Your final hours on this Earth

Working hard to make a living and enjoying life, working on the career, trying to make it in this world – at some point we realize life will not go on forever. For many at that point it is too late to turn back the clock – alas! The final moment has arrived.

The doctors have made their last call. There is nothing more that can be done. The family have also accepted the fact that you are dying. It is now you and the bed. All these years of enjoying the comfort of a home – that same home does not host you anymore.

Death and dying are least discussed – avoided. Yet the Prophet (PBUH) told us to remind ourselves of death often.

What are the lessons we learn from the Qur’an and sunnah about death and dying? What takes place and what are the sequence?

There is no such thing as early death. Death comes at a pre-determined time which was written the day you and I were born.

HE WILL BE SHOWN HIS DESTINATION BOTH IN THE MORNING AND IN THE EVENING

Narrated Abdullah bin Umar:

Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, “When anyone of you dies, he will be shown his destination both in the morning and in the evening, and if he belongs to the people of Paradise, he will be shown his place in Paradise, and if he is from the people of Hell, he will be shown his place in Hell.”

حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ يُونُسَ، حَدَّثَنَا اللَّيْثُ بْنُ سَعْدٍ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ “‏ إِذَا مَاتَ أَحَدُكُمْ فَإِنَّهُ يُعْرَضُ عَلَيْهِ مَقْعَدُهُ بِالْغَدَاةِ وَالْعَشِيِّ، فَإِنْ كَانَ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ فَمِنْ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ، وَإِنْ كَانَ مِنْ أَهْلِ النَّارِ فَمِنْ أَهْلِ النَّارِ ‏”‏‏.‏
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 3240

NOW YOU KNOW WITH CERTAINTY THERE IS NO RETURN

YOU WERE TRYING TO AVOID DEATH – UNSUCCEFULLY

No one can escape death. Not thinking about death does not help – it will meet us sooner or later. Matter of time.

“And the intoxication of death will bring the truth; that is what you were trying to avoid.” Sura Qaf 19  

EVERYONE WILL TASTE DEATH

“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.” Sura Al I Imran

REMEMBER DEATH OFTEN – THE ONE THAT CUTS YOU OFF FROM THE PLEASURES OF THIS WORLD

Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Remember often the destroyer of pleasures: death.” Source: Sunan al-Tirmidhī 2307

DEATH HAS PANGS AND AGONY

SO MUCH FOR THE UNTRUTHFUL STATEMENT — HE DIED PEACEFULLY!!!

‘Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) reported: I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) when he was at the point of death. He had a drinking bowl with water in it. He would dip his hand into the bowl, and wipe his face. Then he would supplicate, “O Allah! Help me over pangs and agony of death.” [At-Tirmidhi].

DEATH SHALL MEET YOU, AND YOU WILL TASTE THE CONSEQUENCE OF YOUR DEEDS

Say, “Indeed, the death from which you flee – indeed, it will meet you. Then you will be returned to the Knower of the unseen and the witnessed, and He will inform you about what you used to do.” Sura Jumu’a 8

EVEN IF YOU TRY AND HIDE IN A FORTIFIED BUILDING

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,1 “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? Sura An Nisaa 78

ANGELS WILL EXTEND THEIR HANDS TO GET YOUR SOUL

It is now encounter with the angels. Angels that protected us and recorded each and every deed of ours – these special creature of Allah made of light are now visible to the dying person. And only he or she can see them – no one else.

“Who does more wrong than the one who fabricates lies against Allah or claims, “I have received revelations!”—although nothing was revealed to them—or the one who says, “I can reveal the like of Allah’s revelations!”? If you ˹O Prophet˺ could only see the wrongdoers in the throes of death while the angels are stretching out their hands ˹saying˺, “Give up your souls! Today you will be rewarded with the torment of disgrace for telling lies about Allah and for being arrogant towards His revelations!”  Sura An Am 93

ONE OF THREE CONDITIONS AT DEATH – WHICH ONE ARE YOU TRYING TO ACHIEVE?

Then why, when it [i.e., the soul at death] reaches the throat

And you are at that time looking on –

And We [i.e., Our angels] are nearer to him than you, but you do not see –

Then why do you not, if you are not to be recompensed,

Bring it back,1 if you should be truthful?

And if he [i.e., the deceased] was of those brought near [to Allah],

Then [for him is] rest and bounty and a garden of pleasure.

And if he was of the companions of the right,

Then [the angels will say], “Peace for you; [you are] from the companions of the right.”

But if he was of the deniers [who were] astray,

Then [for him is] accommodation of scalding water

And burning in Hellfire.

