Allah Almighty says: {Every soul will taste death, and you will only be given your full compensation on the Day of Resurrection. So he who is drawn away from the Fire and admitted to Paradise has attained [his desire]. And what is the life of this world except the enjoyment of delusion.} [Āl-‘Imrān: 185] He also says: {And no soul knows what it will earn tomorrow, and no soul knows in what land it will die. Indeed, Allah is All-Knowing and All-Aware.} [Luqmān: 34] And He says: {So when their term comes, they will not be able to postpone it for an hour, nor can they put it forward.} [An-Nahl: 61] And He says: {O you who believe, let not your wealth and your children divert you from the remembrance of Allah. And whoever does that, it is they who are the losers. (9) And spend from what We have provided for you before death approaches one of you and he says: “My Lord, if only You would delay me for a brief term so I would give charity and be of the righteous.” (10) But never will Allah delay a soul when its time has come. And Allah is Aware of what you do.} (11) [Al-Munāfiqūn: 9-11] He also says: {For such is the state of the disbelievers, until when death comes to one of them, he says: “My Lord, send me back. (99) That I might do righteousness in that which I left behind.” No! It is only a word he is saying; and behind them is a barrier until the Day they are resurrected. (100) So when the Horn is blown, no relationship will there be among them that Day, nor will they ask about one another. (101) And those whose scales are heavy [with good deeds] – it is they who are the successful. (102) But those whose scales are light – those are the ones who have lost their souls, abiding in Hell forever. (103) The Fire will sear their faces, and they will be therein disfigured. (104) [It will be said]: “Were not My verses recited to you and you used to deny them?” (105)} To the verses that say: {He will say: “You stayed not but a little – if only you had known. (114) Then did you think that We created you aimlessly and that to Us you would not be returned? (114)} [Al-Mu’minūn: 99-115] And He says: {Has the time not come for those who have believed that their hearts should become humbly submissive at the remembrance of Allah and what has come down of the truth? And let them not be like those who were given the Scripture before, and a long period passed over them, so their hearts hardened; and many of them are defiantly disobedient.} [Al-Hadīd:16] There are many other well-known verses in this regard.
1) When a person feels he has high hopes for worldly life and deep inclination towards it, he should remember death and think about the Hereafter.
2) They mention the reward for those who are patient, as they patiently worshiped their Lord, abandoned disobedience to Him, and endured His decree. Those are the winners.
3) The believers’ hearts should be humble upon remembrance of Allah and the revealed truth, and they should not be like the followers of the previous scriptures, in terms of their hardheartedness. In this, He blames the believers for the purpose of rectifying their hearts.
574/1 - Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) held my shoulders and said: “Be in this world as if you are a stranger or a wayfarer.”
Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) used to say: “In the evening, do not expect [to live until] the morning, and in the morning, do not expect [to live until] the evening. Take [advantage of] your health before times of sickness, and [take advantage of] your life before your death.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri]
1) It shows the good approach adopted by the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) in teaching his followers. He would use all the proper means for attracting the attention of the addressees.
2) A person should treat this world as a place for passing, not for permanent stay. The original home for which one should always yearn is Paradise, the abode of the pious.
575/2 - He also reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “It is the duty of a Muslim who has anything to bequeath not to let two nights pass without writing a will about it.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim; this is the wording narrated by Al-Bukhāri]
In another version narrated by Muslim: “not to spend three nights”. Ibn ‘Umar said: “No night has passed ever since I heard the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) say that without me having my will.”
1) We are encouraged to write a will, and the testator should know the Shariah rulings regarding the will in order not to err in this regard.
2) We should pay attention to the matter of the will, as death may come suddenly, in which case the person who ignored to write his will would incur sin and cause loss of others’ rights.
3) It points out how the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) would quickly comply with the Prophet’s commands. This is the attitude of the believers: We listen and obey.
1. Due will: This is when a person makes a will that includes rights due upon him, like Zakah, debts, deposits, or trusts, provided none of them contradicts the Shariah.
2. Prohibited will: It is of two types:
a. When a person makes a bequest for one of his heirs beyond their due share of inheritance. The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Allah has appointed for everyone who has a right what is due to him, so no bequest should be made for an heir.” [Narrated by Al-Tirmidhi]
b. When the will exceeds one third of the estate, at the expense of the rights of the heirs. The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) forbade that a will exceeds one third of the estate.
