How to prepare for death?

[~ Sabr ~]

:salamext:

How to prepare for death?

Death can come at anytime, and InshaAllaah we should all be prepared for it.

Share any pointers in this thread InshaAllaah

[Ali1978]

For me, I always ponder that ever day, ever hour, every minute is one step closer to my grave.

[Muhaba]

it is so easy to forget death. people are acting like they will live forever when everyone knows death will come. what is strange is that even those over 60 or 70 act like that. although with every year, chances of death are so much more.

[Hulk]

Strive for a sound heart. :statisfie


"..The Day when there will not benefit [anyone] wealth or children But only one who comes to Allah with a sound heart.”


Quran Surah Ash-Shu'ara' Verse 88-89

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[~ Sabr ~]

Strive for a sound heart. :statisfie


"..The Day when there will not benefit [anyone] wealth or children But only one who comes to Allah with a sound heart.”


Quran Surah Ash-Shu'ara' Verse 88-89

Please expand on the way to get that InshaAllaah

[Darth Ultor]

Speaking as a non-Muslim, how about we focus on life right now? A life obeying and trying to please God so that we are right with Him once we go? Then when we go to sleep, we can think, "Have I done my bit for God today?" If we just spend time thinking about the Hereafter, it makes it seem like you're only serving God to earn "Jannah points".

[~ Sabr ~]

If we just spend time thinking about the Hereafter, it makes it seem like you're only serving God to earn "Jannah points".

That is the only purpose of life we should have, to try and attain Jannah.

[Ali1978]

its true.

Death is the one thing we will all face and really, how much time do we spend thinking / reflecting about it?

[Hulk]

Speaking as a non-Muslim, how about we focus on life right now? A life obeying and trying to please God so that we are right with Him once we go? Then when we go to sleep, we can think, "Have I done my bit for God today?" If we just spend time thinking about the Hereafter, it makes it seem like you're only serving God to earn "Jannah points".

May I know, are you talking about actions or intentions? I think as human beings we are all definitely focused on life, but what are you living for? You mentioned a life of obeying and trying to please God so I assume that you meant both actions and intentions. But how do you know whether or not you are obeying God? Is it through your own perspective? And how do you know that you are pleasing God?

If you were to make a donation to every single poor person on earth, is that obeying and pleasing God to you? Would it help you sleep at night?

Islam places heavy emphasis on a sound heart. Part of that is your intention. On the Day of Judgement there will be a main who is raised up, this man died as a Martyr in this world, BUT he will be punished. Because his intention was to be glorified in this world.

What I am saying is that we are all focusing on life. But what sets us apart is what is in our hearts. Some of us live for this world while some of us live for the hereafter. If you live for this world then you will most certainly be attached to it.

Look at a muslim's daily life, he prays five times a day, he avoids what he believes is forbidden(haram). All this whether or not it is in line with the norms of society. That means if he is out with his friends hanging out and its time to pray, he would separate himself from his friends and look for a spot to pray. It also means that if his boss invites him for lunch at a non-halal restaurant he would have to decline. Why does he do all this? For God!

This is why I ask "How do you know you are obeying/pleasing God?".

Also, even if a muslim does all that which I just said, he will still be worried because he knows that inside him is a battle between sincerity and insincerity. Is he doing it for God or is he doing it to be praised in this world?

To me, there is nothing wrong with "wanting Jannah". It's created by God for the righteous and I don't see anything wrong for someone to want to be from among the people of Jannah. It certainly doesn't make us insincere in our deeds because our intention in our action is to obey/please God.

This is why a sound heart is important.

[~ Sabr ~]

On the Day of Judgement there will be a main who is raised up, this man died as a Martyr in this world, BUT he will be punished. Because his intention was to be glorified in this world.

"The people will be resurrected
(and judged) according to their intentions."

Reporter: Hadhrat Aishah (r)

Sahih al-Bukhari, Vol. 3, Book of Fasting, Chapter 6, p. 69

Note: Human beings often tend to put emphasis on their outward actions (forms), rather than the inner side of human personality (substance). In Islam belief and action are inseparable and their true connection is through intention (Niyyah). A good deed can be unacceptable to God, if the accompanying intention is foul or defective. Thus the emphasis on action should always be linked to a greater emphasis on purity of intention. Pure and correct intention will always be rewarded, whether the actual action is completed or not. Precisely for this reason, a person can attain martyrdom (shahadah) through pure and consistent intention, even if he or she dies a normal death in bed. On the other hand, many otherwise apparently righteous and glorified people could go to Hell because of their impure intentions. True and pure intentions always result in good actions, but not all good actions accompany proper intentions. God will judge actions, but in the context of a person's intentions.

Source: http://www.globalwebpost.com/farooqm/writings/islamic/forty-hadith/forty-hadith.html

[~ Sabr ~]

For me, I always ponder that ever day, ever hour, every minute is one step closer to my grave.

Jazaak Allaah Khayr for this bro

[~ Sabr ~]

:bump:ing this up InshaAllaah...

[yasirslm]

Death is more universal than life, everyone dies but not everyone lives and as for death ,I look upon life as a gift from God. I did nothing to earn it. Now that the time is coming to give it back, I have no right to complain.

[Daniyal32]

Jazakallah Khair

[~ Sabr ~]

No pointers...?

[patientgrace]

I guess we can "prepare" all we want to for death, to make sure that our family and loved ones are cared for when we are gone, but I do not think any person can be 100% prepared for death, simply because we do not know exactly what to expect.

