Chapter 1 - Death

1. Death - Introduction

Say: ‘Death, from which you are fleeing, will certainly catch up with you. Then you will be returned to the Knower of the Unseen and the Visible and He will inform you about what you did.’ (Surat al-Jumu‘a: 8).

Death may catch up with you at any time. Who knows, perhaps this is the moment. Or, it may be much closer than you have ever expected.

These lines may be the last opportunity, the last reminder, the last warning before death comes upon you. As you proceed with these lines, you can never know that you will still be alive in the next hour. Even if it proves to be so, nothing can guarantee you another hour. Let alone an hour, not even after a single moment, is it certain that you will be still living. There is no guarantee that you will ever finish reading this book. Death will, most likely, come upon you at a time when, only a moment before, you never thought about dying.

You will most certainly die, as will all your loved ones. Before you or after you, they will certainly die. A hundred years from now, there will not be a single soul you are familiar with in this world.

Endless aims pertaining to life occupy man's minds; to finish high school, to enter university, to graduate, to have a respectable occupation, to marry, to bring up children, to lead a peaceful life… These aside, there are thousands of others devised to address one's personal circumstances.

Death is one of the few things in life certain to occur. This is a one hundred percent certainty.

After years of hard work, a student succeeds in entering the university, yet may die on the way to class. Or someone who has recently been hired for a job may lose his life on his first morning commute to his work. A traffic accident may end the lives of a newly married couple on their wedding day. A successful businessman may prefer to fly to save time, and his life may end in an unexpected way.

Leaving behind plans doomed to remain unfinished for all eternity, they head for a point of no return—and yet it is a destination they never planned for. Ironically, for years, they spent too much time detailing plans which would never be put into operation, yet never gave a thought to the one certain thing—death—that would happen.

How then should a man of wisdom and conscience establish his priorities? Does he have to make his plans for the one thing certain to happen or for something unlikely to happen? Some people give priority to goals which they can never be certain of accomplishing. No matter which phase of life they are passing through, they resolutely plan for a better and more fulfilling future.

This tendency would be quite rational, if man was immortal. Yet the fact remains that all plans are doomed to that absolute end, called death. Thus it is irrational to disregard death, which is certain to occur, and devote all one's attention to all those things which may or may not materialize.

Yet, owing to an incomprehensible heedlessness enslaving their minds, some people fail to notice this obvious fact. These people strive for the goals they have set for this world, as if they will live a very long life or even as if they will not die. They never think about their real life which is due to start with death. They do not prepare themselves for it. Once they are resurrected, they are faced with this truth and feel deep remorse because of the irrecoverable mistakes they have made all through their lives.

The intention in writing this book is to make man ponder over and warn him against an imminent and ineluctable event…

Avoiding thinking about it cannot, by any means, provide a solution.

1. Death - Superstitions and Facts

Everyone who appears on this earth is destined to die. Man only lives until a certain day and then dies. Some die very young, while still babies. Others go through all phases of life and face death in their latter years. Nothing a man possesses, neither property, fortune, status, fame, grandeur, confidence nor good looks can repel death. Without exception, all men are helpless against death and will remain so.

The majority of people avoid thinking about death. It never occurs to them that they will be confronted with this absolute end  someday. Some people harbor the superstitious belief that if they avoid the thought of it, that it will make them immune from death. In daily conversations, those who intend to talk about death are interrupted and cut short. Someone who does talk about death, recalls a sign from Allah, and  even if it is slightly, contributes to the removal of a thick cloud of heedlessness that covers in people’s minds. Nevertheless, some people who make indifference a way of life, feel uneasy when such "disturbing" facts are presented to them. Yet, the more they try to escape from the thought of death, the more they are obsessed by thoughts about the moment they might die. Their impetuous attitude will determine the intensity of the terror and bewilderment they will experience at the moment of death, on the Day of Judgment, and during the eternal torment.

You can never find a man who has resisted ageing and death. This is impossible because man has no influence whatsoever on his body or on his own life. That he himself did not decide his birth makes this fact obvious. Another piece of evidence is man's desperateness in the face of death. The owner of life is the One Who grants it to man. And whenever He wills, He takes it back. Allah, the Owner of life, informs man about this in the verse He revealed to His Prophet (saas):

We did not give any human being before you immortality. And if you die, will they then be immortal? (Surat al-Anbiya': 34)

At this moment, there are millions of people living around the world. From this we conclude that countless people appeared and passed away since the creation of the first man on earth. They all died without exception. Death is a certain end: for people in the past as well for those currently alive. No one can avoid this inevitable end. This truth is revealed in the Qur'an thus:

Every self will taste death. You will be paid your wages in full on the Day of Resurrection. Anyone who is distanced from the Fire and admitted to the Garden has triumphed. The life of the world is just the enjoyment of delusion. (Surah Al 'Imran: 185)

Falsely Assuming Death to be Coincidence

Death, as is the case with all other incidents, happens by Allah's decree. Just as the birth date of a man is predestined, so also is the date of his death right down to the very last second. Man rushes towards that last moment, rapidly leaving behind every hour, every minute granted to him. The death of everyone, its location and time, as well as the way one dies are all predetermined.