Indeed, this is the true certainty,

So exalt the name of your Lord, the Most Great. Sura Waqiah 83

AFTER YEARS OF WASTING TIME – NOW YOU ARE ASKING – DELAY ME FOR A BRIEF TERM

“And spend [in the way of Allah] from what We have provided you before death approaches one of you and he says, “My Lord, if only You would delay me for a brief term so I would give charity and be of the righteous.” But never will Allah delay a soul when its time has come. And Allah is Aware of what you do.” Sura Munafiqun 10-11

GOOD NEWS FOR THE BELIEVERS

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. Sura Fussilat 30

This happens at time of death.

(on them the angels will descend). Mujahid, As-Suddi, Zayd bin Aslam and his (Zayd’s) son said, “This means, at the time of death, and they will say,

﴿ أَلَّا تَخَافُواْ ﴾
(Fear not). ” Mujahid, `Ikrimah and Zayd bin Aslam said, “This means not to fear “that which you will face in the Hereafter.”

﴿ وَلَا تَحۡزَنُواْ ﴾
(nor grieve!) `for what you have left behind of worldly things, children, family, wealth and debt, for we will take care of it for you.’

﴿ وَأَبۡشِرُواْ بِٱلۡجَنَّةِ ٱلَّتِى كُنتُمۡ تُوعَدُونَ ﴾
(But receive the glad tidings of Paradise which you have been promised!) So they give glad tidings of the end of bad things and the arrival of good things. This is like what is said in the Hadith narrated by Al-Bara’, may Allah be pleased with him:

« إِنَّ الْمَلَائِكَةَ تَقُولُ لِرُوحِ الْمُؤْمِنِ: اخْرُجِي أَيَّتُهَا الرُّوحُ الطَّيِّـبَةُ فِي الْجَسَدِ الطَّيِّبِ كُنْتِ تَعْمُرِينَهُ، اخْرُجِي إِلى رَوْحٍ وَرَيْحَانٍ وَرَبَ غَيْرِ غَضْبَان »
(The angels say to the soul of the believer, “Come out, O good soul from the good body in which you used to dwell, come out to rest, and provision and a Lord Who is not angry.”) It was said that the angels will come down to them on the Day when they are brought out of their graves. Zayd bin Aslam said, “They will give him glad tidings when he dies, in his grave, and when he is resurrected.” This was recorded by Ibn Abi Hatim, and this view reconciles all the opinions; it is a good view and it is true.

﴿ نَحۡنُ أَوۡلِيَآؤُكُمۡ فِى ٱلۡحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡيَا وَفِى ٱلۡأَخِرَةِ‌ۖ ﴾
(We have been your friends in the life of this world and are (so) in the Hereafter. ) means, the angels will say to the believers when death approaches: “We have been your friends, i.e., your close companions, in this world, protecting you and helping you by the command of Allah, and we will be with you in the Hereafter, keeping you from feeling lonely in your graves and when the Trumpet is blown; we will reassure you on the Day of Resurrection and will take you across the Sirat and bring you to the Gardens of delight.”

﴿ وَلَكُمۡ فِيهَا مَا تَشۡتَهِىٓ أَنفُسُكُمۡ ﴾
(Therein you shall have (all) that your souls desire,) means, `in Paradise you will have all that you wish for and that will delight you.’

﴿ وَلَكُمۡ فِيهَا مَا تَدَّعُونَ ﴾
(and therein you shall have (all) for which you ask.) means, `whatever you ask for, it will appear before you as you wish it to be.’

﴿ نُزُلاً۬ مِّنۡ غَفُورٍ۬ رَّحِيمٍ۬ ﴾
(An entertainment from the Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.) means, `a welcoming gift and a blessing from the One Who has forgiven your sins and Who is Merciful and Kind towards you, Who has forgiven you, concealed your faults and been Kind and Merciful.’

HOW DOES THE SOUL DEPART THE BODY ?

Al-Bara’ ibn ‘Azib reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Verily, when the believer is ready to depart the world and is facing the Hereafter, angels from heaven descend with bright faces, as if their faces were the sun, with them are the shrouds and perfumes of Paradise, until they sit from him a distance as far as the eye can see. Then, the angel of death, upon him be peace, comes until he sits by his head and he says: O pure soul, come out to the forgiveness of Allah and His pleasure! He takes it out like a drop from a water-skin and holds it, never to leave his hand for the blink of an eye until he places it in that shroud and perfume. The scent coming from it is more pleasant than any musk you would find on the face of the earth. He ascends and passes by no gathering of angels but that they say: What a pure spirit! They say he is this person, son of this person, calling him by the best names by which he was known in the world, until he stops at the lowest heaven and seeks entry and it will be opened for him. The company of each heaven bring him closer to the heaven following it until he stops at the seventh heaven. Allah Almighty will say: Write the record of My servant in the righteous register and return him to the earth, for from it I created them, to it I return them, and from it I will take them out once again. His spirit will be returned to his body and two angels will come to sit by him, saying to him: Who is your Lord? He will say: My Lord is Allah. They will say: What is your religion? He will say: My religion is Islam. They will say: Who is this man sent you? He will say: He is the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him. They will say: How did you know? He will say: I read the Book of Allah, had faith in it, and believed in it. A heavenly announcement will be made: My servant has spoken the truth! Spread out carpets for him in Paradise, clothe him for Paradise, and open a gate for him to Paradise! Its comforts and fragrances will come to him and his grave will become spacious as far as his eye can see. A handsome man, with fine clothes and wonderful fragrance, will come and say: Glad tidings of what pleases you, for this was your Day you were promised! He will say: Who are you with such a handsome face? He will say: I am your righteous deeds! He will say: O Lord, begin the Hour that I may return to my family and property!”

