Do Not Wish For Death
Do Not Wish For Death
Hadrat Abu Hurairah (Radhiallaahu Anhu) reports that Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) said, ‘No person from amongst you should wish for death. If he is a good-doer, perhaps he might increase his good deeds (if he lives longer). And if he is an evil-doer, he might repent (to Allah and thereby earn His forgiveness and pleasure).’ (Sahih Bukhaari)
Hadrat Anas (Radhiallaahu Anhu) relates that Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi
Wasallam) said, ‘None of you should pray and hope for death because of some calamity. If he has to do so, then he should make the following dua instead:
O Allah, keep me alive as long as life is better for me, and let me die when death is better for me.’ (Sahih Bukhaari)
Sudden Death
During the time of Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam), a person died suddenly. Somebody remarked, ‘How fortunate he was for having not suffered any sickness.’ Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) said, ‘But I wish that Allah Ta’ala had afflicted him with sickness and thereby forgiven his sins.’ (Maalik)
Death in a Foreign Land
Hadrat Abdullah bin Amr (Radhiallaahu Anhu) relates that a man passed away in Madinah Munawwarah. He was also born there. Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) performed his Janaazah salaah and said, ‘How I wish he had died in a place other than where he was born.’ The Sahaabah (Radhiallaahu
Anhum) asked, ‘Why is that, O Messenger of Allah?’ Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) replied, ‘When a person dies (in some distant land) faraway from his birthplace, then the distance between the place of his birth and the place of his death will be measured for him in Jannah.’ (Ibn Maajah)
The Ulama have interpreted this Hadith to mean that his grave will be widened for him as far as the distance between the place of his birth and the place where he had died, and a door of Jannah will be opened for him into his grave.
Death from Sickness
Hadrat Abu Hurairah (Radhiallaahu Anhu) has reported that Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) said, ‘Whoever dies from an illness, dies as a shaheed (martyr) and he is saved from the trials in the grave, and every morning and evening he receives his sustenance from Jannah.’ (Ibn Maajah)
He has also reported that Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) said, ‘Instruct those who are dying amongst you to recite (the kalimah tayyibah):
Laa ilaaha illal laah (Sahih Muslim)
Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) has also said, ‘Besides the person who gets killed (martyred) in the path of Allah, there are seven other (categories of) martyrs, viz.
* one who dies in a plague,
* one who dies from stomach illnesses,
* one who drowns,
* one who gets burnt to death,
* one who gets crushed to death,
* a woman who dies during childbirth and
* one who dies from pleurisy.’ (Abu Daawood, Nasa-ee)
It is mentioned in a Hadith that if any Muslim recites:
Laa ilaaha illaa anta subhaa naka innee kuntu mi nazzaa limeen
forty times in the state of sickness, then if he recovers, all his sins will be forgiven, but if he dies from it, he will be granted the reward of a Shaheed (martyr). (Haakim)
Death brings relief for a Mu’min
Once a janaazah (funeral) passed by Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam). He said, ‘(Here is) someone who is relieved or someone from whom others are relieved.’ The Sahaabah asked, ‘O Messenger of Allah! Who is the one who is relieved or one from whom others are relieved?’
He replied, ‘A Mu’min is relieved from the pain and sufferings of the world and enjoys the mercy of Allah (when he dies). But when a persistent sinner dies; people, habitations, trees and animals find relief (in his death).
(Bukhaari and Muslim)
Hope in the Mercy of Allah Ta’ala
Allah Ta’ala has blessed every Muslim with the priceless gift of Imaan, the key to our success in this world and the Hereafter. Indeed, true Imaan lies between hope in the mercy and forgiveness of Allah, and the fear of His anger.
Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) once visited a young Sahaabi who was breathing his last, and asked him how he was feeling. He replied, ‘O Messenger of Allah, I am hopeful of the mercy of Allah, and yet I am afraid of my sins.’ Thereupon Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) said, ‘When the heart of a believer is filled with these two feelings of hope and fear, Almighty Allah fulfils his hope and saves him from what he fears.’ (Ibn
Maajah) The Ulama explain that the fulfilment of expectations promised by Allah in this Hadith is in its most general sense. It carries assurance not only in respect of Allah’s forgiveness but also in respect of prayers, health, wealth and safety.
Hadrat Jaabir (Radhiallaahu Anhu) relates that he heard Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) say, three days before passing away, ‘None of you should die without expecting the best from Allah, the Blessed and Exalted.'(Sahih Muslim)
Sayyiduna Umar bin al-Khattaab (Radhiallaahu Anhu) says: Once some prisoners of war were brought before Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam). Amongst them was a woman running anxiously here and there in search of her missing child. When she had found it, she hugged it and began to breastfeed it.
Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) asked his Companions, ‘Could you imagine that this woman will ever throw her child into the fire?’ We said, ‘By Allah! Never.’ He said, ‘Allah is more Merciful to His slaves than this woman is to her child.’ (Bukhaari and Muslim)
Hadrat Mu’aaz bin Jabal (Radhiallaahu Anhu) died of plague, and in the moments of death’s agony, he fainted many times. Whenever he regained consciousness for a moment, he would say, ‘O Allah! You know that I love You. By Your Honour and Glory! You know this very well.’ Just before breathing his last he said, ‘O Death! You are a welcome guest but have come at a time when there is nothing in the house to eat.’ Then he said, ‘O Allah! You know very well that I had always feared You, but today I die hopeful of Your forgiveness. O Allah! I enjoyed life, not in digging canals and planting orchards, but in remainibg thirsty while fasting in the hot weather, in undergoing hardships for the sake of Islaam, and in taking part in the gatherings engaged in zikr under the supervision of the Ulama.’
Sayyiduna Ibn Abbaas (Radhiallaahu Anhu) relates that once some people who had committed many murders and involved themselves in adultery excessively, came to Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) and said, ‘O Muhammad!
Whatever you say and invite people to, is very good; but we have committed such serious sins. If we become Muslim, will our repentance be accepted?’
Allah Ta’ala then revealed the verse:
‘Say, (O Muhammad (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam)) O My slaves who have wronged themselves (by committing evil deeds and sins)! Do not despair of the mercy of Allah.’ (Qur’aan 39:53) (Sahih Bukhaari)
Hadrat Abdullah bin Mas’ood (Radhiallaahu Anhu) has described the above aayah as the most-inspiring verse of the Qur’aan Shareef.’ (Tabraani)
Our Merciful Allah is certainly willing to forgive us, provided that we make sincere tawbah for our sins before we die, even if it be kufr or shirk.
Therefore nobody should ever lose hope in the mercy and forgiveness of Allah Ta’ala.
Death on Imaan, the Ultimate Success
Hadrat Mu’aaz bin Jabal (Radhiallaahu Anhu) reports that Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) said, ‘The person whose last words (in this
world) are:
Laa ilaaha illal laah Arabic Arabic Arabic shall enter Jannah.’ (Abu Dawood)