Despite this, however, some people assume death to be the last point of a logical sequence of events, whereas its actual reasons are known only to Allah. Everyday death stories appear in newspapers. After reading these stories, some people make ignorant comments like: "He could have been saved, if necessary precautions had been taken" or "He would not have died, if so and so had happened." Not a minute longer or less can a person live, other than the time determined for him. However, people, who are remote from the consciousness granted by faith, view death as a component of a sequence of coincidences. In the Qur'an, Allah warns believers against this distorted rationale which is peculiar to unbelievers:

You who have faith! Do not be like those who disbelieve and say of their brothers, when they went on journeys or military expeditions, 'If they had only been with us, they would not have died or been killed.' Allah will cause them to regret their words. It is Allah Who ordains life and death. Allah sees what you do. (Surah Al 'Imran: 156)

Assuming death to be a coincidence is sheer imprudence. As suggested in the verse above, this gives great spiritual anguish and irresistible trouble to man. For unbelievers losing a relative or a loved one is a cause of anguish and remorse. Attributing death to bad luck or negligence, they think there could be some leeway to avoid death. This is the rationale which indeed adds to their grief and regret. This grief and regret, however, is nothing but the torment of disbelief.

Nevertheless, contrary to the received wisdom, the cause of death is neither an accident, nor a disease nor anything else. It is surely Allah Who creates all these causes. Once the time granted to us in our destiny terminates, our life ends for these apparent reasons. Meanwhile, none of the material resources devoted to saving one from death will bring another breath of life. Allah reveals this Divine law in the following verse:

No self can die except with Allah's permission, at a pre-determined time... (Surah Al 'Imran: 145)

A believer is aware of the temporary nature of the life of this world. He knows that our Lord, Who gave him all the blessings he has enjoyed in this world, will take his soul whenever He wills and call him to account for his deeds. However, since he has spent his entire life to earn Allah's good pleasure, he does not worry about his death. Our Prophet Muhammad (saas) also referred to this good character in one of his prayers:

Jabir ibn Abdullah narrated, "When Allah's Apostle (peace be upon him) commenced the prayer he recited: Allah is the Greatest; then said: Verily my prayer, my sacrifices, my life and my death are for Allah, the Lord of the worlds." (Al-Tirmidhi, 262)

The Distorted Understanding of Destiny

People entertain many misconceptions about destiny, especially when death is the issue. False ideas, e.g. that one may "defeat one's destiny" or "change one's destiny" are prevalent. Deeming their expectations and assumptions to be destiny, some people believe it is destiny that changes when events do not proceed as they anticipate or predict. They assume an unwise attitude and act as if they have read destiny beforehand and events have not proceeded in line with what they have read. Such a distorted and inconsistent rationale is surely the product of an inadequate understanding of destiny.

Destiny is Allah's perfect creation of all events past and future in timelessness. Allah is the One Who creates the concepts of time and space from nothing, Who keeps time and space under His control and Who is not bound by them. The sequence of events which was experienced in the past or which will be experienced in the future is, moment by moment, planned and created in the Sight of Allah.

Allah creates time, thus He is not bound by it. In His Sight, both the beginning and end of an event are plain. Similarly, there is no doubt about where this event is situated on the plane of eternity. Everything has already taken place and finished. This is similar to a person watching a movie; just as the person cannot exercise any influence on the movie and change it, human beings who play their individual roles in life cannot influence the flow of events recorded on the destiny. Human beings have no influence whatsoever on destiny. Just the contrary, it is destiny which is the determining factor in people's lives. Man, an absolute component of destiny, is not separate and independent from it. Man is unable to go beyond the boundaries of destiny. For a better understanding, we can draw a parallel between a man and an actor in a film. The actor cannot slip out of the film, acquire a physical existence and start making changes in the film by deleting unfavorable scenes or adding some new ones. This would surely be an irrational suggestion.

Consequently, it is impossible to defeat destiny or divert the flow of events. One who says: "I defeated my destiny." is only deceiving himself—and the fact that he does so is a matter of his destiny.

For example, a person may remain in coma for days. It may seem unlikely that he will revive. Yet, if he does recover, this does not mean that "he defeated his fate" or "doctors changed his fate." This is simply an indication that his time is not yet over. His recovery is nothing but a component of his own ineluctable fate. His sickness and recovery are like that of all other things determined in the Sight of Allah. Allah reveals in the Qur'an thus:

… And no living thing lives long or has its life cut short without that being in a Book. That is easy for Allah. (Surat al-Fatir: 11)

Our Prophet (saas) said the following to a believer who was praying to Allah to enable her to derive benefit from her loved ones:

You have asked from Allah about durations of life already set, and the length of days already allotted and the sustenances the share of which has been fixed. Allah would not do anything earlier before its due time, or He would not delay anything beyond its due time.  (Book 33, Number 6438, Sahih Muslim)

According to another piece of false belief, the death of a person dying in his 80s is "destiny" whereas the death of a baby, a young or a middle-aged man is a "dire event." To be able to accept death as a natural phenomenon, some people try to make death fit their established criteria. According to these heedless people, death seems acceptable after a long and severe illness while, death by a sudden sickness or accident is an untimely disaster. That is why some people often meet death in a rebellious spirit. However such stance is a clear sign of being unaware of Allah's justice, infinite compassion and the fact that Allah creates everything for good and with wisdom. Those nurturing such a frame of mind will be doomed to live in constant grief and trouble in this life unless they submit themselves fully to Allah.

