Death in Islam. Imam Malik Ibn Anas saw the Death Angel in his sleep, and the Imam asked him: “How much left for me to live?”. The Angel pointed to his five fingers. Then the Imam asked him: “Does that mean 5 years, or 5 months, or 5 days?”. Before the Imam had a chance to get an answer back, he woke up.

The Imam went to someone who would interpret dreams. That man told him: ” Imam Malik, when the Angel pointed to his five fingers he didn’t mean 5 years or months or days, but the Angel meant that your question ‘ how much left for me to live’ is among 5 matters that only Allah (SWT) knows about, and he recited the following verse from the Qur’an:

“Verily, with ALLAH alone is the knowledge of the Hour. And HE sends down the rain, and HE knows what is in the wombs. And no soul knows what it will earn tomorrow, and no soul knows in what land it will die. Surely, ALLAH is All-Knowing, All-Aware.” 31:34

When Caliph Haroon Al-Rashid got very ill, illness that caused his death, he told his staff to go ahead and dig his grave so he can see it before he dies. After the grave was prepared, he asked to be carried to the grave. Upon arrival, the Caliph Haroon looked down into the grave and then looked up toward the sky and said: “O’ Allah whose rule never ends, have mercy on Haroon whose rule has ended!

One day the Prophet (s) visited the cemetery along with some of his followers, and he said to them: “I long for my beloved ones?”. His followers said: “Aren’t we your beloved ones O’ messenger of Allah “. The Prophet (s) said: “you are my companions “. Then they say: “Who are your beloved ones?”. The Prophet said: “People come after you believed in me without seeing me “. They asked: “How would you know them on Judgment day even though you haven’t seen them O’ messenger of Allah?”. The Prophet said: ” My followers are gathered ‘ Ghurr’am Muhajjalin'”.

(( Ghurr’am means light on the forehead, and Muhajjalin means light on the feet, and what brings about this light is the Ablution ‘Wudu’ ))

One day the Prophet (s) went to a boy’s funeral and he found his mother weeping and he asked: “Why are you crying “. The mother said: “O’ messenger of Allah, is my son in Heaven or Hell?” The prophet replied:” O’ slave of Allah, He (Allah) knows his status better than I do “.

The Prophet said: “The Believer’s Soul turns into a Bird in Paradise “. ((The above Hadith means, that upon the Believer’s death, his Soul becomes a bird in Paradise until the Resurrection day, when Allah (SWT) returns all souls to its original bodies))

Demise of Hajjaj bin Yusuf

Amongst the high officials of the Umayyad, no one has acquired more fame than Hajjaj bin Yusuf. However, this fame was not acquired because of his generosity, but from his oppression. The tyranny of Hajjaj has become very famous in history.

The Umayyad was badly shaken after the death of Yazid bin Muawiya, but it was Hajjaj who took over from this falling empire and strengthened them. The greatest threat to this empire was from Abdullah bin Zubair who was based in Makkah but his rule extended to the border of Syria. Hajjaj with his oppression laid siege to Makkah and killed Abdullah bin Zubair without any mercy on him.

Hajjaj alone executed 125,000 men. He beheaded leaders like Sa’id bin Zubair. He put prominent scholars like Abdullah bin Umar and Abdullah bin Zubair (Allah be pleased with them) to death. Before being executing, Sa’id bin Zubair told him that now you will not be able to set out for anyone. On the saying of this by Said bin Zubair, Hajjaj bin Yusuf passed away within fifteen nights. Even the learned and the peaceful men of that era looked upon Hajjaj as a calamity and curse sent down by God.

Hadhrat Hasan Basri (Rahmatullahi Alayhi) used to say, “Hajjaj is a calamity sent by God, do not try to remove him by force but ask Allah Taa’la.” Therefore, the moment the news of the death of Hajjaj was reported Hadhrat Hasan Basri and Umar bin Abdul Aziz fell in prostration to God and exclaimed,” The pharaoh of this nation is no more!

