The agony of death

 A king has his common subjects, then come his officials and then those people who are the intimates and advisors of the king.  Everybody fears the king but the common folk don’t fear him the way officials do and officials don’t fear the king the way the courtiers of the king fear him.  They also have the greatest hopes of the king’s favors.  Similarly, they also have the greatest fear of royal punishments.

 

Other nations are like the common folk and you O Muslims, O nation of Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam)!  You are the intimates of Almighty Allah.  You should have the greatest hope and you should have the greatest fear and consciousness of Almighty Allah.  Why are the followers of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) so without fear (of Allah)?.....

 

You are not better than Prophet Adam (May peace be upon him).  For a small thing, he was removed from paradise.  When a Prophet like Dawood (May peace be upon him) committed a small slip-up, he cried so much that grass grew out of his tears….

 

Similarly, Hadhrat Jibreel and Mikaail (May peace be upon them) also cry frequently.  Once, Almighty Allah asked them:  Why do both of you cry?  They entreated:  O Lord Almighty!  We have seen the status that Iblees enjoyed.  All of a sudden he was cursed for ever.  From the time we have seen this, our hearts are full of Your fear and awe.  It was ordered:  Yes.  You should keep fearing Me like this. 

 

That is why the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said:  What has happened as of now?  When you have landed on the other side of the Bridge (Siraat), then you may become carefree.  Right now paradise is leagues away.  There are 100,000 terrible and frightening things between you and paradise.  The least among them is death, which is also called the Lesser Doomsday…..

 

The agony of death

 

Hadhrat ‘Isa (May peace be upon him) would tell his helpers:  O my helpers!  Pray to the Lord Almighty for me that the agony of death should be lessened on me.  I have such fear of death that I am literally dying of it.

 

Who is saying this?  A great prophet, who led an ascetic life in this world.  Now where do we stand?

 

Truly describing the agony of death and its severity and harshness is impossible.  For this reason, the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) placed a bowl with water at the time of His demise and would repeatedly wipe His face with water and say:

 

Transliteration: Allahumma Hawwin Ala Muhammadi Sakaraatil Maut

 

Translation: O Allah!  Ease the agony of death on Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam).

 

Those people who don’t seek refuge from it and don’t consider it as bad do so as they aren’t aware of its agony.

 

Things are known before they actually happen with the light of Prophethood and sainthood.  For this reason, the Prophets and the saints greatly fear death.

 

        Hadhrat ‘Aisha (May Allah be well pleased with her) says:  After seeing the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) face the agonies of death, I don’t believe in anyone’s ease of demise.

 

There is a Hadith that the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said:  O Lord! You draw life out of the tissues, bones and fingers.  You ease the agonies of death on Me.

 

The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) has described the agony of death as being equal to that of 300 wounds.  When He was asked about its severity, He said:  The easiest of deaths is like removing a corn from the foot – when it comes out it is only with pain.

 

The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) called on a sick person and said:  I know what he is passing through.  There is not a single nerve in his body which is free of the agony of death.

 

Imam Auzaa’i (May Allah shower His Mercy on him) says:  We learn from research that the deceased has the agony of death right from death to resurrection.  Zaid bin Aslam narrates on the authority of his father that when some stages of spiritual perfection are left for a believer and for some reason he (or she) cannot reach them, death is intensified on that believer so that he (or she) achieves his stages in paradise through this.  When a disbeliever does some good deeds, death is made easy for that person so that he (or she) gets the recompense of those good deeds and goes straight to hell. 

 

It is mentioned that if a drop from the agony of death is placed on all the mountains of the world, they would melt away. 

 

Friends!  Death is that thing that when Almighty Allah created it, He ordered it to pass by the angels in its true form.  When it did so, out of dread, the angels fainted and remained so for a whole era.  When they came to, they entreated:  O Allah!  For whom have you created this death?  The reply was: For every living thing.  They entreated:  Why did You create the world?  The reply was:  For humans to live in it.  They asked:  Why did You create women?  The reply was:  To procreate.  They entreated:  Those on whom this death is imposed, will they able to turn their attention to women?  Will they be able to lead happy lives in the world?  The reply was:  True.  But tall hopes and heedlessness will be such that they will forget death.

 

This shows how agonizing death will be, but on the sinners, it will be all the more severe.

 

In the nation of Israel, there was a sinner.  One day, he was sitting in his house happily when a stranger entered the house.  He got up and attacked the stranger, asking:  Who are you?  Who brought you into the house?  That person said:  The Ultimate Owner of this house brought me into this house.  I am the one whom no one can stop.  Nothing can stop me.  I don’t seek permission even from kings.  I don’t fear even the most tremendous person.  No one’s awe has any effect on me.  I bring the warrant of the most Powerful One to arrest wherever I find them. 

 

On hearing all this, that man started trembling.  He respectfully asked:  Are you the angel of death?  He said:  Yes.  He said:  Give me some time.  I will make the necessary preparations.  The angel of death said:  Alas your request cannot be complied with as your time is up.  Your breaths are over.  Your time is over.  He asked:  Where do you take me to?  The angel replied:  We take you to a different world where you will see what you have done.  To the house that you have prepared (with deeds).  That man protested:  But I haven’t done any good deeds neither have I made my grave a fine resting place.  The angel said:  Then I take you to blazing fire.  And he drew his soul.  This is death when it comes as a warrant.

 

But death doesn’t always come as a warrant.  It can also be a message from the Beloved.

 

There was a pious saint.  The angel of death came to him in human form and said:  I am the angel of death.  He said:  Welcome!  Welcome!  I have been waiting for you since many days.  Come!  Draw my soul.  The angel of death said:  If there is any need, you may fulfill it.  I have been ordered to give you time.  The saint said:  In our life itself, we had given up everything to Allah Most High.  After death, He will take care of our needs.  If you insist, then let me make my ablutions and start Salaat.  When I am in prostration, draw my soul.

 

        Friends!  Try that your death shouldn’t be a warrant but the message from the Beloved.  Then death itself will be really pleasurable.

 

[Excerpted from Qiyaamatnaama of Hadhrat Muhaddith-e-Deccan]