The False Belief in Reincarnation

One of the common irrational beliefs people hold about death is that "reincarnation" is a possibility. Reincarnation means that on the physical death of the body, the soul transmigrates to or is born again in another body with a separate identity in a different time and location. Recently, it has become a perverted movement attracting many adherents among unbelievers and followers of superstitious beliefs.

In technical terms, the reasons why such superstitious beliefs receive support—on the basis of no concrete evidence whatsoever—are the concerns disbelieving people subconsciously harbor. Having no faith in the hereafter, people are afraid of being reduced to insignificance after death. Those of poor faith, on the other hand, feel uneasy about the thought of being sent to hell since they are aware, or at least, consider it a probability, that Allah's justice entails their punishment. For both, however, the idea of the rebirth of the soul in other bodies at various times sounds extremely alluring. Thus, particular circles who exploit this distorted belief succeed in making people believe in this fallacy with the help of a little window-dressing. That their followers do not demand any further evidence encourages the efforts of these opportunists.

Such a perverted belief also finds adherents in Muslim circles. These are mostly the type of Muslims who are anxious to project an intellectual and liberal self-image. There is another serious dimension to this issue that deserves mention; such people strive to confirm their views with the help of verses in the Qur'an. To this end, they distort the explicit meanings of the verses and fabricate their own interpretations. Our intention here is to emphasize that this perverted belief is totally at variance with the Qur'an and Islam and wholly contradictory to the verses of the Qur'an which are absolutely precise.

These circles claim that there are a few verses in the Qur'an which corroborate reincarnation. One of these verses they mention is the following:

They will say, 'Our Lord, twice You caused us to die and twice You gave us life. We admit our wrong actions. Is there no way out?' (Surah Ghafir: 11)

On the basis of this verse, people who believe in reincarnation claim the following: man is given a new life after he has lived in this life for some time and then dies. This is the second time he comes into being and also the period during which his soul completes its development. After the second death following this second life, they claim, man is resurrected in the hereafter.

From the verse, it is evident that man experiences two states of living and dying. In this context, a third state of being dead or alive is out of question. This being the case, one question comes to mind: "What was man's initial state? Being dead or alive?" We find the answer to this question in the following verse:

How can you reject Allah? Did He not give you life when you were dead and will He not cause you to die and then give you life again? Will you not return to Him at last? (Surat al-Baqara: 28)

The verse is self-explanatory; initially, man is dead. In other words, owing to the very nature of his creation, he is originally made up of inanimate matter such as water, earth, etc., as the verses inform. Then, Allah made this heap of inanimate matter alive, "created and shaped" it. This is the first death and thus the first rising from the dead. Some time after this first rising from death, life ends and man dies. He returns to earth again, just as in the first phase, and is reduced to insignificance. This is the second transition to the state of death. The second and last event of rising from the dead is the one taking place in the hereafter. Since this is the case, there is not a second resurrection in the life of this world. Otherwise, this would necessitate a third resurrection. However, there is no reference to a third resurrection in any of the verses. Both in Surah Ghafir: 11, and Surat al-Baqara: 28, there is no reference suggesting the possibility of a second resurrection in the life of this world. On the contrary, these verses explicitly reveal the existence of one resurrection in this world and another one in the hereafter.

In addition, several other verses in the Qur'an make it clear that there is only one life where man is put to the test and that it is in the life of this world. That there is no return to this life after death is stated in the following verse:

When death comes to a wrongdoer, he says, 'My Lord, send me back again, so that perhaps I may act rightly regarding the things I failed to do!' 'No indeed! It is just words he utters. Before them shall stand a barrier until the Day they are raised up.' (Surat al-Mu'minun: 99-100)

The dialogues in the verse make it clear that after death, there is no return to this life. Meanwhile, in this verse, Allah draws our attention to the fact that unbelievers entertain desperate hopes about a second raising from the dead, a second return to this life. However, the verse clarifies that these are just words suggested by unbelievers which have no validity.

That the people of paradise will not experience another death other than the "first" death is described in the following verse:

They will not taste any death there—except for the first one. He will safeguard them from the punishment of the Blazing Fire. A favor from your Lord. That is the Great Victory. (Surat ad-Dukhan: 56-57)

The great bliss of the people of paradise is described in another verse. This bliss is due to the fact that they will not experience another death except for the first one:

Are we not going to die, except for our first death? Are we not going to be punished? Truly this is the Great Victory!(Surat as-Saffat: 58-60)

The above verses leave no room for further questions. The conclusion is, there is only one death which man experiences. At this stage, the following question may arise: "Despite the reference to two deaths in the previous verses, why is only one death mentioned in Surat as-Saffat: 58?" The answer to this question is given in the 56th verse of Surat ad-Dukhan, which says: "They will not taste any death there—except for the first one." Indeed, there is one and only one death that man meets consciously. He encounters it, and with all his senses, perceives it. This is the death one meets at the moment his life ends. He surely cannot perceive the very first state of death since at that time he is deprived of senses and consciousness.

In the face of such definite and clear explanations as the Qur'an brings, maintaining that there are more deaths and states of rising from the dead and holding that there is transmigration of the soul would be an overt denial of the Qur'an verses.

1. Death - The Veil of Heedlessness

Man is intrinsically selfish; he is extremely sensitive about issues linked to his own interests. Ironically, he displays indifference towards death, which ought to be a matter of paramount concern. In the Qur'an, this state of mind peculiar to "those who do not hold firmly to Faith" is defined by Allah in one word: "heedlessness".