When I say "prepare" for death for example, if I were to die then I would have to have arrangements for my youngest child. Her father and I already agreed that if something were to happen to me while she is still a minor, then my daughter will go live with her father and step-mother. My oldest daughters are already grown and beginning lives of their own. I would make sure that all my financial burdens were taken care of. If I knew that I only had a certain amount of time to live, then I would prepare my children and family, that way they would not have to deal with unnecessary burdens during such a stressful time.

[Haya emaan]

Speaking as a non-Muslim, how about we focus on life right now?

as a Muslim i would like to rephrase it like this.. focus on life right now for the life hereafter..

if your are told to do certain work for a year and two very hard and after that you will be rewarded with life long salary with out work.. who would want to leave the chance..

and for the one who strongly believes in the eternal life hereafter, why would he not want sacrifice this short life for the eternal one..

If we just spend time thinking about the Hereafter, it makes it seem like you're only serving God to earn "Jannah points".

its not just the 'jannah points' but the meeting with our Lord Allah (SWT) InshaAllah

[sohail1234]

assalam o alikum
Death is the major aspect of our lives, we can not deny it, we have to go back to Allah and we have to enter alone in the grave. the Best way to prepare yourself for death is that, you have to control your Nafs, when you will start controlling your nafs it means you are preparing your self for death and for hereafter life.
As the Prophet, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam said: "Truly smart is the person who controlled his desires and prepared for life after death."

[Student1996]

For me, I always ponder that ever day, ever hour, every minute is one step closer to my grave.

See now thats the thing, for me I do not 'ponder' about it all the time. I focus more on life than death.

[IAmZamzam]

Prepare???

If an angel came down right now and asked me, "You Lord wants your opinion on how and when you would like to die," I'd immediately go, "Surprise me!"

Oh...you probably mean "spiritually prepare", dontcha?

Tsk...that is tricky. And only Allah may be capable of helping you with it. Let’s see…

Well, making amends with people they've wronged is something many are known for wanting to do in order to be prepared, and that is most definitely not the thing to do. You must focus instead on making amends with Allah. He alone can forgive you for anything. And make sure that your will is set to what The Qur’an says it should be.

Ah…how about this? Bukhari and Muslim said that seven types of people receive shelter on Judgment Day when no one else get any:

* Just rulers
* One who remembered Allah while he was by himself, his eyes overflowing with tears
* One whose heart is always attached to the mosque from the time he leaves it till the time he returns
* Two people who love each other only for Allah’s sake, coming together for Him and departing for Him
* One who gave in charity so secretly that his left hand didn’t know what his right was doing
* A youth who spent his life in Allah’s devotion
* A man who’s seduced by a beautiful woman of high status but still refuses her, saying, “I fear Allah.”

Everyone at some point gets an opportunity to do at least one or two of those things. Hop to it!

[Darth Ultor]

Prepare???

If an angel came down right now and asked me, "You Lord wants your opinion on how and when you would like to die," I'd immediately go, "Surprise me!"

That made me laugh. He should also ask you how you want heaven or hell to be. "Oh, make sure the fire doesn't exceed 100 degrees C, not too tight with the the chains, I like the clanging. Oh and I want casual fridays."

[sister herb]

Salam alaykum

I don´t think that we should or could to prepare by any way. We should only keep our mind and life so pure that we are ready at any second.

[IAmZamzam]

Good advice, harb. And Ultor, don't forget that we do to a large extent decide what heaven is like. "For them is all that they wish, and with Us there is yet more."

[greenhill]

This is the earth version of the billion dollar question.

Everyone will have something right but how many wrong? I analyze and theorize until I become paralyzed. :p Then I have to simplify it. and it really boils down to intention, as said by several before me.

But I'd like to go deeper a bit.

It has only recently dawned on me that in essence, we made our own covenant with Allah in the womb. Our birth into this world is similar to that of Harut and Marut. Only they were angels. Being veiled in flesh is an incredible burden. The 'shock' of birth and the gradual absorption with the world around us wiped the covenant from our memory. It is whether we can find our way back in this terrible distracting world.

I am trying to 'tune' my head to talk to my heart and reason with my nafs to unite my being into serving the All Mighty. Easier said than done. As an example, I have to go out to work every day. I have to rephrase my words, as that becomes the intention (or is it the other way round?) Do I work because I have bills to pay or because Allah tells me to earn an honest living. I still go out everyday, I still work, but I am trying to make not because it's the grind of life. I am leaving the house to go earn my honest living, yaa Allah, and for any activity beneficial to me, it is because of Him; not only do we get His blessings and even if we fail, we get His forgiveness. If I had left the house with intention to earn my pay to settle my bills and commitments, not so sure if I get any blessings for the same activity (even if good), I will only get what is beneficial to me here on earth and no forgiveness if I fail.

However, the 'earthly' commitments still grips tight that I'm like a wheel, sometimes on top and there are times at the bottom being crushed. Pray it is not at a traffic light, with a sharp stone! To be honest, outside the flesh, I am not sure who I am? Where is my 'ruh'? Who is my 'ruh'? I am sooooooo worldly indoctrinated, it's hard to really get deep inside, the internal jihad, so to speak. It scares me to think that there have been people who have, as it seemed, prepared themselves sufficiently, but still, their last breath were not "laa ilaa ha ilallaaah' but of petty worldly matters.


Peace

[Amat Allah]

How to be prepared for death?

I don't see me prepared for death...if the sinless angels (peace be upon them) cry out of fear of Allah when death comes what am I going to do the sinful slave of Allah?

May Allah never take our souls till He Is pleased with us totally; a pleasure which there is no wrath after it ever in dunay and Akhirah too Aameeeeen