Let us now see how this tyrant ruler faced death

After twenty years of rule over Iraq, Hajjaj fell ill at the age of fifty-four. His stomach was infested by innumerable vermin. The temperature of his body decreased and he felt so intensely cold that several stoves were place close to him and yet he gained no relief.

When Hajjaj had lost all hopes of survival, he said to the members of his household, “Prop me up and assemble the people.” When the people arrived, he pleaded guilty to his sins and tyrannies. He gave a speech and emphasised on the fact that of which he dwelt on death and its severities.

The following verses came to his tongue:

The weight of my sins is as the weight of sky and earth,

Yet I hope that God will show me mercy.

If he favours me with his pleasure,

It will be the fulfilment of my hop.

But should he do justice,

He would condemn me to torture.

It will be no injustice.

Is it possible that He will be unjust from whom nothing but God is anticipated!

He then burst into tears and this scene moved in the whole assembly to tears.

As Hajjaj bin Yusuf was passing away, he raised his tearful eyes to heaven, pleading:

“O Allah! Grant me salvation, for people say you will not forgive me.”

He then recited the following verse:

“Lord! The people give me no hope, However I have much hope in you”.

So saying this he closed his eyes. When this saying was quoted before Hadhrat Hasan Basri (Radi Allaho Anho), he did not believe this and asked: “Did he really say this?” “Yes, Hajjaj actually said so.” Thereupon Hadhrat Hasan Basri said, “Then perhaps he may be forgiven.”

Life after Death by World Assembly of Muslim Youth

How Do Muslims View Death?

Muslims believe that the present life is a trial in preparation for the next realm of existence. When a Muslim dies, he or she is washed and wrapped in a clean, white cloth (usually by a family member) and buried after a special prayer, preferably the same day. Muslims consider this a final service that they can do for their relatives and an opportunity to remember that their own existence here on earth is brief.

The question of whether there is life after death does not fall under the jurisdiction of science, as science is concerned only with classification and analysis of sense data. Moreover, man has been busy with scientific inquiries and research, in the modern sense of the term, only for the last few centuries, while he has been familiar with the concept of life after death since time immemorial.

All the Prophets of God called their people to worship God and to believe in life after death. They laid so much emphasis on the belief in life after death that even a slight doubt in it meant denying God and made all other beliefs meaningless.

The very fact that all the Prophets of God have dealt with this metaphysical question of life after death so confidently and so uniformly – the gap between their ages in some cases, being thousands of years – goes to prove that the source of their knowledge of life after death as proclaimed by them all, was the same, i.e. Divine revelation.

We also know that these Prophets of God were greatly opposed by their people, mainly on the issue of life after death, as their people thought it impossible. But in spite of opposition, the Prophets won many sincere followers.

The question arises: what made those followers forsake the established beliefs, traditions and customs of their forefathers, notwithstanding the risk of being totally alienated from their own community? The simple answer is: they made use of their faculties of mind and heart and realized the truth.

Did they realize the truth through perceptual consciousness? They couldn’t, as perceptual experience of life after death is impossible. God has given man besides perceptual consciousness, rational, aesthetic and moral consciousness too. It is this consciousness that guides man regarding realities that cannot be verified through sensory data. That is why all the Prophets of God while calling people to believe in God and life after death appeal to the aesthetic, moral and rational consciousness of man.

