Death

Death
Death & Purgatory

Two Aspects of Death

Although the phenomenon of life counts as the most precious of gifts and its loss is extremely grievous and terrifying, none can doubt that just as surely as man embarks on his life involuntarily to spend some time in this guest house we call the world, he must ultimately confront the painful and frowning face to death when the scroll of his life is rolled up.

Our world is a world of turmoil and instability. The wheel of birth and death keeps constantly turning; do not believe that anything can come into being in the sphere of this cycle without being subject to change. Whatever comes into existence must traverse a path leading to death; it makes no difference whether it be man or one of the other countless forms of life. Every phenomenon the limits of whose motion are set by matter is ephemeral, for it is precisely its defining characteristic that draws it on toward non-existence; the end of its affairs is disappearance. The funeral dirge of finite resounds throughout the world of being.

We must first raise the complex question of the end of life, attempt to analyze it and to answer some of the questions that may be raised in this respect. Is life restricted to this present terrestrial existence which stretches from the moment of birth to the moment of death? Is it confined to the brief interval during which those who have come to this world take, one after another, the place of those who have left it to imagine that there is no existence other than the three-dimensional existence of this world, and that our individual characteristics and personalities bear the imprint of non-being? Or is it true that beyond this existence an eternal morrow awaits man, which will enable him to perceive a new himself and the world? Will the physical system of this world be transformed into another world and manifest a new and perfected form?

Finally, in all these arrivals and departures, in these assumptions of form and annihilations, is there some divine purpose at work? In other words, did God''s will determine that man, the choice part of His creation, should live in this world as a traveler, a transient, and move ultimately to another world which will be his eternal abode?

If we conceive of death in the light of the first set of possibilities, then life - under whatever circumstances it is spent - will be full of misery and pain, for the anticipation's annihilation and non-being inevitable arouses dread in man and paralyzes him with the undeniable torment it induces.

The second vantage point is that of a person who finds refuge in the concept of a world beyond nature which enables him to place this world in perspective. He is convinced that man and the universe advance together in a pattern determined by God's unity and that their forward movement is unending. For such a person death is simply the breaking of the narrow and confining cage of the body and his being liberated from it, entering thereby an ideal and enrapturing realm. For such a person death is merely the substitution of one form to another, a change of outer garb. When death arrives man abandons this garb and his form of clay and puts on the garment of the transitional realm. Then ascending from that stage to the next and flying toward infinity, he casts off in turn the garb of the transitional realm and puts on the raiment of eternity.

For those who hold this exalted and precious belief, the end of life is a transformation overflowing with good, a transformation that enables all things to recover their identity and to be purified.

Dr. Carrel the well-known scholar says:

"The answer given by religion to the anxiety man feels when confronted with the misery of death is infinitely more satisfactory than that given by science; religion gives man the answer his heart desires."

The bitterness and unpleasantness of leaving this world are seen as natural and inevitable by those who imagine that their passage through the wall of death spells an end to all dimensions of their existence and that there is no life beyond that frontier. But for those who believe that this world is nothing more than an elaborate game, similar to that which children or artists engage, and that quitting this world of matter is a form of progress and ascent in the direction of infinity, the matter takes on a quite different aspect. Not only does the countenance of death lose for them its horror and awe; they even long impatiently for release from their body of clay in order to be joined in union with Him.

Such an understanding of the nature of death impels man to pursue pure and exalted aims, to the point of heroically sacrificing his life for their sake. Then, like a moth freed from its prison, he circles over his former place of confinement; like a warrior on the field of battle he accepts a bloody death. He sacrifices his personal motives and desires in order to attain a morrow filled with pride, glory, and lofty and positive ideals.

In the view of such a person, man has a two-dimensional life as an attribute that is uniquely his. One of the two dimensions is his material life, in which he is subject to biological circumstances and social necessities, and the other is his inner and spiritual life, a life in which he engages in thought, inventiveness, creativity, and the cultivation of ideals, givens external existence to his inner ferment and enthusiasm, and mold's to his will the society in which he lives and even history.

Fear of Death

Lack of awareness and the failure to comprehend adequately the nature of death induce fear, dread and insecurity in man, for they make death appear to be a terrible nightmare.

