Death is when the soul is separated from the body; it receives reward and punishment and the separation of the soul from the body means loss of power of the soul over the body. The soul uses the body in its works; it catches by the hand, hears by the ears, sees by the eyes and acquires the knowledge of all things.
Today, Man seems to forget death when he is in the state of joy and remembers it only when his friend or relative passes away. Death must be remembered every time for we do not know when we will die. Allah has said in the Qur’aan: “Every soul will taste death.” From here, we know that death is such a thing that you can’t escape from even if you are in a house, which is built with metal walls, and has a massive padlock. Death will not only come when hair and the beard turn white, but it can come at any time, even when you are a baby, or an old person or a teenager or of middle age. Even if you are a king, a Prime Minister or a leader of one of the tribes.
Death also came to the Prophet (saw) and to the companions of the Prophet Prophet (saw), so if death can come to such great personalities, who are we to be so unmindful of it?
The most intelligent person is the one who often remembers death. Everyone is aware that death is real although many of us are afraid of it. Death is a gift to a Muslim believer; it is the beginning of his eternal peaceful rest. Man is so occupied in the worldly pursuits that the remembrance of death does not occur to him. Constant remembrance of death prevents one from evil and sin and motivates him towards good morals. The Holy Prophet (saw) said, “The remembrance of death defeats joy.”
Know brothers, that death is terrible because people are unmindful of it. The person who does remember death does not think of it with his whole heart. The mode of thinking of death is to free your mind from all thoughts and only put his mind on death. Be like the one who embarks on dangerous sea voyage. When the thought of death fills his mind and becomes one shadow, his worldly happiness decreases and his heart breaks. The best method of thinking of death is to remember the death of friends, family and neighbors, their bodies buried under the ground and their conditions in the graves. How their beautiful faces have become food for worms and insects! How their wives have become widows and their children orphans! How stricken by extreme poverty, they are passing their days miserably one by one! Think how death overtook them suddenly without any notice and warning! How unprepared they were for death and the hereafter!
So brothers! Remember death as often as you can in the 24 hours of your daily life and make this your habit. It could be your turn next then your friends, family and neighbors will place you under the ground.
Start now before if it is too late!
