Mak's "New Home" at Sungai Serai Cemetery

7 October 2009, Wednesday 2009 (18 Syawal)

To Allah (Almighty God) we belong, and to Him is our return." (Holy Qur'an 2:156)

Last Sunday, 4 October 2009, we visited Mak at Sungai Serai Cemetery in Ulu Langat. Mak passed away on 18 September 2009, 2 days before Muslims celebrated Hari Raya.

Earlier, my husband, my eldest son and my second son had had lunch at Bangi, and we later dropped by my sister-in-law's house (also in Bangi).

After viewing Mak's room again since her passing away, I had this strong urge to visit her and had suggested to my husband to visit her new home.

So from Bangi, we drove all the way to Sungai Serai in Ulu Langat.  Being Sunday, the road leading to the cemetery was crawling with cars as that is the only route for people who ply the road to go to the rivers and resorts for picnics.

Upon reaching the cemetery, my husband had alighted from the car to open the gate as the gate was closed.  Thank God it was not padlocked.

So upon entering the cemetery, all four of us slowly made our way to Mak's new home, the spot where mak was finally laid to rest.

 

 

 

Amir, my husband, and my two boys reciting the Fatihah for Mak

 

My husband, Amir, trying very hard to hold back his tears as he sat next to Mak's resting place

A close-up of Mak's newly dug resting place. 

The gravestones are yet to be erected 

 

 

As I sat down next to Mak's resting place and recited the Fatihah, I prayed to Allah to bless her soul and place her amongst the believers.

As Mak was buried close to Tini's (Amir's sister) mother-in-law, Amir and us took the opportunity to recite the fatihah for her too.

And before we left, we took a last look at Mak's home and the area surrounding it, a place where many of God's creations lay buried. God had taken back what He had created, what he had loaned to us.

 

 

 

With profound sadness and a deep sense of penitence on how great Allah is, we left the cemetery ground.  We realised that we are mere mortals on this earth.

Hence, it is of utmost importance that man should hold death dear andconsider it an opportunity of meeting with his Almighty, and not hateit and consider it as evil, but should take lessons from it.

He shouldask forgiveness from Almighty for his sins and tame the rebellious self(Nafs). When the call of his Lord comes, he should welcome it with openarms accepting it to be a blessing from Almighty.

He should becontented with the decree (Qadr) of Almighty. He should also rejoicethat shortly he would be taken to the presence of Ahlul Bait [Householdof Prophet] (pbut) and meet his deceased companions and other believerbrothers.

He should also not be disheartened by the delay in death butshould consider it as an opportunity afforded by Almighty to him torepent. This delay would give him a chance to gather provisions usefulfor his journey to the other world, for the journey is tiresome andfull of dangerous valleys and difficult paths.

In fact a believer always remembers death, since his or her maingoal is to reach the Almighty God. Therefore true believers, those who are sincerelydevoted to the Almighty God, anticipate death since to them itsignifies the long-awaited meeting with their creator.

Before a believer approaches the final moment of his/her life anddeath overtakes him, it is necessary that he wakes up from the state ofnegligence and prepares for the final everlasting place. This way hewill be able to avoid bewilderment and the fear of the so-calleduntimely death.

At the time of leaving this world, as attested to by the HolyQur'an, a person will be in one of two states - either he will be ofthe Companions of the Right, or the Companions of the Left (Refer HolyQur'an 56:7-56). If he is counted amongst the Companions of the Right,he will be in a good, final state, but if he is one of the Companionsof the Left, he will be of those who have suffered a great loss.

"To Allah (Almighty God) we belong, and to Him is our return." (Holy Qur'an 2:156)