Imam al-Hadi (a.s.), once went to visit one of his companions who had fallen sick. The fear of death had robbed him of all tranquility and calm, so the Imam addressed him as follows:

"O servant of God, you fear death because you do not understand it correctly. Tell me, if your body were soiled with dirt so that you were pained and discomforted and afflicted with running sores, and you knew that a washing in the bathhouse would rid you of all that filth and pain, would you not wish to avail yourself of the bathhouse to cleanse yourself of the dirt? Or would you be reluctant to do so and prefer to remain in your polluted state?".

The sick man replied, "O descendant of the Messenger of God! I would definitely prefer to wash myself and become clean."

Then the Imam responded, "Know, then, that death is exactly like the bathhouse. It represents your last chance to rid yourself of your sins and to purify yourself of evil. If death embraces you now, there can be no doubt that you will be freed of all sorrow and pain and attain everlasting happiness and joy."

Hearing these words of the Imam, the sick man changed completely and a remarkable tranquility appeared on his face. Then in dignified fashion, he surrendered himself to death, in the shroud he had drawn around himself, full of hope in God's mercy. He closed his eyes which had now seen the truth and hastened to his eternal abode.

The Master of the God fearing (a.s.), was one of those rare human beings who had truly understood the meaning of life and had caused death itself to fear him. Few men have advanced the claim that Ali made: "I swear by god that the son of Abu Talib is more at ease with death than a suckling infant with the breast of its mother." The whole of his life turns out on examination to be a proof for this claim. Why should that extraordinarily pure man, who never exaggerated concerning his love for God, not long day and night for the meeting with God Almighty, for hastening to His supreme presence? With his pure nature and exalted mind he had understood that death means liberation from the dark fetters of matter and the opening of the gates of eternity; why then should he fear death?

History does not record a noble hero other than the son of Abu Talib whose hand wielded the sword for almost fifty years and who encountered without spilling a single drop of blood unjustly, countless incidents which normally arouse feelings of hate and vengeance in man and rob him of his humanity.

This was his concept of life:

"Even if I were to be given the whole world and all it contains, I would not unjustly remove the husk of a single grain from the mouth of an ant."

For this pious and strong commander who throughout his life granted the weak and the powerful their rights in equal measure, who showed care for the feeding of his murderer while suffering the pain of his fatal wounds, warfare and struggle represented a means for reform of man, not his destruction.

The vile murderer calculated that he would be able to carry out the assassination of Ali (a.s.), only when he was standing in worship before his Lord, with the whole being effaced in the splendor of the Creator; it was this that enabled him to implement his plan.

When he was struck with the wound that severed the cord of his life, Ali bade death welcome like a dear one he had long been awaiting, and said, "I am free, by the Lord of the Kaaba! I have no fear if death should carry me off or death should befall me." The relatives and companions who gathered round the bed of Ali had never seen the same amazing tranquility that they now saw in that ocean of courage, generosity, justice, and piety, as he endured the painful wound that had been inflicted on him.

It may furthermore be said that the one who denies like after death looks on man from only one vantage point: he imagines him to be a creature wandering in the realm of matter and supposes that all of his existence is exhausted by the few passing moments his earthly body spends in this world. Such a view of things implies that the entire destiny of man consists of helpless exposure to a whole range of factors, known and unknown: he enters this world with great pain, maintains himself in it for a few days by enduring all kinds of oppression and injustice, and then finally departs in the embrace of death and annihilation.

Such a life would indeed be miserable, and to remain in the world under such circumstances would be painful.

Whoever reaches this distressing conclusion about the destiny of man must view the nature of existence itself in the same way. For in his opinion it is not only whose love is spent in the whirlpool of pointlessness and injustice; whatever comes into existence must also traverse the path of meaninglessness and oppression until the moment of its annihilation. All things are engaged in injustice: whether it be man in his struggle for survival, an insect that inflicts a sting, or the drops of a rainstorm that destructively beat down on a hut. To take matters even further, this would mean that this transitory world lacks all legitimacy, that it is simply an assemblage of absurdity and injustice. This is the view of the person who has served his link with the eternal and everlasting being that is the source of all existence, and who thereby commits an error for which he must pay the price.

With such a person, sickness, deprivation, the inability to fulfill wishes and attain goals (or loss of them after attaining them), fear of a dark and unknown future - all these serve to break his spirit and torment him. Immersion in the affairs of this world does indeed place a veil of oblivion and neglect before the vision of man; it causes him to return his back on lofty spiritual values, so that in the end he meets death empty-handed.

