kashif_nazeer
~~~Alhamdulillah~~~
:salam2:
I hope this post finds everyone in the best of health and iman insha'Allah.
The topic I would like to discuss in this thread is apparent.Death.
All of us are aware that we shall die,it doesn't matter where we are from what belief we hold or what race we belong to.Two things are common to us all,they are birth and death.
Everyone who is born shall die ,as the Qur'an informs us::
Every soul will taste death. Then to Us will you be returned. Surat Al-`Ankabūt[29:57]
Every soul will taste death. And We test you with evil and with good as trial; and to Us you will be returned. Surat Al-'Anbyā'[21:35]
Every soul will taste death, and you will only be given your [full] compensation on the Day of Resurrection. So he who is drawn away from the Fire and admitted to Paradise has attained [his desire]. And what is the life of this world except the enjoyment of delusion. Surat 'Āli `Imrān[3:185]
We all shall die and we cannot prevent death from us no matter how hard or how much we try.Many have tried to find a 'cure' to this death but have failed.The time of death cannot be delayed or hastened.Nor can we dodge it or prevent it from us,as Qur'an tells us::
Wherever you may be, death will overtake you, even if you should be within towers of lofty construction. But if good comes to them, they say, "This is from Allah "; and if evil befalls them, they say, "This is from you." Say, "All [things] are from Allah ." So what is [the matter] with those people that they can hardly understand any statement? Surat An-Nisā' [4:178]
Those who said about their brothers while sitting [at home], "If they had obeyed us, they would not have been killed." Say, "Then prevent death from yourselves, if you should be truthful." Surat 'Āli `Imrān[3:168]
About the death,it is said there is a great deal of pain and agony involved,as it says in the Qur'an::
"And the agony of death comes, in truth; that is what you wished to avoid." Surat Al Qaf (50:19)
Also according to a hadith whose reference I do not know(if anyone knows,please share):::
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]
"When Prophet Muhammad (
) was dying, he put his hands in a large cup of water which was close to him and wiped his face with it, saying : 'O Allah help me over the hardship and agony of death.' "
As a matter of fact, the agony the Messenger of Allah suffered during dying was very severe. After Prophet Moses’ soul was taken away, Allah asked him how he found death; he said: “I felt like a sparrow being fried in a pan; neither does it die so that it will rest, nor can it escape so that it can fly away.” It signals that death can sometimes be harsh for the beloved slaves of Allah. And according to another narration, Moses said: “like a sheep being skinned at the hands of a butcher.” (see: Hasan Idwi, Mashariq, Egypt, 1316, p.15).
For a disbeliever it is even more painful and agonising,since a disbeliever disbelieves in Allah and His Messengers(peace be upon them all and the hereafter),he is attached to this world and all that it possesses.So the pain and agony of death is added to the sorrow of departure from beloved people and beloved things.A disbeliever clings to the world and all it possess and does not wish death.
About the disbeliever's death we know from Qur'an and Sunnah::
And if you could but see when the angels take the souls of those who disbelieved... They are striking their faces and their backs and [saying], "Taste the punishment of the Burning Fire. Surat Al-'Anfāl[8:50]
If the person is a Kafir or Munafiq then the angels of death look frightening to him and the dying person is terrified at the time of death.
At the death of the believer, the angels of death come and extend salaam to the believer, at this time the believer in the throes of death……. smiles. (Perhaps some of you may have seen this in a pious relative) The angels of death then gently call for the soul to come out.
From another reference (The Hereafter by Anwar Awlaki): When the soul of a believer who is righteous and innocent is removed, it comes out of the body like a drop of water sliding off the tip of the spout of a jug. However the soul of a disobedient person fights back and refuses to leave the body. His soul is removed forcibly and comes out torn and fragmented like a piece of cloth being pulled off a thorny bush.
It is also reported that when the soul of the innocent leaves the body voluntarily when called by the angels of death, the eyes of the dying watch it leave.
The Qur'an beautifully describes the scene at the moment of death of a believer ::
Indeed, those who have said, "Our Lord is Allah " and then remained on a right course - the angels will descend upon them, [saying], "Do not fear and do not grieve but receive good tidings of Paradise, which you were promised.
