The Strange Phenomenon of Death
Death is a fact whose remembrance will break the tyrant’s neck and will make the Kesras bow and will make the ceasars despair.
Everybody is afraid of death and all are waiting for its arrival. Its arrival is inevitable. When it arrives, it will drag people from castles into tombs, from the bright rooms full of chandeliers into small dark spaces, from the presence of beautiful women and men into the presence of worms and ants, from taking wines into sleeping on the earth, from the company of the relatives into the fright of loneliness and from the comfortable beds into the cold stone beds.
The sample of Gnostics, the Imam of the lovers, Imam Zainol Abedin (s), in his Abu Hamza Thamali invocation, at the Ramathan dawn says to God:
فَقَدْ أفْنَيْتُ بِالتَسْوِيفِ وَالآمالِ عُمْرِي، وَقَدْ نَزَلتُ مَنْزِلَةَ الآيِسينَ مِنْ خَيْري، فَمَنْ يَكُونُ أسْوأ حالاً مِنّي إنْ أنَا نُقِلْتُ عَلى مِثْلِ حالِي إلى قَبْرِي لَمْ اُمَهِّدهُ لِرَقْدَتِي، وَلَمْ أفْرُشْهُ بِالعَمَلِ الصّالِحِ لِضَجْعَتِي. وَمَالي لا أبْكِي وَلا أدري إلى ما يَكونُ مَصِيري، وَأرى نَفْسِي تُخَادِعُني، وَأيّامي تُخَاتِلُني، وَقَدْ خَفَقَتْ عِنْدَ رَأسي أجْنِحَةُ المَوتِ، فَمالي لا أبْكِي؟ أبكِي لِخُرُوجِ نَفْسِي، أبْكي لِظُلمَةِ قَبْرِي، أبْكي لِضيقِ لَحْدي، أبْكي لِسُؤالِ مُنْكَرٍ وَنَكِيرٍ إيّاي، أبْكي لِخُروجي مِنْ قَبْري عُرْياناً ذَلِيلاً...
“In fact, I have wasted my time indulging in wrong wishes. I have reached a stage in which I have lost hope of any changing. Of my predicament. Now, tell me who is more miserable than me? Woe to me if I go to my grave under these conditions, a grave which I have not prepared in good conditions and I have not yet carpeted it with good actions. Why should I not cry when I know nothing of the things that may happen to me. Now, I have realized that my true Self has deceived me. Time, too, plays tricks on me. This happens when the eagle of death has spread its wings over me! Why should I not cry? I cry for the departure of my spirit and soul from my body, for the darkness of my tomb, for the small space in which I will stay, for the interrogation of Nakir and Monkar Angels, and I will cry for the moment when I have to leave the tomb naked and depressed and miserable.
For those who have spent their time worshipping their Allah, and who have always been anticipating the day when they could meet their Love, death is an easy and palatable affair. For others, it is Just misery.”
عَنْ أبي جَعْفَرٍ A قال: قالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ 4: المَوتُ المَوتُ، جاءَ المَوتُ بِما فِيهِ، جاءَ بِالرَّوحِ والرّاحَةِ وَالكَرَّةِ المُبارَكَةِ إلى جَنَّةٍ عاليَةٍ لِأهْلِ الخُلُودِ، الَّذينَ كانَ لها سَعْيُهُم، وَفيها رَغْبَتُهُم. وَجاءَ المَوتُ بِما فِيهِ، جَاءَ بِالشَّقوَةِ وَالنَدَامَةِ وَالكَرَّةِ الخَاسِرَةِ إلى نارٍ حامِيَةٍ لِأهْلِ دارِ الغُرُورِ، الَّذِينَ كانَ لَها سَعْيُهُم، وَفِيها رَغْبَتُهُم.
Imam Baqir (s) reports from the Holy Prophet (s), having said:
“O people! Remember death. Death is coming with a blessed and charming walk to take away to the paradise those who lived here but were anticipating the other world and used this world as a preparation for the other.
Death is coming to take away to the hell those who are slaves to their wishes and to the material issues!”( Behar, Vol 6, P 126.)
A man asked the Prophet (s): why do I hate death? The Prophet (s) asked him: Are you a rich man? He replied: yes. The Prophet asked him: Have you sent anything in advance to the other world? He replied: No! the Prophet (s) then replied: that is why you are afraid of death.
عَنِ الصّادِقِ A عَن أبيهِ عَن جَدِّهِ G قالَ: سُئِلَ أميرُ المُؤمِنينَA بِماذا أحبَبتَ لِقاءَ اللهِ؟ قالَ: لَمّا رَأيتُهُ قَدِ اخْتارَ لي دِينَ مَلائِكَتِهِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَأنْبِيائِهِ عَلِمْتُ أنَّ الَّذي أكْرَمَنِي بِهذا لَيْسَ يَنْساني، فأحبَبْتُ لِقاءَهُ.
