Identifying the means to prepare for final journey is the most critical task for any believer who recognizes the temporary nature of this world. When you pass away, the life you leave behind will continue without pause; your job will be filled by another, your property will be distributed among heirs, and your most personal belongings—your keys, books, and clothes—will be given away. While fellow Muslims will fulfill their duty by washing your body and wrapping it in a clean white shroud, your story among humans effectively ends as you enter your new house: the grave.

At that very moment, you are all alone. No glory, property, power, or family can follow you into the earth. It is here that the grave—the first stage of the Hereafter—attends the scene. To ensure this transition is one of peace rather than regret, we must understand and implement the spiritual and practical tools available to us today.

Shifting Perspective: The Spiritual Means to Prepare for Final Journey

One of the most profound means to prepare for final journey is to bridge the gap between our love for this world and our fear of the next. The Umayyad Caliph Sulaiman Abdul Malik once asked the scholar Abu Hazim: “Why do we like this world but dislike the Hereafter?”

Abu Hazim’s answer was a wake-up call: “Because you filled this world with joy and ruined the world to come. Surely, one dislikes moving from pleasures to ruins.” The Quran reminds us of this human tendency in surat Al-Ala: {But ye prefer the life of the world. Although the Hereafter is better and more lasting.} (Al-Ala 87:16-17).. If you prepare a pleasant place in the afterlife now, the move becomes a cause for rejoicing.

The Traveler’s Mindset: Living as a Stranger

True preparation is rooted in mindset. Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) took hold of his shoulder and said:

“Be in this world as if you were a stranger or a traveler.” (Al-Bukhari)

A traveler does not invest their entire fortune in a temporary roadside inn; they keep their focus on the destination. To use the means to prepare for final journey effectively, we must seize every breath. Time is our only capital, decreasing every day until it reaches its term. As Ibn `Umar used to say, “If you survive till the morning, do not expect to be alive in the evening.”

The Foundation: Prioritizing Obligatory Duties

The most essential means to prepare for final journey is the consistent fulfillment of Fara’id (obligatory duties). You cannot build a spiritual structure without a solid foundation. In a powerful Hadith Qudsi, Allah says: “The most beloved things with which My slave comes nearer to Me, is what I have enjoined upon him.” (Al-Bukhari).

  • The Five Prayers: The Prophet (PBUH) identified the best deed as offering prayers at their stated fixed times.
  • Zakah and Fasting: These are the pillars that protect your soul and purify your wealth. (For more on the specific rewards of fasting, see our guide on Prophetic Guidance in Ramadan).

The Path of Divine Love: Supererogatory Acts

Once the obligations are met, the means to prepare for final journey expand into Nawafil (voluntary acts). Allah promises that through these extra deeds, He begins to love the servant. When Allah loves you, He becomes the “hearing with which you hear” and the “sight which you see.” Whether it is an extra sunnah prayer or a voluntary fast, these acts constitute the “noble competition” mentioned in the Quran: {…Then for this, let the competitors for Allah’s Pleasure compete!} (Al-Mutaffifun 83:26).

The Power of Secrecy: Hidden Charity and Good Deeds

Sincerity (Ikhlas) is the fuel of our journey. Hidden charity is a primary means to prepare for final journey because it protects the heart from the vanity of showing off.

  • The Date that Becomes a Mountain: The Prophet (PBUH) said that even a charity equal to a single date, given from honest earnings, is nurtured by Allah until it becomes as large as a mountain in reward.
  • The Hidden Good Deed: The Prophet advised: “Whoever among you can afford to have good deeds stored in secret, let him do it.” A secret account of good deeds between you and your Lord is the ultimate security for the solitude of the grave.

The Night Prayer: Business of the Successful

Night Prayer (Qiyam al-Layl) is the trade of the faithful and a vital means to prepare for final journey. In the middle of the night, while others sleep, the successful ones retire with their Lord to ask for His Grace. Allah describes the true believers as those: {Who forsake their beds…} (As-Sajdah 32:16). The Prophet (PBUH) noted that praying at night prevents inattentiveness.

Character as Currency: The Weight of Good Manners

Finally, one of the most overlooked means to prepare for final journey is the perfection of character. Islam is not just ritual; it is ethical conduct.

  • The Neighbor’s Safety: The Prophet (PBUH) famously stated that a person whose neighbor does not feel safe from their evil does not truly believe.
  • Perfecting Morals: He stated, “I was sent to perfect the sublime morals.” On the Day of Judgment, good manners will be among the heaviest items on the scale.

Conclusion: Achieving Peace through the Means to Prepare for Final Journey

The grave represents the first stage of our real life. If you desire prosperity in the Hereafter, you must take from your health for your sickness and from your life for your death. By employing these means to prepare for final journey—obligatory duties, secret charity, night prayer, and noble character—you ensure that when you are brought to account, you meet your Lord as a thankful, beloved servant.

By A. S. Halawani