Aslam

Praise be to Allah.

In such cases, if a person dies

in such circumstances, it has nothing to do with being praiseworthy or

blameworthy in and of itself, and there is no Islamic ruling connected to

that. Islamic rulings only have to do with the deeds of those who are

accountable. If a person dies in a particular place, or at a particular

time, or in a particular posture, that is not part of his deeds and it is

not within his control, so there is no ruling that is connected to it.

With regard to the death of one

who is fasting, this is the matter concerning which there are reports which

point to its virtue, not because death in this situation was within his

control, but because he died whilst doing a righteous deed and his life

ended with that. It is the righteous deed that is within his control and is

connected to the ruling of Allah. If a person dies doing such a deed, that

is a blessing granted by Allah, may He be exalted, to His slave, and it is

encouraged to constantly do such deeds, in the hope that one might die doing

such a thing.

It was narrated that Hudhayfah

(may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of

Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever fasts one day, seeking the Countenance of

Allah, and his life ends with that, will enter Paradise.”

Narrated by Ahmad (no. 22235).

Shaykh al-Arna’oot said: It is saheeh because of corroborating evidence.

It was also narrated by al-Bazzaar

in his Musnad (1/436) as follows: “If a person’s life ends with a day

of fasting, he will enter Paradise.” Classed as saheeh by Shaykh al-Albaani.

Al-Mannaawi (may Allah have

mercy on him) said: The words “If a person’s life ends with a day of

fasting” mean: if a person’s life concludes with a day of fasting, in the

sense that he dies when he is fasting or after breaking his fast.

The words “will enter Paradise”

mean: with those who enter it first, or without prior punishment.

End quote from Fayd al-Qadeer

Sharh al-Jaami‘ as-Sagheer (6/160)

Muslim narrated in his Saheeh

(5126) that Jaabir said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace

of Allah be upon him) say: “Each person will be resurrected in the condition

in which he died.”

Ibn al-Jawzi (may Allah have

mercy on him) said: If a person dies in a particular condition, then his

life ends with that, and in that condition he will be resurrected.

End quote from Kashf al-Mushkil

min Hadeeth as-Saheehayn (1/751)

And Allah knows best.