Imam Sadiq (s) reports from his father, who reports from his grandfather: People asked Imam Ali (s): Why are you so fond of death and dying and for the transform from here to there? He replied: The God who has appointed the right religion for His angels, Prophet and the Infallible Ones (s) will never forget me. That is why I am resless till I meet with Him.( Behar, Vol 6, P 127).
قالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ 4: شَيئَانِ يَكْرَهُهُما ابْنُ آدَمَ: يَكْرَهُ المَوْتَ وَالمَوتُ راحَةُ المُؤمِنِ مِنَ الْفِتْنَةِ، وَيَكْرَهُ قِلَّةَ المالِ، وَقِلَّةُ المالِ أقَلُّ لِلحِسابِ.
The Prophet (s) has stated: Adam’s son is afraid of two things: He is frightened from death, which is in fact a safety for the believer from evil; he fears little wealth, which in fact is an asset by itself since it lowers one’s responsibilities in the other world.( Behar, Vol 6, P 128).
The narrator says: I told Imam Sadiq (s) that Abuzar is reported to have said: people abhor three things which I admire: death, poverty, and disaster.
Imam (s) replied: you are not right in claiming this. What Abuzar meant was: death in praying God is better for him than life in committing sins; poverty in praying for him is better than affluence in committing sins, and disease and catastrophe in worshipping is better than health in aggression.
The Death of The Benefactors From The Viewpoint of The Holy Quran
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ قَالُوا رَبُّنَا اللَّهُ ثُمَّ اسْتَقَامُوا تَتَنَزَّلُ عَلَيْهِمْ الْمَلَائِكَةُ أَلَّا تَخَافُوا وَلَا تَحْزَنُوا وَأَبْشِرُوا بِالْجَنَّةِ الَّتِي كُنْتُمْ تُوعَدُونَ.
“(As for) those who say: Our Lord is Allah, then continue in the right way, the angels descend upon them, saying: Fear not, nor be grieved, and receive good news of the garden which you were promised. 41:30”
يَا أَيَّتُهَا النَّفْسُ الْمُطْمَئِنَّةُ ارْجِعِي إِلَى رَبِّكِ رَاضِيَةً مَرْضِيَّةً فَادْخُلِي فِي عِبَادِي وَادْخُلِي جَنَّتِي.
“O soul that art at rest! Return to your Lord, well-pleased with Him, well-pleasing him, So enter among My servants, And enter into My servants, And enter into My garden. 89:27-30”
أَلَا إِنَّ أَوْلِيَاءَ اللَّهِ لَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَكَانُوا يَتَّقُونَ لَهُمْ الْبُشْرَى فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ لَا تَبْدِيلَ لِكَلِمَاتِ اللَّهِ ذَلِكَ هُوَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِيمُ.
“Now surely the friends of Allah-they shall have no fear nor shall they grieve. Those who believe and guarded against evil. They shall have good news in this world’s life and in the hereafter; there is no changing the words of Allah; that is the mighty achievement. 10:62-64”
The Death of The Evil-Doers From The Viewpoint of The Holy Quran
يَوْمَ يَرَوْنَ الْمَلَائِكَةَ لَا بُشْرَى يَوْمَئِذٍ لِلْمُجْرِمِينَ وَيَقُولُونَ حِجْرًا مَحْجُورًا.
“On the day when they shall see the angels there shall be no joy on that day for the guilty, and they shall say: It is a forbidden thing totally prohibited. 25:22”
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ تَوَفَّاهُمْ الْمَلَائِكَةُ ظَالِمِي أَنفُسِهِمْ قَالُوا فِيمَ كُنتُمْ قَالُوا كُنَّا مُسْتَضْعَفِينَ فِي الْأَرْضِ قَالُوا أَلَمْ تَكُنْ أَرْضُ اللَّهِ وَاسِعَةً فَتُهَاجِرُوا فِيهَا فَأُوْلَئِكَ مَأْوَاهُمْ جَهَنَّمُ وَسَاءَتْ مَصِيرًا.
“Surely as for those whom the angels cause to die while they are unjust to their souls, they shall say: In what state were you? They shall say: We were weak in the earth. They shall say: Was not Allah’s earth spacious, so that you should have migrated therein? So these it is whose abode is hell, and it is an evil resort. 4:97”
وَلَوْ تَرَى إِذْ الظَّالِمُونَ فِي غَمَرَاتِ الْمَوْتِ وَالْمَلَائِكَةُ بَاسِطُوا أَيْدِيهِمْ أَخْرِجُوا أَنفُسَكُمْ الْيَوْمَ تُجْزَوْنَ عَذَابَ الْهُونِ بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَقُولُونَ عَلَى اللَّهِ غَيْرَ الْحَقِّ وَكُنتُمْ عَنْ آيَاتِهِ تَسْتَكْبِرُونَ.
