Hi there,
wrote this recently to a friend that was afraid he was gonna die, which made him more depressed than he already was, I figured there’s nothing to lose. Here’s my take on people being afraid to die. Agree or disagree…. I’m not sure myself…
Most people I know don’t like to think about dying. Death is taboo, especially when talking to ninety-five year-old’s. When people are depressed, when they have nothing to look forward to, they think about death, and usually it makes them feel even worse. Today, I asked myself, what is so scary or sad about dying?
My conclusion was, that it’s what millennials call FOMO, [Fear Of Missing Out].
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Categories: Islam
Blogging Theology 
Good article Moz,
“I would love to know why ……….. why six million of my people were annihilated in the most inhumane manner”
To that I would add: why millions of Muslims are being annihilated right now, even as we speak.
One of the main raison d’etre for any legitimate religious faith tradition is to prepare one for their own impending death and demise. If one is not prepared to meet death when it comes, (especially in a peaceful manner rather than a violent death) then either the religion is faulty, or the person did not take advantage of the religious teachings within that faith which serve to prepare one for death.
I am always surprised to see many Christians (some religious & some not) who are not ready to let go of life, who clearly fear death, and regret that they will miss out on the luxuries and entertainments of life. While it is understandable to be somewhat afraid, one would think that their Christian faith would have prepared them better to meet their own demise, and be at ease with it.
While the Muslims I have known, and visited at their death bed, have always seemed to be in more comfort and peace with exiting this life with confidence of a just reward in paradise.
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Thanks, agree on the horrible tragedy many Muslims are living in.
To be politically correct, I don’t know if it’s faith vs faith, I would assume that it has to do with how much a person lives connected to his soul rather than his or her body…
thanks for giving me faith in our interfaith community, that we can have a heated dialogue and be intellectually honest…
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Mozer,
Yes I agree that it is based on individual spirituality as well which is why I wrote, “…..or the person did not take advantage of the religious teachings within that faith which serve to prepare one for death.”
A heated dialogue can be healthy at times. I just hope in the end we can agree on things more than we disagree.
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It’s very good article ! I’m gonna comment from the Quranic perspective!
1) Allah is addressing jews here QT surah 2
And [recall] when We took your covenant and raised over you the mount, [saying], “Take what We have given you with determination and listen.” They said [instead], “We hear and disobey.” And their hearts absorbed [the worship of] the calf because of their disbelief. Say, “How wretched is that which your faith enjoins upon you, if you should be believers.
Say, [O Muhammad], “If the home of the Hereafter with Allah is for you alone and not the [other] people, then wish for death, if you should be truthful.
But they will never wish for it, ever, because of what their hands have put forth. And Allah is Knowing of the wrongdoers.
And you will surely find them the most greedy of people for life – [even] more than those who associate others with Allah . One of them wishes that he could be granted life a thousand years, but it would not remove him in the least from the [coming] punishment that he should be granted life. And Allah is Seeing of what they do.”
QT Surah 62
‘The example of those who were entrusted with the Torah and then did not take it on is like that of a donkey who carries volumes [of books]. Wretched is the example of the people who deny the signs of Allah . And Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people.
Say, “O you who are Jews, if you claim that you are allies of Allah, excluding the [other] people, then wish for death, if you should be truthful.”
But they will not wish for it, ever, because of what their hands have put forth. And Allah is Knowing of the wrongdoers.
Say, “Indeed, the death from which you flee – indeed, it will meet you. Then you will be returned to the Knower of the unseen and the witnessed, and He will inform you about what you used to do.”
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2) Allah is addressing believers
“Indeed, those who have said, “Our Lord is Allah ” and then remained 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.
We [angels] were your allies in worldly life and [are so] in the Hereafter. And you will have therein whatever your souls desire, and you will have therein whatever you request [or wish]”
———–
“O you who have believed, let not your wealth and your children divert you from remembrance of Allah . And whoever does that – then those are the losers.
