Death and What Follows
Volume 4: Things That Save
The text under review emphasizes that death is not merely a biological end, but an awakening from delusion in worldly life and the beginning of an eternal journey. The central argument is that love of the world and ignorance trap a person in "tūl-i emel" (the illusion of long life), catching him unprepared. According to the text, the intelligent person is one who holds his soul to account and prepares for what comes after death. Remembering death frequently breaks the craving for worldly pleasures, erases sins, and turns the heart toward the Hereafter. The document presents scenes from the passing of the Prophet and his successors, showing that even people of the highest rank display sensitivity and preparation before death.
Summary
The text under review emphasizes that death is not merely a biological end, but an awakening from delusion in worldly life and the beginning of an eternal journey.
Sections
1. The Nature and Classification of Remembering Death (*Dhikr al-Mawt*)
Remembering death is defined as an "expiation" and "warning" that purifies the heart from worldly desires. The text divides people into three categories according to their view of death:
- Those Immersed in the World: They do not remember death; when they do remember it, they grieve over worldly blessings that slip from their hands. This state drives them further from Allah.
- Those Who Repent: They fear death because their repentance is not yet complete. They worry about being caught before finishing their preparation. This fear is excused.
- The Gnostics (ʿĀrifūn): They see death as the moment when a friend meets a friend. They are sometimes troubled by death's delay because the world is "the home of sinners."
2. *Tūl-i Emel* (Long Hope) and Its Harms
The desire for long life and immersion in worldly plans is the greatest obstacle to spiritual development. According to the text, tūl-i emel has two main sources: 1. Ignorance: Trusting in youth or health. Yet death has no season, age, or appointed time; it may come at any moment. 2. Love of the World: Attachment to desires and pleasures causes the heart to flee from death.
3. The Agony of Death (*Sakarat al-Mawt*) and Its Severity
The text describes the physical and spiritual pain of death in striking language. The pain of death is portrayed as more severe than a sword blow, being cut with a saw, or being sheared with scissors. The reason is that the pain touches the very essence of the soul directly. The anguish felt as the soul is drawn from every vein and cell of the body paralyzes the entire body and mind.
4. Preparation for the Grave and What Follows
The grave is defined as "the abode of solitude," "the home of worms," and "a place of darkness." The treatment a person meets upon entering the grave depends on his deeds in the world. For the believer, death is a "gift" and "deliverance," while for the wicked (fājir) it is the beginning of great regret and remorse.
The Passing of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him)
The Prophet's passing is presented as the greatest calamity for the community. Even at the moment of death he warned his community, saying "Prayer! Prayer!," conversed with the angels, and met his Lord by choosing "the Most Exalted Companion (Refīq al-Aʿlā)." This scene shows that even the person of the highest rank is not exempt from the terror of death, yet his surrender was complete.
The Conduct of the Rightly Guided Caliphs
- Abū Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him): As he passed away, he recited the verse "The intoxication of death has indeed come...," and, deeming new clothes fit for the living, wished to be shrouded in his old garments.
- ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with him): When wounded, he bequeathed that his debts be paid and that permission be sought from ʿĀʾisha to be buried beside the Prophet. He did not trust in his own deeds and feared Allah with the feeling that "it would be enough if I escaped by the skin of my teeth."
- ʿUthmān (may Allah be pleased with him): While under siege, he saw the Prophet in a dream and chose to break fast with him (martyrdom). Even while covered in blood, he prayed for the unity of the community.
- ʿAlī (may Allah be pleased with him): At the moment of martyrdom he said, "By the Lord of the Kaʿba, I have won," meeting death as a great deliverance.
Conclusion
The essence of the text may be summarized in the observation of Ibrāhīm al-Zayyād: Escaping death is impossible; yet true intelligence lies not in fearing death but in preparing for it. The world is not a dwelling but a road passed through swiftly. The best provision is taqwā (God-consciousness).
Key concepts
- Those Immersed in the World
- They never remember death; when they do remember it, they grieve over the world they have lost. This state drives them away from Allah.
- Those Who Repent
- They remember death frequently in order to complete their repentance and prepare. They may not wish for death out of fear of being caught unprepared, yet this does not fall under "disliking to meet Allah"; it is anxiety over preparation.
- The Gnostics (*ʿĀrifūn*)
- They always remember death because death is "the time when a friend meets a friend." For them death is a deliverance and a means of meeting Allah.
- Tūl-i Emel
- The desire to live long in the world, unending worldly ambition, and worldly dreams.
- Qaṣr al-Amal
- Shortening one's hope, keeping death ever near in mind, and withdrawing from worldly ambition.
- Sakarat al-Mawt
- The severe pains suffered at the moment of death, the state of losing oneself during the throes of dying.
- Munkar and Nakīr
- The two angels charged with questioning a person in the grave.
- Mukāshafa
- The opening of the eye of the heart, the beholding of hidden and divine realities from behind the veil.
- Munjiyāt
- The deeds that deliver a person from ruin and bring spiritual ascent, and the section in which these deeds are described.
- Husn al-Ẓann
- Holding good thoughts about Allah; especially trusting in Allah's mercy at the moment of death.
- Language of State (*Lisān al-Ḥāl*)
- When something conveys meaning not by words but by its condition and appearance (for example, the message given by the silence of graves).
- Sūʾ al-Khātima
- The fear of dying with a bad end, of passing away without preserving one's faith.
- Sidrat al-Muntahā
- The utmost boundary for created beings; one of the exalted stations the Prophet desired to reach at the moment of his passing.
Study questions
According to the Prophet, who are the "most intelligent and most honorable" of people?
Those who remember death most and prepare for it most.
How many times a day is a believer advised to remember death in order to be raised with the martyrs?
Twenty times in twenty-four hours.
What is the wisdom of the Prophetic hadith, "Death is the believer's gift"?
The world is a prison for the believer, a place of struggle against the soul and Satan. Death is accepted as a gift because it is deliverance from these hardships and passage to peace.
What is the most effective way to implant remembrance of death in the heart?
For a person to reflect on those who departed before him—his peers and companions—and on their state beneath the earth (their decaying bodies and disintegrating limbs), remembering that they too were once making plans for the world when they were suddenly seized.
How did the Angel of Death (ʿAzrāʾīl) explain to Abraham how he reaches people dying in different parts of the world at the same time?
He stated that by Allah's permission he calls the souls, and they are gathered between his two fingers (as if he takes whatever he wishes from the world spread before him like a basin).
What are the signs of mercy that appear at the moment of death (*sakarat*)?
Perspiration on the forehead, shedding tears, and dryness of the lips are signs of mercy. Gasping as if drowning, turning blue, and the lips becoming coated are counted as signs of punishment.