Death

I am sure the title got your attention. Did you ever consider the effect of the word itself, what it does to us when we hear it? For most humans, it holds a negative energy that brings out a feeling of something foreboding, something definite from which we can not come back. It brings out a feeling of fear. Death is often symbolised by a human skull, a skeleton, or scary creatures that brings out a negative energy…

It is a big and scary unknown, which often is tied to sadness and depression. It affects many humans to think in a certain way…

سورة البقرة ٩٦
يَوَدُّ أَحَدُهُمْ لَوْ يُعَمَّرُ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍ وَمَا هُوَ بِمُزَحْزِحِهِ مِنَ الْعَذَابِ أَن يُعَمَّرَ ۗ وَاللَّهُ بَصِيرٌ بِمَا يَعْمَلُونَ

Surah Al-Baqara 2:96
Each one of them wishes He could be given a life of a thousand years: But the grant of such life will not save him from (due) punishment. For Allah sees well all that they do.

Striving to live a long and healthy life is a good and admirable thing… and to have a fear is also good… but with the concept of death, we should rather consider how we express the fears… because as the Quran states…

سورة البقرة ١٥٤
وَلَا تَقُولُوا لِمَن يُقْتَلُ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ أَمْوَاتٌ ۚ بَلْ أَحْيَاءٌ وَلَـٰكِن لَّا تَشْعُرُونَ

Surah Al-Baqara 2:154
And say not of those who are slain in the way of Allah: “They are dead.” Nay, they are living, though ye perceive (it) not.

So fears should rather be on what comes after…

سورة الأنفال ٥٠-٥١
وَلَوْ تَرَىٰ إِذْ يَتَوَفَّى الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا ۙ الْمَلَائِكَةُ يَضْرِبُونَ وُجُوهَهُمْ وَأَدْبَارَهُمْ وَذُوقُوا عَذَابَ الْحَرِيقِ
ذَ‌ٰلِكَ بِمَا قَدَّمَتْ أَيْدِيكُمْ وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ لَيْسَ بِظَلَّامٍ لِّلْعَبِيدِ

سورة الأنعام ٢٧
وَلَوْ تَرَىٰ إِذْ وُقِفُوا عَلَى النَّارِ فَقَالُوا يَا لَيْتَنَا نُرَدُّ وَلَا نُكَذِّبَ بِآيَاتِ رَبِّنَا وَنَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ

Surah Al-Anfaal 8:50-51
If thou couldst see, when the angels take the souls of the Unbelievers (at death), (How) they smite their faces and their backs, (saying): “Taste the penalty of the blazing Fire-
“Because of (the deeds) which your (own) hands sent forth; for Allah is never unjust to His servants:

Surah Al-An’aam 6:27
If thou couldst but see when they are confronted with the Fire! They will say: “Would that we were but sent back! Then would we not reject the signs of our Lord, but would be amongst those who believe!”

The key is to consider what such fears do to humans generally… most think this world is it, hoping and striving to live as long as possible, rather than focusing on the right things and using the time more wisely. So, what causes our minds to think like that? Think of the symbols we’ve just discussed, symbols that bring people into such thinking. Skulls and skeletons. (Human remains). It reminds people of a “definite end”.

سورة يس ٧٨-٧٩
وَضَرَبَ لَنَا مَثَلًا وَنَسِيَ خَلْقَهُ ۖ قَالَ مَن يُحْيِي الْعِظَامَ وَهِيَ رَمِيمٌ
قُلْ يُحْيِيهَا الَّذِي أَنشَأَهَا أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ ۖ وَهُوَ بِكُلِّ خَلْقٍ عَلِيمٌ

Surah Yaseen 36:78-79
And he makes comparisons for Us, and forgets his own (origin and) Creation: He says, “Who can give life to (dry) bones and decomposed ones (at that)?”
Say, “He will give them life Who created them for the first time! for He is Well-versed in every kind of creation!-

We are being told by the Quran…

سورة آل عمران ١٧٥
إِنَّمَا ذَ‌ٰلِكُمُ الشَّيْطَانُ يُخَوِّفُ أَوْلِيَاءَهُ فَلَا تَخَافُوهُمْ وَخَافُونِ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ

Surah Aal-i-Imraan 3:175
It is only the Evil One that suggests to you the fear of his votaries: Be ye not afraid of them, but fear Me, if ye have Faith.

What is death? A skeletal monster? Or an angel?

سورة السجدة ١١
قُلْ يَتَوَفَّاكُم مَّلَكُ الْمَوْتِ الَّذِي وُكِّلَ بِكُمْ ثُمَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكُمْ تُرْجَعُونَ

Surah As-Sajda 32:11
Say: “The Angel of Death, put in charge of you, will (duly) take your souls: then shall ye be brought back to your Lord.”

What does fear of death do? It draws the mind to this world. Such fears are not entirely without reason. We should also consider that the fear of death has a specific purpose…

سورة طه ١٥
إِنَّ السَّاعَةَ آتِيَةٌ أَكَادُ أُخْفِيهَا لِتُجْزَىٰ كُلُّ نَفْسٍ بِمَا تَسْعَىٰ

Surah Taa-Haa 20:15
“Verily the Hour is coming – My design is to keep it hidden – for every soul to receive its reward by the measure of its Endeavour.

Strive for a good and healthy life. But keep your focus on the goal. In the end, and a very important lesson to remember is this… “What we leave behind is not as important as how we’ve lived.” – Captain Jean-Luc Picard.

I hope that you found this an inspiring input and that it has brought something to consider.

The best of times to you all inshallah.
Peace, happiness, and stay faithful.