Aslam

Praise be to Allah.

Fear of death is a feeling that affects most people. Allaah

has created man in such a way that he loves life and fears the unknown, and

He has made death part of the world of the unseen which cannot be fully

understood except by the one who enters it. When a person thinks of it, he

cannot help but feel feelings of loneliness and fear or anxiety about that

unknown future.

This is the natural explanation for man's fear of death in

general.

But the believer who submits to the will and decree of

Allaah, and in whose heart love of Allaah is instilled and who thinks

positively of Allaah realises that by his death he is returning to a

generous Lord and a merciful God, Who will reward him for good deeds with

good things and Who will pardon his bad deeds by His mercy and forgiveness.

That is only for the believer who puts his trust in Allaah and whose heart

is humble before Him, the Accepter of repentance. Allaah says

(interpretation of the meaning):

“No doubt! Verily, the Awliya’ [close friends] of Allaah,

no fear shall come upon them nor shall they grieve. 63. Those who

believed, and used to fear Allaah much (by abstaining from evil deeds and

sins and by doing righteous deeds). 64. For them are glad tidings, in

the life of the present world, and in the Hereafter. No change can there be

in the Words of Allaah. This is indeed the supreme success”

[Yoonus 10:62-64]

Al-Haafiz Ibn Katheer (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:

Here Allaah is telling us that His close friends are those

who believe and are pious, as their Lord describes them. So everyone who is

pious is a friend of Allaah. “No fear shall come upon them” means

with regard to what they encounter of the terrors of the resurrection. “Nor

shall they grieve” means for what they have left behind them in this

world. End quote.

Tafseer al-Qur’aan al-‘Azeem,

4/278

This is how you should be.

We should all strive to be friends of Allaah, so that we may

obtain His love and pleasure, and so that His love will be the most

beautiful thing in our hearts. Then death will become no more than moving to

be under the care of the Most Generous, Most Merciful, may He be glorified,

and liberation from the limitations and bonds of this world to the expanse

and pleasures of the Hereafter.

It was narrated from Abu Qataadah ibn Rib’i that he used to

narrate that a funeral passed by the Messenger of Allaah (blessings and

peace of Allaah be upon him) and he said: “One who has found relief and one

from whom relief has been found.” They said: O Messenger of Allaah, who are

the one who has found relief and the one from whom relief has been found? He

said: “The believing person has found relief from the troubles of this

world, and the people, the land, the trees and the animals have found relief

from the evil person.”

Narrated by al-Bukhaari (6512) and Muslim (950).

It was narrated from ‘Ubaadah ibn al-Saamit that the Prophet

of Allaah said: “Whoever loves to meet Allaah, Allaah loves to meet him, and

whoever hates to meet Allaah, Allaah hates to meet him.”

‘Aa’ishah or one of his wives said: We hate death. He said:

“It is not like that. When the believer is dying, he is given the glad

tidings of the pleasure and honour of Allaah, and nothing is dearer to him

than that which is ahead of him, and he loves to meet Allaah and Allaah

loves to meet him. But when the disbeliever is dying, he is given tidings of

the punishment and wrath of Allaah, and nothing is more hated to him than

what is ahead of him, and he hates to meet Allaah and Allaah hates to meet

him.”

Narrated by al-Bukhaari (6507) and Muslim (2683).

Al-Qurtubi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:

This dislike of death is a natural dislike which stems from a

feeling of aversion, which is difficult to bear. Undoubtedly it exists in

everyone, except the one who Allaah blesses with love for Him and he

realized the beauty of being close to Him. That person’s love for Allaah

overwhelms him and he will say when it is his time to depart this world,

addressing death and its agonies, as Mu’aadh (may Allaah be pleased with

him) said: A beloved one has come at a time most needed, and the one who has

any regrets today will never prosper, so take my soul as You will, for by

You, my hearts loves You.

al-Mufhim, 2/644

If this meaning is established in your heart and soul, and

you have done righteous deeds in preparation for the day of departure from

this transient life, death will not harm you if Allaah wills, and your fear

of it will be no more than a reason to make you do good and turn to Allaah,

not a reason for doom, anxiety, panic or frustration.

Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked the

following question:

Should the believer not be afraid of death? If that happens,

does that mean that he does not want to meet Allaah?

He replied:

Believing men and women must fear Allaah and put their hope

in Him, because Allaah says in His Holy Book (interpretation of the

meaning):

“so fear them not, but fear Me, if you are (true)

believers”

[Aal ‘Imraan 3:175]

“Therefore fear not men but fear Me”

[al-Maa’idah 5:44]

“and fear none but Me”

[al-Baqarah 2: 40]

“Verily, those who have believed, and those who have

emigrated (for Allaah’s religion) and have striven hard in the way of

Allaah, all these hope for Allaah’s Mercy”

[al-Baqarah 2:218]

“So whoever hopes for the Meetingwith

his Lord, let him work righteousness and associate none as a partner in the

worship of his Lord”

[al-Kahf 18:110]

There are many similar verses.

It is not permissible for the believer, male or female, to

despair of the mercy of Allaah or feel secure against the plan of Allaah.

Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Say: “O ‘Ibaadi (My slaves) who have transgressed against

themselves (by committing evil deeds and sins)! Despair not of the Mercy of

Allaah, verily, Allaah forgives all sins. Truly, He is Oft‑Forgiving, Most

Merciful”

[al-Zumar 39:53]

“and never give up hope of Allaah’s Mercy. Certainly no

one despairs of Allaah’s Mercy, except the people who disbelieve”

[Yoosuf 12:87]

“Did they then feel secure against the Plan of Allaah?

None feels secure from the Plan of Allaah except the people who are the

losers”

[al-A’raaf 7:99]

All the Muslims, both male and female, must prepare for death

and beware of being heedless, because of the verses quoted above and because

of what is narrated from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allaah be upon

him) who said: “ Frequently remember the destroyer of pleasures – death.”

and because being heedless about it and not preparing for it

are among the causes of a bad end. It is proven that ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah

be pleased with her) said: The Messenger of Allaah (blessings and peace of

Allaah upon him) said: “Whoever loves to meet Allaah, Allaah loves to meet

him, and whoever hates to meet Allaah, Allaah hates to meet him.” I said: O

Prophet of Allaah, do you mean hating death, for all of us hate death? He

said: “It is not like that, but the believer, when he is given glad tidings

of Allaah's mercy, pleasure and Paradise, loves to meet Allaah and Allaah

loves to meet him. But the disbeliever, when he is given tidings of Allaah’s

punishment and wrath, hates to meet Allaah and Allaah hates to meet him.”

Agreed upon.

This hadeeth indicates that there is nothing wrong with

disliking or fearing death, and that does not indicate that a person does

not want to meet Allaah, because when the believer dislikes death or fears

its approach, he wants to do more acts of obedience to Allaah and do more to

prepare to meet Him. Similarly when the believing woman fears death and does

not want it to come to her, she is only doing that in the hope that she can

do more acts of obedience and prepare to meet her Lord. End quote.

Majmoo’ Fataawa Ibn Baaz,

6/313-314

And Allaah knows best.