Chapter X: Remembrance of Death
DEATH AND SUBSEQUENT EVENTS
There are two sections under the chapter. In the first section, there are eight matters-(l) Merits of the remembrance of death,
(2) Long hope, (3) Intoxication of death, (4) Prophet's death and that of his companions, (5) Death of noted persons, (6) Funeral prayer and visit of graves and graveyards, (7) Meaning of death and conditions upto blowing of Trumpet, (8) To know the conditions of dead persons in dream.
Merits of the remembrance of death. Know, O dear readers, that the man who is grossly immerged in the world and cheated by its charming coquetries, in unmindful of the remembrance of death. He does not remember death. When he is reminded of it, he does not like it. God said regarding such man : The death from which you flee away must meet you. Thereafter you will be led to the knower of the world seen and unseen. You will then be informed of whatyou did-62: 6.
Mankind is divided into three classes-(l) One who is addicted to the world, (2) one who is repentant and (3) one who has surrendered to God. The man who is addicted to the world does not remember death. He hates death and lives far away from the remembrance of death. (2) The repentant man remembers death and fears it. Often he does not like death as he fears to die before he makes sincere Tauba or repentance or purifies his soul from corrupt deeds. He does not think bad of meeting with death and God, only because he is not fully prepared for it. He is always busy in preparation to meet them.
(3) The Aref or God-addicted man always remembers death as he likes to meet with his Beloved. The lover cannot forget to meet with his Beloved. He loves to meet with death to save himself from the house of sin and live in the nighbourhood of God. When death came to Hazrat Huzaifa, he said : The friend has come at the time of need. There is no use to repent. O God, if Thou knowest that poverty is dearer to me than riches, disease is dearer to me than health, death is dearer to me than life, make death easy for me till I meet Thee.
Merits of the remembrance of death. The Holy Prophet said : Think more of that which destroys happiness. Hazrat Ayesha
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once-asked the Prophet : O Prophet of God, will anybody rise with the martyrs? He said : That one will rise with them who remembers death twenty times a day.