Uninspiring Death

No one likes to talk about death. It is a sad and terrifying matter for everyone because we will leave behind everything we hold dear. Our mothers, fathers, siblings, luxurious houses and cars, children, successful careers, and much more. The Prophet said it is something that "terminates all pleasures."

Once, during a reminder session, I asked my friends, "Who wants to enter Paradise? Raise your hands!" Everyone raised their hands. Then I asked, "Who wants to die?" Quickly, everyone put their hands down. When asked why they did so, the answer was "fear." This was the Prophet's response when his companions asked about the disease of "Wahan." The Prophet said it was the disease of "love for the world and fear of death."

We are reminded time and again that this world is temporary and merely a game. It's not that we are unaware; in fact, we know about the Day of Paradise and Hell as rewards. When Allah speaks, He never lies, except the truth. So why are we still heedless? Because we forget, my friends. Okay, let's continue.

Isn't death a prerequisite for entering Paradise? If we don't die, how can we enter Paradise? Yes, we avoid talking about death because we know we are still not prepared. Our deeds are still insufficient, and our religious practices are mediocre at best. We barely fulfill the obligatory prayers, and even then, we hurriedly perform them at home. Sometimes intentionally delaying them until the last moments, let alone performing the sunnah prayers. We only open the Quran during the last we khatam. But even then, we don't understand what we read. We backbite our friends, mock others. Life is only lived once, and many dreams remain unfulfilled. We want to be wealthy like that person, to have cars and houses like them, to succeed in business, retire early, see our children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, and enjoy endless blessings. All of this is mentioned in Surah Al-Baqarah, verses 94-96. Allah describes the characteristics of the Jews as being more greedy for worldly possessions than the polytheists. They believe themselves to be great and righteous, thinking they are the chosen people of Allah, the believers who will be selected to enter Paradise. Even if they enter Hell, they say it will only be for a few days. However, when asked to seek death (to quickly enter Paradise, since they claim to be the people of Paradise), they become afraid and do not want to die. They want to live forever if possible. They are afraid of the sins they have committed, and they are aware of them. Allah says they would love to have a lifespan of a thousand years (لَوْ يُعَمَّرُ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍ). This is due to their love for the worldly life. Yet, even with such a long life, they cannot escape the punishment of the Lord. Don't we see these same characteristics within ourselves, claiming to be believers? Truly, we are engrossed in this worldly life.

So when will we be able to say that our deeds are enough to confidently say we are ready to die? We will never dare to do so. Indeed, death will come suddenly, perhaps while we are busy with our worldly affairs at the office. When that moment arrives, as mentioned in Surah Al-Munafiqun, verse 10, we will want to plead with the angels for a moment's delay, begging Allah for a chance to live a little longer to give charity (because we will then realize the magnitude of its reward). But nothing will be granted. Time's up, bro. Zap! Izra'il (the Angel of Death) takes our soul. Nothing will have been accomplished. The regret will be endless.

Today, I attended a funeral. The Prophet informed us,

كَفَى بِالْمَوْتِ وَاعِظًا
"Death is sufficient as an admonition."

When attending a funeral, if we pay close attention, we will reflect upon ourselves. The tears of those who love us, imagining that they will accompany us alone to the grave shortly, envisioning that tonight will be our first night alone in the realm of the grave, uncertain of what fate awaits us. All these thoughts play in our minds and inspire us to remain steadfast in performing righteous deeds.

As we walk through the cemetery, let us diligently observe the tombstones. In reality, we will spend more time in the grave than we did in our earthly life—darkness and solitude. There is one tombstone inscribed with the date of death at the age of 38 in the year 1923. It is now 2023, and a hundred years have passed in the realm of the grave. Truly, we have forgotten to prepare sufficient provisions of righteous deeds for this long and arduous journey because we have been too preoccupied with worldly affairs.

Take notice of the people who are also present. It is disheartening to see the men engaging in conversation, laughing while smoking (i.e., engaging in forbidden acts), releasing clouds of smoke into the air. Not to be outdone, even the Imam leading the funeral prayer is revealed to be a smoker as well. May Allah guide them in the future. Indeed, witnessing death right before our eyes does not inspire us to abandon sinful deeds. It should be the best time for introspection, rectifying our actions, and abandoning as many vices as possible.

Attending a funeral is not merely to mourn the departure of our loved ones. Their affairs in this world are now concluded, and we pray for their forgiveness. However, for those of us who are still granted the opportunity, are we making the most of it as servants of Allah by remaining steadfast in righteous actions? Let us contemplate the following verse from Surah Al-Sajdah, verse 11:

قُلْ يَتَوَفَّىٰكُم مَّلَكُ ٱلْمَوْتِ ٱلَّذِى وُكِّلَ بِكُمْ ثُمَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكُمْ تُرْجَعُونَ
Say, "The angel of death will take you who has been entrusted with you. Then to your Lord, you will be returned."

So, let us reflect upon these words. The appointed angel of death will take our souls at the appointed time, and we will return to our Lord for recompense.