Abu Yahya
Translated by Tlueaftab Team
In the sixth century BC, the Israelites had fallen into the worst kind of moral corruption. As a consequence, they were struck with divine punishment in the form of political defeat at the hands of the then superpower, the Babylonian ruler, Nebuchadnezzar. Yet, instead of reforming their nation morally, their leaders instilled the idea of political dominance among them.
The Prophet Jeremiah warned the Israelites of their moral and spiritual corruption. He advised them to correct themselves rather than rebel against the world’s superpower. But instead of heeding his warning, they hung him upside down in a well and still revolted against Nebuchadnezzar. As a result, Nebuchadnezzar descended upon them as an instrument of divine punishment, destroying Jerusalem (Bayt al-Maqdis) completely. Six hundred thousand Jews were slaughtered, and another six hundred thousand were taken as slaves.
I was lost in these thoughts when Nahur answered me, saying, “InshaAllah, you will soon meet them too. But for now, I wish to introduce you to someone else.” He turned toward another tent and called out, “Come outside, see who has come to meet you.”
At the sound of a maiden’s voice, a young woman emerged from the tent and stood beside Nahur. From her appearance, she looked like a princess, and in beauty, she seemed like a fairy from another realm. She lowered her head respectfully, greeted me, and said, “You do not know me, but for me, you are my teacher. Through that bond, I am your spiritual daughter. My name is Shaista. It was through you that I discovered the light of true faith amidst the darkness of misguidance. You introduced me to God and taught me what the true relationship between man and his Lord should be. And today, by His grace, I am about to become the wife of a great Prophet’s companion.”
Not long ago, Saleh had shown me this very girl, but now, seeing the transformation in her state left me astounded. The joy I felt at seeing her in such an elevated position was beyond words. I said to her, “Please accept my heartfelt congratulations to both of you. I hope you will remember me at your wedding.”
“Of course,” she replied with a smile, “that is precisely why I wanted Nahur to know that the people of my family are not ordinary.”
“Then you have chosen the wrong person,” I immediately replied, turning toward Nahur. “But Shaista is absolutely right. Her family cannot be ordinary, for she belongs to the Ummah of Muhammad ﷺ. After being connected to the Prophet of Arabia, her family lineage cannot be considered insignificant.”
At this point, Saleh intervened. “The matter of ranks and status can be discussed later. For now, I must take Abdullah back, so please excuse us.” After taking leave from Nahur and Shaista, we departed.
On our way back, Saleh said, “Now tell me, has your sorrow been soothed?”
The divine grace I had just witnessed had left me speechless, so I remained silent. Saleh continued, “This girl reached this station because of her patience. God tested her with harsh circumstances and plain looks, yet she remained steadfast, thankful, and sincerely devoted to God. Today you have seen the reward: those deprived in the former world are being compensated in ways beyond imagination.”
We walked on until we reached the gateway that led back to the plain of Resurrection. I asked, “Are we to return to the field of Judgment now?”
“Why? Has your desire to return ended?” he asked with surprise.
“No, not that,” I replied. “I was just wondering—since we are here—perhaps I could meet my family. When we first came, you took me straight above. By now, surely my family has reached the camp of the Ummah of Muhammad ﷺ?”
“Why don’t you admit openly that you wish to see your wife?” Saleh laughed. “Why keep saying ‘family’ again and again?”
Embarrassed, I lowered my head, but he smiled and said kindly, “Don’t be shy, my friend. This servant is at your command. Let’s go there.”
The world we had entered had changed all meanings of place, time, and distance. So, as soon as Saleh finished speaking, we found ourselves near the mountain surrounded by camps of Prophets and their nations.
“Perhaps I told you earlier,” Saleh said, “this mountain is called A‘raf. On its heights you once stood, and here you can see the camp of the Ummah of Muhammad ﷺ.”
The base of the mountain stretched wide, leaving much space, but it was packed with countless people. Nowhere else had I seen such a crowd.
“It seems all the Muslims have gathered here,” I remarked.
“No, not all,” Saleh replied. “The Ummah of Muhammad ﷺ was vast, so the number of its righteous and chosen ones is also very great. But most are still wandering in the field of Judgment. Unfortunately, very few from your own contemporaries are here. Most Muslims of your time were either worldly or sectarian-minded. Such people are still lost in the plain of Resurrection. Here, you will find few acquaintances, but in Paradise you will meet many more in the royal assembly.”