“And if you had seen when the unjust shall be in the agonies of death and the angels shall spread forth their hands; Give up your souls; today shall you be recompensed with an ignominious chastisement because you spoke against Allah other than the truth and because you showed pride against His communications. 6:93”
الَّذِينَ تَتَوَفَّاهُمْ الْمَلَائِكَةُ ظَالِمِي أَنفُسِهِمْ فَأَلْقَوْا السَّلَمَ مَا كُنَّا نَعْمَلُ مِنْ سُوءٍ بَلَى إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ بِمَا كُنْتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ.
“Those whom the angels cause to die while they are unjust to themselves. Then would they offer submission: We used not to do any evil. Aye! Surely Allah knows what you did. 16:28”
فَكَيْفَ إِذَا تَوَفَّتْهُمْ الْمَلَائِكَةُ يَضْرِبُونَ وُجُوهَهُمْ وَأَدْبَارَهُمْ ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ اتَّبَعُوا مَا أَسْخَطَ اللَّهَ وَكَرِهُوا رِضْوَانَهُ فَأَحْبَطَ أَعْمَالَهُمْ.
“But how will it be when the angels cause them to die smiting their back. That is because they follow what is displeasing to Allah and are averse to His pleasure, therefore He has made null their deeds. 47:27-28”
سُئِلَ عَنِ الحَسَنِ بْنِ عَليٍّ H: مَا المَوتُ الَّذي جَهَلٌوهُ؟ فَقالَ: أعْظَمُ سُرُورٍ يَرِدُ عَلَى المُؤمِنِينَ، إذْ نُقِلُوا عَنْ دارِ النَكَدِ إلَى النَّعيمِ الأبَدِ؛ وَأعْظَمُ ثُبُورٍ يَرِدُ عَلَى الكَافِرينَ، إذْ نُقِلُوا عَنْ جَنَّتِهِمْ إلى نارٍ لا تَبيدُ وَلا تَنْفَدُ.
Imam Mojtaba (s) was asked: what is an unknown death? He answered: It is the best joy which occurs to the believers because they move from a home of hardships to an eternal house of prosperity. It is also the worst kind of misery and wretchedness which befalls the infidels since they move from the paradise of this world into the eternal hell of the other world(Mohjatol Beiza', Vol 8, P 254).
Imam Zainol Abedin (s) was asked: what is the death? He replied: For a believer, death is like taking the dirty dress and chains off his body and putting on clean and a sumptuous dress.
For the infidel, death is like taking a sumptuous dress off and putting on tough and rough dress. Death for him is like the movement from the presence of nice companions into the worst kind of resorts(Ma'ani Al-Akhbar, P 289 ).
Imam Musa Ibn Ja’afar (s) arrived on the bed of a dying man who was speechless. The relatives of the man asked Imam (s): O son of the Prophet (s): we would like to know what death is.
Imam (s) replied: “Death is for the believers to get cleaned of their guilts and sins. In fact, it is their last torture and pain.
“Death is a refinery for the infidels for their features; it is their last joy. It is their last reward. This friend of yours is being purified now in the same way that a dress is cleansed in water. He is getting ready to live in his eternal resort.”( Mohjatol Beiza', Vol 8, P 256).
Imam Javad (s) went to visit a Shiite sick who was crying because of his death. Imam said: O believer, are you crying over a death whose nature you do not know. Suppose your body is entirely dirty and your body is covered with all sorts of wounds. Also suppose there is a special bath the water of which will heal all your ailments. How much would you be delighted? The dying man replied: I do not know. Imam replied: death is the same bath which washes away your sins and makes you free and provides you with all kinds of delights. This is not the case for crying. That man became calm, dying peacefully(Ma'ani Al-Akhbar, P 290).
In some books on Hadith, such as Jameol Akhbar, chapter 135, Shafi of Feis, section on death, and Mohjatol Beiza’, Vol 8, P 259, we will read: Ibrahim told the Death Angel: How would it seem when you go to meet a wrong-doer? The Angel replied: Turn your face. Ibrahim did so. The Angel said: Now turn your face and look at me. When Ibrahim looked at him he found the Angel dark, and dirty in face, smelling , with dirty dress on, having fire coming out of his nostrils, letting smoke fill the space. Upon looking at the Angel, Ibrahim fainted. When he recovered his senses, Ibrahim found the Angel in his usual shape. He told the Angel: Looking at you is enough for a guilty man. When Ibrahim realized the Angel had a beautiful face when he meets a believer, he said: this reward would suffice a believer.
source : the land of lovers by professor Hossein Ansarian
