Guide-to-Sound-Creed-A-Book-on-Muslim-Creed-and-Faith
Guide-to-Sound-Creed-A-Book-on-Muslim-Creed-and-Faith
Guide-to-Sound-Creed-A-Book-on-Muslim-Creed-and-Faith
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272 <str<strong>on</strong>g>Guide</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Sound</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Creed</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
When the Prophet (PBUH) overslept <strong>and</strong> did not perform prayer at its due<br />
time, he said:<br />
''Allah seized our souls when he willed <strong>and</strong> He returned them <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> us<br />
when He willed."<br />
In this regard, BilM apologized for not wakening the Prophet up saying:<br />
"0 Messenger ofAllah, the One Who seized yourself is the same Who<br />
seized mine (i.e., Allah, Exalted be He)."<br />
In additi<strong>on</strong>, Allah, Exalted be He, says:<br />
''Allah takes the souls at the time oftheir death, <strong>and</strong> those that<br />
do not die [He takes] during their sleep. Then He keeps those<br />
for which He has decreed death <strong>and</strong> releases the others for a<br />
specified term..." (Qur'an: Az-Zumar: 42)<br />
Ibn'Abbas <strong>and</strong> most ofthe exegetes agree that Allah takes hold of souls with<br />
two kinds ofgrasps, the grasp ofdeath <strong>and</strong> the grasp ofsleep. In sleep, Allah takes<br />
hold ofthe souls of those predetermined <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> die <strong>and</strong> releases the other souls for a<br />
specified term until their decreed time ofdeath comes.<br />
It is reported in the Two Sab.fh.s that the Prophet (PBUH) used <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> say<br />
before sleep:<br />
'1n Your Name, my Lord, I place my side (up<strong>on</strong> the bed) <strong>and</strong> it is in<br />
Your Name that I lift it up (after sleep). In case You withhold myself<br />
(i.e., ijYou cause me <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> die), then forgive <strong>and</strong> pard<strong>on</strong> myself, <strong>and</strong> ijYou<br />
release it (myself), then protect it with what You protect Your righteous<br />
servants with."<br />
An interpretati<strong>on</strong> of the verse cited above is that both the grasped <strong>and</strong><br />
released souls experience the death ofsleep. Then, Allah keeps the soul which has<br />
completed its predestined time of existence <strong>and</strong> does not return it <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> the body.<br />
As for the soul which has not completed its predestined time of existence yet, He<br />
returns it <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> the body <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> complete it.<br />
The sec<strong>on</strong>d interpretati<strong>on</strong> is that the grasped soul is the <strong>on</strong>e which has actually<br />
been predetermined <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> die while the released <strong>on</strong>e is that which has experienced <strong>on</strong>ly<br />
the partial death through sleep. This means that Allah takes the soul ofthe <strong>on</strong>e who<br />
is predestined <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> die, grasps it <strong>and</strong> does not release it until the Day of Resurrecti<strong>on</strong>.<br />
Allah takes the soul of the sleeping pers<strong>on</strong>, then He releases it <strong>and</strong> sends it <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> his<br />
body <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> complete his predestined time of existence <strong>and</strong> <strong>on</strong>ce it is completed, He<br />
takes it forever. Allah, Exalted be He, says:<br />
''And it is He Who takes your souls by night •••"<br />
(Qur'an: AI-An 'am: 60)
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