The following excerpt from a discourse by Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani on patience, taken from his work ‘The Purificaiton of the Mind,’ seems fitting for a moment when Christians – depending on their calendar – are celebrating Easter and the resurrection. In Muslim tradition, Asiya was the wife of the Pharaoh but a woman of good and humble character, and it was she who found the baby Musa or Moses floating at the edge of the river. She adopted him, and in later years was able to persuade her husband not to have Moses killed. She was unable to save herself, however the Pharaoh, discovering that she had secretly accepted the monotheistic faith of Moses, had her tortured to death.

There is no believer who will not, at the moment of death, have the veil removed from his eyes so that he can see what is his in Paradise. The houris and young servants will wave to him and fragrances from Paradise will reach him so death and its stupor taste good to him. The True One (mighty and glorified is He) will do to him as He did to Pharaoh’s wife Asiya (may Allah show mercy to her). Pharaoh subjected her to all kinds of torture before thrusting iron spikes into her hands and feet. The veil was then removed from her eyes and the doors of heaven were opened wide for her so she saw Paradise and its contents. She saw the angels building a house in Paradise, so she said, “My Lord, build for me a house in Paradise in Your presence.” (from Kor. 66.11). She was told, “This is yours,” so she laughed. Pharaoh said, “Have I not told you that she is crazy? Do not you see how she laughs in the midst of torture?” The same happens to the believers who see at the moment of death what they have with Allah (mighty and glorified is He). Some of them come to know this before death; they are those who are brought near, singled out and wanted.

Translation by Shetha Dargazelli & Louay Fatoohi