DEATH

Allah (SWT) says: “Everyone is going to taste death.” (XXI: 35)

Allah (SWT) says: “When their term comes, neither can they delay it nor can they advance it an hour.” (10: 49) Death cannot be prevented by property or progeny, knowledge or prestige. It conquers kings in their palaces and takes doctors out of their hospitals and wrests rich men and businessmen from their treasures and takes away the souls of youths and children when their death is due. But a believer surrenders to his destiny and prepares himself to what will come after it, so that he may lead the eternal life happily in a Paradise as wide as heavens and earth prepared for Allah-fearing people.

Allah (SWT) has specified for everyone his term of life, his sustenance, work, whether he will be happy or unhappy (in the Hereafter). All this is determined the day the soul is blown into him when he is still in his mother’s womb, as is indicated in the noble hadith: “…Then Allah sends to it (fetus) an angel who is informed of four words. Then he writes its provision, term of life, work and whether it will be wretched or happy (in the Hereafter). Then he blows the soul into it.”[2]

So this life is just a test and an affliction. The test ends with the departure of the soul from the body when man moves from the stage of this life to that of the Barzakh (intermediate stage between this life and the Hereafter).

 Definition of Death

Death is the departure of the soul from the body and one’s movement from this life to the Hereafter.

Al-Qurtubi said: “Scholars say: ‘Death is not utter annihilation or pure destruction but it is the interruption of the linkage between the soul and the body and the departure of the soul from the body and a partition between them and a transfer from one abode to another.”[3]

The state of the believer and that of the unbeliever at dying:

          Allah (SWT) tells us about the state of the believer when dying: “Verily, those who say: ‘Our Lord is Allah,’ and then they stand firm, on them the angels will descend (saying): ‘Fear not, nor grieve! But receive the glad tidings of Paradise which you have been promised.’” (LXI: 30) As to the state of the unbeliever, Allah (SWT) says: “And if you could but see the wrong-doers in the agonies of death, while the angels are stretching forth their hands (saying): ‘Deliver you souls! This day you shall be recompensed with the torment of degradation because of what you used to utter against Allah other than the truth and scornfully reject His Signs.’” (VI: 93)

Al-Bara’ Ibn ‘Azib said: (We went out with the Prophet (Peace be upon him) to escort an Ansari deceased man to his final resting place. We arrived at the grave before the deceased was buried. Allah’s Messenger (Peace be upon him) sat and we sat around him silent with awe. He had a stick that he was lightly hitting the ground with. Then he raised his head saying twice or thrice: “Seek refuge in Allah from the torment of the grave.” Then he added: “When a faithful bondman departs from this world and turns towards the Hereafter, a number of white-faced angels descend from heaven; their faces being like the sun, carrying one of the shrouds of Paradise and some of the perfume of Paradise. They would sit close next to him as far as an eye can see. The Angel of Death (Peace be upon him) comes to sit at his head and say: ‘O gracious soul! Come out to enjoy Allah’s forgiveness and satisfaction.’ Then his soul comes out flowing as a drop flows from the mouth of a skin. Then he takes it, but no sooner has he taken it than they take it and put it in that shroud and in that perfume. Then out of it comes the most pleasant smell of musk known on the surface of the earth. Then they go up carrying it. They do not then pass by any group of angels with that soul but they say: ‘What is this pleasant soul?’ They say: ‘It is (the soul of) such and such’, calling him by the best names he used to be named by in this life, till they reach with it the lowest heaven and ask permission to admit it, and the heaven’s gate is opened for them, so that the angels nearest to Allah in every heaven escort it to the next heaven till they reach the seventh heaven, whereupon Allah the Almighty says: “Write the book of My servant among the highest and return him to the earth, for I created them (humans) from it and I will return them into it and bring them out of it once again.”  Then his soul is returned to his body and two angels visit him and make him sit up and say to him: ‘Who is your Lord?’ He says: ‘Allah is My Lord.’ They then say to him: ‘What religion is yours?’ He says: ‘My religion is Islam.’ Then they say to him: ‘What did you think of the man who was raised up among you?’ He says: ‘He is Allah’s Messenger (Peace be upon him).’ Then they say to him: ‘How do you know (that)?’ He says: ‘I read Allah’s Book and believed in it as the truth.’ Then a crier from the heaven proclaims [on behalf of Allah]: ‘My bondman has told the truth, so, lay out a carpet for him from Paradise, dress him with a garment from Paradise and open a gate for him leading to Paradise.’ Then there comes to him of its breeze and fragrance; his grave is extended as for as an eye can see.  Then a good-looking, well-dressed, sweet-smelled man comes to him and say: ‘Indulge in what pleases you. This is the day you were promised.’ He then says to him: ‘Who are you? Your face conveys what is good.’ He will say: ‘ I am your righteous deeds.’ He then says: ‘O Lord! Let the Hour (Day of Judgment) take place, so that I may return to my family and property.’

As for the disbelieving bondman, when he departs from this world and turns towards the Hereafter, a number of black-faced angels descend from heaven, carrying rough uncomfortable cloth, and sit next to him as far as an eye can see. Then comes the Angel of death and sits at his head and says: ‘O nasty soul! Come out to face Allah’s discontent and wrath.’ Then the soul spreads throughout his body and the angel extracts it as one plucks out barbs from wet wool. He then takes it, but no sooner has he taken it than they take it and put it in that rough cloth. Then out of it comes the nastiest smell of a corpse known on the surface of the earth. They then go up carrying it. They do not, then, pass by any group of angels with it but they say: ‘What is this nasty soul.’ They, then, say: ‘It is (the soul of) such and such; calling him by the ugliest names he used to be called by in this life, till they reach with it the lowest heaven and ask permission to admit it, but no gate is opened to him. (Then Allah’s Messenger (Peace be upon him) recited Allah’s saying: “For them the gates of heaven will not be opened, and they will not enter Paradise until the camel goes through the eye of the needle.” Whereupon Glorified Allah says: ‘Write his Book in prison in the lower earth.’ Then his soul is thrown away. Then the Prophet (Peace be upon him) recited: ‘And whoever assigns partners to Allah, it is as if he had fallen from the sky and the birds had snatched him, or the wind had thrown him to a far-off place.’[4]

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