The meaning of heedlessness is a deficiency in full comprehension of facts owing to a blurring of awareness or even total unawareness and the resultant failure to arrive at sound judgments and give pertinent responses. An example of this is given in the following verse:

Mankind's Reckoning has drawn very close to them, yet they heedlessly turn away. (Surat al-Anbiya': 1)

People feel certain that one who is afflicted by a fatal or incurable disease will die. Yet, no less than this patient, these people who harbor such feelings of certainty, too, will die. That this will happen some time in the future or very soon does not change this fact. Often, heedlessness obscures this truth. Maybe death will come upon him long before it comes upon that person with a fatal disease.

Family members grieve over patients on their deathbeds. Yet, hardly ever do they grieve over themselves, who will definitely die one day. However, given the certainty of the event, the response should not vary depending on whether it occurs shortly or at some far-off time.

If, in the face of death, grief is the correct response to give, then everyone should immediately start grieving for himself or for another, before the time of death comes. Or, he should overcome his heedlessness and strive to have a deeper understanding of death.

To this end, being acquainted with the reasons for heedlessness will be useful.

Causes for Heedlessness

—  A Lack of Sagacity: Some people are not accustomed to thinking over serious issues. Making heedlessness a way of living, they do not think about death. Trivial issues, already "congesting" their minds, do not allow them to give serious thought to grave issues. Thus, they spend their lives drifting in the daily flow of events. Meanwhile, at the death of somebody, or when the conversation turns to the subject of death, they derive comfort from blurted phrases and simply avoid the subject.

—  The Complexity and Vividness of Life: Life flows very fast and it is alluringly vivid. In the absence of exceptional mental effort, man is likely to take no notice of death, which may overcome him sooner or later. This is true especially for people who do not comprehend destiny, putting trust in Allah and submission to Him. From the moment these people become conscious of themselves, they strive to ensure a good living. Such people constantly chase after new plans, interests and objectives and do not ponder on death. And one day, they unpredictably and therefore with no preparation, face the reality of death. But then it is too late for them.

—  The Deception of Population Increase: One of the reasons for heedlessness is the recurrence of births. The population of the world keeps increasing; it never shrinks. Once dragged into the spiral of life, however, man may, because of misconceptions, believe in alluring yet utterly false notions like "births replace deaths", thereby maintaining an equilibrium of population. Such a rationale makes conditions ripe for the formation of a heedless outlook upon death. However, if from now on, no more births ever occurred around the world, we would still witness deaths one after another and, as a result, a shrinking world population. Then the horror of death would start to be felt. Man would see the disappearance of the people surrounding him one by one and would realize that the inevitable end would likewise afflict him. Years pass by, but still every day, those still alive go to sleep in a state of anxiety over whether the next day it would be their turn. Never do they fail to remember death, not for one second.

Ironically, the actual situation is no different from the aforementioned example. New-borns have no effect whatsoever on the ones destined to die. This is only a psychological misconception. The inhabitants of the world who lived 150 years ago are not around today. The following generations did not save them from death. Likewise, 100 years from now, those currently living, with a few exceptions, will not be alive. That is because the world is not a permanent place for man.

Methods of Self - Deception

About from the reasons which make us disregard death and plunge into heedlessness, there are also certain defense mechanisms which people employ to deceive themselves. A few of these mechanisms are mentioned below.

—  Postponing thinking about death to the latter years of life: People generally take it for granted that they will live until their mid-sixties or seventies. This explains why generally young and middle-aged people employ this defense mechanism. With such calculations in mind, they postpone thinking about such issues to the latter years of their lives. The latter years of life are inescapably the time when one cannot get the best out of life and this period is thought by many people to be the most appropriate phase in which to think sedulously about death and become prepared for the next life. This also brings spiritual relief, since it provides a sense of doing something for the hereafter.

Nevertheless, it is evident that making such long-term and inconclusive plans makes no sense for one whose next breath is not even guaranteed. Every day he sees many people of his age or even younger ones dying. Obituaries constitute a considerable part of daily newspapers. Every hour, television channels report news of deaths. Often man witnesses the death of people surrounding him. Yet, little does he think that people around him will also witness his own death or read about it in the newspaper. On the other hand, even if he lives for a very long time, nothing will change in his life, since his mentality will remain the same. Until he is actually facing death, he just postpones thinking about death.

—  Making the assumption that one will "serve one's sentence" in hell only for a certain period: This view, which is prevalent in society, is inaccurate. In no part of the Qur'an do we find any reference to "serving one's sentence" in hell for some time and then being forgiven, unless Allah wills so. Quite the contrary, in all relevant verses, there is specific mention of the separation of believers and unbelievers on the Day of Judgments. Again we know from the Qur'an that believers will remain in paradise for all eternity, while unbelievers will be cast into hell, where they will suffer everlasting torment:

They say, 'The Fire will only touch us for a number of days.' Say, 'Have you made a contract with Allah—then Allah will not break His contract—or are you rather saying about Allah what you do not know? 'No indeed! Those who accumulate bad actions and are surrounded by their mistakes, are the Companions of the Fire, remaining in it timelessly, forever. Whereas those who believe and do right actions, such people are the Companions of the Garden, remaining in it timelessly, forever. (Surat al-Baqara: 80-82)

In another verse Allah reveals thus:

That is because they say, The Fire will only touch us for a number of days.' Their inventions have deluded them in their religion. (Surah Al 'Imran: 24)

Hell is a place of unimaginable torment. Hell is the place where the attributes of Allah, al-Jabbar (The Compeller) and al-Qahhar (The Subduer) are manifested to the utmost degree. The torment in hell is incomparable to any pain in the world. A person who cannot endure even a burn on his finger saying he can readily undergo such torture is merely demonstrating weak-mindedness. Furthermore, a person who does not feel terrified by the Wrath of Allah fails to give Allah due esteem. Such a person is entirely deprived of wisdom.