And spend [in the way of Allah ] from what We have provided 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 among the righteous.”
But never will Allah delay a soul when its time has come. And Allah is Acquainted with what you do.
———-
In Sahih Muslim
‘Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) reported:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, “He who loves to meet Allah, Allah loves to meet him; and he who dislikes to meet Allah, Allah abhors to meet him.” I (‘Aishah) said: “O Messenger of Allah! So far as the feelings of aversion against death is concerned, we all have this feeling.” Thereupon he said, “I do not mean that. What I meant is that when a (true) believer is given the glad tidings of the Mercy of Allah, His Pleasures and His Jannah (at the time of death), he loves to meet Allah, and Allah also loves to meet him. When a disbeliever is given the news of the Torment of Allah and His Wrath (at the time of death), he dislikes to meet Allah and Allah also abhors to meet him.”
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2) Allah is addressing Disbelievers :
“And who is more unjust than one who invents a lie about Allah or says, “It has been inspired to me,” while nothing has been inspired to him, and one who says, “I will reveal [something] like what Allah revealed.” And if you could but see when the wrongdoers are in the overwhelming pangs of death while the angels extend their hands, [saying], “Discharge your souls! Today you will be awarded the punishment of [extreme] humiliation for what you used to say against Allah other than the truth and [that] you were, toward His verses, being arrogant.”
[It will be said to them], “And you have certainly come to Us alone as We created you the first time, and you have left whatever We bestowed upon you behind you. And We do not see with you your ‘intercessors’ which you claimed that they were among you associates [of Allah ]. It has [all] been severed between you, and lost from you is what you used to claim.”
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About the subject as whole in Surah Alqyiamah
“No! When the soul has reached the collar bones
And it is said, “Who will cure [him]?”
And the dying one is certain that it is the [time of] separation
And the leg is wound about the leg,
To your Lord, that Day, will be the procession.
And the disbeliever had not believed, nor had he prayed.
But [instead], he denied and turned away.
And then he went to his people, swaggering [in pride].
Woe to you, and woe!
Then woe to you, and woe!
Does man think that he will be left neglected?
Had he not been a sperm from semen emitted?
Then he was a clinging clot, and [ Allah ] created [his form] and proportioned [him]
And made of him two mates, the male and the female.
Is not that [Creator] Able to give life to the dead?”
A powerful recitation for this Surah
May Allah help us at that moment !The supplication of Yosef peace be up on him was so powerful
فَاطِرَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ أَنتَ وَلِيِّي فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ ۖ تَوَفَّنِي مُسْلِمًا وَأَلْحِقْنِي بِالصَّالِحِينَ
“Creator of the heavens and earth, You are my protector in this world and in the Hereafter. Cause me to die a Muslim and join me with the righteous.”
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Note :The whole jewish bible including the book of Moses pbuh has not any indication to this big article in Islam( i.e the Life hereafter), which is something very very odd, and tells us that the hand of corruption is there!
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I had an aunt who called before going to hajj, she recalled some warm memories of visits with us, then apologized for any unintentional hurt/harm she may have caused and asked forgiveness. I was surprised at the time—but later found out she had been diagnosed with cancer and knew her lifespan was limited. Now I think it was such a graceful way to die—to have the courage to say a proper goodbye to all the people involved in ones life and ask forgiveness.
My grandfather was very afraid of his own death. I do not know the reasons for it, and have wondered…he died quietly in his sleep at night after a very normal day. Perhaps not knowing, in his case, was a blessing.
I grew up in Japan–so U.S. terrorism on Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the consequences to those who were burned alive by the bombs and also those who lived but were exposed to its toxicity were stories I was aware of. Humanity is incredibly cruel. It seems to me, we are capable of making hell on earth and indeed the stories told by the survivors of H & N reminded me of the descriptions of hell in the Quran.
Of the many ways of death, it seems to me, the one caused by human hands is by far the worst way to die.
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