3. Permissible will: This is when the will does not comprise the foregoing and does not exceed one third. The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “A third, and a third is much.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
576/3 - Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) drew a few lines and said: “This is man and this is his death; and a man continues like this until the nearest line (i.e. death) overtakes him.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri]
577/4 - Ibn Mas‘ūd (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) drew up a square and in the middle of it he drew a line, the end of which jutted out beyond the square. Further across the middle line, he drew a number of smaller lines. Then he said: “The figure represents man and the encircling square is his death which is encompassing him. The middle line represents his hope (to live long) and the smaller lines are the vicissitudes of life. If one of those misses him, another distresses him, and if that one misses him, he falls victim to another.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri]
It comprises the following:
Term of life.
Hope.
Vicissitudes of life.
Vicissitudes: what afflicts man of calamities, misfortunes, etc.
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1) We grow old and our hopes remain youthful. Blissful are those whose biggest hope is to win the pleasure of Allah Almighty.
2) A person should hasten to repent, for death comes suddenly and his deeds will be his companion in the grave.
3) Life does not cease to include afflictions, for it is the abode of trials, and the Hereafter is the abode of recompense.
578/5 - Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Hasten to good deeds before being overtaken by (one of) seven (afflictions). Are you waiting for poverty that will make you forgetful? Or wealth that will make you oppressive? Or a debilitating illness? Or old age that will make you senile? Or sudden death? Or the Anti-Christ –the worst expected evil? Or the Hour; and the Hour is much more grievous and much more bitter?” [Narrated by Al-Tirmidhi; he classified it as Hasan (sound)] [3]
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1) We are urged to hasten to good deeds, when we are still living, in good health, and enjoying youth, free time, and sufficient sustenance.
2) A person will always experience something that keeps him from worship. So, a fortunate one will be helped by his Lord to overcome these hindrances and hasten towards the enduring righteous deeds.
579/6 - He also reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Frequently remember the destroyer of pleasures,” i.e. death. [Narrated by Al-Tirmidhi; and he classified it as Hasan (sound)]
1) It is recommended for every Muslim to remember death within his heart, by his tongue, and through his state (in life), for this makes him more remote from sinning and closer to piety.
2) A person remembers death by recalling that Allah Almighty is ever Watchful over his life. It does not mean that he abandons work in the world. Rather, people are required to fear their Lord and work to maintain their worldly well-being. Abandonment of worldly pleasures is a virtue, and fear of Allah is an obligation.
580/7 - Ubayy ibn Ka‘b (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: When one-third of the night had passed, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) would get up and call out: “O people, remember Allah. The Rājifah (first blow of the Horn) has come, followed by the Rādifah (second blow of the Horn). Death has approached with all that it comprises. Death has approached with all that it comprises.” I said: “O Messenger of Allah, I frequently invoke Allah’s peace and blessings upon you. How much of my supplication should I devote to you?” He said: “As much as you wish.” I said: “A quarter?” He said: “As much as you wish, and if it is more, it will be better for you.” I said: “Then, one half?” He said: “As much as you wish, and if it is more, it will be better for you.” I said: “Then, two-thirds?” He said: “As much as you wish, and if it is more, it will be better for you.” I said: “Shall I devote all my supplication to invoke Allah’s peace and blessings upon you?” He said: “Then, you will be relieved of your worries and your sins will be forgiven.” [Narrated by Al-Tirmidhi; and he classified it as Hasan (sound)]
The Rājifah: the first blowing of the Horn, which will shake the whole universe and thus cause all life to cease.
The Rādifah: the second blowing of the Horn, which will restore life and thus mark the Resurrection Day.
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1) The best Qiyām (voluntary night prayer) is what is offered in the last third of the night. So, who is ready to start?
2) It shows the merit of invoking Allah’s peace and blessings upon the Prophet, which is part of the prescribed Dhikr (remembrance of Allah). This invocation brings security to people’s hearts, relieves their distress, and eliminates their sins.
In his book Jalā’ al-Afhām Fi Fadl al-Salāh wa al-Salām ‘Ala Khayr al-Anām, the erudite scholar Ibn Al-Qayyim said:
“Our Shaykh Abu al-‘Abbās was asked about the meaning of this Hadīth - the Hadīth reported by Ubayy ibn Ka‘b - and he said: Ubayy ibn Ka‘b used to make supplication for himself, and he asked the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) as to whether he should devote one-fourth of his supplication to invoking Allah’s peace and blessings upon him. To this, the Prophet replied: ‘If it is more, then it will be better for you.’ He asked about half of the supplication and got the same reply, and then about the entire supplication, and thereupon he got this reply: ‘Then, you will be relieved of your worries and your sins will be forgiven.’ This is because when a person invokes Allah’s blessings upon the Prophet once, Allah Almighty bestows His blessings upon that person ten times, and whomever Allah bestows His blessings upon, He relieves him of his distress and forgives his sins. That is the meaning of Ubayy’s words.”