—  Thinking "I already deserve paradise": There is also a group who assume themselves to be the people of paradise. Engaging in some minor deeds they assume to be good deeds and avoiding some wicked deeds, they think they will go to heaven. Steeped in superstition and mouthing heresies which they associate with religion, these people actually adhere to a faith completely divorced from that of the Qur'an. They present themselves as true believers. However, according to the verses in the Qur'an as such people ascribe partners to Allah, they are not true believers.:

Give them this parable. Once there were two men. To one of them We gave two vineyards surrounded by date-palms, with some cultivated land in between. Both gardens yielded their crops and did not suffer any loss, and We made a river flow right through the middle of them. He was a man of wealth and property and he said to his companion, while conversing with him, 'I have more wealth than you and more people under me.' He entered his garden and wronged himself by saying, 'I do not think that this will ever end. I do not think the Hour of Doom will ever come. But if I should be sent back to my Lord, I will definitely get something better in return.' His companion, with whom he was conversing, said to him, 'Do you then disbelieve in Him Who created you from dust, then from a drop of sperm, and then formed you as a man? He is, however, Allah, my Lord, and I will not associate anyone with my Lord. (Surat al-Kahf: 32-38)

With the words, "But if I should be sent back to my Lord", the garden owner expresses his lack of sound faith in Allah and the hereafter and consequently reveals that he is an idolater who harbors doubts. Meanwhile, he claims that he is a superior believer. Moreover, he feels no doubts that Allah will reward him with paradise. This false belief is very common among people.

These people, deep inside, know that they are entirely fraudulent, yet once they are questioned about it, they try to prove their innocence. They claim that observing the commandments of religion is not so important. Furthermore, they try to clear themselves, claiming that the seemingly religious people they see around them are immoral and dishonest. They try to prove that they are "good people" by stating that they do not mean any harm to anyone. They state that they do not hesitate to give money to beggars, that they have been serving honestly in public service for years and these are the things that make a sincere Muslim. In an endeavor to base their distorted religion on some kind of rationale, they subscribe to certain fallacies. This is actually typical of their insincerity. To legitimize their own life, they seek refuge in slogans like: "The best form of worship is to work" or "what matters is sincerity of heart." In the Qur'an, it is revealed that this is just "inventing lies against Allah" and it merits the punishment of eternal hell. In the Qur'an, Allah describes the situation of such people as follows:

What is the matter with you?

How do you reach your judgment?

Will you not pay heed?

Or do you have some clear authority? Bring your Book, then, if you are telling the truth! (Surat as-Saffat: 154-157)

— Double-Standard Rationales: Sometimes when people think about death, they assume they will disappear for all eternity. Such a startling idea makes them develop another defense mechanism; they only give half credence to the fact that "there is an eternal life promised by Allah." Such a conclusion raises some hope in them. When they consider the responsibilities of a believer towards his Creator, they prefer to completely ignore the fact of an eternal life. They comfort themselves thinking: "After all, we shall be reduced to insignificance, decomposing completely in the soil. There is no life after death." Such an assumption represses all fears and concerns, such as giving an account of one's deeds on the Day of Judgment or suffering in hellfire. In both sets of circumstances, they lead their lives in heedlessness until the end of their days.

The Consequence of Heedlessness

In the previous sections, as we have said, as long as one lives, death inevitably calls itself to one's attention. These reminders sometimes prove to be beneficial, prompting man to re-examine his priorities in life and to re-evaluate his outlook in general. But there are other times when the above-mentioned defense mechanisms take over, and with each passing day, the veil of heedlessness before one's eyes becomes thicker.

If unbelievers await death in a tranquil mood and have an irrational feeling of comfort, even when they are intensely aware of its approach in the latter years of their lives, it is because they are completely swathed in this veil. That is because death for them connotes restful and sound sleep, tranquility and calmness, and an eternal relief.

Contrary to what they think, however, Allah, the One Who creates every being from nothing and the One who makes them die and who will give life to all creatures on Judgment Day, promises them eternal regret and grief. They will, too, witness this fact at the moment of death, a time when they assume they will go to an eternal sleep. They realize that death is not total disappearance, but the initial moment of a new world full of anguish. The coming of the angels of death in a terrifying way is the first sign of this great torment:

How will it be when the angels take them in death, beating their faces and their backs? (Surah Muhammad: 27)

At this moment, the pre-death arrogance and insolence of the unbelievers turn into terror, regret, desperation and eternal pain. In the Qur'an, Allah reveals this truth thus:

They say, 'When we have been absorbed into the earth, are we then to be created afresh?' In fact, they deny they will ever meet their Lord. Say: 'The Angel of Death, who has been given charge of you, will carry off your souls, and then you will be sent back to your Lord.' If only you could see the evil-doers hanging their heads in shame before their Lord: 'Our Lord, we have seen and we have heard, so send us back again and we will act rightly. Truly we are now firm believers.' (Surat as-Sajda: 10-12)

There Is No Escape From Death

Death, especially at an early age, seldom comes to mind. Considering this as the end, man even escapes from the thought of it. However, just as physical avoidance provides no cure for death, neither does avoidance of thinking about it. Besides, it is impossible to ignore death. As indicated before, every day, newspapers run headlines about the deaths of so many people. One frequently comes across hearses or pass by cemeteries. Relatives and associates die. Their funerals or visits to offer condolences inevitably bring death to mind. As one witnesses the death of others, and especially the death of beloved ones, he inevitably thinks about his own end.

