KEADAAN NERAKA DAN PENGHUNINYA part 1*

Abul-Laits meriwayatkan dengan sanadnya dari Abu Hurairah r.a. berkata: Rasulullah s.a.w. bersabda: “Api neraka telah dinyalakan selama 1000 tahun sehingga merah, kemudian dilanjutkan 1000 tahun sehingga putih, kemudian dilanjutkan 1000 tahun sehingga gelap bagaikan malam yang kelam.”

Diriwayatkan bahawa Yazid bin Martsad selalu menangis sehingga tidak pernah kering air matanya dan ketika ditanya, maka dijawabnya: Andaikata Allah s.w.t. mengancam akan memanjarakan aku didalam bilik mandi selama seribu tahun, nescaya sudah selayaknya air mataku tidak berhenti maka bagaimana sedang kini telah mengancam akan memasukkan aku dalam api neraka yang telah dinyalakan selama 3000 tahun.”

Abul-Laits meriwayatkan dengan sanadnya dari mujahid berkata: “Sesungguhnya dijahannam ada beberapa perigi berisi ular-ular sebesar leher unta dan kala sebesar keldai, maka larilah orang-orang ahli neraka keular itu, maka bila tersentuh oleh bibirnya serta merta terkelupas rambut, kulit dan kuku dan mereka tidak dapat selamat dari gigitan itu kecuali jika lari kedalam neraka.”

Abdullah bin Jubair meriwayatkan bahawa Rasulullah s.a.w. bersabda: “Bahawa didalam neraka ada ular-ular sebesar leher unta, jika menggigit maka rasa redih bisanya tetap terasa hingga 40 tahun. Selain dari itu didalam neraka ada kala sebesar keldai, jika menggigit maka akan terasa pedih bisanya selama 40 tahun.”

Al-a’masy dari Yasid bin Wahab dari Ibn Mas’ud berkata: “Sesungguhnya apimu ini sebahagian dari 70 bagian dari api neraka, dan andaikan tidak didinginkan dalam laut dua kali nescaya kamu tidak dapat mempergunakannya.”

 p/s : Sedangkan terbakar api di dunia sudah cukup memeritkan.. macam mana pula agaknya sakit bila terbakar api neraka? Nauzubillah minzalik! Astaghfirullahhaladzim..

Change is Inevitable, Changes for Survival,

 Maggie was a partner in her husband's business. They both had a different set of duties which kept everything in balance. One day a devastating blow came to her husband's business, and over a three year period the business dropped out of site. Her husband had to totally reinvent himself and was yearning to fulfill a dream with a new vocation. She was happy for him and supported him fully, but still the money was not coming in.

Maggie began to feel guilty that she wasn't contributing with any kind of income. It had been a long time since she had worked outside the home and had to work for someone else. Needless to say she was scared but still had faith that everything would be okay. She began job hunting and found filling out applications somewhat difficult, especially the part asking for job references. Keep in mind that she was self-employed with her husband for almost 20 years. It felt as though that didn't count for anything as she was never called for an interview.

At the time she was job hunting her mom became more ill than she had been and ended up in the hospital for a week. Once Maggie's mom returned home she became her mom's helper one day a week. She did the shopping, changed sheets, vacuumed and did other things that her mother was not able to do anymore. Of course her mom would pay her for her time and labor but she still felt she needed to find another source of income.

One of the first applications she had filled out finally came through. She passed the interview with flying colors and was told she was "exactly" what they were looking for.

Although it was only part time it was exactly what she wanted. It was important for her to be home when her daughter arrived home from school. She was told they would be in touch when the schedule was ready. Knowing she had the job made her feel contented and productive again.

Within a few weeks though, she received an e-mail saying that the company had changed the job into a full time position and she was not qualified. Maggie was devastated. She felt betrayed and felt she had been lied to. That evening she was alone as her husband and daughter had gone out for the night. She welcomed the loneliness and wanted to drown her sorrows in a hot tub of bubbles.

As she knew she would, she began to cry, softly at first just from the sheer pain of being rejected. Three long years of struggle had finally caught up with her. Then she became angry; angry at everything from the circumstances that got her there, to God himself. She cried harder and yelled, "What do you want me to do?" She really felt that God had abandoned her.

When she was able to cry no more, she became exhausted and gave up. It was at that moment that a silent idea came to her to offer other elderly people home care assistance.

Using another talent for computers she printed off some flyers and cards and distributed them to, grocery stores and even placed a small ad in the newspaper. Within a week she had procured two new clients.

Now, even though she's not a CEO of a major company or a power player she feels happy and productive again. So, had God really abandoned her? Let's look at nature for the lessons and the answer.

Before a butterfly can emerge out of it's chrysalis it has to go through a lot of struggling. Yes, struggling. Each time it lunges out to escape, acids are being removed from its wings. If someone were to come along and break the chrysalis open for it then the butterfly would die from those acids. In essence the struggle is necessary for the butterfly to survive. Then in the stillness, when the struggle is over, the butterfly can come out and share its beauty with the world.

Moral: We as humans are not any different. There are times that we need to struggle (Jihad), to rid ourselves of the acids that make up sadness, fear, and anger. It is only at this time when we are exhausted and still that we begin to hear the Universe whisper to us.