Death in Islam

**rezafan** · 07-12-2007

Let me say in advance I'm not too sure if this thread belongs in this forum but I suppose it is somewhat related.

My journeys in Islam are continuing. However, something came up that made me look even closer to this religion:

My uncle has been battling cancer for the past year now. He went through a lot of treatments, drugs, etc. Now he's on his last line, one last drug to try. He is basically going to die in two weeks. I am not sure I can see another person in my family dying to cancer. This sickness has devastated so much of the ones I love already.

Sorry for the sad story, but there is a point. How can the Qur'an help me deal with death? Like I said, I have not read it yet, though I will begin very soon now that I have a copy. Are there any insightful verses that will make his passing easier on me, or maybe understand why so may of my loved ones continue to pass away way before they should? Thank you for reading.

**ashara** · 07-12-2007

salam.

May Allah grant you strength through these difficult times.

I do not know if this is done anywhere else, but in my country the surah Yaasin ( 36th surah) is often read when a person is dying or at a funeral. They say it is recited for the dead, but personally I think the recital helps the living cope with the loss and is a reminder as well.

Hope you will find the info helpful. I am sorry I do not know more to help you deal with the situation.
Insha Allah you will be given patience and calmness of heart as you have taken the step towards Allah by seeking verses from Quran. I will make dua for you and him, Insha Allah.

**Woodrow** · 07-12-2007

For all people, not just Muslims, death always seem to come at a very inappropriate time.

Before I go into what I find comforting in the Qur'an I will explain a bit about myself and my family culture.

I too am a rairly recent revert to Islam. Although no longer a newbie. It has now been a little over 2 years since I said the Shahadah.

My early history goes back to family culture and to a large extent that probably has ingrained a concept of death will always be with me. I am of very mixed ancestry. However, I am nearly 50% Lipkas (Lithuanian Tatar). I identify with my Lipkas heritage more than any other.

The Lipkas have suffered much in the past 400 years and most of it had been within the past 125 years. As a result we have formed a very fatalistic attitude about death. We welcome death and do not mourn a funerals, we see a funeral as a time of great joy. We feel that the person has been released from the hardships of life. to a certain extent we tend to believe that life is the Hellfire and a death means a person has been released. (These are cultural, not religious beliefs) Oddly I was raised as a Catholic and was a firm believer in Christianity as believed by Catholics. I did have a difficult time resolving my cultural belief and my religious teachings.

I said that so you can have a small understand of where I was before I embraced Islam.

Needless to say I had to come to an understanding of what life and death really are. We all know that one day we will all face death. It is part of each of our lives. Our own death seems to be very easy to face. It is much more difficult to see those close to us die.

We do need understanding as to what hope is there. Everybody seems to find different things in the Qur'an that are of help for specific things. Perhaps others will share what gives them comfort. To me I find total comfort in the beauty of Surah One, Al-Fatiha.

7 short little ayyats

1: 1. In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. Y S
1: 2. Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds, Y S C
1: 3. The Beneficent, the Merciful. Y S
1: 4. Master of the Day of Judgment, Y S
1: 5. Thee (alone) we worship; Thee (alone) we ask for help. Y S C

1: 6. Show us the straight path, Y S C
1: 7. The path of those whom Thou hast favoured; Not the (path) of those who earn Thine anger nor of those who go astray. Y S C

Pickthal's Quran Translation

But the power behind them and the wisdom.

I am told in that little surah that there is only One in control of judgment. The one who is all merciful and will and has provided for all of our needs and will give to all of us in accordance with our obedience. he has shown each and every one of us the path we are to walk and He alone will be the one to judge us and it will be with Divine mercy and Justice. I have full trust in his judgment and his plans for me. He is the best of planners. I also know that all of my loved ones who have left this world were judged with pure mercy and fairness that can only come from Allah(swt) I need not worry about their final end as it is/was/will be as merciful as Allah(swt) wills.

**syilla** · 07-13-2007

MashaAllah you should read a book title "Welcoming The most precious moment of our life" written by Dr. Wan Azman University Hospital KL.

It is a very good book. It was reviewed and approved by the scholars.

InshaAllah i will make a thread on this.

Especially when one of our beloved members has died recently.

**Andrew** · 07-19-2007

rezafan, I am sorry to hear of your bad news. I too have only just started to read and I am hoping to learn more about death in islam.

I have lost 3 of my grandparents to cancer over the last few years and none of them were muslim. They believed in God but from a christian perspective. I hope that they will be looked after by God regardless of the religion they believed in as they believed in him but it was just that they followed the masses of the public into Chrisitianity, blindly I guess thinking it was right the religion (I still am trying to pin point what I believe myself).

I wish God can see that they were good people during there time on earth and helped many people that were disadvantaged in life. I hope he understands that had somebody had presented islam to them they may have reverted but its just that in no point during their life they were in that situation to find islam. They could never find something they didnt know they were supposed to be looking for.

I hope by reading the Qur'an I can learn more about there journey since they left my life and I hope it is something that will fill me with joy and not further sadness.

My best wishes are also with you rezafan at this hard time for you and your family.