:bism:
:wa:
Dear brother, indeed, you are correct. Death is something to Islamically celebrate as the meeting with Allah, which is why Mevlana Jaluddin Rumi
(may God be pleased wit him) wrote the poem called "The Wedding Night" which I'm sharing herein for your pleasure:
The day I've died, my pall is moving on -
But do not think my heart is still on earth!
Don't weep and pity me: "Oh woe, how awful!"
You fall in devil's snare - woe, that is awful!
Don't cry "Woe, parted!" at my burial -
For me this is the time of joyful meeting!
Don't say "Farewell!" when I'm put in the grave -
A curtin is it for eternal bliss.
You saw "descending" - now look at the rising!
Is setting dangerous for sun and moon?
To you it looks like setting, but it's rising;
The coffin seems a jail, yet it means freedom.
Which seed fell in the earth that did not grow there?
Why do you doubt the fate of human seed?
What bucket came not filled from out the cistern?
Why should the Yusaf "Soul" then fear this well?
Close here your mouth and open it on that side.
So that your hymns may sound in Where-no-place.
Prophet :saws: said, “Allah the Most Great said, ‘If My servant likes to meet me, then I like to meet him; and if he dislikes to meet Me, then I dislike to meet him.’”
Prophet :saws: said the following: “When the believer is about to depart from this world and go forward into the Next World, angels with faces as bright as the sun descend from the heavens and sit around him in throngs stretching as far as the eye can see. Then the Angel of Death comes and sits at his head and says, “Good soul, come out to forgiveness and pleasure from Allah!” Then his soul emerges like a drop of water flows from a water-skin and the angel takes hold of it. When he has grasped it, the other angels do not leave it in his hand even for the twinkling of an eye. They take it and place it in a perfumed shroud and a fragrance issues from it like the sweetest scent of musk found on the face on the earth.1 ‘Then they bear it upwards and whenever they take it past a company of angels, they ask,”Who is this good soul?” and the angels with the soul reply, “So-and-so the son of so-and-so,” using the best names by which people used to call him in this world. They bring him to the lowest heaven and ask for the gate to be opened for him. It is opened for him and angels who are near Allah from each of the heavens accompany him to the subsequent heaven until he reaches to the heaven where Allah the Great is. Allah, the Mighty and Majestic,says, ’Register the book of My slave in ‘Illiyun and take him back to earth. I created them from it and I return them to it and I will bring them forth from it again.”
‘His soul is then returned to his body and two angels come to him. They make him sit up and say to him, “Who is your Lord?” He replies, “My Lord is Allah.”They ask him, “What is your religion?” He replies, “My religion is Islam.” They ask him, “Who is this man who was sent among you?” He replies, ”The Messenger of Allah.” They ask him, “How did you come to know these things?” He replies, “I read the Book of Allah, believed it, and declared it to be true.” Then a Voice from on high declares, “My slave has spoken the truth, so spread out carpets from the Garden for him and open a gate of the Garden for him!” Then some of its fragrance and perfume comes to him, his grave is expanded for him as far as the eye can see, and a man with beautiful garments and a fragrant scent comes to him and says, “Rejoice in what delights you for this is the day which you were promised.” He asks, ‘Who are you? Yours is a face which presages good.” He replies, “I am your good actions.” Then he (the soul) says, “O Lord, let the Last Hour come soon so that I may rejoin my family and my property!’”
SO, LET'S ALL OF US LOOK FORWARD TO DEATH, BECAUSE THEN WE'RE FINALLY ALIVE, FINALLY WITH THE BELOVED! Death for a good soul is relief.
:wa:
Salam alaykum!
A lot of khutbas and lectures are about death. Often times, they come out of a spirit of fear (they intend to strike fear into us so that we obey God's laws). Should we be afraid of death, though? countless times in the Qur'an, it is said that the righteous will have a place in Paradise, so shouldn't we be hopeful instead of afraid? I feel that there is too much fear mongering in the khutbas I've listened to over the years. If I hear one more, I'm going to lose my mind.
The Qur'an doesn't seem to want to scare muslims into obedience, rather, it is giving muslims hope. "
On them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve". I think there's too much fear of death being preached and not enough hope and encouragement. Why should a muslim be afraid of death anyway? it is just another step towards meeting their Lord. That's something to look forward too-- no fear is involved.
What do you think, dear brothers and sisters?
