaka, 242 people have been evacuated
MELAKA, June 8 -- A total of 242 people from 78 families are still at six flood evacuation centres in Melaka following flash floods due to heavy rain and the high tide phenomenon in the state yesterday.
Melaka National Security Council assistant secretary Major Jafri Mohamed said they evacuees were at five centres in the Melaka Tengah district and one in Jasin, which is at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Seri Mahkota, Serkam, involving 144 evacuees (57 families).
He said the evacuees in Melaka Tengah comprised 37 at the Peringgit community hall, 12 at Surau Al Jariah, Solok Bkt Baru, Duyong; 18 at Bukit Pulau community hall; 11 at the office of Bukit Katil Umno division and 20 at the Paya Ikan RTC.
He said the evacuation centres at Surau Permatang Duyong and Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Dang Anum, Merlimau, were closed at 10 am and10.50 am, respectively, after all the evacuees were allowed to return home.
Yesterday, two districts in Melaka were hit by flash floods following a three-hour downpour and the high tide phenomenon.
Yes dear readers, this world is the place of trials and tribulations. It is not a place for us 'to only enjoy our life' - 'relaks saja' (relax) without facing up and down in life.
This world is the place of striving and the Hereafter is the place of reward or punishment, where the believers will be rewarded with Paradise and the disbelievers will be punished with Hell.
Paradise is good and none but those who were good will enter it. Allah is Good and accepts nothing but that which is good. So the way of Allah with His slaves is to test them with calamities and tribulations, so that the believer may be known from the 'kaafir' and so that the truthful may be distinguished from the liar, as Allah says: “Do people think that they will be left alone because they say: ‘We believe,’ and will not be tested.
"And We indeed tested those who were before them. And Allah will certainly make (it) known (the truth of) those who are true, and will certainly make (it) known (the falsehood of) those who are liars, (although Allah knows all that before putting them to test).” - al-‘Ankaboot 29:2-3
Victory and success cannot be achieved except after tests which will bring the good forth from the evil and tell the believer apart from the kaafir, as Allah says: “Allah will not leave the believers in the state in which you are now, until He distinguishes the wicked from the good. Nor will Allah disclose to you the secrets of the Ghayb (Unseen)." - Aal ‘Imraan 3:179
Among the trials with which Allah tests His slaves in order to distinguish the believers from the disbelievers is that which He mentions in the 'ayah' (verse): “And certainly, We shall test you with something of fear, hunger, loss of wealth, lives and fruits, but give glad tidings to As-Saabiroon (the patient).
"Who, when afflicted with calamity, say: ‘Truly, to Allah we belong and truly, to Him we shall return.’ They are those on whom are the Salawaat (i.e. who are blessed and will be forgiven) from their Lord, and (they are those who) receive His Mercy, and it is they who are the guided ones.” - al-Baqarah 2:155-157
To all readers especially myself who was at 'the lowest level of imam' when tested with tribulations such as 'a small flash flood' please remember what the Prophet s.a.w. had said: “No misfortune or disease befalls a Muslim, no worry or grief or harm or distress – not even a thorn that pricks him – but Allah will expiate for some of his sins because of that.” (Imam al-Bukhaari, 5641)
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