A universal truth that whoever is born must die. Hatred
towards death and love of this world is the outcome of ignorant person’s mind
who thinks that the happiness of this world is his prosperity and good fortune.
It is important that a man should hold death dear and consider it an
opportunity of meeting with his Almighty and not hate it and consider it as evil
but should take lessons from it. He should ask forgiveness from Almighty for
his sins and tame the rebellious self (Nafs). When the call from Almighty
comes he should welcome it and rejoice that soon he will be taken to the
presence of Ahlul Bayt (a.s.) and meet his deceased companions and other
believer brothers. When death is delayed due to aging, he should thank Almighty
for the delay as he still has time to seek repentance from Almighty. He should
provide provisions for the long journey. In fact, he should always
remember death. In Karbala, Imam Husayn (a.s.) asked his nephew Hazrat Qasim
ibn Hasan (a.s.) concerning death, he replied, “Death to me sweeter than
honey.” During the imprisonment, Imam Ali al-Naqi (a.s.) had a grave dug up
near his prayer mat. Some visitors were surprised by this. The Imam (a.s.)
explained, “In order to remember my end I keep the grave before my eyes!”
According to the Glorious Qu’an, the dying person will be
either the Companions of Right and in good final condition or if he is among
the Companions of the Left and had suffered a great loss. The Glorious
Qur’an says in Surah al-An’am Ayah 32, “The life of this world is nothing but
play and diversion, and the abode of the Hereafter is surely better for those
who are God wary. Do you not apply reason?” According to
the Islamic ideology, death is a positive entity. The moment of death is a moment
of rebirth of a man and a moment of hastening out from this confined region of
this world into a world which is wide expansive free from worries, sorrows and
material and natural limitations. Like the birth of a baby in a new wide
world. The Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.) said, “You have not been created
to perish, but to remain forever.”
A question arises as to why Almighty created man? The
answer is that Almighty created man so that ultimately men reach the level of
cognition of Almighty and understand His Beautiful Attributes and manifest them
with themselves. Life and death,
and basically the changes in the material world and transfer from one stage of
life to another or transfer from one world to another, all these play a part in
the journey of man towards perfection. Such changes or the ups and downs
must be present, in the light of which, people can be tested, and the pure are
separated from the impure. Surah al-Mulk Ayah 2, “He, Who created
death and life that He may test you (to see) which of you is best in conduct.
And He is the Almighty, the All-forgiving.” Thus, death is created by the Almighty and
cannot be negative entity. Tests and trials are the philosophy of life and
death. Tests and trials include all moments of life and death even during his
transfer to the next world. These tests and trials stage by stage prepares a
man for attaining his ultimate objective.
Some of the Ayahs of the Glorious Qur’an are: Surah
al-Kahf Ayah 110, “So whoever expects to encounter his Lord- let him act righteously,
and not associate anyone with the worship of his Lord.”
Surah al-Baqarah Ayah 156, “Indeed we belong to Allah, and
to Him do we return.”
Surah al-Sajdah Ayah 11, “Say, ‘You will be taken away by
the angel of death, who has been charged with you. Then you will be brought
back to your Lord.”
On the Day of A’shurah, Imam Husayn (a.s.) said to his
companions, “Remain firm, O sons of noble people, because death is just a
bridge which will cross you and transfer you from discomforts and troubles,
into extensive gardens of Paradise. So, which one of you does not desire his
freedom from prison and entering a castle; of course, death of your enemies is
like their being transferred from a palace and a castle into prison and
torture.”
Death for a believer is like dirty clothes, which he
removes and frees himself from dirt and unpleasant odor. Death has been
compared with sleep, in which the soul goes out of the body. The only
fundamental difference between sleep and death is that coming out of the soul
from the body, at the time of sleep, is only for a short period of time and the
connection between body and the soul is not completely severed.
Source: al-islam.org/Death: A beautiful Gift for a Believer
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