A Famous Story Regarding the Angel of Death
It is well known that Allah once asked the Angel of Death: “You have removed many souls and this is your designated work night and day. Tell me, did you ever feel pity at the time of removing anyone’s soul?” The Angel replied: “I felt pity only on two people.” Allah said: “Who are the people that even you pitied?” The Angel of Death replied: “Once there was a ship at sea with women and children. A storm arose and the ship sank. A few people drowned and a few clung on to planks and managed to save themselves. Among them was a pregnant woman who had managed to hold on to a big piece of plank. She held tightly on to this plank although she was in the middle of the ocean and it was dark and stormy. In that condition she gave birth and held the baby to her chest. There was neither means of feeding the baby nor any means of protection. In that condition O Great Master, You instructed me to remove the soul of that woman. O Allah! I removed her soul but till today I wonder what happened to that child.” Thereafter Allah asked: “Who was the second person you felt sorry for?” The Angel of Death replied: “There was a disobedient servant of Yours named Shaddad. You granted him kingdom and wealth in abundance. He said that he will construct a jannah (paradise) on earth and commenced with its construction. He spent thousands and millions of dinars and vowed that he will only enter it after it is fully built. After waiting many years (during the construction period), it was now time to enter it (when its construction was complete). He had his one foot in his ‘jannah’ and one outside when You instructed me to remove his soul. I removed his soul but till today I feel pity for him that after so many years, and so much effort and money had been spent, he did not have the opportunity of even seeing his ‘jannah‘.”
You felt pity for the same person twice
Thereafter Allah said: “O Angel of Death! You felt sorry for the same person twice! You are not aware that Shaddad is the same baby whose mother’s soul you removed on that dark and stormy night. Through My extensive mercy and quality of divinity I saved that baby, reared him, and made him reach prosperity. I gave him intelligence and understanding, health, strength, honour, and finally made him a king. When he became king, he started constructing a ‘jannah’ in opposition to me. Thus, you had mercy on the same person twice.”
There is no complacency as regards to life and death. The Qur’an says: “And do not die except that you are in the state of Islam (in the state of obedience unto Allah).”
Death is not in our control. Yes, one thing is in our control, and that is to die in a favourable condition. Its method is to refrain from sin at all times, and whenever a sin is committed, immediately resort to tawbah and istighfar (repentance).
Source: An Easy Path To Jannah