The Prophet continued, “Verily, when the unbeliever is ready to depart the world and is facing the Hereafter, angels descend from heaven with darkened faces and with them sack-cloth. They will sit away from his as far as the eye can see. Then, the angel of death approaches until he sits by his head and he says: O filthy soul, come out to the displeasure of Allah and His wrath! He will be separated from his body like the tearing of skewers from wet wool and he holds it in his hand, never to leave it for the blink of an eye, until he places it in this sack-cloth. The scent coming from it is like the most foul corpse found upon the face of the earth. They will ascend with him and not pass by a gathering of angels but that they say: What a filthy spirit! They say he is this person, son of this person, calling him by the ugliest names by which he was known in the world, until he stops at the lowest heaven. They will request it to be opened for him but it will not open.” Then, the Prophet recited the verse, “The gates of heaven will never open for them, nor will they enter Paradise, until the camel goes through the eye of the needle,” (7:40). The Prophet said, “Allah Almighty will say: Write his record in the wicked register in the lowest earth. His spirit will be thrown down,” then the Prophet recited the verse, “It is as though he had fallen from the sky and was snatched by the birds or the wind carried him down into a remote place,” (22:31). The Prophet said, “His spirit will return to his body and two angels will come to sit by him, saying to him: Who is your Lord? He will say: Uh, uh, I do not know! They will say: What is your religion? He will say: Uh, uh, I do not know! They will say: Who is this man sent to you? He will say: Uh, uh, I do not know! A heavenly announcement will be made: He has lied! Spread carpets for him in Hellfire and open a gate for him to Hellfire! Its heat and its flames will approach him, and he will be squeezed in his grave until his ribs press together. An ugly man, with hideous clothing and a foul stench, will approach him and say: Glad tidings of what despairs you, for this is your Day you were promised! He will say: Who are with your evil face? He will say: I am your wicked deeds! He will say: O Lord, do not begin the Hour!”

Source: Musnad Aḥmad 18534

IF YOU LOOK FORWARD TO MEET ALLAH, ALLAH LOOKS FORWARD TO MEETING YOU TOO

It was narrated from ‘Aishah that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Whoever loves to meet Allah, Allah loves to meet him, and whoever hates to meet Allah, Allah hates to meet him.” It was said to him: “O Messenger of Allah, does hating to meet Allah mean hating to meet death? For all of us hate death.” He said: “No. Rather that is only at the moment of death. But if he is given the glad tidings of the mercy and forgiveness of Allah, he loves to meet Allah and Allah loves to meet him; and if he is given the tidings of the punishment of Allah, he hates to meet Allah and Allah hates to meet him.” Reference  : Sunan Ibn Majah 4264

DU’A TO MAKE DEATH EASY

Ibn ‘Abbas said, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to teach us this supplication as he taught us the suras of the Qur’an: ‘I seek refuge with You from the punishment of Hellfire, and I seek refuge with You from the punishment of the grave. I seek refuge with You from the trial of the Dajjal and the I seek refuge from the trials of life and death. I seek refuge with You from the trial of the grave.'” Reference       : Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 694

SURRENDER TO ALLAH AND YOU WILL BE FORGIVEN

• With every breath you are walking closer and closer to your grave. Final moments will be here sooner or later – THE POINT OF NO RETURN.
• Gather provisions while you can, for the journey is long, and only the help of Allah can save.
• Surrender to Allah.  There is no other way. At time of death you WILL surrender – against your will.
• Imagine the feeling of helplessness when you can’t move your hands, your feet, your tongue. No one has come back to talk about this experience.
• The world existed before you were born. It will continue to exist after you die. Now do you get the idea why you were created?

Related Links:

• What Happens Few Seconds Before You Die?
• The Moment You Die “Islamic Guidance”
• How does the soul leave the body “Merciful Servant”
• A few moments before you die, this happens
• What happens to soul once a person die
• What happens to our soul between our Death and Resurrection?
• What are the last stages of death and the moments of the presence of the angel of death?
• These signs appear to you hours before death.. Know them before it is too late and do not be afraid
• What does the dead see during their death? How far does he see it?
• علامات يرسله ملك الموت للإنسان ليخبره باقتراب اجله وان موته قريب؟ ستبكى على حالك .. شاهد قبل موتك