“What is this royal assembly?” I asked.
“After the reckoning, when the people of Paradise enter their eternal home, they will have a gathering with Allah Himself. There they will be granted their positions and ranks formally. It will be the greatest moment of honor for the righteous.”
As we walked deeper into the vast settlement of tents, I saw many of my companions and fellow workers in faith. The joy of meeting them was indescribable. These were people who had sacrificed their youth, careers, families, and desires, dedicating their time, wealth, and talents to the service of God’s religion. Now, they were among the first to taste eternal success.
Along the way, we saw many well-known figures of Islamic history. Everyone we passed invited us to their tents for rest and refreshment, but Saleh politely declined, while I promised to meet them later.
Saleh whispered, “You are wise to do so. These people are worth every moment, but later it won’t be easy to find time with them.” He paused, then looked at me warmly, “Abdullah, you too will hold a great status in this world. You may not realize it yet, but in the sight of your Lord, you were always a man of immense worth.”
With that, Saleh embraced me and whispered in my ear, “It is an honor for me to accompany you.”
I raised my eyes to the heavens and replied softly, “The true honor is to worship God, to call His servants to His servitude. That He gave a worthless grain of sand like me this opportunity is the real honor.”
Tears welled in my eyes as gratitude overflowed.
“Yes,” Saleh affirmed, “it is He who makes dust shine like the sunrise. If you shone like the sun, it was only His grace.”
We continued walking until we reached a beautiful and elegant tent. My heart began to beat faster.
“Na‘imah is your wife’s name, right?” Saleh asked.
I nodded. He pointed toward the tent. “This is hers.”
“Does she know I’m coming?” I asked nervously.
“No,” he smiled. “But this is your destination.”
I walked slowly to the tent and sought permission to enter. A voice replied, “Who is it?”
“Abdullah,” I said, my heart trembling.
The curtain lifted. Darkness fell upon the world, yet light radiated only from one face—hers. Time stood still. The meaning of her name, “Na‘imah,” was “light,” but today, I realized what true light was.
We had last met in old age, when companionship had grown beyond beauty and youth. But Na‘imah had given me her youth, her dreams, her entire life. Through every hardship, every sacrifice, every thorny path I chose, she stood firmly by my side. Even when death came between us, her love never faltered. And today, when the veil of death was lifted, she shone before me with the brilliance of stars, the glow of the sun, the fragrance of flowers, the freshness of dew, the dawn’s light, and the evening’s radiance—all in one.
Tears filled her eyes. I held her hands gently and said, “Didn’t I tell you? Just a little patience, a little endurance—we would win this war.”
“I never doubted you,” she whispered. “And now your promise is reality. It feels as if you had only stepped outside for a while and now you’ve returned. We endured a little, and we won everything. God does not lose, and His people never lose. They may lag behind in the world, but in the Hereafter, they always come first.”
She closed her eyes, perhaps imagining the Paradise awaiting us. I too closed mine, reflecting on a life spent in struggle and sacrifice. I had given my youth, my abilities, and my final strength for God’s cause. I could have achieved worldly heights, but I chose instead the eternal heights of the Hereafter. And through it all, Na‘imah’s love and companionship gave me courage. Together, we had now defeated Satan. The struggle was over; the celebration was about to begin.
At that moment, Saleh cleared his throat, reminding us of his presence. “You may meet in detail later. For now, we must move on.”
I introduced Saleh to Na‘imah, joking, “This man never lets me be alone.”
Na‘imah smiled, “I know him. He left me here earlier and told me about you, or else I would have been very worried.”
Saleh chuckled, “Perhaps you don’t realize, Abdullah. When you are with God, you forget everything else. It is your weakness, but also your strength.”
Then turning to Na‘imah, I said, “Stay here. I’ll return shortly.”
“And our children?” she asked.
“They are fine,” I reassured her. “You’ll find them nearby. Otherwise, I’ll bring them soon myself.”
But in my heart, I knew two of them were not here. To explain that truth was a painful burden I could not yet bear. Na‘imah simply nodded, partly understanding and partly not…
✍🏻📜☜ To be continued…