For example, when the idolaters of Makkah denied even the possibility of life after death, the Qur’an exposed the weakness of their stand by advancing very logical and rational arguments in support of it:

And he (i.e. man) presents for Us an example (i.e. attempting to establish the finality of death) and forgets his [own] creation. He says, “Who will give life to bones while they are disintegrated?” Say, “He will give them life who produced them the first time; and He is, of all creation, Knowing.” [It is] He who made for you from the green tree fire, and then from it you ignite. Is not He who created the heavens and the earth Able to create the likes of them? Yes, [it is so]; and He is the Knowing Creator. (Qur’an, 36:78-81)

On another occasion, the Qur’an very clearly says that the disbelievers have no sound basis for their denial of life after death. It is based on pure conjecture:

And they say, “There is not but our worldly life; we die and live (i.e. some people die and others live, replacing them) and nothing destroys us except time.” And they have of that no knowledge; they are only assuming. And when Our verses are recited to them as clear evidences, their argument is only that they say, “Bring [back] our forefathers, if you should be truthful.” Say, “God causes you to live, then causes you to die; then He will assemble you for the Day of Resurrection, about which there is no doubt,” but most of the people do not know. (Qur’an, 45:24-26)

Surely God will raise all the dead. But God has His own plan of things. A day will come when the whole universe will be destroyed and then the dead will be resurrected to stand before God. That day will be the beginning of a life that will never end, and on that day every person will be rewarded by God according to his or her good or evil deeds.

The explanation that the Qur’an gives about the necessity of life after death is what the moral consciousness of man demands. Actually, if there is no life after death, the very belief in God becomes meaningless or even if one believes in God, it would be in unjust and indifferent God, having once created man and now not being concerned with his fate.

Surely, God is just. He will punish the tyrants, whose crimes are beyond count – having tortured and killed hundreds or thousands of innocent people, created great corruption in society, enslaved numerous persons to serve their whims, etc., because man has a very short life span in this world and because numerous individuals are affected by one’s actions, adequate punishments and rewards are not possible in this life. The Qur’an very emphatically states that the Day of Judgment must come and that God will decide the fate of each soul according to his or her record of deeds:

But those who disbelieve say, “The Hour (i.e. the Day of Judgment) will not come to us.” Say, “Yes, by my Lord, it will surely come to you. [God is] the Knower of the unseen.” Not absent from Him is an atom’s weight within the heavens or within the earth or [what is] smaller than that or greater, except that it is in a clear register – That He may reward those who believe and do righteous deeds. Those will have forgiveness and noble provision. But those who strive against Our verses [seeking] to cause failure (i.e. to undermine their credibility) – for them will be a painful punishment of foul nature.(Qur’an, 34:3-5)

The Day of Resurrection will be the Day when God’s attributes of Justice and Mercy will be in full manifestation. God will shower His mercy on those who suffered for His sake in the worldly life, believing that an eternal bliss was awaiting them. But those who abused the bounties of God, caring nothing for the life to come, will be in the most miserable state. Drawing a comparison between them, the Qur’an says:

Then is he whom We have promised a good promise which he will meet [i.e. obtain] like he for whom We provided enjoyment of worldly life [but] then he is, on the Day of Resurrection, among those presented [for punishment in Hell]? (Qur’an, 28:61)

The Qur’an also states that this worldly life is a preparation for the eternal life after death. But those who deny it become slaves of their passions and desires, making fun of virtuous and God-conscious persons.

Such persons realize their folly only at the time of their death and wish to be given a further chance in the world but in vain. Their miserable state at the time of death and the horror of the Day of Judgment, and the eternal bliss guaranteed to the sincere believers are very clearly and beautifully mentioned in the following verses of the Qur’an:

[For such is the state of the disbelievers], until, when death comes to one of them, he says, “My Lord, send me back that I might do righteousness in that which I left behind (i.e. in that which I neglected).” No! It is only a word he is saying; and behind them is a barrier until the Day they are resurrected. So when the Horn is blown, no relationship will there be among them that Day, nor will they ask about one another. And those whose scales are heavy [with good deeds] – it is they who are the successful. But those whose scales are light – those are the ones who have lost their souls, [being] in Hell, abiding eternally. The Fire will sear their faces, and they therein will have taut smiles (i.e. their lips having been contracted by scorching until the teeth are exposed).(Qur’an, 23:99-104)

The belief in life after death not only guarantees success in the Hereafter but also makes this world full of peace and happiness by making individuals most responsible and dutiful in their activities.

