The only thing guaranteed to us in this life is death. 

Whilst it can feel like something that will happen in the future for those not yet touched by loss, death is always around the corner.

We shouldn’t forget that our own lives will also end one day. In the same way we prepare for our exams, save money and prepare for this dunya, we must remember the same energy for when we leave this temporary abode.

‘My people, the life of this world is a brief period of enjoyment whilst the Hereafter is the lasting home.’ [40:39]

Even the Prophets of Allah were tested with the same things as us, including grief. No one is exempt from the parameters of human life.

For those that have experienced loss, whether it be through natural disasters, disease, or at the hands of human evil, it can be difficult to digest.

Grief is a hard test, but one that is made easier if we turn to Allah. We can seek comfort for our loved ones in the words brought down by God.

إِنَّا لِلَّٰهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُون

Inna lilahi wa inna ilayhi rajiun [2:115-117].

“Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return.”

This serves as a reminder that we will all meet the same fate and return to Allah, just as those who have passed have.

حَسْبُنَا اللَّهُ وَ نِعْمَ الْوَ كِيلُ

Hasbunallah Wa Ni’mal Wakeel

‘Sufficient for us is Allah, and [He is] the best Disposer of affairs.’

This dua is extremely important for us to keep repeating each time we are faced with any difficulty, whether that be with a loss of a loved one or any other problem. We have to remember that Allah SWT knows what is best for us and for our loved ones, and to have patience during these times.

اللهُـمِّ اغْفِـرْ لِحَيِّـنا وَمَيِّتِـنا وَشـاهِدِنا، وَغائِبِـنا، وَصَغيـرِنا وَكَبيـرِنا، وَذَكَـرِنا وَأُنْثـانا. اللهُـمِّ مَنْ أَحْيَيْـتَهُ مِنّا فَأَحْيِـهِ عَلى الإِسْلام، وَمَنْ تَوَفَّـيْتََهُ مِنّا فَتَوَفَّـهُ عَلى الإِيـمان، اللهُـمِّ لا تَحْـرِمْنـا أَجْـرَه، وَلا تُضِـلَّنا بَعْـدَهُ

Allahum-maghfir lihayyinaa, wa mayyitinaa, wa shaahidinaa, wa ghaa’ibinaa, wa sagheerinaa wa kabeerinaa, wa thakarinaa wa ‘unthaanaa. Allahumma man ‘ahyaytahu minnaa fa’ahyihi ‘alal-‘Islaami, wa man tawaffaytahu minnaa fatawaffahu ‘alal-‘eemaani, Allahumma laa tahrimnaa ‘ajrahu wa laa tudhillanaa ba’dahu.

“Oh Allah, forgive our living and our dead, those present and those absent, our young and our old, our males and our females. O Allah, whom among us You keep alive, then let such a life be upon Islam, and whom among us You take unto Yourself, then let such a death be upon faith. O Allah, do not deprive us of his reward and do not let us stray after him.”

اللهُـمِّ اغْفِـرْ لَهُ وَارْحَمْـه ، وَعافِهِ وَاعْفُ عَنْـه ، وَأَكْـرِمْ نُزُلَـه ، وَوَسِّـعْ مُدْخَـلَه ، وَاغْسِلْـهُ بِالْمـاءِ وَالثَّـلْجِ وَالْبَـرَدْ ، وَنَقِّـهِ مِنَ الْخطـايا كَما نَـقّيْتَ الـثَّوْبُ الأَبْيَـضُ مِنَ الدَّنَـسْ ، وَأَبْـدِلْهُ داراً خَـيْراً مِنْ دارِه ، وَأَهْلاً خَـيْراً مِنْ أَهْلِـه ، وَزَوْجَـاً خَـيْراً مِنْ زَوْجِه، وَأَدْخِـلْهُ الْجَـنَّة ، وَأَعِـذْهُ مِنْ عَذابِ القَـبْر وَعَذابِ النّـار

Allaa-humma-ghfir lahu, war-ḥamhu, wa ‛aafihi, wa‛fu ‛anhu, w’akrim nuzulahu, wa was-si‛ mudkhalahu, wagh-silhu bil-maa’i wath-thalji wal-barad, wa naq-qihi mi-nal-kha-ṭaayaa kamaa naq-qayt-ath-thawb-al-’abyaḍa mi-nad-danas,

Oh Allah, forgive him/her and have mercy on him/her and give strength and pardon him/her. Be generous to him/her and cause his/her entrance to be wide and wash him/her with water and snow and hail. Cleanse him/her of his/her transgressions as white cloth is cleansed of stains.

اللهُـمِّ اغْفِـرْ لَهُ وَارْحَمْـه ، وَعافِهِ وَاعْفُ عَنْـه ، وَأَكْـرِمْ نُزُلَـه ، وَوَسِّـعْ مُدْخَـلَه ، وَاغْسِلْـهُ بِالْمـاءِ وَالثَّـلْجِ وَالْبَـرَدْ ، وَنَقِّـهِ مِنَ الْخطـايا كَما نَـقّيْتَ الـثَّوْبَ الأَبْيَـضَ مِنَ الدَّنَـسْ ، وَأَبْـدِلْهُ داراً خَـيْراً مِنْ دارِه ، وَأَهْلاً خَـيْراً مِنْ أَهْلِـه ، وَزَوْجَـاً خَـيْراً مِنْ زَوْجِه ، وَأَدْخِـلْهُ الْجَـنَّة ، وَأَعِـذْهُ مِنْ عَذابِ القَـبْر [وَعَذابِ النّـار]

Allaahum-maghfir lahu warhamhu, wa ‘aafihi, wa’fu ‘anhu, wa ‘akrim nuzulahu, wa wassi’ mudkhalahu, waghsilhu bilmaa’i waththalji walbaradi, wa naqqihi minal-khataayaa kamaa naqqaytath-thawbal-‘abyadha minad-danasi, wa ‘abdilhu daaran khayran min daarihi, wa ‘ahlan khayran min ‘ahlihi, wa zawjan khayran min zawjihi, wa ‘adkhilhul-jannata, wa. ‘a’ithhu min ‘athaabil-qabri[wa ‘athaabin-naar

O Allah, forgive them and have mercy on them and give them strength and pardon them. Be generous to them and cause their entrance to be wide and wash them with water and snow and hail. Cleanse them of their transgressions as white cloth is cleansed of stains. Give them an abode better than their home, and a family better than their family and a spouse better than their spouse. Take them into Paradise and protect them from the punishment of the grave [and from the punishment of Hell-fire].

اللهُـمِّ إِنَّ فُلانَ بْنَ فُلانٍ في ذِمَّـتِك ، وَحَبْـلِ جِـوارِك ، فَقِـهِ مِنْ فِتْـنَةِ الْقَـبْرِ وَعَذابِ النّـار ، وَأَنْتَ أَهْلُ الْوَفـاءِ وَالْـحَقِّ ، فَاغْفِـرْ لَهُ وَارْحَمْـهُ ، إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الغَـفورُ الـرَّحيم

Allaahumma ‘inna [name the person] fee thimmatika, wa habli jiwaarika, faqihi min fitnatil-qabri wa ‘athaabin-naari, wa ‘Anta ‘ahlul-wafaa’i walhaqqi. Faghfir lahu warhaw.hu ‘innaka ‘Antal-Ghafoorur-Raheem.