DYING AS TRUE MUSLIMS

Alhamdulillāh… All praise and thanks are due to the Almighty Allah. May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon Prophet Muḥammad, his household, his companions and all those who follow his guided path, till the Day of Judgement.

Many Muslims are simply scared of death. Well… This is human nature. But we are encouraged, as Muslims, to develop a mindset with the readiness to meet Allah at any time. This is easily attained when Allah is above all, in our hearts. This is because death is not bad in itself. In fact, it’s a decreed transit, which every soul has to go through, in order to enter the next life. It is similar to the struggle and pains of pregnancy and labour which, every mother experiences, before she qualifies for the status of motherhood.

Thus, the circumstance in which one dies is not important. Regardless of piety, social ranking and financial status, different people almost die the same way; i.e. on their bed at home or at the hospital, in sinking ferries, in missing and crashed flights, fire outbreaks, pandemic (Like HIV/AIDS, EBOLA), heart attack, and etc. In fact, others die in bombings (Boko Haram Bombing and the likes).

Firʿaun ordered for his wife and she was nailed by four wedges in her hands and legs and kept on torturing her until she died, for being a Muslimah, when she believed in the message of Sayyidinā Mūsa, ʿalaihi al-salām. The people of the ditch (see Sūrah al-Burūj) were burnt in a burning ditch for being Muslims when they believed in the One God, which the child wanted his people to know. Summayyah, the mother of ʿAmmar ibn Yāsir, raḍiya Allah ʿanhum, was pregnant when Abu Jahl poked her private part and killed her, for being a Muslimah who believed in the message of the Prophet Muḥammad, ṣallā Allah ʿalaihi wa sallam.

What matters is the state in which one dies; (a true) Muslim, a non-Muslim or a hypocrite. A believer must die as a Muslim. A Muslim must die as such. This is what verse 102 of Sūrah ʾĀli ʿImrān implies:

“Believers! Fear Allah as He should be feared, and do not die except as Muslims.”

As a matter of fact, there are two types of people who are terribly afraid of death: the non-believer and the hypocrite.

The hypocrite will claim he loves God and is chosen by God to be who he is. At the same time, he’s never prepared to meet their beloved God.

The Jews, who are engaged in all kinds of conspiracy in the world today, to ensure the killing of others, so that they can live eternally, were challenged by the Qur’an, to wish for death, if they really claim to be the favourites of God. Allah says in Sūrah al-Jumuʿah, 62:6-7:

 “Say, “You who are Jews, if you claim that you are favoured by Allah out of all people, then long for death, if you are truthful. They will never wish for it, because of what their hands have sent forward. Allah has full knowledge of oppressors.”

Because they will never dare to long for death, perhaps they think death can be escaped, the next verse says to them:

 “So say, “The death you run away from will certainly meet you, and thereafter you will be brought back to the Knower of the unseen and the seen, and He will declare to you what you have done.” [Al-Jumuʿah, 62:8].

Yet, they still do all it takes to live, not knowing that, every moment we live in this life is predetermined, and can never be changed. It can’t be increased nor can it be decreased.

 “You will find them clinging to life more eagerly than any other people, even the polytheists. Any of them would wish to be given a life of a thousand years, though even such a long life would not save them from [Our] punishment; and Allah sees all that they do.” [Sūrah al-Baqarah, 2:96].

Verses above clearly inform us about the attitudes and acts of (some of the) Jews, and how they manipulate in order to escape death and meeting Allah for the rewards of their bad deeds. However, anyone who collaborates with them, for them to achieve their desires, will be resurrected with them. It doesn’t matter whether the person claims Islam or even prays the Islamic prayer (ṣalāh) more than the ordinary true Muslim does.

Abdullāh ibn Ubay ibn Salūl, prayed behind the Prophet, in the presence of the companions. But due to his collaboration with the Jews (of that time) against Islam and the Prophet, he shall be resurrected with them. So will anyone who cooperates with them. This is what the Prophet said in a hadith reported by Imām al-Bukhārī and Muslim from Ibn Masʿūd, raḍiya Allāhu ʿanhu:

 “A man is with whom he loves.” [Hadith]

The Benefit of Dying a True Muslim

The evidence indicates that the believer will be blessed in his grave until the Hour begins, then he will move by the grace and mercy of Allah to the blessings that will never cease or come to an end, which is the blessing of Paradise. May Allah make us among its people.

These are some of the images of the blessings which are bestowed upon the believer in his grave:

1- His grave is furnished from Paradise for him

2- He is clothed in garments from Paradise.

3- A gate to Paradise is opened for him, and its breezes come to him, and he smells its fragrance and he feels delight in what he can see of its blessings.

4- His grave is made wide and spacious for him.

5- He is given the glad tidings of Allah’s pleasure and Paradise. Hence he longs for the Hour to begin.

6- He will be happy when he sees what would have been his place in Hell, which Allah has replaced for him with a place in Paradise.

7- He will sleep the sleep of a bridegroom

8- His grave will be illuminated for him

The Torment in the Grave

The torment in the grave will vary according to the sins committed by the person in this world, whether he was a kaafir or a disobedient Muslim.

1-   Being struck with an iron hammer:

It was narrated from Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "When a person is placed in his grave and his companions leave him, and he can no longer hear the sound of their sandals (footsteps), two angels come to him and make him sit up, and they ask him, `What did you say about this man Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)?' He says, `I bear witness that he is the slave of Allah and His Messenger.' It is said, `Look at your place in Hell which Allah has replaced for you with a place in Paradise.'" The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, "And he sees them both. But as for the kaafir or hypocrite, he says, `I do not know, I used to say what the people said.' It is said, `You did not know and you did not follow those who knew.' Then he is struck a blow with an iron hammer between his ears and he screams a scream which everything around him can hear apart from the two races (of mankind and the jinn)."

(Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1222)

2-     Furnishings from Hell are prepared out for him; he is clothed with fire; a door to Hell is opened for him; his grave is made narrow for him; he is struck with a great hammer which, if a mountain were to be struck with it, it would turn to dust; and he is given the tidings of torment in the Hereafter. Hence he will wish that the hour will never come.

3-   Being swallowed up by the earth.

It was narrated from Ibn `Umar that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "Whilst a man was dragging his lower garment out of pride, the earth swallowed him up and he will continue sinking into the earth until the Day of Resurrection." (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 5345; Muslim, 3894).

4- The edge of the mouth being torn to the back of the head

5- The head being smashed with a rock

6- Being burned in an tannoor oven

7- Swimming in a river of blood whilst being pelted with stones.

8- Along with this physical punishment there will also be a spiritual or mental punishment, which is that in the grave the kaafir will be shown what would have been his place in Paradise if he had obeyed his Lord; this will increase his regret and pain when he realizes the greatness of the blessing that he has missed out on.

These are some of the kinds of punishment that will befall some sinners in the grave. May we live and die as Muslims. May Allah purify our hearts from jealousy, and hatred.  Amīn.