Mind Your Baggage; It’s Going to Be Either A Flying Balloon or A Dragging Sack

Abstract

This article is a reflection on the Day of Resurrection when each one of us will have to cross the sirat (ṣirāṭ) with his baggage. This baggage is going to be either a flying balloon to ease our crossing over, or a dragging sack to delay our crossing over.

Introduction

Alhamdulillah… Infinite praise and thanks are due to the Almighty Allah, who has made clear for us, the path to salvation. Complete blessings and salutations are upon our leader to salvation, Sayyidinā Muhammad, his household, his companions, and all those who follow his guided path till the end of time.

In this part of life, everyone is in a striving effort for survival. To many, survival is to strive to remain healthy and live as long as possible. What comes next is not a matter of concern. But the truth is, real survival is to win legal tickets to the next life. Think of purchasing a ticket to any event worthy paying for. You have to save or make enough money to be able to obtain the suitable ticket for the spot of your desire. Isn’t it?

The good news is, each one of us already possess his ticket. But the tickets at this moment have no values. We have to fill them with values that make them either flying balloons or dragging sacks. This article reflects on how to focus our efforts to fill our tickets with the right values.

The Choice to Believe is Yours

It doesn’t matter whether we agree or disagree. It also doesn’t matter whether we all believe, or some choose to disbelieve. The truth is everyone will transit to the next life. As long as you believe that death exists and it’s real, then you are fully aware that your stay on this earth is never meant to be permanent. In fact, even if you choose not to believe in death, that won’t stop it from happening. Also, whether the next life is going to take place on this planet or elsewhere, the first life, in which you’re reading this article will come to cease.

For those who believe, you also know that there’s Heaven and Hell over there. In other words, dwellers of heaven will have to purchase tickets that will entitle them for that. On the other hand, inhabitants of Hell fire–may Allah save us from it, also have to purchase tickets that will make them deserving of that place.

It's important to emphasize, that the nature of this life and that of the next life is similar to the nature of higher and lower places. The first part of life is the lower one, and that’s why it’s called dunyā (in Arabic) which means low[er]. The second part of life is the higher one. Therefore, going up there successfully requires that your baggage is able to conveniently tag along with you.

A Baggage Like a Flying Balloon or a Dragging Sack

What makes balloons fly, or at least light and carriable?  What makes sacks heavy, and sometimes not so easy to carry?

The Qur’an explicitly indicates in numerous occasions, that our intended deeds either earn us merit points (rewards) or demerit points (sins). In the end, all the rewards and the sins are carried by its bearer. And none will bear the burden of another.

وَلَا تَزِرُ وَازِرَةٌ وِزْرَ أُخْرَىٰ

“No burden-bearer shall bear another's burden” (Sūrah Fāṭir, 35:18).

The weightage of your merit points will turn your baggage into something like a flying balloon. And this enhances your climb to the higher world. However, if your demerit points outsmart your merit points, then one can imagine his baggage to be like a heavy sack that he has to carry, drag or get stuck with, with the disability to climb with it.

On the ṣirāṭ, one can imagine himself holding on to his balloon flying high above the crossover. May we be the likes of this. One may have to drag his sack, across the ṣirāṭ. In a situation like this, it’s going to be challenging, no matter what. May we be saved from such a situation!

Mind Your Baggage; The Sirat is Real

In the language of this part of life, baggage earn weight by getting heavier. However, in the language of the second part of life, baggage earn weight by getting lighter. Once we are there, literally heavy baggage will indicate that one is not in a good condition.

Good deeds, righteousness and above all, God-consciousness are credits that fill your ticket. And they fill your baggage and make it lighter. Evil and disobedience of God's commands make your baggage heavy. Therefore, with lighter baggage, your climb goes on smoothly. But with accumulated bad deeds, your baggage becomes heavy and will certainly cause you many inconveniences, and make your climb difficult, if not impossible.

This is understood from the verse, that indicates that every soul shall pass by the tiny thread known as ‘ṣirāṭ’ staged above Hell fire, to get to the judgement square. You may want to refer to it as the judgement parade.

وَإِن مِنكُم إِلّا وارِدُها ۚ كانَ عَلىٰ رَبِّكَ حَتمًا مَقضِيًّا

“and there is not one of you but shall pass through it: a decree from your Lord which must be fulfilled” (Maryam, 19:71).

It is scary as it sounds and reads. It’s going to be scarier for all, save those who go with lighter baggage; flying balloons. Those with light baggage will pass the thread in a blink of an eye. Some will pass running, some jogging, some walking, some crawling. Some others will not be able to make it.

