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We were met with smiles and laughter when we first entered this world, even as we cried.

As we prepare to depart, we can smile while those around us may weep.

Life begins with the adhan—the call to prayer—without the salah and concludes with the salah without the adhan.

Our entire existence is as brief as the moments between the call to prayer and the prayer itself.

As our journey draws to a close, Allah beckons us home.

Our family offers us a final salam, and the imam and the community bid us farewell.

Now, we hope to be received by our Lord with peace.

Those who welcomed us into this life have either gone ahead or are sending us forward.

We arrive in our new abode, where relatives who passed before us eagerly await, yearning to hear about those we've left behind.

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: "The believing souls are more eager to meet you than your family is when a loved one returns to them."

Perhaps grandparents who have never met their grandchildren or ancestors from ages past come to greet us, delighted by a good deed we performed that benefited them.

Conversations unfold about loved ones still in the world, sharing joyous news that a child or friend found their way closer to Allah, perhaps inspired by an act we did or moved by our passing.

Those we've left behind continue to send us gifts in the form of duas we've taught them and acts of generosity we've instilled in them.

We receive these gifts joyfully, anticipating the time they will join us in this new realm.

When righteousness transcends generations, the virtuous welcome us at birth and again when we depart this life.

Perhaps we will receive those who come after us in the same way—not merely through lineage but through a legacy of righteousness.

Envision the people you aided embracing you with love deeper than that of a child for a parent because your faith moved you to care for them on this earth.

Was your life meaningful?

Did your journey hold significance for you or others?

In moments of doubt, when whispers of insignificance stir within you, remember this: your life matters more than you can comprehend.

You mattered enough to Allah that he created you to be a part of the story.

Do not let shadows obscure your sight, for you are a beacon in this world—a reflection of His mercy and grace.

You are a masterpiece, crafted with care and destined for greatness.

You are cherished beyond measure.

As your good deeds continue to reach you, you find solace in the decree that granted you the opportunity to do good.

The Prophet ﷺ said:

"Among the rewards that reach a believer after death are knowledge he taught and spread; a righteous child he leaves behind; a copy of the Qur'an he bequeathed; a mosque he built; a house he constructed for travelers; a canal he dug; or charity he gave from his wealth in good health during his life."

Our impact on the world may not be fully realized until the Day of Judgment, when all deeds are laid bare.

Imagine a prophet of Allah who had no followers.

What was the purpose of his mission?

Perhaps as a testament against his people or to prepare the way for another messenger.

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ likened himself to the last brick in a magnificent house, each brick representing a prophet before him.

It takes each of us to complete the structure of humanity, and every seed we plant in this world will bear fruit in the hereafter.

So continue to sow seeds and trust the One who nurtures the soil and sends the rain.

There will come a moment when you realize it was all worth it—your life, your story—authored in the heavens by the Lord of the Worlds 50,000 years before creation, now witnessed by His creation eons later.

Let the moments of your life bear witness to the greatness of Allah.

Remember, your life was worth living because Allah found it worth creating.

Alhamdulillah. 

He has made the hereafter an abode to reward His believing servants because this world cannot contain what He wishes to bestow upon us.

He deemed their worth far too excellent to reward them in a world destined to vanish.

So, in this transient life, embrace your purpose.

Let not the weight of doubts burden you, for you are part of a story far greater than you can imagine.

Live a life worthy of such a return, investing in the eternal while journeying through the temporary.