Sahih International: 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?

In the name of God, the Gracious, the Merciful.

1. Blessed is He in whose hand is the sovereignty, and Who has power over everything. 2. He who created death and life—to test you—as to which of you is better in conduct. He is the Almighty, the Forgiving. – surah Mulk/ The Domnion (of the Heavens and the Earth)

Allāh says:

اللَّهُ يَتَوَفَّى الْأَنفُسَ حِينَ مَوْتِهَا وَالَّتِي لَمْ تَمُتْ فِي مَنَامِهَا ۖ فَيُمْسِكُ الَّتِي قَضَىٰ عَلَيْهَا الْمَوْتَ وَيُرْسِلُ الْأُخْرَىٰ إِلَىٰ أَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى ۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَآيَاتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ ‎

‘Allāh takes the souls at the time of their death, and those that do not die [He takes] during their sleep. Then He keeps those for which He has decreed death and releases the others for a specified term. Indeed, in that are signs for a people who give thought.’
[Al-Zumar, 39:42]

Narrated by Al-Suddī concerning the saying of the Most High:

وَالَّتِي لَمْ تَمُتْ فِي مَنَامِهَاۖ

‘And those that do not die, [He takes] during their sleep,’

He [al-Suddī] said: ‘Their souls are taken in their sleep such that the souls of the living meet the souls of those who have passed away. They reminisce and remind one another [of events that have transpired].’

He said; ‘The souls of the living then return to their bodies so that they may fulfil the remainder of their lives in this dunyā. While the souls of the dead desire to return to their [abandoned bodies] except that they are blocked from doing so.’

[Imām Ibn al-Qayyim said:] This is one of the two opinions concerning this verse. It is that the soul that is prevented [from returning to the body] belongs only to those whose souls have been taken from [their bodies] due to death. While the souls that are returned are those that leave their bodies while asleep [such that they awaken in this dunyà]. Therefore, according to this opinion, its meaning is that the souls of the dead are taken [by the angel of death] and held, unable to return to their physical bodies before the Day of Judgement. The souls of those in slumber are also taken but are returned to their bodies such that the rest of their lives are fulfilled [i.e., their preappointed number of years in this dunyà is completed, at which point] their souls are taken again [for the final time, and they die].

The second opinion regarding this verse is that both types of soul, the ones that are held [from returning to their bodies] and those that are returned, are taken similar to one who enters sleep [i.e. expecting to return]. However, those among them whose lives in this dunyā have been completed are then held, disallowed to return to their bodies [such that they die in their sleep]. While those whose lives have not been fulfilled [i.e., they still have time left in this dunyà], their souls are returned to their bodies such that they are able to complete their course. This [opinion] is the stance of Shaykh al-Islām (Ibn Taymiyyah) [may Allāh have mercy on him and purify his soul], He said: ‘The Qurʾān and the Sunnah testify to this.’ He [also] said: ‘Indeed, the Exalted mentions His taking of the souls of those that He has decreed death upon from among the souls that have been taken in sleep [i.e. in His saying:

فَيُمْسِكُ الَّتِي قَضَىٰ عَلَيْهَا الْمَوْتَ
‘Then He keeps those for which He has decreed death’

referring to those that die in their sleep]. As for the ones whose souls have been taken due to their time of death [while wakeful], they have not been described here, rather they are a separate third party.’¹

[Imām Ibn al-Qayyim said:] However, the correct opinion is the first one. This is because the Exalted relates two times that souls are taken: the major taking of the soul at death, and the minor taking of the soul during sleep.

Hence, He has divided the souls into two parties:

1. A party upon whom death has been decreed and thus [their souls] have been held with Him, taken from their bodies in finality.
2. Another party whose course of life remains, such that their souls are returned to their bodies to fulfil it.

1. Every Soul Shall Taste Death

“Every self will taste death. You will be paid your wages in full on the Day of Rising. Anyone who is distanced from the Fire and admitted to the Garden, has triumphed. The life of this world is only the enjoyment of delusion.” (Quran, 3:185)

Here, Allah reminds us that we all, collectively as a human race, have a shared destiny with death – none can escape it. What remains for us to do, then, is to ensure we are truly living lives worthy of worshipping and loving Allah. We musn’t fall into the trap of believing this temporal world is worth risking our relationship with Allah.

2. Allah Will Never Delay A Soul When Its Time Has Come

“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 among the righteous’. But never will Allah delay a soul when its time has come. And Allah is Acquainted with what you do.” (Quran, 63:10-11)

The Quran reminds us time and time again to never take this life for granted – and to never overestimate how long we have on this earth. We must continously strive towards becoming better Muslims, lest we regret it when it is too late.

3. No Soul Perceives In What Land It Will Die

“Indeed, Allah [alone] has knowledge of the Hour and sends down the rain and knows what is in the wombs. And no soul perceives what it will earn tomorrow, and no soul perceives in what land it will die. Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Acquainted.” (Quran, 31:34)

To truly understand tawheed, the Oneness of Allah, will be a lifelong journey – and this verse is a powerful reminder of how much at mercy we are with Allah. None of us can know when our time with death has come, and we must truly believe, accept, and embrace whatever Allah has Planned for us.

4. When Their Specifed Time Has Come, They Cannot Delay It For A Single Hour

“When their specified time arrives, they cannot delay it for a single hour nor can they bring it forward.” (Quran, 16:61)

Here again, we are reminded of our fate with death – none of us can change it. As much as we like to believe we are in control of our lives – even our health, we must submit to Allah’s Will at all times and accept death as a blessing and a preordained end to our life here on earth.

5. Oh Soul At Rest, Return To Your Lord

“O soul that are at rest! Return to your Lord, well-pleased (with him), well-pleasing (Him), So enter among My servants, And enter into My garden.” (Quran, 89:27-30)

Finally, despite our innate fears around death, we must be assured that to embrace death is perhaps the only true comfort we have in this world – we are finally returing to Allah and inshallah, will be blessed with His Glad-Tidings. All we can do is pray for the strength to welcome our death as the last of Allah’s blessings here on earth.

* 5 hadeeth about Death

1. What is death like to believers?

“The gift to a believer is death.” (Al-Tirmidhi, Hadith 1609)

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2. The mercy of Allah even at the time of death

“Allah accepts the repentance of the servant so long as his spirit has not arrived at his throat.”  (Al-Tirmidhi)

3. The death of one who seeks knowledge

“When death comes to the seeker of knowledge whilst he is in that state [of seeking knowledge], he dies as a martyr.” (al-Targhib wa al-Tarhib, v. 1, p. 97, no. 16)

4. The remembrance of death

“The most sagacious one from among you is he who remembers death the most, and the most prudent one from among you is he who is the most prepared for it.” – (Alam al-Din, no. 333)

5. What is the destination after death?

“Do not abuse the dead, for they have reached the result of what they have done.” – (Sahih Bukhari)

6. Things that last beyond death

“When a man dies, his good deeds come to an end, except three: Ongoing charity, beneficial knowledge, and a righteous son who will pray for him.” – (Sahih Muslim, 3084)

7. What can save me from an evil death?

“Indeed charity extinguishes the Lord’s anger and protects against the evil death.” – (At-Tirmidhi, 664)

8. Death is an end to comfort

“Remember often the destroyer of all pleasures.” – (At-Tirmidhi)

Death will come for us all, let’s attempt to be ready when it does.

#Death, #Islam #Quran #Verses #Hadeeth (sayings of Prophet Muhammad – sal Alllahu alayhi wa Sallam)