"Every soul shall taste death, and you shall be paid on the Day of Resurrection only that which you have earned. He who shall be drawn away from the Fire and brought into paradise shall indeed have gained a triumph. The lift of this world is nothing but an illusory enjoyment. You shall most certainly be tried in your possessions and in your persons; and you shall hear much hurting abuse from those who were given revelations before you and from those who set up partners with Allah. But if you persevere and continue to fear Allah - that is indeed a matter requiring strong resolve." (3:185-6)
The fact that this life on earth is limited to a certain date, which will inevitably come must be well established in believers' hearts. Good people as well as bad people will certainly die. Those who fight a campaign of jihād and those who slacken, those who feel pride in their faith and those who are humbled by others, the brave who accept no injustice and the cowards who will do anything to remain alive, those who have great aspirations and the ones who seek only cheap enjoyment, will all die. No one will be spared: "Every soul shall taste death." It is a cup from which every living thing will have to drink. There is no distinction whatsoever between one soul and another when it comes to drinking this cup. What distinction there is concerns a different value: the ultimate result. "You shall be paid on the Day of Resurrectiononly that which you have earned. He who shall be drawn away from the Fire and brought into paradise shall indeed have gained a triumph." It is with regard to this value that the distinction will be made. It is this destiny which will separate one group of souls from another. The value is one worth striving for and one to be taken very seriously: "He who shall be drawn away from the Fire and brought into paradise shall indeed have gained a triumph." (3:185)
The Arabic phrase rendered in translation as "shall be drawn away" is much more expressive than its English equivalent. This is because its very sound adds to its meaning and connotation. It gives the listener the sense that the Fire has strong gravity, that it pulls towards it anyone who draws near or enters its orbit. Such a person, then, needs support from someone else who draws him slowly and gradually away from its overpowering gravity. He who can be forced out of its orbit and become free of its pull will enter paradise, and he will have gained a great triumph.
It is a very vivid image, its lines delineated in sharp relief. We see movement, an overpowering force and a strong resistance. The fire beckons those who yield to the overpowering temptation of sin. Is it not true that a human being needs to be gradually drawn away from temptation? This is indeed how he is drawn away from the Fire. Despite the hard work and alertness this requires, man will always be in deficit with regard to the good work he needs to do. His only hope is for Allah to bestow on him His grace. That is what is being "drawn away" from the fire really means. It is only through Allah's grace that man is spared the punishment of hell. "The life of this world is nothing but an illusory enjoyment." There is enjoyment in this life, it is true. But it is not real enjoyment; it is deceptive indeed; an enjoyment which leads to illusions.
As for the real enjoyment which gives lasting happiness and ecstasy, this can only be found in the life to come. It is the triumph gained when one is brought into Paradise.
[In the shade of the Qur'an, Volume 2, Chapter 11]
The Prophet (salallahu 'alayhi wa sallam) has said, "The gift for a believer is death." Due to the hardship which the believer goes through in this world, death becomes easy for him and all of his anxieties disappear. Therefore, it is described as a gift in the Hadith.
The Prophet (salallahu 'alayhi wa sallam) also said, "Mankind likes two things very much. One of these things is life, though death is much better for him, and the second is wealth, though poverty makes accounting easy."
Ibn Umar (radiallahu anhuma) said, "This world is a paradise for the unbelievers (they are engaged in their worldly desires and aspirations), and prison for the believers." They are bound by the laws of Shari'ah in every matter. Therefore, when the soul of a mu'min (believer)leaves his body (at the time of death), it is as if a captive has been freed from the cell.
Nowadays, we tend to forget death and occupy our minds in the world. This shouldn't be the route for a Muslim. Ulamah have said, "Allah Almighty will grant three graceful things to the one who remembers his death more: (1) Wisdom of repenting soon (2) Peace of Mind - satisfaction of heart (3) Peace in worship.
To the Person who is not mindful of his death, there will be for him three calamities: (1) He will have no wisdom of repenting for his sins (2) He will not be satisfied by little provisions (3) He will delay his prayers and worship (ibaadat).
Ulamah have also said that there are four reasons for a bad death: (1) Showing laziness in prayers (namaz) (2) Not obeying orders of parents (3) Drinking wine (4) To harm a Muslim.
We should therefore remember death more and avoid forgetting death
The salvation of mankind rests upon the ending. If you are fortunate enough to receive a good ending then you will receive everlasting joy, else you will have to remain in punishment. That is why the blessed Prophets (alaymus-sallam), the pious of this Ummat have always been fearful and wary of Allah's eternal attribute because you do not know in what state your soul will leave you.
Allaama Abdul-Wahhab states in Ahwaalus-Saadeqeen that one of the characteristics of the pious (the ones close to Allah) is that they fear Allah and that their ending will be bad thus leading them to hell where they would be concealed from him. Some of them would be in such a state and they would be so grief stricken and worried, that they would not even know who is sat besides them.
