Every Person Is Entitled To Two Tickets - The Saddam's Case

As long as you are in this temporary material world which you did not choose to come on your own similarly it is not your own choice to leave it whether you like it or not. The most important thing as Muslims one has to make his utmost best to die with Imaan as Allah has commanded us. 

Oh You who believe fear Allah as He is supposed to be feared and don’t die unless (you are ) Muslims.

But how many of us are sure that they will die with the Kalimah Shahadah which was recited by the Iraqi dictator whatever you call him we were all witness his last word was Ash-hadu An la ila ha ilallah Wa Ash hadu Anna Muhammadan Rasulullah.

Millions of people were witnessed to what this man sent to gallows on the Eid day two days before we entered the new Year 2007 recited. The Prophet (S.A.W) who was the Most Truthful said he whose last word is this Kalimah will definitely enter Jannah.

So this is why every Muslim is eager to have his or her last word as this Kalimah Laila ha illal lah which Abu Talib the beloved Uncle of the Prophet could not recite even though the Prophet wanted him desperately to do so reciting this to be his last word. Another incident during the Prophet’s time was that of young boy who was a Jew when he was breathing his last and the Prophet came and was trying to persuade him to recite the Kalimah. The boy looked at his father who was sitting close by and the father said to his son Oh son Obey Abul Qasim meaning the Prophet and the boy recited the Shahadah and the Prophet was so happy at this incident.

So now going back to the topic the entitlement of every person gaining those tickets which every one merits one is before death and the other after death. As every one knows we have single ticket as there is no return ticket and every one’s booking has already been made and only the confirmation is made at the time of death. 

How one dies is totally a different matter but for sure as Allah has promised (kullu nafsin zaiqatil maut) every soul will taste death as we witnessed the death of Saddam some call him the dictator, some regarded him as enemy while others as hero others as martyr while others regarded him as the only leader who challenged the authorities of the others whom no body could dare open his mouth to criticise. Sometimes dictators were needed to unify the country as we saw since the invasion of Iraq and the toppling of the Iraqi dictator the Country remained ungovernable despite all efforts instead of unifying the country bringing them together is on the brink of chaos leading to unwanted disintegration which no body wants. 

No doubt Saddam was a ruthless dictator but at least the whole Country was under his grip unfortunately so many people lost their lives unnecessarily but he paid the supreme price which some people may say justice was done while others would regard as atonement of his sins committed previously. 

This reminds me of the person who killed 99 people among the people of the old. After all these murders he wanted to repent so he went to a worshipper and told him exactly what happened. 

The man expressed his misgivings as to why he would be forgiven after all these atrocities.

Therefore the murderer killed this other person to complete his century and yet in his mind he wanted to repent and therefore went to see another man to seek his opinion regarding the matter. 

This time he went to a scholar and told him what transpired between him and the 99 people plus an additional extra person he killed. 

The man told him nothing could stop him from repentance since he decided to do so. 

The only obstacle was the place where he found himself was place of evil (ma’asiyya) therefore he advised him to shift to another place where people were worshipping Allah so that he could join them in doing so. 

The man accepted the advice and started his journey. 

On the way the death approached him the Angels of Mercy and the Angels of punishment all came to take his life. 

The Angels of punishment said since he committed all these crimes of killing 100 people they should take his life, while the Angels of Mercy were of the opinion so long he decided to repent it was there responsibility to take his life not the other Angels. 

So Allah in His Infinite Mercy sent another Angel in disguise as a man. 

He asked them to measure the distance covered by the dead person during the journey. 

If he was nearer to the place he was going then the Mercy of Allah would cover him otherwise he would be taken by the Angels of punishment. 

When they measured the distance they found that he was only one span closer to the place he was going after covering more than half the distance and therefore he ended up with the Mercy of Allah with the Angels of Mercy taking his soul. 

So equally every one knew what the former Iraqi Leader did during his time, similarly we also knew the circumstance he found himself losing everything from his palaces, his kingdom, children, respect and finally paid the supreme price of going to the gallows which more than one billion people watched on their TV Screens .

We were all witnessed to what he recited despite the taunts he suffered which was the Kalimah Shahadah. 

So as Muslims we have nothing to add but hope for the best as Rasulullah (S.A.W) has advised us not to curse the dead whatever a person does he will meet the same all we need to do is to prepare and die with Kalima on our lips. 

Fortunately or unfortunately the Late Iraqi Leader the dictator, conqueror, enemy, hated or liked friend a hero or villain a disgraced a real soldier honourable consistent steadfast repentant Saddam, martyr or champion depending what title you or honour you give him whether you liked him or hated him had the honour to recite the Shahada which we were all witnesses. 

What is so interesting and extraordinary about his hanging, as important person as he was he left the world divided in two camps those who liked him and those who hated him and may be with many who were neutral. 

So he underwent that test called death which all of us will taste once and waiting for our turn which nobody knows the time when it will come. So he has already acquired his first ticket that we mentioned earlier.

So the second ticket which a person would acquire is the success or failure after death. This one no body can tell you except the one who has experienced that death like Saddam who unfortunately we cannot call him back how ever much we liked him or however much we hated him to tell us exactly what happened to him. 

The second ticket comes after the interrogation in the grave by the two Angels called Munkar and Nakir who will ask three questions the first of which will be “Who is your Lord” and the second question will be what is your Deen and the third which will what will you say about this man sent (i.e the Prophet S.A.W).

If a person answers the question successfully a garden of paradise would be opened for him otherwise his grave will be like a pit of hell. So let us pray so that we die with Imaan by reciting Kalimah which should be our last word thus fulfilling the main purpose of our lives. So after passing the second hurdle in the grave the rest of the things that would follow up would In Sha Allah be easier up to the time gaining entry into Paradise. 

As Allah has said you will be tested in your lives and in your wealth and every soul will taste death he who is saved from the fire of hell and is made to enter paradise he is successful and the life of this world is nothing but only illusion so as we so from the story of Saddam.

Meanwhile as the controversy regarding the execution continued, the new Secretary to the United Nations Mr Ban Ki Moon has appealed to the Iraqi Authorities to suspend the execution of the two co-defendants found guilty with him and are awaiting execution for the offence committed. 

We can judge people before death when they are still alive not after death as it is not for us to judge anyone only the Creator has the right to judge people accordingly after their death. So is up to Him to give a person Jannah part of His Mercy or Jahannam part of His punishment which we all seek refuge from His Azab. 

Therefore the death of Saddam was a lesson for those who hated him and those who loved him. As he has now left the scene we should stop all arguments in favour or against the Late and leave the Creator to judge and not me or you who will also be judged by the same Creator after we leave this World for the beginning of our long journey to Akhirah.

Wa Akhiri Daawana Anil Hamdu Lillahi Rabbil Alameen