Bab Sigheer

I’ve been in Syria for about 10 days now and alhamdulilah with the help of Allah (SWT) ive finally gotten into my usual routine. I havnt gotten a chance to go out and explore yet but I’ve been going from house to house visiting people. Last Thursday, I was at my aunt Nihad’s (May Allah’s rahma and blessing be upon her) house for an akhdan khatir. Because my aunt passed away while my mother and I were away, people have been coming to my aunts house on Thursdays between Asr and Maghrib to give their condolenses. The next day my mother, tete, uncle and I decided to go visit my aunts (Allah yirhamha) grave.

Right after Salatul Jummah, we all get into my uncles beat up blue car (that’s the best descirption I can give lol) and head to Bab Sigheer (the name of the cemetary) in old Damascus close to Al-Amawey mosque. Before we enter the cemetary, I noticed an old man selling little plants right next to the cemetary. I couldn’t help but wonder; why were people going to this old man, buying a little plant and then going into the cemetary?

Then it hit me…I was sitting in the womens library upstairs next to number 3 room in Abla Fadiah’s class. It was just me and Hend and I remember vaguley a hadith but what was it ya rabi. As I was standing next to the old man waiting while my uncle bought some plants i remembered! (Oh how much I miss Ghazali). Anywho, in the hadith it is said that the prophet Mohammed (PBUH) was once passing and pointed to two graves and said that they were being punished. One because of backbitting and the other because of the impurities while urniating. Then the prophet (PBUH) took a palm plants and planted it on the graves. The ulama say that everything in this wold praises Allah including animals and even plants. The plants are said to reduce the pain of the person in the grave. Ya subhanallah =)

We all began walking into the cemetary. I knew what I had to say but the meaning of the words didn’t hit me until I was in the cemetary surrounded by tomb stones and I heard the words that were coming out of my mouth: “Al-Salaamu Alaikum ya ‘ibad Allah, Antum al-sabiqoon wa nahnu al-lahiqoon.” Translated into: peace be with you oh slaves of Allah, you were first but we will soon follow.
Scary. Even though I knew that death is haq for every human, this experience made me realize how little time we are given on this earth and that our ultimate goal is to please Allah (SWT) and inshallah get into Jannah.

I might have passed over 100 graves and knew nothing about the names that I read on the tomb stones. I finally understood that people won’t remember how much money I made, or whether I lost the 10 pounds that I desperately want off or even whether I had the perfect marble floors in my non existing villa. What they’re going to remember is my akhalq, my deen and the impact I had in this world.

I pray that Allah (SWT) always guides me and ummat Mohammed on the straight path, Ameen.

Please recite surat Al-Fatiha for my aunt Nihad and all of your loved ones that have beat us to the other side. May Allah’s mercy and forgivness be with them all inshallah.