DEATH

- Islam: Religion of Life or Religion of Death? by Joshua Newman

Qur'anic references:

Âl 'Imran; an-Nisa' 4:78; al-Anbiya' 21:35; al-Ahzab 33:19,23; ad-Dukhan 44:56; Muhammad 47:27; al-Waqi`ah 56:60,84-87; al-Munafiqun 63:10; al-Qiyamah 75:29, see also PUNISHMENT.

Death begins with Adam's sin:

> He said: Go down (from hence), one of you a foe unto the other. There will be for you on earth a habitation and provision for a while. He said: There shall ye live, and there shall ye die, and thence shall ye be brought forth. (Surah 7:24-25, Pickthall)

Further aspects:

- and flight from battle, al-Ahzab 33:16

- angel of, as-Sajdah 32:11

- angels' questioning,
  Narrated Anas: The Prophet said, "When a human being is laid in his grave and his companions return and he even hears their foot steps, two angels come to him and make him sit and ask him: What did you use to say about this man, Muhammad ? He will say: I testify that he is Allah's slave and His Apostle. Then it will be said to him, 'Look at your place in the Hell-Fire. Allah has given you a place in Paradise instead of it.'" The Prophet added, "The dead person will see both his places. But a non-believer or a hypocrite will say to the angels, 'I do not know, but I used to say what the people used to say! It will be said to him, 'Neither did you know nor did you take the guidance (by reciting the Quran).' Then he will be hit with an iron hammer between his two ears, and he will cry and that cry will be heard by whatever approaches him except human beings and jinns." (Sahih Bukhari 2.422, Sahih Bukhari 2.422, Sahih Bukhari 2.450, Sahih Bukhari 2.451, Sahih Bukhari 2.456, also Sunan Abu-Dawud 40.4735, Sahih Bukhari 1.86, Sahih Bukhari 1.184, Sahih Bukhari 2.162, Sahih Bukhari 2.456 )

- everybody will taste death, Âl 'Imran 3:185

- has wet-nurse for Ibrahim (Muhammad's son) in Paradise,

  > * Narrated Al-Bara':
  > When Ibrahim expired, Allah's Apostle said, "There is a wet-nurse for him in Paradise." (Sahih Bukhari 2.464)

- in God's cause, Âl 'Imran 3:195; al-Hajj 22:58; Muhammad 47:4

- on Monday, Imam Qastallani said, "In his book on "Jana'iz" (Funerals), Bukhari named an entire chapter "Dying on Monday." In it there is the hadith of 'A'isha relating her father's (Abu Bakr as-Siddiq) question: "On which day did the Prophet die?" She replied: "Monday." He asked: "What day are we today?" She said, "O my father, this is Monday."
  Then he raised his hands and said: "I beg you, O Allah, to let me die on Monday in order to coincide with the Prophet's day of passing."
  Imam Qastallani continues, "Why did Abu Bakr ask for his death to be on Monday? So that his death would coincide with the day of the death of the Prophet passing, in order to receive the baraka of that day... Does anyone object to Abu Bakr's asking to pass away on that day for the sake of baraka? Now, why are people objecting to celebrating or emphasizing the day of the Prophet's birth in order to get baraka?"

- those communities who have no revelation will not be destroyed, al-An`am 6:131; at-Taubah 9:115; Yunus 10:47; Hud 11:117; al-Hijr 15:4; an-Nahl 16:119; bani Isra'il 17:15; al-Qasas 28:59

- those slain in God's cause are alive, al-Baqarah 2:154; Âl 'Imran 3:169

- while fleeing evil towards God, an-Nisa' 4:100

- Note: Muslims believed that death cannot be hastened or delayed but is decreed by Allah (but there are hadiths that say that when a man is about to die, he will shown his place in paradise, and then he will be asked to choose to go or stay). At death, the angels Munjar and Nakir will ask the dead person if he submits to Allah and that Muhammad is his prophet. If he answers correctly, he has rest and peace, else he is tortured till the Day of Resurrection. Muslims believed that they should bless Muhammad, and other Prophets because everytime one does that, the angels will bless the person, especially on Friday. Muhammad is said to have said: "A man is poor if my name is mentioned in front of him and he did not wish for me peace."
  In Qur'an, we have "Peace be unto Noah among the peoples (as-Saffat 37:79), "Peace be unto Abraham" (as-Saffat 37:109), "Peace be unto Moses and Aaron" (as-Saffat 37:120), "Peace be unto Elias" (as-Saffat 37:130).

- death to appear in shape of black and white ram on Judgment Day, Sahih Bukhari 6.254

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