“إنّي والله أُخيّر نفسي بين الجنّة والنار، فوالله لا أختارُ على الجنّةِ شيئا، ولو قُطِّعتُ وحُرِّقت”
“I am deciding between paradise and the hellfire; by God, I will not choose anything over paradise, even if I am cut into pieces or burnt alive”
These are the powerful words uttered by Hurr ibn Yazid al-Riahi – the courageous soldier who, after being a leading member of Yazid’s army, joined Imam Hussain’s army at the last minute on Ashura morning.
He was moments away from murdering the grandson of the Prophet, and his prompt decision led him to attaining the greatest reward of shahada and a guaranteed spot in the highest level of paradise.
What can we learn from Hurr?
Every single decision we make should be preceded by the question: will this take me to Jannah or the hellfire?
It is NEVER too late to change. A lot of people will justify their ill behaviour by saying “I have always been like this, it’s just how I am”; but Hurr shows us that, no matter what your past is, there’s always a chance to get back on the right path. Paradise is for anyone who seeks it.
The easy option isn’t always the best; you might have to sacrifice some material luxuries for eternal luxury.
We must be confident in the steps we take to please Allah (swt), and have the conviction that no matter what the consequences are and even if everyone turns against us and fights us, we will stay on the straight path and stick to the decisions that will take us to Jannah.
May Allah (swt) grant us a place in Jannah with all the heroic martyrs who sacrificed everything for the pleasure of Allah (swt)
What else can we learn from Hurr’s story? Let us know your thoughts