When Hadrat Hasan Basri used to hear the following Hadeeth 'the final person to come out of hell would be after one thousand years' he would say: 'I wish I was that person.' Someone asked him 'Why do you wish this?' He replied: 'Does he not come out of hell?' (What he meant is that their will also be people in hell who will remain in there for ever and at least this person is better than those. I have this doubt that I may be from those who will remain forever in hell and I do not wish for this, that is why I desire that I am not from them, and at least I am from the ones that will come out from hell even if I am the last one to come out, at least I will come out of that trauma)
Sufyan Thauri states that whoever becomes confident on his religion Allah afflicts him with 'not having any fear'. Imam Abu Hanifa used to say that the Iman (Faith) of a lot of people is taken from them at the time of death. (Because Satan tries extra hard at that time and uses all his powers to lead astray, only a few people are safe from his tricks). May Allah protect us. Ameen.
Shu'ayb ibn Ahmad once recited to Sulayman ibn Yazid:
"Don't you see how a person exerts his years of youth,
But fate and destiny seem to disrupt the lives of men.
So there is he who tastes the bitter cup of death,
And there is he who awaits a similar experience.
They have in store for them, a rapid and passing provision,
And all must one day drink from the cup of death.
There is no inheritor except that his wealth will be inherited,
And there is no plunderer except that he will soon be deprived.
There is none who shows affection except that his love is sold,
And there is no blessing except that it will soon depart .
There is no healthy or afflicted one whom days consume,
Except that it will soon go and be removed.
I see people as guests, who have settled in estrangement,
Their days revolving around them, and overturning them.
There is a charm in this home of delusion which they have built,
But they have surely seen and experienced its rapidness and fleet.
So they criticize the Dunya (world) but yet they don't desist from its milk,
Indeed, I have not seen the like of this world; it's criticized yet milked.
It delights them abruptly, yet it harms them suddenly,
... A painful and hurtful burn, its heat still in flames."
"Every soul shall taste death." (21:35) This is the law that governs life. It has no exceptions or exemptions. The living, then, must take this into account and prepare themselves for it. This short journey on earth is bound to come to an end, and its end is the death of every living thing. All shall return to Allah (azza wa jal). But whatever happens to us during this trip through life, whether good or bad, is meant as a test: "We test you all with evil and good by way of trial." (21:35) When we speak of being tested by something evil or hard, we can all easily understand this notion. It is a test to show the endurance and patience of the one who is being tested. It is the means to determine how unshakeable his trust in Allah, his Lord, is, and how much trust he places in Allah's mercy. But a test with good things needs to be explained.
To be tested with good things is more difficult than hardship, even though it may appear easier. For the fact is that many people can endure being tested by evil, but few can endure a test with the good. When the test takes the form of sickness and weakness, many are able to endure and withstand the hardship, but when its form is that of good health, strength and ability, then few are those who pass through successfully. People may be able to withstand poverty and deprivation, maintaining their dignity in such situations, but few are those who succeed in a test with comfort and affluence. For the latter tempts us to satisfy all our desires. Equally there are many who cannot be deterred by torture or physical harm. They are not overawed by such threats and actualities.
By contrast, however, only a few can resist the temptations posited by wealth, position, comfort and desire. It is not difficult to tolerate the hardships of struggle and the injuries that one sustains in such a struggle. But it is extremely hard to experience comfort and a carefree life without becoming so keen to maintain it even at the expense of one's dignity. Indeed such an experience could easily lead to accepting humiliation in order not to lose it. A test with hardship may arouse within us a keen sense of dignity, encouraging us to resist. Thus, all our powers and faculties are directed at the hardship and enable us to pass through successfully. Affluence, on the other hand, has a calming effect which reduces our awareness of the test. Hence, many fail it. This applies to all human beings, except those that Allah helps and protects.
They are the ones described by the Prophet (salallahu 'alayhi wasallam) as ending up with what is good in all situations: "Amazing is a believer's situation, because it all ends up in what is good. This applies to no one other than a believer. If he experiences what is good and pleasing, he will express his gratitude to God and this is good for him. On the other hand, if he experiences hardship, he will patiently persevere and this is good for him." [Related by Muslim] Hence to keep on the alert when being tested by affluence and comfort is more important than doing so when we go through a test with hardship. Maintaining a sound relation with God is the best guarantee in all situations.
It is narrated that 'Uthm�n b. �ff�n - All�h be pleased with him - said in a sermon:
Son of Adam! Know that the angel of death who has been assigned to you has not ceased to pass you and move on to others, ever since you have been in this world. But it is as if he is about to pass someone else and move on to target you, so be careful and prepare for him (by correcting your deeds). And do not forget him, for he does not forget you. And know o son of Adam, if you are heedless about yourself and do not prepare, no one else will prepare for you. You must meet Allah the Mighty and Majestic, so take for yourself and do not leave it to someone else. Peace be on you.
Ab� Bakr Al-Dayn�r�, Al-Muj�lasah wa Jaw�hir Al-�lm 2: 73, 74.
The Prophet (Sallallahu 'Alaihi Wa Sallam) said, "When carried to his grave, a dead person is followed by three, two of which return (after his burial) & one remains with him: his relative, his property, & his deeds follow him; relatives & his property go back while his deeds remain with him." (Bukhari Vol. 8 : No. 521)
This cannot be undone and I am sure it will be greatly appreciated.
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