One day, the Commander of the Faithful, Ali (a.s.) Entered the market of Basra. He saw people utterly absorbed in themselves and the business of buying and selling; it was as if death and resurrection would never happen. This atmosphere of negligence deeply disturbed him, so he wept and said, "O servants of the world, O slaves to the worldly! Throughout the day you are busy buying and selling, swearing oaths as you do so, and your nights are spent in sleep and a state of complete unawareness. So day and night you are unaware of the hereafter and the outcome of your affair; when, then will you prepare yourselves for the journey that awaits you, and when will you gather the provisions you need? When will you begin to remember the hereafter and resurrection?"

The Belief Concerning Death

A Shaykh says, The Prince of Believers, Ali (a.s.) was asked, "Describe death to us."

He said, "You have indeed, accidentally come to one who is well informed! It (death) brings to the person dying one of three things - either tidings of perpetual bliss, or of everlasting misery, or fear and dread. Or an uncertainty, if he (the dying person) does not know to which section he belongs. Now as for our enemy and one who opposed our claim, he will be given tidings of eternal misery; but one whose affair is doubtful, that is one who does not know his own mind, he is a believer who is prodigal regarding his own affairs, not knowing what his condition will be. Good comes to him after doubt and dread. Then Allah will never mingle him with our enemies, but will take him out of the Fire by our intercession. So act righteously and obey Allah and do not rely solely upon yourselves, and do not belittle the punishment of Allah. For verily, he who does not obtain our intercession except after 300,000 years of Allah's chastisement, is to be counted amongst the wasteful."

Imam Hasan bin Ali ibn Abi Talib (a.s.) was asked, "What is this death, concerning which people are ignorant?"

He said, "It is the greatest joy which comes upon the believers when they go from this house of affliction to eternal bliss. And it is the greatest tribulation which comes upon the infidels when they go from their paradise (the earth) to a fire which abates not, nor is it extinguished."

When Imam Husayn (a.s.) was hard pressed, those who were with him looked at him, and behold! He was totally different from them. Because when in great difficulty their color changed and they trembled with fear, and their hearts were filled with trepidation, and their sides began to throb, Imam Husayn (a.s.) and some of his particular companions had bright faces, restful limbs, and complete peace of mind. Then some of them said to others, "Look at him, he does not care for death."

Then Imam Husayn (a.s.) said to them, "Patience, O scions of nobility! For what is death, but a bridge by which you cross over from misfortune and harm to spacious gardens and eternal favors? Now which of you would dislike to proceed from a prison and to a painful torment. Verily, concerning this, my father related to me from my grandfather, the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.), ‘Forsooth, the world is a prison for the believer and a paradise for the unbeliever; and death is the bridge for the former to their gardens, and for the latter, to their hell-fire.’ And he did not lie; nor do I."

Imam Ali Zayn al Abideen (a.s.) was asked, "What is death?"

He said, "For the believer it is like taking off clothes which are dirty and lousy; or breaking heavy shackles and fetters, and changing into the most gorgeous and perfumed of apparel, and riding on well trained mounts, and alighting in familiar resting places. And for the unbeliever, it is the pulling off of gorgeous apparel and changing into the most filthy and coarse clothing; and the transportation from familiar places to the wildest resting places and the greatest torment."

Imam Muhammad al Baqir (a.s.) was asked, "What is death?"

He said, "It is the sleep which comes to you every night, except that it is of long duration. The sleeper does not awake from it except on the Day of Resurrection. Some see in their sleep certain kinds of joy whose worth cannot be estimated; others, certain kinds of terrors, which area beyond the pale of estimation. How then can his condition be described who may be happy or fearful in death? This then is death, so be prepared for it."

Imam Jafar as Sadiq (a.s.) was asked, "Describe death to us."

He said, "To the believer it is like the most perfumed breeze, which he inhales and then doses off on account of the perfume, and his weariness and pain disappear from him. To the unbeliever it is like the biting of vipers and the stinging of scorpions; nay, it is even more painful."

He was then told, "There are some people who say that it is more painful than being sawed with a saw, or being cut by scissors, or being crushed to death by stones, or the circular motion by the pivots of hand-mills in the pupils of the eye."

He (a.s.) said, "Such is the travail of death on some of the unbelievers and sinners. Do you not see that among them are those who have witnessed such calamities? Now that death is more painful than this and is more painful than all the worldly torments."

He was asked, "Why is it that we occasionally see an unbeliever, who at the moment of death is not in pain, and who dies while he is relating stories or laughing or talking; and the same is the case with some believers? Again both among the believers and unbelievers there are some who endure hardships during the pangs of death."

