Death !!!

Death is not the absolute end. It is just the discontinuation of unity between the body and soul. It is a change from one state to another and a transition from this present life to that of the hereafter. The purpose of our existence is the worship of Allah as mentioned in the Book of Allah: “And I [Allaah] created not the Jinns and Men except that they should worship Me [alone]” Soorah az-Zariyat (51): 56 This life, which we are living, is the testing ground for which there shall be only two consequences, Paradise or Hellfire. Unfortunately more than often we disregard death, as we are so attached to this world and the love of which has been established in our hearts.

“Certainly, they see it as distant, but We see it as near” Soorah al-Ma’arij (70): 6-7

Death only becomes a reality when a close beloved one dies. The heart feels heavy, the eyes shed tears and there is, at that moment, a present fear of death. If we were to spend even a single moment each day thinking about death, it would bring forth many concerns? The greatest being our Hereafter: ”He Who has created death and life, that He may test you, which of you is best in deed.” Al-Mulk (67):21

So we stop and consider what we are doing with our time and where we are heading, and then realize that much of it is wasted in light talk, in laughing, in pursuing that which is not going to benefit our Hereafter. One of the Salaf said: “Three characteristics are from Eemaan: Modesty, Chastity and Withholding of the tongue, not the with holding of the heart and actions. These are things which cause gain in the Hereafter and loss in this life, and what is gained in the next life is greater than what is lost in this world.” [Reported by Abdur-Razzaaq in his Musannaf from A'oon ibn 'Abdullaah]

“This World in comparison with the world to come is just like one of you putting his finger in the sea. Let him consider what it returns with.” Saheeh Muslim (eng. trans. vol.4 p.l486 no.6843)

The Prophet Muhammad (sallahu alihi wa-sallam) explained how this world is not even worth the wing of a mosquito! And how small is a mosquito, and then the wing of a mosquito- so what is the worth of the world we run after and are dearly attached to?

Because when each one of us remembers the awesome reality of death and what is to follow after that, our present desires and wordy concerns seem so insignificant and futile, and the life of the Hereafter becomes our goal and we become interested in the means to attain that goal. We find that the Companions of the Prophet (sallahu alihi wa-sallam) excelled on this point and were not deluded by the amusements of this world, knowing that love for this world would injure their Paradise.

Hence, they faced trials and every hardship with the knowledge that a weighty judgement was yet to come and a full compensation yet to be paid – so they had hope and fear in Allaah, without exaggerated optimism or disparity.

“O you who believe! What is the matter with you, that when you are asked to march forth in the cause of Allaah [ie. Jihaad] you cling heavily to the earth? Are you pleased with the life of this world rather than the Hereafter? [Soorah at-Taubah (9):38]

Regarding the shaheed (martyr), the Prophet (sallahu alihi wa-sallam) said: “Nobody who enters Paradise will (ever like to) return to this world, even if be were offered everything on the surface of the earth, except the martyr who will desire to return to this world and be killed ten times for the sake of the great honor that has been bestowed upon him.” [Saheeh Muslim (eng. trans. vol.3 p.1045 no.4635)]

“We have reminder upon reminder, about how nations before us were destroyed and a common sickness which they were plagued with was ‘love of this world’. Regarding the Jews, who claim to be the best of all people and inheritors of the Promised Land, Allaah says: “And verily you will find them the greediest of mankind and [even greedier] than those who do not believe in Resurrection [i.e. the idolaters]. Every one of them wishes that he could be given a life of a thousand years. But the grant of such life will not save him even a little from [due] punishment. And Allaah is all-Seer of what they do.” Soorah al-Baqarah (2):96

“….. and the worst regret is regret on the Day of Resurrection….and the fortunate one is the one who takes admonition from others..” [From the famous khutbah (sermon) of the Companion, Ibn Mas'ood which has been recorded in al-Musannaf of Ibn Abee Shaibah (vol.7 no. 106)]

“If you survive till the evening do nor expect to be alive in the morning and if you survive till the morning, do not expect to be alive in the evening. And take from your health for your sickness and [take] from your life for your death.” [Saheeh al-Bukhari vol.8, p.284, no.425]

“And die not except in a state of Islaam” Soorah al-Imran (3):102

So we keep our hearts moistened and alive with remembrance of Allaah, and we remember death in order to remember the Hereafter, and finally we close with a citation from Imaam ash-Shaafi’ee: “O my soul, it is not except a few days patience, As if her extent were a few dreams. O my soul pass quickly on through this world, And leave it, For indeed life lies ahead of it.”

ON DEATH: MYSTERIES OF THE SOUL EXPOUNDED

Allaah takes souls at the time of their death and [the souls] of those that do not die during their sleep. He retains those souls for which He has ordained death, whereas He releases the rest for an appointed term. [39:42]

If you could see when the wrongdoers taste the pangs of death and the angels stretch their hands out, [saying], ‘Deliver up your souls. This day you will be awarded a degrading punishment.’ [6:93]

Here it is stated that death is painful for the disbelievers. Although they are ordered to surrender their souls to the angels, they are unwilling; therefore, the soul must be forced out as it does not wish to meet its punishment. [Qurtubi]

According to hadeeth: The Angel of Death… [says], ‘O you foul soul, come out to the anger and wrath of your Lord.’ The soul inside the disbeliever’s body is overcome by terrible fear [and does not want to deliver itself up], whereupon the Angel of Death violently pulls it out like multi-pronged skewers being yanked out of wet wool – tearing with them the ateries and nerves.

