Article by by Hazrat Maulana Yunus Patel Saheb (Rahmatullaah alayh)

In these times of ‘Load Shedding, there are so many advertisements which market generators, emergency lights, gas stoves and whatever else that offers an instant or quick solution to power cuts. When load-shedding became the order of the day, the sales of all these products were so high, that it seemed as if everyone wanted to make some quick money selling anything that would benefit people during times of load shedding. And because we are so dependent on electricity, we were and are prepared to spend money in purchasing any such product, so long as we are not inconvenienced during power failures.

The very many complaints which were verbalized, as well as published in various newspapers indicated to how impatient and intolerant the majority were over the power cuts taking place. It was too much of an inconvenience, loss of working hours and inevitably, loss in business and profit, and everyone was unwilling to accept even a few hours without electricity.

Nevertheless, some very apt lessons came to mind on observing the above, as well as how, at the time of a power failure or power cuts, these emergency lights, automatically take over the responsibility of providing light, and generators take over in providing electricity.

The emergency lights that we purchase have to be plugged into the power point and left to charge, so that when we experience power failure or load shedding, they automatically switch on and provide light. The condition for the benefit is that the emergency light is plugged in for a considerable period of time.

Whilst we do not see anything happening when the light is being charged, we know that something very significant is happening – and the benefit will be evident when there is darkness. We have the re-assurance that the moment there is a power-cut, the emergency light will immediately switch on. …If it was not plugged in and charged, it will not serve its purpose. We will remain in darkness when there is a power cut.

We should take lesson when the lights go off and should utilize the opportunity for a little Muraqabah (meditation):

…When the lights of our lives switch off, no surgeon can switch that light on again. When the light of life is gone, no medication will bring it back.

We should ask ourselves: What preparation has been made for the power cut that must inevitably occur to our lives? What will happen when our lives will be switched off permanently and we will have to enter the darkness of the grave?

Here, in this worldly life, we have emergency lights and generators… but the same will not be of any assistance to us in the grave. No one will be taking emergency lights to light up his grave.

So when we cannot tolerate a few hours of darkness, how will we be able to tolerate the darkness of the grave?

When we cannot accept material loss due to load-shedding, how can we accept spiritual loss with the on-going load-shedding in our hearts, due to our excessive indulgence in sins; of which the consequences are extremely detrimental and destructive to our worldly lives and more so, our lives after death?

The lesson which we take is that just as the emergency lights and generators are being charged for a purpose, so too, we need to ‘charge’ ourselves spiritually, with good, righteous deeds. The benefit will be seen when the light of our lives is switched off, once and for all.

Our hearts contain an “Imaani” generator or battery which needs to be plugged into a power point and charged, whilst our ‘emergency lights’ are charged with different kinds of righteous deeds – Salaah, Zakaah, Fasting, Zikrullah, Tilawah, good character and so forth.

After our souls are extracted and we are placed in our graves, our Imaan and our good deeds generate light which automatically light up the darkness of our graves and we experience the comfort of life in the grave – until Qiyaamah.

If we have not charged our “Imaani” battery and our ‘emergency’ lights with noble deeds, and if we spend our lives in the darkness of sins, then the grave will be a place of darkness and disgrace. (Allaah Ta’ala protect us all).

We know that it is the power plant that makes electricity. And this electricity flows through transmission lines to sub-stations and electric poles; thereafter, via ‘distribution lines’ electricity enters our homes.

Allaah Ta’ala blessed us with the Powerhouse of His Love: Rasulullaah (SallAllaahu ‘alayhi Wasallam). Rasulullaah (SallAllaahu ‘alayhi Wasallam) passed on this love into the hearts of his companions, who in turn passed on that love to those who kept their company – and in this way, Allaah Ta’ala established the “transmission lines” of His Love and we find in each era and time, Allaah Ta’ala provides the Mashaayikh, who then do the work of ‘distributing’ Allaah Ta’ala’s love in the hearts of people.

By plugging our hearts to the power points of Allaah Ta’ala’s Love – that is by keeping the company of the Ahlullaah, whose hearts contain the powerful current of Allaah Ta’ala’s Love, we will be able to easily charge ourselves spiritually.

It is through the blessings of this spiritual power that our hearts are charged with Love of Allaah Ta’ala and courage for good deeds.

They teach us the Love of Allaah Ta’ala and His Rasul (SallAllaahu ‘alayhi Wasallam) – in fact, they generate that love into our hearts, and they guide us to the best deeds. In other words, they offer us these emergency lights for free.

There is no charge for the knowledge they disseminate or the good deeds they teach us and no charge for the good company they offer us, whereby our Imaan and Love for Allaah Ta’ala is nurtured. It is free from their side. It is only for us to take advantage of and appreciate the value of what they generously and willingly share. They give. They don’t take. So we don’t need to worry about loss in wealth; rather their company is an investment with great profits – in both worlds.

Allah Ta’ala also directs us to the same in Surah Taubah, when He says, “O you who believe, fear Allah and remain in the company of the truthful ones.”

 …That is, we should remain with them, until we become like them – until we too become spiritually charged with Allaah Ta’ala’s Love and Ma`rifat, and obedience and submission.

With this effort – whereby we nurture our Imaan and charge ourselves with good deeds, death becomes a “gift” for the Believer as is described in the Hadeeth. There should be no fear for death, because when we die, we take with us the generator of Imaan and Love for Allaah Ta’ala and His Rasul (SallAllaahu ‘alayhi Wasallam) as well as the “emergency lights” of good deeds… so we have hope and a re-assurance, that Insha-Allaah, our graves will light up brightly when we enter them. Insha-Allaah.

May Allaah Ta’ala grant us the understanding and Taufeeq.

(end of article)

Actions To Gain Light In The Hereafter

1.) Going to the masjid in the dark:

Rasulullaah (SallAllaahu ‘alayhi Wasallam) said, “Give glad tidings to those who go to the mosque in the darkness of night that they will receive perfect light on the Day of Judgment.”

(Abu Dawood no. 561, Tirmidhi no. 561)