He said, "Whatever happiness the believer enjoys is part of his early reward; and whatever pain he suffers is the forgiveness of his sins, so that he may arrive in the next world is a state of cleanliness, purity and spotlessness, fit for the reward of Allah, and without there being anything to keep him from it. And whatever of ease it to be found in the case of some unbeliever is the compensation for his good actions in this world, so that when he arrives in the next world, there are remains naught to him save that which brings torment on him. And whatever distress comes upon an unbeliever there at the moment of death, is the commencement of the punishment of Allah, in as much as the reward of his good actions is at an end. That is because Allah, the Mighty and Glorious, is Just and does not act wrongfully."

Imam Musa al Kathim (a.s.) visited a person while he was perspiring during the pangs of death and unable to answer anyone who called him. Seeing this, the people around said, "O son of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his household), we wish to know what the condition of our friend is and what death is."

He said, "Verily death is a purifier, it purifies the believers from sins; and it is the last pain which afflicts them; whereas death separates the unbelievers from their good actions, and is the last delight of favor or comfort which reaches them. It is the last reward in respect of their good acts. As for your companion, he is completely purged from sins, and completely purified from crimes. He is cleansed so that he is - pure as a garment purified of its filth and is made fit to associate with us, the People of the House, in our house, the Abode of Eternity (a.s.)."

One of the companions of Imam Ali al Rida (a.s.) fell ill. Imam al Rida (a.s.) went to visit him and said to him, "How do you find yourself?"

He said, "I met death after you left me," meaning the severity of the pain which befell him. The Imam (a.s.) said, "How do you find it?"

He said, "It was a severe pain."

The Imam (a.s.) said, "You did not meet death, but what befell you was something to warn and acquaint you with some of its aspects. Verily, mankind may be divided into two classes: those who find rest in death, and those who give rest to others by it. So renew your faith in Allah, in the Prophethood of Mohammed (s.a.w.) And in the wilaya of the Imams and you will be among those who find rest in it death." The man acted accordingly.

Imam Muhammad al Taqi (a.s.) was asked, "What is the matter with these Muslims that they dislike death?"

He said, "They are ignorant of it and therefore they dislike it. If they possessed knowledge of it, and were true friends of Allah, they would love it, and would surely know that the other world is better for them than this." Then he (the Imam) said, "O slave of God! Why does the child or the mad man refuse to take the medicine which cleanses his body and removes his pain?"

The questioner said, "Because they are ignorant of the benefits of the medicine."

He, Imam al Taqi (a.s.) said, "I swear by Him Who sent Muhammad as a prophet of truth, may the peace and blessings of Allah be on him, verily as for those who prepare themselves for death as they really should, death will be more beneficial to them for curing themselves than the is medicine. Lo! If only they knew what blessings death would bring them, they would call out for it and desire it even more than the wise and resolute man desires his medicine for the removal of his calamities and the recovery of his well being."

Imam Ali al Hadi (a.s.) once visited one of his companions who was weeping and wailing for fear of death. Therefore he (a.s.) said, "O slave of Allah, you fear death, because you do not possess any knowledge about it. What do you say? When you find your clothes filthy and loathsome and you suffer from excess of filth and dirt, and are full of wounds and scabs, and you know that a bath in a public bath will remove all these from you, would you not wish to enter it and bathe so that all that filth may disappear? And would you not like to enter the bath so that the wounds and scabs should disappear from you?"

The man said, "Yes, O son of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his household)."

The Imam said, "This death is the hammam, and it is the last portion of what remains against you of the forgiveness of your sins and your purification from your evil actions. For when you will enter upon it (death) and cross over it, you will be saved from all grief and anxiety and injury, and you will have attained complete joy and gladness." Then the man became quiet and cheerful and resigned himself, and closed his eyes and went on his way.

Imam Hasan al Askari (a.s.) was asked concerning death and he said, "It is the verification of things that have not yet happened. My father has reported a tradition to me concerning it. He (my father) related from his father, (who related in turn) from his grandfather, (who related in turn) from Imam Jafar as Sadiq (a.s.), that he said, "Verily the true believer, when he dies, dies not in fact; it is the unbeliever who really dies, for Allah, the Mighty and Glorious says, ‘Thou bringest the living out of the dead, and Thou bringest the dead out of the living.’; that is, the true believer from the unbeliever, and the unbeliever from the true believer.