We [angels] were your allies in worldly life and [are so] in the Hereafter. And you will have therein whatever your souls desire, and you will have therein whatever you request [or wish]
As accommodation from a [Lord who is] Forgiving and Merciful." Surat Al Fussilat (41:30-32)
That is why Allah commands us to not let ourselves die except as Muslims,as it says in the Qur'an::
O you who have believed, fear Allah as He should be feared and do not die except as Muslims [in submission to Him]. Surat 'Āli `Imrān [3:102]
A Muslim knows where he is going and knows the reality of this life as the Qur'an tells us::
Know that the life of this world is but amusement and diversion and adornment and boasting to one another and competition in increase of wealth and children - like the example of a rain whose [resulting] plant growth pleases the tillers; then it dries and you see it turned yellow; then it becomes [scattered] debris. And in the Hereafter is severe punishment and forgiveness from Allah and approval. And what is the worldly life except the enjoyment of delusion. Surat Al-Ĥadīd [57:20]
A muslim knows the truth about this life and the hereafter,he knows that Allah is Truth,Jannah is Truth ,Jahannam is truth.A muslim does not clinge to this world but takes from it ,his provision which is necessary to survive,he knows this is temporary,so he doesn't attach himself to this world.His eyes are set on the hereafter.So at the time of death,he might not feel sorrow as he knows he is returning to the truth,The One Who created him,the One whom he loves and Who loves him.So ,in fact it gives a muslim and a believer joy.A joy to meet Allah.
A muslim should die with hope in his heart and good expectation from Allah,as is evident from this hadith::
Jabir bin `Abdullah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: I heard the Prophet (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) saying three days before his death: "Let none of you die unless he has good expectations from Allah".
[Muslim].
So let us decide now,how we are going to die and start preparing for it from this very moment.Let us pray and hope to die while having good expectations from Allah and firm belief in Him.Let us not cling to the world and it's possessions but take what is necessary ,but prepare for our permanent home in the hereafter,such that when we get there Allah will say to us:::
[To the righteous it will be said], "O reassured soul,
Return to your Lord, well-pleased and pleasing [to Him],
And enter among My [righteous] servants
And enter My Paradise." Surat Al-Fajr [89:27-30]
I hope this post finds everyone in the best of health and iman insha'Allah.
The topic I would like to discuss in this thread is apparent.Death.
All of us are aware that we shall die,it doesn't matter where we are from what belief we hold or what race we belong to.Two things are common to us all,they are birth and death.
Everyone who is born shall die ,as the Qur'an informs us::
Every soul will taste death. Then to Us will you be returned. Surat Al-`Ankabūt[29:57]
Every soul will taste death. And We test you with evil and with good as trial; and to Us you will be returned. Surat Al-'Anbyā'[21:35]
Every soul will taste death, and you will only be given your [full] compensation on the Day of Resurrection. So he who is drawn away from the Fire and admitted to Paradise has attained [his desire]. And what is the life of this world except the enjoyment of delusion. Surat 'Āli `Imrān[3:185]
We all shall die and we cannot prevent death from us no matter how hard or how much we try.Many have tried to find a 'cure' to this death but have failed.The time of death cannot be delayed or hastened.Nor can we dodge it or prevent it from us,as Qur'an tells us::
Wherever you may be, death will overtake you, even if you should be within towers of lofty construction. But if good comes to them, they say, "This is from Allah "; and if evil befalls them, they say, "This is from you." Say, "All [things] are from Allah ." So what is [the matter] with those people that they can hardly understand any statement? Surat An-Nisā' [4:178]
Those who said about their brothers while sitting [at home], "If they had obeyed us, they would not have been killed." Say, "Then prevent death from yourselves, if you should be truthful." Surat 'Āli `Imrān[3:168]
About the death,it is said there is a great deal of pain and agony involved,as it says in the Qur'an::
"And the agony of death comes, in truth; that is what you wished to avoid." Surat Al Qaf (50:19)
Also according to a hadith whose reference I do not know(if anyone knows,please share):::
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]
"When Prophet Muhammad (
) was dying, he put his hands in a large cup of water which was close to him and wiped his face with it, saying : 'O Allah help me over the hardship and agony of death.' "As a matter of fact, the agony the Messenger of Allah suffered during dying was very severe. After Prophet Moses’ soul was taken away, Allah asked him how he found death; he said: “I felt like a sparrow being fried in a pan; neither does it die so that it will rest, nor can it escape so that it can fly away.” It signals that death can sometimes be harsh for the beloved slaves of Allah. And according to another narration, Moses said: “like a sheep being skinned at the hands of a butcher.” (see: Hasan Idwi, Mashariq, Egypt, 1316, p.15).
