You may worry about loved ones you leave behind, or maybe worry about what you have earned for yourself in the afterlife. These, of course, may be just some of the things that cross your mind. The beautiful young man in the picture above went through all of this and returned to God saying he felt blessed.
"As of right now, I got a lot of mixed feelings. Overall, I feel blessed. I'm living right now, but I've been taking it one day at a time because it makes my head hurt and body ache thinking too far ahead," he said in an interview with FightHype published on December 2012.
In that same interview, he spoke of the odd twist of fate, of reaching a major career goal and then shortly thereafter learning he had only weeks to live.
"I will find out tomorrow if I'm free of cancer or if I won't be here to see 2013. That's what they told me. Life and death has never come so close, especially since I was so close to the top and being close to the top of my career. I was about to headline Showtime at 25 years old, in the prime of my career. Now, I could literally be dead tomorrow, and this is the scariest thing I can think of. God has a purpose and we can't question God," he added.
And just days before he passed away he left this message.
"To all my friends and loyal fans I want to inform you all that I am fighting the fight of my life against a disease known as gallbladder cancer. While l'm in this current state I am fighting with my family by my side and I will not go down for the count. I am a champion who has chosen to fight not just for myself but for those who's faith is believing in what u cant see, and I will continue to fight!!!!! and fight!!!!! and fight!!!!! till I knock this sickness out. Your love and support mean the most to me, your prayers are prayers not only to me but to others like me. Please be advised l am grateful for any and all support in any kind of way please inbox me. My family has continued to be by my side, and its hard for them as well. I want to thank God for unconditional love and unconditional fans."
What Omar, in his own beautiful way has shown us, is how temporary this world really is. How the ripples of our lives have their echo in our afterlife and that above all God is Love - Unconditional Love. Allah (swt) does not care how great or powerful we are through our riches or success but see's the richness of our heart and success of the good impressions we cast upon those around us.
Those who believe and do good deeds — the Gracious God will create love in their hearts. - Maryam Chapter 19 : Verse 97
Do you suppose that you will enter Heaven while Allah has not yet distinguished those of you that strive in the way of Allah and has not yet distinguished the steadfast? - Aal-e-`Imran Chapter 3 : Verse 143
And as Omar has so beautifully reminded us that Allah (swt) gives us Unconditional Love. He doesn't want to punish us or cause us pain - that's a result of our own doing and that our time to die is pre-written and something we can only postpone not change. So the ability to attain Heaven is in our own hands - surely if we show unconditional love to all around us like our Creator only then we can attain an aura of righteousness and thus a station near Him.
A task that requires us to remember that we're just passing through this world on the way to the next. And not to get distracted or lost on the way. Is it really that hard to do?
May Allah Grant Peace and Lofty Station in Paradise for Omar and for us all. Ameen.
And We shall remove whatever rancour may be in their hearts. Beneath them shall flow rivers. And they shall say, ‘All praise belongs to Allah Who has guided us to this. And we could not have found guidance, if Allah had not guided us. The Messengers of our Lord did indeed bring the truth.’ And it shall be proclaimed unto them: ‘This is the Heaven which you have been given for an inheritance as a reward for what you used to do.’ - Al-A`raf Chapter 7 : Verse 44