Multitudes of men have walked on the surface of this Earth. They all belonged to different nations and cultures. A few of them made history for which they were remembered, whereas others, were never to be mentioned again. Although each one was personally different from another - their habits, thinking and tastes differed - they all had two things in common, first, they were all delivered from their mothers womb and second, they all tasted death. Who claims he has lived a thousand years?
When Allah created Prophet Adam alaihis salaam and his progeny the angels expressed much concern about the world being insufficient to accommodate all of them but Allah assured them by declaring, "I shall create death."
Hearing this, the angels became disturbed and when they remarked that it would instil fear and remove the pleasure of life, Allah explains, "I shall create hope and ambitions."When Prophet Adam alaihis salaam was sent to Earth, his Sustainer said, "O Adam! Construct buildings destined for destruction and ruination; and beget for death."
O dweller of lofty mansions, very soon you will be buried in the sand (a lowly station). Allah has an angel calling daily: Beget for death and create buildings for destruction.
We are so engrossed in our worldly pursuits that the remembrance of death does not occur to us. The Holy Prophet of Allah shallallahu alaihi wasallam has said, "The most intelligent person is the one who often remembers death. Constant remembrance of it prevents one from evil and sin and motivates him towards good morals."
The above narration clearly indicates that we are in this world for a purpose and not just for pleasure and entertainment. The Holy Prophet shallallahu alaihi wasallam says, "Live in the world as though you are a wayfarer." Concerning this Prophet 'Isa alaihis salaam has said, "This world is like a bridge, cross it and do not build on it."
Life in this world is very short which everyone has to surpass, until he meets his death. Allah says, "For every ‘Ummah’ (community or nation) there is a term
appointed, when their term is reached, not an hour (nor a moment) can they cause to delay, nor (an hour nor a moment) can they advance.
Nowadays, when a person dies, the family and close relatives grieve over the deceased. After some time all is forgotten and much attention is given to the inheritance, so much so they begin to have disputes over it. The wealth of the deceased is valued more than the lessons to be taken from his death. If we remembered it frequently, we would certainly prepare for it.
Intelligent students always prepare for exams. It is also a matter of intelligence to prepare for the account to be given after death. The Holy Prophet shallallahu alaihi wasallam has mentioned in a Hadith, "Clever is the one who prepares for life after death." The Holy Prophet shallallahu alaihi wasallam has also said, "Take importance of life before death."
How lucky are those souls who after finding out about the signs of their death, turn towards Allah, ask His repentance for any previous sins and prepare for it by doing good deeds. Such people are the ones who are truly gifted with the kalimah or a good outcome before departing from this world. This tends to be the sign of their being fortunate and people witness a sign of their salvation from the punishment of the Hereafter.
There is no doubt that there is a cure for every disease. If anyone is infected with a disease then it may be cured through medicine. His life may prolong to some extent but one day the same person will experience something with no cure at all. That is death. Allah states, "Wherever you may be, death will overtake you even if you are in fortresses built up strong and high."
The Holy Prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam said, "When Allah decides for a person to pass away at a certain place, he makes a need for that person at that place."
It is in another tradition narrated on the authority of Kuthaima radiyallahu anhu that once the angel of death appeared in the form of a human being in the court of Prophet Sulaiman alaihis salaam and gazed continuously at a person present there for some time. That person asked Prophet Sulaiman alaihis salaam, "Who was that person?" He told him that, that was the angel of death. He remarked: The angel of death had gazed at me in such a manner as if he had determined to take my life." Prophet Sulaiman alaihis salaam asked him, "What do you want?" He requested him to take him to India. He commanded the cloud to pick him up and drop him in India. Consequently the cloud carried him to India. The angel of death came to Prophet Sulaiman alaihis salaam. He asked him, "Why did you fix your gaze at that person?" He said, "I wondered that the Almighty Allah had commanded me to take the life of this person in India whereas he was sitting hear in your presence."
The Description of the Throes of Death
There is a bind between the body and the soul. This can be explained by portraying the attraction between two magnets. It is hard to pull them apart, likewise, the attraction of the soul to the material body is more due to the love of the materialistic world. In other words, the more the magnetic field in both the magnets, the greater the attraction will be. Similarly, the more the love towards the worldly life, the greater the pain of pulling apart of the soul from the body will be.
The soul is removed from the body in stages (as mentioned in the Holy Qur’aan): it is first taken out from the feet followed by the shin and then the thighs after which the chest is affected and at that moment the power of speech is lost. When the soul is taken from the throat, the faculties of sight and hearing are exterminated.
There are two things here. Firstly, the pain felt at the introduction of death. Secondly, the pain felt at the extraction of the soul. Here the latter is implied.
The severity of death varies from person to person. a believer feels the pain similar to the hair that is taken out from flour by a finger. Whereas, the disbeliever feels so much pain that it is impossible to describe.
The severity of death has been mentioned in numerous Ahaadith, some of which are as follows:
1. Rasulullah shallallahu alaihi wasallam had mentioned that the grasp of Malikul Maut is more severe than one thousand hacks (cuts) with a sword.
2. There is a narration regarding Prophet Musa alaihis salaam that he was questioned by Allah after death about how he had undergone the experience of dying and he replied that it could be described as the case of a live bird being put in to a hot boiling pot of bubbling oil.
3. In another narration, Prophet Musa alaihis salaam is reported to have replied that the experience was like that of a goat being skinned alive by a butcher.
4. It is narrated that there is not as much pain, torture in being spilt by a saw, shredded by scissors or scalded by fiercely boiling water than in experiencing death.