Think of the people of Arabia before the arrival of the Prophet Muhammad.

Gambling, wine, tribal feuds, plundering and murdering were their main traits when they had no belief in life after death. But as soon as they accepted the belief in the One God and life after death they became the most disciplined nation of the world. They gave up their vices, helped each other in hours of need, and settled all their disputes on the basis of justice and equality. Similarly the denial of life after death has its consequences not only in the Hereafter but also in this world. When a nation as a whole denies it, all kinds of evils and corruption became rampant in that society and ultimately it is destroyed.

The Qur’an mentions the terrible end of Aad, Thamud and the Pharaoh in some detail:

[The tribes of] Thamud and Aad denied the Striking Calamity [i.e. the Resurrection]. So as for Thamud, they were destroyed by the overpowering [blast]. And as for Aad, they were destroyed by a screaming, violent wind which He [i.e. God] imposed upon them for seven nights and eight days in succession, so you would see the people therein fallen as if they were hollow trunks of palm trees. Then do you see of them any remains? And there came Pharaoh and those before him and the overturned cities (i.e. those to which Lot was sent) with sin. And they disobeyed the messenger of their Lord, so He seized them with a seizure exceeding [in severity]. Indeed, when the water overflowed, We carried you [i.e. your ancestors] in the sailing ship (i.e. which was constructed by Noah). That We might make it for you a reminder and [that] a conscious ear would be conscious of it. (Qur’an, 69:4-12)

Events of the Day of Judgment

God states in the Qur’an about the events of the Day of Judgment:

Then when the Horn is blown with one blast, and the earth and the mountains are lifted and levelled with one blow [i.e. stroke] – Then on that Day, the Occurrence [i.e. Resurrection] will occur, And the heaven will split [open], for that Day it is infirm (i.e. weak, enfeebled and unstable). And the angels are at its edges. And there will bear the Throne of your Lord above them, that Day, eight [of them]. That Day, you will be exhibited [for judgment]; not hidden among you is anything concealed (i.e. any person or any secret you might attempt to conceal). So as for he who is given his record in his right hand, he will say, “Here, read my record! Indeed, I was certain that I would be meeting my account.” So he will be in a pleasant life – In an elevated Garden, Its [fruit] to be picked hanging near. [They will be told], “Eat and drink in satisfaction for what you put forth (i.e. literally, advanced in anticipation of reward in the Hereafter) in the days past.” But as for he who is given his record in his left hand, he will say, “Oh, I wish I had not been given my record, and had not known what is my account. I wish it [i.e. my death] had been the decisive one (i.e. ending life rather than being the gateway to eternal life). My wealth has not availed me. Gone from me is my authority.” [God will say], “Seize him and shackle him. Then into Hellfire drive him. Then into a chain whose length is seventy cubits insert him.” Indeed, he did not used to believe in God, the Most Great.(Qur’an, 69:13-33)

The Prophet Muhammad taught that three things continue to benefit a [believing] person even after death – charity which he had given (which continues to benefit others), beneficial knowledge which he had left behind (i.e. authored or taught), and supplication on his behalf by a righteous child (Narrated by Saheeh Muslim).

Thus, there are very convincing reasons to believe in life after death:

1)  All the Prophets of God have called their people to believe in it.

2)  Whenever a human society is built on the basis of this belief, it has been the most ideal and peaceful society, free of social and moral evils.

3)  History bears witness that whenever this belief is rejected collectively by a group of people in spite of the repeated warning of the Prophet, the group as a whole has been punished by God even in this world.

4)  Moral, aesthetic and rational faculties of man endorse the possibility of the life after death.

5)  God’s attributes of Justice and Mercy have no meaning if there is no life after death.

 

Source: 4shared.com/postDownload/fpYjex3a/Death_in_Islam.html