Umm Salamah (radhiAllaahu ‘anha) reported: Allaah’s messenger (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) entered upon Abu Salamah [i.e., his corpse], whose eyes were wide open. The prophet closed the lids and then said, ‘When the ruh is taken out, the eyesight follows it [i.e., watches it ascend].’ [Muslim & Ahmed]

The Angel of Death comes to the [dying] believer, sits at his head and says, ‘O you good soul, come out and receive your Lord’s forgiveness and pleasure.’ Then the soul flows out effortlessly just as water flows from the mouth of a waterskin.

Abu Hurairah (radhiAllaahu ‘anhu) narrated that the messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said: When the soul of a believer comes out [of its body], two angels receive it and rise with it towards the heavens, whereupon the inhabitants of the heavens say, “A good soul has come from the earth. Allaah has blessed you and the body which you used to occupy.” [Muslim]

Hardships and agonies:

And the agony of death comes, in truth; that is what you wished to avoid. [50:19] In this verse the phrase “sakratul mawt” is used to indicate the swoon of death. This verse implies that every dying person must experience some pain and torment. [See al-Alusi's Ruh-ul-Ma'ani and Qurtubi's tafseer]

Aishah (radhiAllaahu ‘anha) related: [On the occasion of his approaching death], Allaah’s messenger (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) had a small vessel of water placed before him. He began to dip his hands in the water and wiping his face with them. He said: There is none worthy of worship except Allaah. Indeed death brings with it agonies! Then he raised his hand up and kept repeating, ‘In the most exalted company’ until his soul was taken and his hand fell limp. [Bukhari]

Aishah (radhiAllaahu ‘anha) reported: Truly, I saw the messenger of Allaah when death approached him. He had a container with some water in it into which he dipped his hand and then wiped his face. Then he said: O Allaah help me to overcome the agonies of death.

Appearance of Satan:

Hadeeth: Verily Satan comes to you at all circumstances and affairs of your life, even at the time of eating. [Muslim]

Al-Qurtubi mentions that a great number of pious and dependable scholars are known to have witnessed the presence of Satan at death. He relates that he heard one of his own respected teachers, Imam Abul-’Abbaas Ahmad bin ‘Umar al-Qurtubi, say, “I visited the brother of our teacher, shaikh Abu Jafar Muhammad al-Qurtubi at Cordova and found him near death. It was said to him, ‘Repeat Laa ilaaha illallaah’ to which he replied, ‘No! No!’ When he came to, we mentioned what had occurred. He said, ‘Tow devils came to me , one on my left and the other on my right. One of them said, “Die as a Jew, for verily it is the best of religions,” while the other said, “Die as a Christian, for truly it is the best of religions.” So I answered them saying, “No! No! How dare you say such a thing to me!”

SEIZE THE DAY, TOMORROW IS NOT YOURS

Upon hearing about the death of a fellow Muslim, it suddenly struck me how very fleeting life is, and that I was only a twinkling of an eye away from where he is now.

Death is the reality from which none of us can escape. It draws nearer every day, every hour, every minute. So I had to ask myself, if I were to die today, would I have done all that I could to ensure Allah’s Favor, and to evade His Wrath? Unfortunately for me, the answer was a resounding NOOO.

At the end of the day, I ask myself, what good have I sent ahead for the benefit of my soul? And again, the answers usually, very little. Time, it seems, is moving by so quickly. It seems just like yesterday that we started the “New Year,” yet we’re already almost a third of the way through it. A month seems like a week, a week seems like an hour and an hour feels like just minutes. This is why I’ve resolved to try my utmost, with the aid of Allah to take advantage of every opportunity to do good deeds, and not to put off until later, what I can do now. Death is coming, are you ready?

Allah says, “Every soul shall have a taste of death, and only on the Day of Judgement shall you be paid your full recompense. Only those who are saved far from the Fire, and admitted to the Garden will have succeeded. For the life of this world is but goods and chattels of deception.” [3:185]

It is so easy for us to get caught up in the comings and goings of our everyday lives, that we tend to forget that we don’t have forever in this worldly life, and get distracted away from our true aim and purpose. We tend to forget that we are here to worship Allah and to avail ourselves of the various opportunities He gives us to store up for ourselves treasures in Heaven

Allah tells us that we do not know the hour of our own deaths, or in what land we will die. But He through His unending Mercy toward us, has given us ways to prepare for the inevitable now, because once we’ve passed from this life to the next, there is no coming back to do the things we should have done. For Allah says,

“Until death comes to one of them, he says, ‘My Lord, send me back. Perhaps I may do good in that which I have left behind.’ No, it is but a word that he speaks, and behind them is a barzakh until the day when they are raised up.” [23:99-100]

Allah has given us ways to protect ourselves from the punishment of the grave. One of these ways is by fighting in the Cause of Allah. It is reported that a man asked the Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, “O Messenger of Allah, why are all the believers tested in the graves except a martyr?” He, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, said, “The flashing of swords over his head was a sufficient test for him.” (An-Nasai)

This may be difficult for most of us to do in this day and age, but Allah has provided us with many other ways to earn ease in the next life. These include reciting Surat ul-Mulk, because the Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, said, “Surat Tabarak is the protector from the torment of the grave.” (Al-Hakim) He, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, also said, “When a human being dies, all of his deeds are terminated except for three types: an ongoing sadaqh, a knowledge of Islam from which others benefit, and a righteous child who makes du’a for him.” (Muslim)

This life is fleeting. Death is coming. Let us all get ready InshahAllah.