No matter how strongly the individual resists, wherever he seeks refuge or how he tries to escape, he may actually encounter his own death at any moment. He has no other choice. Ahead of him, there is no other exit. The countdown never stops, not for a moment. Wherever he returns, death meets him there. There is no change in Allah's law. The death catches up the person when his time comes. Allah reveals this truth in the Qur'an as follows:

Say: 'Death, from which you are fleeing, will certainly catch up with you. Then you will be returned to the Knower of the Unseen and the Visible and He will inform you about what you did.' (Surat al-Jumu'a: 8)

Wherever you are, death will catch up with you, even if you are in impregnable fortresses. (Surat an-Nisa': 78)

That is why one needs to stop deceiving himself or disregarding facts and strive to earn the good pleasure of Allah during this period predetermined by Him. Only Allah knows when this time will be over.

Our Prophet Muhammad (saas) also said that one of the best ways to prevent one's conscience from hardening, and attain a good character is by frequently remembering death:

Abdullah ibn Umar narrated, "Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said, 'These hearts become rusty just as iron does when water affects it.' On being asked what could clear them he replied, 'A great amount of remembrance of death and recitation of the Qur'an.'"  (Al-Tirmidhi, 673)

1. Death -
The Actual Death and What is Observed about Death

Have you ever thought why does man need to devote so much time and effort to keeping his body clean? Why does an unclean body, a foul-smelling mouth, greasy skin or hair seem so unbecoming? Why does man sweat and why is the odor accompanying sweat so disturbing?

Unlike man, plants have extremely pleasant odors. A rose or a carnation never stinks, despite the fact that it grows in soil and remains in an environment of dust and dirt. However, man can hardly achieve such a permanent fragrance, no matter how much he cares for his body.

Have you ever thought why man is created with so many weaknesses? Why Allah created flowers with beautiful fragrances but made the human body prone to such weaknesses? The weaknesses of man are not limited to things mentioned above: he gets tired and hungry, feels weak, gets injured, becomes nauseated, sick...

All these may seem to be ordinary to man, yet it has a deceiving aspect. It could well be that a bad odor never came from the body. Likewise, one might never suffer from a headache or fall sick.

All these difficulties happen not by "coincidence" but are created by Allah on purpose. Allah assigned man a particular goal and intentionally made him with these features.

First of these goals is to make man realize that he is a weak being, a "servant" of Allah. Being perfect is an attribute of Allah. His servants, on the other hand, are infinitely frail and thus inherently in need of their Creator. This is explained in the Qur'an as follows:

Mankind! you are the poor in need of Allah, whereas Allah is the Rich Beyond Need, the Praiseworthy. If He wills He can dispense with you and bring about a new creation. That is not difficult for Allah.  (Surat al-Fatir: 15-17)

Another purpose these weaknesses serve is to remind man of the temporary nature of this life. That is because these weaknesses are peculiar to the body in this world. In the hereafter, the Companions of the Garden will be endowed with a perfect body. The poor, imperfect and weak body in this world is not the actual body of the believer but a temporary mould he remains in for a certain period.

That is why, in this world perfect beauty is never attainable. The most physically perfect and beautiful person also has physical weaknesses, sweats, has bad breath in the mornings and now and then suffers from acne. One needs to involve oneself in endless routines to keep clean and fresh. Some people have pretty faces but lack shapely bodies. There are also cases in which just the contrary is true. Some have beautiful eyes but a big nose. There are countless such examples. A person with outwardly perfect looks might be suffering from a serious disease.

Over and above this, even the most perfect-looking person ultimately grows old and dies. In an unexpected traffic accident, his body might be irremediably injured. It is not only the human body which is imperfect, flawed and temporary in this world. All flowers fade, the most delicious food decays and goes bad. All these are peculiar to this world. The short life in this world granted to us as well as this body are temporary favors bestowed by Allah. An eternal life and a perfect creation are possible only in the hereafter. As it is put in the Qur'an:

Whatever you have been given is only the enjoyment of the life of the world. What is with Allah is better and longer lasting for those who have faith and trust in their Lord.  (Surat ash-Shura: 36)

In another verse the real essence of the world is explained as follows:

Know that the life of the world is merely a game and a diversion, ostentation and a cause of boasting among yourselves, and a quest to outdo one another in wealth and children. It is like the plants which flourish after rain: this delights the cultivators, but then they wither and you see them turning yellow, and then they become broken stubble. In the hereafter a terrible punishment awaits you but also forgiveness from Allah and His good pleasure. The life of the world is nothing but the enjoyment of delusion.  (Surat al-Hadid: 20)

In brief, in this world, Allah, as a sign of His infinite might and knowledge, creates many beautiful and wonderful things as well as many flawed things. Permanence and excellence are against the laws of this world. Nothing the human mind can imagine, including advanced technology, will ever change this law of Allah. This is so that people has to strive to attain the hereafter and show due respect and gratefulness to Allah. It is also so that people may realize that the actual place of these favors is not this temporary world, but the eternal abode prepared for believers. In the Qur'an, this is alluded to as follows:

Yet still you prefer the life of the world when the hereafter is better and longer lasting.  (Surat al-A'la: 16-17)

Another verse says: "The abode of the hereafter—that is truly Life if they only knew."  (Surat al-Ankabut: 64) There is a very thin border between this world, which is a temporary abode, and our "actual life", the hereafter, which is our real life. Death raises this curtain. By death, man will break off all his relations with his body and this world; he will start his eternal life with his newly created body.

