Tokens of a Good Ending

TF-RA | January 25, 2020

Or do those who commit evil deeds think that We shall make them as those who believe and do righteous deeds, equal their living and their dying? How ill they judge! (Qur'ān, 45:21)

How wretched is the view of those who ascribe wisdom to what they do—however, they deny ascribing Wisdom to the Actions of Him who perfected everything. Is He who fine-tuned and perfected everything worthier of carrying out purposeful actions or he who is only part of what has been perfected? Glorified and Exalted is He above all that they ascribe to Him.

For this reason, He created man for a lofty purpose and He holds not equal those who strive for fulfilling this lofty purpose to those who neglect it. Those who strive for fulfilling this purpose, to them He promised a goodly life (1) and a goodly ending. 

And for this goodly ending He made signs; (i) signs visible to the dying person, and (ii) signs visible to others besides him. 

Signs Visible to the Dying Person  

The sign visible to the dying person is the glad tidings of Allāh's Mercy, His Approval, and His Paradise that he receives at the moment of death. Allāh says:

Indeed, those who have said, “Our Lord is Allāh” and then remained [steadfast] on a right course - the angels will descend upon them, [saying], “Do not fear and do not grieve but receive good tidings of Paradise, which you were promised.” (Qur'ān, 41:30)

The Messenger of Allāh ﷺ said: 

When the believer is given news of Allāh's mercy, His approval and His Paradise, he likes to meet Allāh and Allāh likes to meet him; but when the unbeliever is given news of Allāh's punishment and His displeasure, he dislikes to meet Allāh and Allāh dislikes to meet him. (2)

Signs Visible to Others besides the Dying Person

Apart from the signs visible to the dying person, there are signs that may also been seen by others besides him. These signs are as follows:

◾ Dying While Saying or Doing Righteous Words or Deeds

I. Uttering the testimony of faith at the moment of death

  

Mu`ādh bin Jabal reported that the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ said: 

He whose last words are, ‘Lā ilāha illallāh’ (There is no true god except Allāh) will enter Jannah. (3)

Hudhaifa ibn Yamān narrated the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ said:

He shall enter Jannah who says, ‘Lā ilāha illallāh’, and thereby sealing off the record of his deeds. (4)

II. Dying while doing a righteous deed

Anas narrated that the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ said:

When Allāh wants good for a slave, He puts him in action by making him meet up with the righteous deeds before death. (5)

'Abdullāh bin 'Amr narrated that the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ said:

For indeed the inhabitant of Paradise, shall have his work sealed off with the deeds of the people of Paradise, whichever deeds he did. (6)

Hudhaifa ibn Yamān narrated the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ said:

He shall enter Jannah who says, ‘Lā ilāha illallāh’, and thereby sealing off the record of his deeds. He shall enter Jannah who fasts a day, seeking Allāh's Countenance, and thereby sealing off the record of his deeds. He shall enter Jannah who gives something in charity, seeking Allāh's Countenance, and thereby sealing off the record of his deeds. (7)

III. Dying while guarding the borderlines for the sake of Allāh

It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ said:

Whoever dies guarding the frontier from the enemy, in the cause of Allāh, will be given continuously the reward for the good deeds that he used to do, and he will be rewarded with provision, and he will be kept safe from the trial of the grave and Allāh will raise him on the Day of Resurrection free of fright. (8)

IV. Dying fighting in the cause of Allāh for His word to become superior (= martyrdom)

Think not of those who are killed in the Way of Allāh as dead. Nay, they are alive, with their Lord, and they have provision. (Qur'ān, 3:169)

Narrated Abu Musā that the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ said:

He who fights so that Allāh's Word (Islām) should be superior, then he fights in Allāh's cause. (9)

Broadening the definition of martyrdom, the Messenger of Allāh asked his Companions, “Whom do you reckon to be martyr amongst you?” They replied: ‘The one who is killed in Allāh's way.’ He said, “In that case, the martyrs among my people would be few.” They asked: “O Messenger of Allāh! Then who are the martyrs?” He replied:

