Death

Life is what we live. There was a time when we did not exist, then we do exist now, and then there will be a time when we will not exist. In this chain events of the universe time flow continuum, our “life” seems extremely irrelevant. What is prominent and dominant is the fact that everything else remains unchanged, and events do go on, even if we don’t. So then under such unfavorable circumstances how can one claim that life is what we live and death ends it? In this uncertainty of life, where health wealth fame fortune property blessings friends family, Death. What is death? “Death is the end of life,” says an average mind. Okay, so what is life? everything is so uncertain, the only certainty is death. How can we accept such uncertainties as life, and disregard the promised?

On the contrary, death is a part of life. There are no guarantees in life. Nothing in life is for sure except death. We are alive today only to die tomorrow. A person is born only so that he may die, and he dies only to live forever in the hereafter. So now, is death the end of life, or a part of it?

The world is a prison for a believer, and like Paradise for the non-believer. Consequently, death is a gift to the believer, and a torture to the disbeliever. Who likes to meet Allah, Allah also likes to meet him, and who does not like to meet Allah, Allah also does not like to meet him. Prophet of Allah PBUH said, “None of you should long for death, for if he is a good man, he may increase his good deeds, and if he is an evil-doer, he may stop the evil deeds and repent.”

After death, every person has to be buried accordingly. It is Fard to bury the deceased. A graveyard always reminds one of death and of meeting with the Creator. This is the final level on earth and the first step towards the Hereafter. To visit the graveyard is the Sunnah of Prophet PBUH. One should also make Dua for the deceased.

Come to think of it, how long is a person’s life in this world? How far is death? When a person is born, Azaan is said in his ears. He then lives a life of, say 70 years. Then when he dies, shortly afterwards is the Namaaz-e Janaaza prayed. So how long is his life? 70 years? Wrong! His whole life is like the brief period of time between Azaan and Jamaat.

I leave you with this final food for thought: There shall be a morning, some morning in your life that you shall awaken in Jannah or Hell fire. This is how far death is. Anas ibn Malik, on his deathbed, prayed to Allah, "O Allah, protect from a night whose morning brings a journey to hell fire."