This is a story of how our greatest tragedies can become our greatest blessings, how death can breathe new life into our hearts, and how loss can be our gateway back to Allah.
It starts with a man who lived not long after the Prophet ﷺ and the 4 khalifas.
In the city of Kufa, at a time of great expansions and conquests, there lived an officer of the state with a severe drinking problem.
He was nobody’s idea of a devout Muslim, but he was a proud father to a baby girl.
By Allah’s qadr, however, that baby returned to her Lord whilst still a toddler.
Her death weighed heavily on her father’s heart, and sent him spiralling deeper into drunkenness, until one night, when he went to sleep without praying, and he had a terrible dream.
He was being chased by a giant serpent on the day of Judgment, desperately crying out for help,
He came to the edge of a cliff, wanting to leap from it, but found beneath it a raging fire. So, he continued to run, and in his peril, he came to a frail, elderly man in white, begging for his aid.
The elder said he was too weak to help; however, he pointed him towards a serene hill, and so the man ran there and eventually found himself in the company of young children.
He wandered amidst the sea of souls, until he saw a face that brought him relief in all his panic and confusion.
He found his daughter, that baby girl who meant the world to him, and more.
The toddler motioned towards the snake behind him, which suddenly vanished, before running into her father’s embrace, and in this sweet reunion, looked up to him and recited to him the verse from Surah al Hadid:
“Has the time not yet come for believers’ hearts to be humbled at the remembrance of Allah and what has been revealed of the truth…”
[Quran, 57:16]
Now there’s more to this incident, but as the man eventually woke from his dream, this ayah, and the experience around it stirred something within him.
From that day, he abandoned his alcoholism and devoted himself to worship and the pursuit of knowledge. He studied under the greatest scholars of his era, including Anas bin Malik (R.A) the noble companion of our Prophet ﷺ .
Eventually, that man who was once known as a brutish and compulsive drunk became one of the most celebrated and renowned scholars and ascetics of the Tabi’in, the most righteous generation after the Sahaba.
His name was Malik ibn Dinar, one of the great sages of this Ummah, and his story became the stuff of legend.
He was known for his deep devotion to Allah, his da’wah, and his humble lifestyle.
On one famous occasion, Ibn Dinar was in his home late at night immersed in dhikr, when suddenly, a burglar entered his home.
Ibn Dinar sat quietly, observing the thief, who could not find anything in this barren, empty home, so he called out to him.
“You could not find something of this world here, so can I share with you something of the hereafter instead?”
The thief was startled, embarrassed, and unsure of how to respond, but he accepted, and Ibn Dinar told him to make wudhu.
The two prayed Qiyam al Layl together, before heading to the masjid for Salat al Fajr.
When a friend of Ibn Dinar asked who this guest was, he responded:
“He came looking to take something from me, but instead I took something from him.” He said, referring to the man’s sinful past.
A testament to his character, being someone who himself was once in the pit of despair, Ibn Dinar was someone who saw hope and potential in other lost souls.
It’s said that he took his da’wah far and wide, eventually following the Muslim army to India, where he would continue to preach, and where many believe he is buried today.
An incredible life, born out of death and tragedy.
Death has a way of softening the heart, so long as you respond to it the correct way. The Prophet ﷺ encouraged us to reflect upon it for that exact reason:
“I had prohibited you from visiting graves, but you may visit them now. Verily, they will weaken your attachment to the world and remind you of the Hereafter.”
[Ibn Majah]
And in another narration, death is described by him ﷺ as the destroyer of pleasures. It reminds us of the temporal nature of our worldly life, and when met with that contemplation, it can motivate us to live with a greater purpose.
Ibn Dinar could have simply dismissed the dream of his deceased daughter as part of his grief, but instead he chose to look past his grief, reflect, and take meaningful action to abandon his vices.
If there are sins in your life that you feel are hardening your heart, remember often the destroyer of pleasures, and if you are ever overwhelmed by moments of grief or loss, use those as your gateway back to Allah.
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