He who is killed in the way of Allāh is a martyr; he who dies naturally in the Cause of Allāh is a martyr; he who dies of plague is a martyr; and he who dies of a belly disease is a martyr; and he who is drowned is a martyr. (10)

In another narration the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ said: 

Being killed in the cause of Allāh is martyrdom, dying of an abdominal complaint is martyrdom, being burned to death is martyrdom, drowning is martyrdom, being crushed beneath a falling wall is martyrdom, dying of pleurisy is martyrdom, and the woman who dies along with her fetus is a martyr. (11)

 In a different narration, the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ includes more cases in the definition of martyrdom, saying: 

Whoever is killed protecting his wealth, he is a martyr. Whoever is killed protecting his family, he is a martyr. Whoever is killed protecting his religion, he is a martyr. Whoever is killed protecting himself, he is a martyr. (12)

◾ The Praises of Believing Men and Women for the Dying Person  

 

Narrated Anas bin Mālik that a funeral procession passed and the people praised the deceased. The Prophet ﷺ said, “It has been affirmed to him.” Then another funeral procession passed and the people spoke badly of the deceased. The Prophet ﷺ said, “It has been affirmed to him”. `Umar bin Al-Khattāb asked, ‘What has been affirmed [O Messenger of Allāh]?’ He replied, “You praised this, so Paradise has been affirmed to him; and you spoke badly of this, so Hell has been affirmed to him. You people are Allāh's witnesses on earth.” (13)

◾ Dying with Special Facial and Bodily Expressions

I. Dying sweating from the forehead

Buraidah narrated that the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ said:

The believer dies while his forehead is sweating. (14)

II. Brightened skin color and cheerful face

Talha ibn 'Ubaidullāh narrated the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ said:

Verily, I know of a word (i.e. Lā ilāha illallāh) no dying person should say it except that his skin color will be brightened and Allāh will relieve him from his grief and difficulty. (15)

Note that this is a conditional statement, that is, in order for the dying person to have his skin color brightened, he should first be enabled to say the Word.

◾ Dying on Special Occasions

'Abdullāh bin Amr narrated that the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ said: 

No Muslim dies on the day of Friday, nor the night of Friday, except that Allāh protects him from the trials of the grave. (16)

Although the authenticity of this hadith is disputed, it shows that dying on the day or night of Friday is one of the signs of a good ending. 

These are the signs of a good ending highlighted by Qur'ān and sunnah; however, it should be noted that these signs do not necessarily mean that the person is one of the inhabitants of Paradise; rather, it is a glad tiding and a comfort for the hearts. In the same way, the lack of these signs does not necessarily mean that the person is an evil person or one of the inhabitants of the Hellfire.

Footnotes

(1) Qur'ān 16:97.

(2) Sahih Muslim 2684.

(3) Musnad imām Ahmad 22034. Classed as sahih by Arnaout (ra). 

(4) Musnad imām Ahmad 23324. Classed as sahih-un li ghayrih by Arnaout (ra). 

(5) Jāmi` at-Tirmidhi 2142. Classed as hasan-un sahih by Tirmidhi (ra).

(6) Jāmi` at-Tirmidhi 2141. Classed as hasan-un gharib-un sahih by Tirmidhi (ra).

(7) Musnad imām Ahmad 23324. Classed as sahih-un li ghayrih by Arnaout (ra).  

(8) Sahih-ul Jāmi' 6544.

(9) Sahih al-Bukhāri 123 and Sahih Muslim 1904.

(10) Sahih Muslim 1915. 

(11) Sunan an-Nasā'i 3194. Classed as sahih by Albāni (ra).

(12) Musnad imām Ahmad 1652. Arnaout (ra) classed its isnād as strong.

(13) Sahih al-Bukhāri 1367.

(14) Musnad imām Ahmad 23047. Classed as sahih by Arnaout (ra).

(15) Musnad imām Ahmad 1384. Its isnād is classed as sahih by Arnaout (ra).

(16) Jāmi` at-Tirmidhi 1074. Classed as hasan by Albāni (ra).