For a disbeliever it is even more painful and agonising,since a disbeliever disbelieves in Allah and His Messengers(peace be upon them all and the hereafter),he is attached to this world and all that it possesses.So the pain and agony of death is added to the sorrow of departure from beloved people and beloved things.A disbeliever clings to the world and all it possess and does not wish death.
About the disbeliever's death we know from Qur'an and Sunnah::
And if you could but see when the angels take the souls of those who disbelieved... They are striking their faces and their backs and [saying], "Taste the punishment of the Burning Fire. Surat Al-'Anfāl[8:50]
If the person is a Kafir or Munafiq then the angels of death look frightening to him and the dying person is terrified at the time of death.
At the death of the believer, the angels of death come and extend salaam to the believer, at this time the believer in the throes of death……. smiles. (Perhaps some of you may have seen this in a pious relative) The angels of death then gently call for the soul to come out.
From another reference (The Hereafter by Anwar Awlaki): When the soul of a believer who is righteous and innocent is removed, it comes out of the body like a drop of water sliding off the tip of the spout of a jug. However the soul of a disobedient person fights back and refuses to leave the body. His soul is removed forcibly and comes out torn and fragmented like a piece of cloth being pulled off a thorny bush.
It is also reported that when the soul of the innocent leaves the body voluntarily when called by the angels of death, the eyes of the dying watch it leave.
The Qur'an beautifully describes the scene at the moment of death of a believer ::
Indeed, those who have said, "Our Lord is Allah " and then remained on a right course - the angels will descend upon them, [saying], "Do not fear and do not grieve but receive good tidings of Paradise, which you were promised.
We [angels] were your allies in worldly life and [are so] in the Hereafter. And you will have therein whatever your souls desire, and you will have therein whatever you request [or wish]
As accommodation from a [Lord who is] Forgiving and Merciful." Surat Al Fussilat (41:30-32)
That is why Allah commands us to not let ourselves die except as Muslims,as it says in the Qur'an::
O you who have believed, fear Allah as He should be feared and do not die except as Muslims [in submission to Him]. Surat 'Āli `Imrān [3:102]
A Muslim knows where he is going and knows the reality of this life as the Qur'an tells us::
Know that the life of this world is but amusement and diversion and adornment and boasting to one another and competition in increase of wealth and children - like the example of a rain whose [resulting] plant growth pleases the tillers; then it dries and you see it turned yellow; then it becomes [scattered] debris. And in the Hereafter is severe punishment and forgiveness from Allah and approval. And what is the worldly life except the enjoyment of delusion. Surat Al-Ĥadīd [57:20]
A muslim knows the truth about this life and the hereafter,he knows that Allah is Truth,Jannah is Truth ,Jahannam is truth.A muslim does not clinge to this world but takes from it ,his provision which is necessary to survive,he knows this is temporary,so he doesn't attach himself to this world.His eyes are set on the hereafter.So at the time of death,he might not feel sorrow as he knows he is returning to the truth,The One Who created him,the One whom he loves and Who loves him.So ,in fact it gives a muslim and a believer joy.A joy to meet Allah.
A muslim should die with hope in his heart and good expectation from Allah,as is evident from this hadith::
Jabir bin `Abdullah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: I heard the Prophet (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) saying three days before his death: "Let none of you die unless he has good expectations from Allah".
[Muslim].
So let us decide now,how we are going to die and start preparing for it from this very moment.Let us pray and hope to die while having good expectations from Allah and firm belief in Him.Let us not cling to the world and it's possessions but take what is necessary ,but prepare for our permanent home in the hereafter,such that when we get there Allah will say to us:::
[To the righteous it will be said], "O reassured soul,
Return to your Lord, well-pleased and pleasing [to Him],
And enter among My [righteous] servants
And enter My Paradise." Surat Al-Fajr [89:27-30]
