A Lifetime’s Dissertation

A Rehearsal of Love and Flight (An Itinerary for the Hereafter, with a Will)

Contents and Chapter Headings

Chapter One: The Reality of Death and Rehearsing the Flight to God

The meaning of a believer’s departure; death as release from the body and union with the Beloved; an explanation of the blessed verse «یا أیتها النفس المطمئنة ارجعی إلی ربک راضیة مرضیة»; a transformation of one’s outlook, from dread of annihilation to the joy of meeting God; and spiritual preparation in life’s final days.

Chapter Two: The Throes of Death and the Mysteries of the Final Moments

The subtle realities and states of the moments when the soul departs; the dying person’s inner visions; the presence of the Immaculate Imams (AS) and angels of mercy at a believer’s bedside; prayers and invocations for prompting the testimony of faith; and the religious etiquette for those present, offering comfort and reassurance to the dying.

Chapter Three: The Rites of Preparation, Washing, Shrouding, and the Heavenly Funeral

The rulings and finer points of washing the deceased with water infused with lotus leaves and camphor; the wisdom behind the shroud and the palm fronds; the manner of performing the funeral prayer and the inner mysteries of its five takbirs; the etiquette of accompanying and escorting the funeral procession; and burial with the soil of Sayyid al-Shuhada (AS), together with the promptings at the grave.

Chapter Four: The First Night in the Grave, the Realms of Barzakh, and the Embodiment of Deeds

The reality of the stations of the grave and the questioning by Nakir and Munkar; Barzakh as the shade cast by one’s worldly deeds; the Night Prayer for the Deceased; the light shed on the grave by the charity and good works of the bereaved; the connection between souls and this world; and visiting the graves on Fridays.

Chapter Five: The Book of the Will and a Charter for Provisioning the Hereafter

The legal and ethical foundations of making a will; a practical model for writing a comprehensive will (duties owed to God and to others, restitution for wrongs, appointing an executor, and spiritual and ethical counsel for those left behind); seeking forgiveness and absolution; and a charter for remaining prepared for the eternal journey.

Golden Passages from the Book

The Reality of Death: Release from the Cage of the Body and Flight into the Boundlessness of Meeting God
«For the believer, death is neither extinction nor nonexistence; it is the feast of union, the breaking of the body’s cage, and the soul’s falcon soaring into the boundless expanse of divine grace. Just as an infant emerges from the narrow womb into the vastness of the world, the pure soul, casting off its earthly garment, begins its rehearsal of love and flight toward the Beloved.» (page 14)

The Reassured Soul and the Call to Return: The Secret of Serenity at the Hour of Departure
«When the sacred call «يَا أَيَّتُهَا النَّفْسُ الْمُطْمَئِنَّةُ ارْجِعِي إِلَى رَبِّكِ رَاضِيَةً مَرْضِيَّةً» resounds within the dying person, every veil of darkness falls away. At that moment, the believer is immersed in the joy of meeting the Truth and, with a tranquil smile and a willing heart, entrusts the soul to its Creator.» (page 48)

The Radiance of the Ahl al-Bayt (AS) at the Dying Person’s Bedside
«In the hardest moments of the throes of death, when the tongue can no longer speak, the luminous countenance of the Commander of the Faithful, Ali (AS), and the Prophet of Mercy (PBUH) appears at the servant’s bedside. At the sight of the beauty of divine authority, the throes turn sweet, and the breeze of the Garden of Refuge begins to stir in the believer’s soul: یا حارِ هَمْدانَ مَن یَمُت یَرَنی.» (page 85)

The Wisdom of Visiting the Sick and Prompting Them to Affirm God’s Oneness in Their Final Hours
«Being at the bedside of someone nearing death should be an occasion filled with serenity, remembrance, and awareness of God’s boundless mercy. Gently prompting them with the words of deliverance, the testimony of faith, and an affirmation of the authority of God’s chosen ones protects the dying person’s soul from the devils and plants the seed of divine oneness in the deepest layers of their consciousness.» (page 122)

The Shroud, the Soil of Husayn, and a Shield from the Fire of Barzakh
«Shrouding a believer in clean cloth and inscribing the Jawshan Kabir and the Names of God along its edges symbolize entry into the eternal place of meeting. Placing the pure soil of Hazrat Abu Abdillah al-Husayn (AS) in the shroud and including fresh palm fronds offer sacred protection from punishment and manifest the intercession of Sayyid al-Shuhada (AS) in the darkness of the tomb.» (page 168)

The Cry of One’s Deeds and the Reality of the First Night in the Grave
«On the first night in the grave, a person is accompanied neither by wealth, status, nor children. Their deeds, intentions, and character take on living, luminous form. Sincere prayer, devotion to the Ahl al-Bayt, and kindness toward God’s servants stand beside the deceased as gentle companions, transforming the terror of the stations of Nakir and Munkar into familiarity and peace.» (page 215)

The Bond Between Souls and This World, and the Impact of the Good Works of Those Left Behind
«In Barzakh, souls await the gifts of the faithful and the good works of their bereaved loved ones. Every tear shed with understanding, every verse of the Quran recited, and every act of charity offered on behalf of the deceased descends upon their soul like a platter of light, raising their rank in Barzakh.» (page 262)

A Will: The Believer’s Passport to the Hereafter and Final Lesson in Faithfulness
“A will is a believer’s passport to the Hereafter and a testament to their salvation. Whoever, before death draws near, makes amends for obligations owed to God, fulfils the rights of others or seeks their forgiveness, and urges their children to be mindful of God and hold fast to the Two Weighty Things will have lightened their load for the journey and appear before God with much to show for it.” (p. 305)