The Muslim Perspective on Death
This article is from the On Demand Course: Preparing for the End of Life. In Islam death is not an end state but a station on the way. Preparing for death is central to the life of a Muslim. This is the first article in a series.
How many of us are ready to leave today? The life of a Muslim entails that every day we are prepared.
Approaching Death
The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) was reportedly asked, “Who are the most intelligent of people?” And he (Allah bless him and give him peace) responded, “The most intelligent of people are the ones who remember death most often and who are most prepared for it.”
Death should not be a morbid subject for Muslims. It is not the end. It’s the beginning. To live life to its fullest, one should remember death every day. To ponder and contemplate death should be the exercise of every Muslim – every day to think that this might be my last day.
Meaningful Remembrance
The world that we live in is meaningless without remembering the ultimate objective of our existence. Allah says:
وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالْإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِ
“Nor have I created jinn and Man, but to worship me” [Keller, The Quran Beheld 51:56]
With remembrance of death every difficult matter and challenge is suddenly put into perspective. Relations are rectified. The quality of your prayer changes. The purpose of your life and your decisions also become different when you see that this might be your last day.
Hope
In this state, one should attach one’s heart to mercy. Upon a walk, on a beautiful day, in a stunning atmosphere, Sheikh Abdullah Al-Haddad remarked, “My opinion of my Lord is beautiful.”
Allah says in a Hadith Qudsi, “I am as my servant thinks of me.” Have a good opinion of your Lord. Allah is so kind, so generous, and so merciful.
We believe. We believe in Allah and His Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace). Although we have our shortcomings, we don’t rely on ourselves or the work we do. We are to rely on the mercy of Allah. Rely on His mercy. Hope is our path. This hope has to be present in our remembrance of death.
One should be yearning to receive this mercy. Ready to leave. Spiritually one should be ready every day. Contemplating death every day. Having hope and yearning to meet one’s Lord and His Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace).
As a side note, when one is rebellious and disobedient, it is appropriate for one to remember fear.
Certainty
Our death is certain. Our time in this world is not. Does it make sense not to prepare for certainty? It is not a sign of intelligence to remember death while being unprepared for it.
Sayyiduna Umar bin Al-Khattab (May Allah be pleased with him) reportedly advised, “Take account of yourselves before being taken account of. Evaluate your works before they are evaluated for you.” Everything is being recorded and we will have to answer. Intelligence calls to evaluate and improve the state we are in.
Make it an exercise daily to remember death. Even if that is just reminding oneself upon waking that one may die today. At the very least, don’t be heedless of it.
A Stranger or a Traveler
Ibn Umar (May Allah be pleased with him) said, “‘The Messenger of God (Allah bless him and give him peace) physically took hold of me and said to me, ‘Be in the world as a stranger or a traveler. Count yourself among the people of the grave.’”
Don’t attach yourselves too much to anything. If one’s heart is rooted in attachment to wealth, children, homes, and comforts, death will be very painful.
This is not to say it is blameworthy to show compassion. But if someone’s heart is full of attachments to the world, it will be very hard to fill the heart with these subtle meanings.