And he (Imam Jafar ‘a.s.’) said, "There came a man to the Prophet (peace be upon him and his household) And said, ‘I do not know what has happened to me that I do not like death.’

The Prophet (peace be upon him and his household) said, "Have you any property?"

The man replied, "Yes."

The Prophet (peace be upon him and his household) said, "Have you ever made offerings in charity?"

He said, "No."

The Prophet (peace be upon him and his household) said, "It is on this account that you dislike death".

And he (Imam Jafar ‘a.s.’) said, "A man went to Abu Dharr (al-Ghifari) and asked, "Why is it that we dislike death?"

He said, "Because you have built for this world and ruined your prospects for the next, and men dislike to shift from a settled habitation to a ruin."

And he (Abu-Dharr) was asked, "What do you think of our return to Allah, Who is Exalted above all?"

He said, "As for the virtuous, he will be like one who was absent, returning to his own people. And as for the wicked, he will be like a runaway slave returning to his master in fear and dread."

He was asked, "What do you think of our plight before Allah?"

He said, "Judge your actions in terms of the Book of Allah when it says, ‘Surely amid delights shall the righteous dwell, and verily the impure in Hell-fire.’"

A man said, "Then where is the Mercy of Allah?"

He said, "Verily the Mercy of Allah is nigh unto the righteous."

Death & After It

That which does not die and will never die is Allah. We, slaves, will one day eventually leave this world. The setting of the sun each day is a poetical metaphor for our passing away. How good it is, if we meet with another day, just like the sun, beaming and bright on the horizon of the Resurrection. This is important for the sunset is inevitable; death is a reality which, like it or not, must happen.

What we must think about is what will happen to us after death? Will we become nothing? Will everyone''s life merely "end in death?" Or will we "remain", and if so, what will our "remaining" be like?

Those who do not believe in God consider death to be the becoming nothing of man, and life just limited to one or two days. They say that everyone''s turn is short-lived. But those who are based in revelation are completely opposed to this view, and they say that man is immortal and that death is just a ladder leading to the world of purgatory and Resurrection, which is the everlasting resting place.

The Remembrance of Death

Some people run away from the remembrance of death, and do not give way to thoughts about it. It is as if they have drunk the water of eternity, and think to remain in this world forever. These people are drunk from the wine of neglect. For they know but do not accept that the only thing is eternal and will not die is Allah. From the results of their neglect of death, they will pass their lives aimlessly. They do not think to reform themselves; their time is spent like the hands of a clock, turning round and round, and how often will they be polluted with dreadful sins. There is not much difference between their lives and the lives of animals.

The manner of their behavior is completely the contrary of the way of acting of the chosen ones of Allah. The Holy Prophet of Islam (s.a.w.) said, "Remember death very often, so that it may purify you from sins and decrease attachment to a world which is not an introduction to the betterment of the spirit." On the other hand, there are those who remember death much, following the command of the leaders of the religion - may Allah bless them, and profit from every occasion that comes their way for the Day of Resurrection. Their world is a world of introduction to the ultimate world. Their search is not for personal benefit and their own desires. From their view, the world does not have so much value that they will dirty their hands and clothes with urine and treachery to get it. Rather they are busy with work and pursuits and service in society, so that they will completely take the benefit from this life to the life of the Resurrection.

They do not fear death. The greatest example is Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (a.s.), whose first words when the sword of the enemy fell to martyr him were, "I swear by Allah, I have been delivered!" Truly, the leaving of the constraints of this world and going to eternity of the everlasting world is an ease and a salvation, but only for those who follow the way of Imam Ali (a.s.) to purify in the straightened circumstances of this life, and who are occupied with piety in their spirits and souls and thoughts, and with worship and slavery to Allah, and with service to mankind.

Abu Dharr al Ghifari was asked, "Why are we disgusted with death?"

"You have taken up residence in this world," he replied, "but ruined your next world. So you do not desire to migrate from your home to the place of ruin."

The Holy Prophet of Islam (peace be upon him and his household) said, "Do you all wish to go to the Garden?"

"Yes," they said.

"So cut short your craving, and always keep death in sight, since you must always be shameful before Allah."

To remember those near to you when they met death, and occasional visits to graveyards and the tombs of believers will result in remembrance of death and guidance.

* Musavi Lari, Mujtaba. Resurrection, Judgement, and the Hereafter. Published by The Foundation of Islamic Doctrine. Maryland, 1989; and Shaykh as-Sadiq. A Shiite Creed. Published by the World Organization for Islamic Services. Iran, 1982.