People talk of the ember-months as though they were originated by the Lucifer. They are scared of them, and consequently have others scared with unpleasant tales of auto-crash that had happened in them. For this reason, some do away with travelling a long distance with the mindset that death may thwart their return home.
We grew up to this notion, and it perturbs that the stereotype is still held factual by many: that people die more in ember-months, especially in the twelfth month, December.
Where someone had a motor accident in any of the ember-months as against the advice (from parents, siblings, neighbours etc.) that he shunned travelling, rather than take fate and give to faith, they would say they had seen the sorrowful incident coming but he, the victim, refused to heed elders’ counsel.
It disappoints to see even Muslims whose Islam largely rests on the articles of faith – one of which is belief in pre-destination – believe in such a superstitious, stereotypical ideology. Many, unfortunately, are Muslims by claim but kuffār by faith.
Is it that they know not or they have forgotten that trials – calamitous or minor – happen as unquestionably deemed possible by Allah. Whoever is destined to have his breath ceased in December will never make January. Whoever is pre-ordained to die a motor accident in November will never escape it even if he locks himself up in the house. Haven’t we seen unimaginable cases where a car on a high velocity lost its break, broke into a house (or a shop/office) and took out life in a sleeping, snoring person?
وَعِنْدَهُ مَفَاتِحُ الْغَيْبِ لَا يَعْلَمُهَا إِلَّا هُوَ ۚ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا فِي الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ ۚ وَمَا تَسْقُطُ مِنْ وَرَقَةٍ إِلَّا يَعْلَمُهَا وَلَا حَبَّةٍ فِي ظُلُمَاتِ الْأَرْضِ وَلَا رَطْبٍ وَلَا يَابِسٍ إِلَّا فِي كِتَابٍ مُبِينٍ.
“With Him are the keys of the unseen, the treasures that none knoweth but He. He knoweth whatever there is on the earth and in the sea. Not a leaf doth fall but with His knowledge: there is not a grain in the darkness (or depths) of the earth, nor anything fresh or dry (green or withered), but is (inscribed) in a record clear (to those who can read.”
[Surat Al-An’am 59].
A Muslim should believe that death comes anytime deemed possible by Allah, the Giver of souls.
