It is said that many things become clear for one at the time of death. The dying person will realize that his properties have no use, and that they cannot stop the approaching death. He will also realize that although his wife and children are crying, they are actually crying for themselves and not for him.
One Could See a Lot of Things at the Time of Death
After looking at his properties and family, the dying person looks at his deeds. If they are shining, he is in peace. But if he has committed sins, he would see them all embodied and he dies with a deep regret. He dies so hard that it is like they are pulling his vessels out of his body. One dies with a huge regret if he has not repented; “Not a word does he utter but there is a sentinel by him, ready (to note it).” (Qaf: 18)
According to Imam Ali, man sees his properties, children and deeds embodied when dying. He tells his properties, “I have tried hard to get you. What will you do for me?”
“We will get you a shroud you could take with you.” They said.
He tells his children, “I have always loved you and I have worked hard to raise you. What will you do for me?”
“We will take you to the grave.” They say, as there is nothing else they could do.
He turns to his deeds then and asks them about the things they could do for him.
“You have never been that eager towards us, but we will always be with you,” say the deeds.
At this moment, if the dying person is a believer the best looking person ever comes to him and gives him the message of eternal happiness.
The man asks who he is.
“I am your good deeds,” says he, “Leave this world now and go to the Heaven.”
After that, two angels enter the grave to ask him questions.
When they are done asking about religion and God, they tell him that God would support him.
To Give Charity at the Time of Death, According to Imam Ali
Imam Ali has talked about death in one of his speeches and has pictured the events of the time of death.
One can sum up his words about the death of people as follows: “Their limbs are weak and their faces are pale. They are unable to speak, but they can still understand and hear. This is when they start to think about the properties they have earned by lawful and unlawful means. They regret their wrong doings and realize that they have wasted their life time. They wish that they did not have any properties. Then their ears stop functioning too. They could see people talking around, but they cannot hear them. Their eyes will stop working in the end and his soul leaves his body.”
Find Out about the Most Important Part of Your Life
That’s true a part of our lives happen in this world, but the rest we spend in the world after.
We believe that there is another world; an eternality that our whole lives seem nothing compared to that. If we think about it and if we could realize that it is something endless and not even billions of years, we will definitely live better lives.
One should not forget to do the right things all the time and to forget about what is expecting him. The long life of Noah and even more than that is nothing compared to the eternality that expects us.
It is said that when the angle of death went to take Noaj’s life, Noah was surprised as to how fast his life had passed. Noah had a very long life and according to the Quran, he was a prophet for 950 years. The Angel of Death asked him, “So, what do you think about the lives of normal people who live only 60 or 70 years?” Noah said that he would have left the world with a prostration if he had lived for 60 years.” Even Noah thought that he had a short life.
We believe in eternal life. But horrible things could happen if we are ignorant about that life and that we are surprised when our other life begins.
Therefore, we need to know what will happen after our death, what people see when they are summoned by God, how we should treat a dying person, what will happen when the Angel of Death arrives, what will happen at the time of death, and what makes dying harder or easier.
To Make Death Less Painful
According to our traditions, there are fifteen things that make death easier. Some of them are:
· Prophet Muhammad said, “Anyone who reads Qur’an after saying his prayers will die an easy death.”
· If one goes on fasting one day in the month of Rajab he will die an easy death.
· Prophet Muhammad said, “Azrael watches people when they are saying their prayers. He will take away those who say their prayers wholeheartedly with an easy death.”
· Imam Sadiq said, “The one who visits relatives often, especially his parents, will die an easy life.”
· According to Late Abbas Qomi, Prophet Muhammad was sitting with a dying young man. The Prophet told the young man to say, “There are no other gods but Allah.” But the young man could not speak. Prophet Muhammad asked his mother if she was displeased with him. His mother said that he had been cruel to her for the past six years and that she was not happy with her son.
Prophet Muhammad said that it was not time for her being mad at her son. The woman said that she would forgive him because of the Prophet and because of God.
Once she said that, the young man found the ability to talk.
Prophet Muhammad asked what he could see.
The young man said, “I can see an ugly person, who smells so bad that I cannot breath.”
Prophet Muhammad told him to say, “You, Allah, who forgive our big sins and accept our small good deeds! Please accept my small good deeds and forgive my huge sins.”
The young man repeated those words and said, “The man in black is going away and a man in white is approaching and he smells great.”
Then he died in peace.
According to Muhaddith Qomi, if one is cruel to his parents he cannot even repeat Prophet Muhammad’s words. This, we should have in mind.
Not to Run Away from Death
We need to know about the questions we are asked in the grave and about the punishments in the grave. We need to know if the dead are in contact with their relatives or not, and if they could visit and see them.
People do not usually talk about such issues. We run away from these, but running away from death, does not mean that it won’t happen to us.
According to Imam Ali, “To remain ignorant will cause you to be surprised.” And we do not want to be surprised.
One of the companions of Prophet Muhammad said: during a funeral service, Prophet Muhammad rushed to the grave and sat next to it. He cast a look at the grave, he cried and addressing the public, he said, “Be prepared for such a situation.”
Translated by: Sadroddin Musawi
source : tebyan
