In these times of ‘Load Shedding'[1], there are so many advertisements that market generators, emergency lights, gas stoves and whatever else that offer 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 load-shedding. Because we depend so much on electricity, we are prepared to spend money purchasing any such product, as long as we are not inconvenienced during power failures.
The many complaints verbalized and published in various newspapers indicate how impatient and intolerant most people are over the power cuts. It was much of an inconvenience, causing a loss of working hours and, inevitably, a loss in business and profit. 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, when there is 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 we purchase have to be plugged into the power source and left to charge; so that when we experience a 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 reassurance that the emergency light will immediately switch on when there is a power cut.
It would not serve its purpose if it were not plugged in and charged. We will remain in darkness when there is a power cut.
We should take a 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 handle the darkness of the grave?
When we cannot accept material loss due to load-shedding, how can we accept spiritual loss —with the ongoing 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 we take is that just as the emergency lights and generators are being charged for a purpose, we also 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 “Imani” 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 – Salah, Zakah, 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 lights up the darkness of our graves, and we experience the comfort of life in the grave – until Qiyamah.
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, the grave will be a place of darkness and disgrace. (Allah 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.
Allah Ta'ala blessed us with the Power House of His Love: Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam). Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) 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, Allah Ta'ala established the “transmission lines” of His Love; and we find in each era and time, Allah Ta'ala provides the Masha'ikh, who then do the work of ‘distributing' Allah Ta'ala's love in the hearts of people.
By plugging our hearts into the power points of Allah Ta'ala's Love —that is, by keeping the company of the Ahlullah, whose hearts contain the powerful current of Allah Ta'ala's Love, we will be able to charge ourselves spiritually with ease.
Through the blessings of this spiritual power, our hearts are charged with the Love of Allah Ta'ala and courage for good deeds. They teach us the Love of Allah Ta'ala and His Rasul (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) —in fact, they generate that love into our hearts and 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, the good deeds they teach us, and the good company they offer us, whereby our Iman and love for Allah Ta'ala are 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 be in the company of the truthful.
[Surah At-Tawbah 9:119]
That is, we should remain with them until we become like them —until we too become spiritually charged with Allah Ta'ala's Love, Ma'rifat, 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 Hadith. There should be no fear of death because when we die, we take with us the generator of Imaan and Love for Allah Ta'ala and His Rasul (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) as well as the “emergency lights” of good deeds. We have hope and reassurance that, insha Allah, our graves will light up brightly when we enter them.
May Allah Ta'ala grant us the understanding and Taufiq to make ‘Aml, Aameen.
[1] The deliberate shutdown of electric power in part or parts of a power-distribution system generally to prevent the failure of the entire system when the demand strains the capacity of the system.