5. That all distress, displeasure and agony at the time of death can be likened to that of an ant-bite.
6. Prophet Ibrahim alaihis salaam asked the angel of death to show him in which form he visits an evil person. Angel of death replied, "You will not be able to tolerate the sight." Prophet Ibrahim alaihis salaam insisted, the angel of death told him to turn around, while he transformed himself. After which he told Prophet Ibrahim alaihis salaam to look. Upon seeing him he fell unconsciousness due to the pitiful sight. Thereafter, Prophet Ibrahim alaihis salaam remarked that the sight was so horrifying that just looking at him was enough punishment for the evildoer.
It is a pity for us today that we are inattentive enough to remember all other worldly matters and forget the main purpose of our creation. How unfortunate will anyone of us be not to take heed after knowing one’s reality - what one is made of, where one came from and where one will return. May Allah Ta’ala give us the ability to remember death and grant us the kalimah, Laailaaha illallah on our lips at the time of death.
Death is when the soul is separated from the body; it receives reward and punishment and the separation of the soul from the body means loss of power of the soul over the body. The soul uses the body in its works; it catches by the hand, hears by the ears, sees by the eyes and acquires the knowledge of all things.
Allah has said in the Qur’aan: “Every soul will taste death.” From this verse we know that death is such a thing that you can’t escape from even if you are in a house, which is built with metal walls, and has a massive padlock. Death will not only come when hair and the beard turn white, but it can come at any time, even when you are a baby, or an old person or a teenager or of middle age. Even if you are a king, a Prime Minister or a leader of one of the tribes.
Death also came to the Prophet and to the companions of the Prophet, so if death can come to such great personalities, who are we to be so unmindful of it?
Know, O dear brothers, that the man, who is engrossed in the world and cheated by its charming coquetries, is unmindful of the remembrance of death. He does not remember death and when he is reminded of it, he does not like it. Allah has said regarding such a man: “The deaths from which you flee away will meet you. Thereafter you will be led to the Knower of the world seen and unseen. You will then be informed of what you did.”
Three categories of mankind
Mankind is divided into three categories:
(1) One who is addicted to the world, (2) One who is repentant, (3) One who has surrendered to Allah.
1. The man who is addicted to the world does not remember death. He hates death and lives far away from the remembrance of Allah.
2. The man who is repentant remembers death and fears it. He does not often like death because he fears to die before he makes sincere repentance or he purifies his soul from corrupt deeds and he does not think bad of meeting with death and Allah because he is not fully prepared for it, but he is always busy in preparation to meet it.
3. The God-Addicted man always remembers death, as he likes to meet with his beloved. The loner cannot forget to meet with his beloved. This person loves to meet with death to save himself from the world of sin. For such a person the Prophet has said: “Death is a gift for the believer.” The reason is that the world is a prison for a believer as he lives here in difficulties. Death gives him relief from these difficulties. Once the Prophet came out towards the mosque. On the way he found some of the Sahâbâh engaged in jokes and telling stories. He said to them: “Remember death! Beware by the One in whose hand lies my life, if you had known what I know, you would have laughed little and wept more.”
Not a single day passes when the grave does not call out: ‘I am a wilderness, I am a place of dust, I am a place of worms.’ When a believer is placed in the grave, it says: ‘Welcome, it is good of you to have come to me. Of all the people walking on the Earth, I liked you the best. Now you have come in to me, you will see how I entertain you.’ It then expands as far as the occupant can see. A door from Paradise is opened for him in the grave and through this door he gets fresh and fragrant air of Paradise. However, when a evil man is laid in the grave it says; ‘You are not welcome here. Your coming into me is very bad for you. Of all the people walking on the Earth, I disliked you the most. Now that you have been put into me, you will see how I treat you!’ It then closes upon him so much that his ribs of one side penetrate into the ribs of the other. As many as seventy serpents are then set upon him, to keep biting him until the day of resurrection. These serpents are so venomous that if one of them happened to spurt its venom upon the earth, not a single blade of grass would ever grow."
Thinking of death
Know O brothers that death is terrible because people are unmindful of death. The person who does remember death does not think of it with his whole heart. The mode of thinking of death is to free your mind from all thoughts and only put his mind on death. Be like the one who embarks on dangerous sea voyage. When the thought of death fills his mind and becomes one shadow, his worldly happiness decreases and his heart breaks. The best method of thinking of death is to remember the death of friends, family and neighbours, their bodies buried under the ground and their conditions in the graves. How their beautiful faces have become food for worms and insects! How their wives have become widows and their children orphans! How stricken by extreme poverty, they are passing their days miserably one by one! Think how death overtook them suddenly without any notice and warning! How unprepared they were for death and the hereafter!
So O brothers! Remember death as often as you can in the 24 hours of your daily life and make this your habit. It could be your turn next then your friends, family and neighbours will place you under the ground.
Start now before if it is too late.
When we will be asked about our youth?
Will we say the things we done truth?
Will our diplomas and degrees come in use?
Or will they bring us bad news?
We blanked Islam for education- and got in to the non-Islamic generation.
The friends we trusted- with whom we had fun, stopped us from entering the gates of heaven.
The requirements are simple, the reward is high - be prepared, think well before you die.
A garden of paradise or a pit of hell- the choice is yours! So think well!
Sacrifice your short journey here- for in the hereafter you will have no fear.
Two shoes of boiling fire he will wear- his brain will melt, his body will tear.
The person will scream and will not know- this is only the lowest punishment, Allah will give.
Day by day as our life decreases- day by day as our sins increase.
Day by day as our deeds change into sins- another day the shaytan wins.
For on that day when we’ll be scaled!
Think- will we win or will we fail?
May Allah save us all, Ameen.