In a ḥadīth reported by Imām al-Bukhārī from the narration of Sayyidunā Abū Sa’īd al-Khudriyy, raḍiya Allāhu ‘anhu, The Prophet ṣallā Allāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam says when describing some of the scenes of the Day of Resurrection:

ثُمَّ يُؤْتَى بِالْجَسْرِ فَيُجْعَلُ بَيْنَ ظَهْرَيْ جَهَنَّمَ. قُلْنَا: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، وَمَا الجَسْرُ؟ قَالَ: مَدْحَضَةٌ مَزِلَّةٌ، عَلَيْهِ خَطَاطِيفُ وَكَلاَلِيبُ، وَحَسَكَةٌ مُفَلْطَحَةٌ لَهَا شَوْكَةٌ عُقَيْفَاءُ، تَكُونُ بِنَجْدٍ، يُقَالُ لَهَا: السَّعْدَانُ، المُؤْمِنُ عَلَيْهَا كَالطَّرْفِ وَكَالْبَرْقِ وَكَالرِّيحِ، وَكَأَجَاوِيدِ الخَيْلِ وَالرِّكَابِ، فَنَاجٍ مُسَلَّمٌ، وَنَاجٍ مَخْدُوشٌ، وَمَكْدُوسٌ فِي نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ، حَتَّى يَمُرَّ آخِرُهُمْ يُسْحَبُ سَحْبًا

“Then the bridge will be laid across Hell.” We said, “O Messenger of Allah! What is the bridge?’ He said, ‘It is a slippery (bridge) on which there are clamps and (hooks like) thorns which are wide at one side and narrow at the other and have bent ends. A plant with such thorns is found in Najd and is called al-Sa’dān. Some of the believers will cross the bridge as quickly as the wink of an eye, some others as quick as lightning, a strong wind, or fast horses or she-camels. So, some will be safe without any harm; some will be safe after receiving some scratches, and some will fall down into Hell (Fire). The last person will cross by being dragged (over the bridge).

Unable to make it means one will fall in the valley of Hell. This is before judgement begins. What comes after that is a different story altogether… but scarier.

It’s needless to emphasize that none is sinless. But not everyone gets the opportunity to repent and get his sins eradicated. It's sad, that even some have the guts to offer to carry the sins of their influenced [read victims], come the Day of Resurrection. Therefore, they offer them empty promises:

وَقالَ الَّذينَ كَفَروا لِلَّذينَ ءامَنُوا اتَّبِعوا سَبيلَنا وَلنَحمِل خَطـٰيـٰكُم وَما هُم بِحـٰمِلينَ مِن خَطـٰيـٰهُم مِن شَىءٍ ۖ إِنَّهُم لَكـٰذِبونَ

“Those who deny the truth say to the faithful, “Follow our way, and we will bear the burden of your sins.” But they will bear none of their sins. They are surely lying” (Surah al-Ankabūt, 29:12).

It’s not only that they are lying to their victims, they are unable to help themselves, let alone those they promised:

وَلَيَحمِلُنَّ أَثقالَهُم وَأَثقالًا مَعَ أَثقالِهِم ۖ وَلَيُسـَٔلُنَّ يَومَ القِيـٰمَةِ عَمّا كانوا يَفتَرونَ

“They shall bear their own burdens, and other burdens besides. On the Day of Resurrection they shall be questioned about their false assertions. (Surah al-Ankabūt, 29:13).

The implications of these verses are that, if you can't do good or enjoin others to it, don't engage in evil deeds. At least, if you do, don't invite others to it. It may be cool to be able to persuade others to join you in evil deeds. But how cool will it be, when you have to carry your sins as well as theirs to cross the checkpoint on the day of Resurrection?

Your Choice, Your Decision

At the end of the day, we are living a life which everyone has the right of choice and decision. You are responsible for making the good decisions that may lead you to Paradise. If you are genuine about it, ask Allah for guidance and assistance, and He will ease it for you.

When you finally make it into Paradise, you may not be able to remember your friends, who supported you to get to this point and success. Why? Because, although you were supported, the decision was made by you and you alone.

Similarly, when failure casts to your way, you can't blame others for its occurrence. Even if others encouraged you to commit the sin. This is simply because, despite being supported and persuaded, and eventually lured into it, it wasn't against your will.

Conclusion

You’re packing for a trip. Which requires a transit . Definitely you need some essentials for the success of the trip. You don’t really need to have with you all the luxuries. To that effect, Rasūlullāh ṣallā Allāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam says in a ḥadīth reported by Imām al-Bukhārī from the narration to Sayyidunā ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar, raḍiya Allāhu ‘anhumā:

‏كُنْ فِي الدُّنْيَا كَأَنَّكَ غَرِيبٌ، أَوْ عَابِرُ سَبِيلٍ‏

“Be in the world like a stranger or a wayfarer.”

When you mind your baggage, you ensure the content of your baggage is clean. When travelling you should only carry in your luggage what is not against the laws of the countries you are travelling to. Mind you, what you can carry to some countries may be illegal in some other countries. And you have the choice to go without breaking the law or bear the consequences if you choose to break the law.

Also, while at the airport, seaport or checkpoint, you can't carry others' baggage or take care of them on their behalf. It is proven that some people may ask for a favour from you to hold their bag for them, so to run away from the trouble of what their bags might contain.

So, mind your baggage. For it’s going to be either a flying balloon or a dragging sack.

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Allah knows best.
Allahu Hafiz 🙂