The real life is the one beginning with death. Flaws, imperfections and impermanence are the laws of this world. The real laws are formulated on the principles of infiniteness, excellence and immortality. In other words, what is normal is a non-fading flower, a neverageing man, a never-decaying fruit. The actual laws entail the instant realization of every wish of man or the removal of pain and diseases, or even sweating or feeling cold. However, temporary laws are in effect in this temporary life, while the actual laws are binding upon the next life.

The abode of the actual laws, namely the hereafter, is very close. Allah can end the life of man at any moment He wills and makes him pass to the hereafter. This transition will occur in a very short period; in the blink of an eye. This is similar to waking up from a dream. The brevity of this world is explained in the Qur'an follows:

He will say, 'How many years did you tarry on the earth?' They will say, 'We tarried there for a day or part of a day. Ask those able to count!' He will say, 'You only tarried there for a little while if you did but know! Did you suppose that We created you for amusement and that you would not return to Us?'  (Surat al-Muminun: 112-115)

When death comes, dreams come to an end and man starts his actual life. Man, who remained on earth for a period as short as "the blink of an eye" comes into the Presence of Allah to give an account of his deeds in this world. If he has kept death in his mind all throughout his life and lived to attain Allah's approval, he will hope to be saved. In the Qur'an, the words of "those who are given their Books in their right hands" are quoted as follows:

As for him who is given his Book in his right hand, he will say, 'Here, come and read my Book! I counted on meeting my Reckoning.'  (Surat al-Haqqa: 19-20)

1. Death -
The Situation of Those in This World and
The Hereafter Who Do Not Take Lessons from Death

Some people falsely believe that "Death is the moment life ends." However if these people could think a little further then they would comprehend that death is the moment the next life starts. This ill-informed outlook makes unbelievers compress everything they want into the very short time of this life. That is why, those who do not come to realize the truth of the hereafter want to make the most of this life without giving it a second thought. Not making a distinction between right and wrong, they seek to satisfy all their tastes in this world. This stance is essentially based upon the notion that death will put an end to all the joys and pleasures of this world. Believing that they still have long years ahead of them, they chase after long-term plans. This is one of the most classical methods employed by satan to deceive man. Allah reveals this "deceptive method" in the following verses:

Those who have turned back to unbelief after Allah's guidance has been revealed to them, are seduced by satan who has filled them with false hopes. (Surah Muhammad: 25)

He makes promises to them and fills them with false hopes. But what satan promises them is nothing but delusion. (Surat an-Nisa': 120)

Amassing fortune in this world as if life would last forever, unbelievers perceive life as a competition. All throughout their lives, they take pride in possessions and children. This pride gives them a sense of artificial superiority, which causes them to drift completely away from the thought of the hereafter. However, the following verses disclose where they are destined for because of this great delusion:

Do they imagine that, in the wealth and children We give to them, We are hastening to them with good things? No indeed, but they have no awareness! (Surat al-Muminun: 55-56)

Do not let their wealth and children impress you. Through them Allah merely wants to punish them during their life in the world and for them to expire while they are unbelievers. (Surat at-Tawba: 55)

Allah gives man many warnings and messages to make him ponder upon death and the hereafter. In one verse, Allah draws attention to the trials given as a warning to man:

Do they not see that they are tried once or twice in every year? But still they do not turn back. They do not pay heed. (Surat at-Tawba: 126)

Indeed, the majority of people encounter various trials, so that they may frequently ask for forgiveness and take heed. These may take place very rarely, once or twice in a year, as stated in the verse. Alternatively, they may be small, daily troubles. Man witnesses accidents, deaths or injuries. In the face of such events, man should remember that calamities can at any time befall him and at any moment his testing period may end. Such an awareness makes one sincerely turn to Allah, seek refuge in Him and ask for forgiveness from Him.

The lessons believers draw from the adversity they encounter are abiding. Yet, the same events have a totally different impact on unbelievers. Being terrified by the thought of death, unbelievers turn their backs on the reality of death or simply try to forget it. In doing this, they seek relief. However, this deceptive method only does them harm. That is because Allah "reprieves them till a predetermined time" and this period, contrary to what they think, works against them. (Surat an-Nahl: 61) In the Qur'an Allah says:

Those who are unbelievers should not imagine that the extra time We grant to them is for their good. We only allow them more time so they will increase their evil-doing. They will have a humiliating punishment. (Surah Al 'Imran: 178)

A heedless person, who does not take a lesson even when death befalls someone very close to him, becomes very sincere towards his Creator, when he himself encounters death. This psychology is related in the Qur'an as follows:

It is He Who guides them on both land and sea so that, when some of them are in a boat, running before a fair wind, rejoicing at it, and then a violent squall comes upon them and the waves come at them from every side and they realize there is no way of escape, they call on Allah, making their religion sincerely His: 'If You rescue us from this, we will truly be among the thankful.' (Surah Yunus: 22)

However upon deliverance, these people return to their initial heedless state. Forgetting their promise, they display a low and false attitude and, while doing this, never feel the slightest pangs of conscience. Yet, this falsity will be evidence against them on the Day of Judgment:

But then, when He does rescue them, they become rebellious in the land without any right to do so. Mankind, your rebelliousness is only against yourselves. Take your enjoyment in the life of the world and then you will return to Us and We will inform you about what you did. (Surah Yunus: 23)

Frantically, man re-attempts to do the same at the moment of death. Yet, the time predetermined for him is already over:

When death comes to one of them, he says, 'My Lord, send me back again. so that perhaps I may act rightly regarding the things I failed to do!' No indeed! It is just words he utters. Before them there is an interspace until the Day they are raised up. (Surat al-Muminun: 99-100)

We see that the unbelievers persist with this attitude even before Allah. This is revealed in the Qur'an as such:

If only you could see the evil-doers hanging their heads in shame before their Lord: 'Our Lord, we have seen and we have heard, so send us back again and we will act rightly. Truly, we are now firm believers.' ...(It will be said to them): 'So taste this. Because you forgot the meeting of this Day, We have forgotten you too. Taste the eternal punishment for your misdeeds.' (Surat as-Sajda: 12-14)

The same unyielding efforts will continue also in hell:

There they will cry out: 'Our Lord! take us out! We will act rightly, differently from the way we used to act!' 'Did We not let you live long enough for anyone who was going to pay heed to pay heed? And did not the warner come to you? Taste this then! There is no helper for the wrongdoers. (Surat al-Fatir: 37)

These hopeless strivings in the hereafter and the painful end are surely the results of man's scant acknowledgement of the actual purpose of his existence on earth and of his value. One who has no faith does not take lessons from the happenings around him, does not listen to the warnings sent by Allah, feigns ignorance of the voice of his conscience or flouts it, and sees death as an unlikely event for himself. He complies with the wishes of the wicked side of his soul rather than seeking Allah's pleasure. All these eventually pave the way for death to seize him suddenly and make him fall into the desperate situation depicted in the above verses. Thus, before death comes upon one, one should wake up from the deep sleep of heedlessness, since the moment of death is too late for such a recovery. People are warned in the Qur'an against this:

Give from what We have provided for you before death comes to one of you and he says, 'My Lord, if only you would give me a little more time so that I can give alms and be one of the righteous!' But Allah will not give anyone more time, once their time has come. Allah is aware of what you do. (Surat al-Munafiqun: 10-11)

A person with wisdom should constantly dwell upon death rather than keep avoiding the thought of it. Only thus can he act in compliance with Allah's will and prevent the wicked side of his soul and satan from deceiving him with this fleeting life. Indeed, making the life of this world one's only goal is the greatest danger for people. Our Prophet (saas) also reminded the believers of this with his supplication "let not worldly affairs be our greatest care of all that we know about. " (Narrated by Abdullah ibn Umar, Al-Tirmidhi, 783)

Getting Prepared for Death

This world is a place where man is being trained. Allah charged man with many responsibilities in this world and informed him about the limits He has set for him. Provided that man observes these limits, complies with His orders and avoids prohibited acts, he will attain personal maturity and a better state of wisdom and awareness. With such attributes, a believer shows inexhaustible patience no matter what befalls him; he turns only to Allah and seeks help only from Him. These are the ways to revere Allah and to feel an inner submission to and an unbounded faith in Him. Realizing the actual worth of favors bestowed by Allah, he expresses a deeper gratefulness to Allah and feels closer to Him. Consequently, he becomes an ideal believer endowed with the superior attributes of wisdom and morality. Furthermore, he becomes the type of person deserving to attain paradise, a place of perfection.

Man continues to be tested by countless events befalling him; his success in dealing with them earns him rewards in his eternal life, while his failure earns him punishment. Nobody knows when his period of testing will be over. In the words of the Qur'an, "the term of every life is fixed." (Surah Al 'Imran: 145) This term can sometimes be long, but can also sometimes be short. The truth is, however, that even the period we regard as being long rarely extends beyond 7 or 8 decades.

That is why, rather than engage in making long-term plans, man has to be guided by the Qur'an and the sunnah of our Prophet (saas) and live by their principles, knowing that he will give an account of all his deeds in the hereafter. Otherwise, failure to prepare oneself for the eternal life, missing the one and only opportunity granted for this purpose, and deserving hell for all eternity will be a painful situation indeed. That is why, every moment spent in vain in this world is a great loss and a giant step taken towards an atrocious end.

Since this is so, this fact should take precedence over everything else in this world. Just as a person prepares himself for the possible situations which he will confront in the course of his life, one needs to devote similar and even greater efforts, to be prepared for the next life. Everyone will experience everything which will happen after death all alone. To those seeking eternal salvation, Allah commands the following:

You who have faith! Have fear of Allah and let each self look to what it has sent forward for tomorrow. Have fear of Allah. Allah is aware of what you do. Do not be like those who have forgotten Allah, so that He has made them forget themselves. Such people are evil-doers. (Surat al-Hashr: 18-19)