The Believer and the Fear of Death
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Q: The sister who used the initials A. A. from Riyadh says in her question: Is it obligatory for the believer not to fear death? And if this is the case, does it mean having no desire to meet Allah?
A: It is obligatory for the believing man and the believing woman to fear Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) and to hope in Him; for Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) said in His great Book: [Al Imran: 175] and He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [Al Ma'idah: 44], and He (Glorified and Exalted is He) said: [Al Baqarah: 40], and He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [Al Baqarah: 218], and He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [Al Kahf: 110] in many verses.
It is not permissible for the believing man or woman to despair of the mercy of Allah, nor to feel secure from His scheme. Allah the Exalted said: [Az Zumar: 53], and He said: [Yusuf: 87], and He said: [Al A'raf: 99].
It is obligatory for all Muslims, male and female, to prepare for death and to beware of heedlessness regarding it, due to the aforementioned verses, and due to what was reported from him (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said: -death- And because heedlessness regarding it and lack of preparation for it are among the causes of a bad ending. It is established from Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that she said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1066Sahih (Darussalam) So I said: O Prophet of Allah, is it the dislike of death? For all of us dislike death. He said: Sahih Muslim 2684a Agreed upon by al-Bukhari and Muslim. And this hadith indicates that there is no blame in disliking death and fearing it, and that does not indicate a lack of desire to meet Allah. For when the believer dislikes death or fears its arrival, he desires more obedience to Allah and preparation for meeting Him. And likewise, when the believing woman fears death and dislikes its arrival to her, she does so hoping for more acts of obedience and preparation for meeting her Lord.
There is no blame on the Muslim to fear natural harmful things, such as wild beasts and snakes and the like, and to take precautions against them with protective means. Likewise, there is no blame on Muslims in fearing their enemy until they prepare the lawful means for it, as Allah the Exalted said: [Al Anfal: 60] -meaning the enemies- while relying on Allah and depending on Him and believing that victory is from Him. The believer only takes the means and prepares them because Allah the Exalted commanded him to do so, not in order to rely on them, as Allah the Exalted said: [Al Anfal: 9 - 10].
The fear that Allah prohibited is the fear of the created being in a way that leads its owner to leave an obligatory duty or commit a sin. In this context, the saying of the Exalted was revealed: [Al Imran: 175]. And likewise, the fear of other than Allah in the form of worshipping other than Him, and believing that it knows the unseen or acts in the universe or harms and benefits without the will of Allah, as the polytheists do with their gods. And success is from Allah.
A: It is obligatory for the believing man and the believing woman to fear Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) and to hope in Him; for Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) said in His great Book:
So fear them not, but fear Me, if you are [indeed] believers.
فَلا تَخَافُوهُمْ وَخَافُونِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ مُؤْمِنِينَSo do not fear the people but fear Me
فَلا تَخْشَوُا النَّاسَ وَاخْشَوْنِAnd fear Me alone.
وَإِيَّايَ فَارْهَبُونِIndeed, those who have believed and those who have emigrated and fought in the cause of Allah - those expect the mercy of Allah
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَالَّذِينَ هَاجَرُوا وَجَاهَدُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ أُولَئِكَ يَرْجُونَ رَحْمَةَ اللَّهِSo whoever would hope for the meeting with his Lord - let him do righteous work and not associate in the worship of his Lord anyone."
فَمَنْ كَانَ يَرْجُوا لِقَاءَ رَبِّهِ فَلْيَعْمَلْ عَمَلًا صَالِحًا وَلا يُشْرِكْ بِعِبَادَةِ رَبِّهِ أَحَدًاIt is not permissible for the believing man or woman to despair of the mercy of Allah, nor to feel secure from His scheme. Allah the Exalted said:
Say, "O My servants who have transgressed against themselves [by sinning], do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He who is the Forgiving, the Merciful."
قُلْ يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ لا تَقْنَطُوا مِنْ رَحْمَةِ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُand despair not of relief from Allah. Indeed, no one despairs of relief from Allah except the disbelieving people."
وَلا تَيْأَسُوا مِنْ رَوْحِ اللَّهِ إِنَّهُ لا يَيْئَسُ مِنْ رَوْحِ اللَّهِ إِلا الْقَوْمُ الْكَافِرُونَThen did they feel secure from the plan of Allah? But no one feels secure from the plan of Allah except the losing people.
أَفَأَمِنُوا مَكْرَ اللَّهِ فَلا يَأْمَنُ مَكْرَ اللَّهِ إِلا الْقَوْمُ الْخَاسِرُونَIt is obligatory for all Muslims, male and female, to prepare for death and to beware of heedlessness regarding it, due to the aforementioned verses, and due to what was reported from him (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said:
Increase in the remembrance of the destroyer of pleasures
أكثروا من ذكر هادم اللذاتWhoever loves to meet Allah, then Allah loves to meet him. And whoever dislikes meeting Allah, then Allah dislikes meeting him.
من أحب لقاء الله أحب الله لقاءه، ومن كره لقاء الله كره الله لقاءهIt is not that (which you construe), but (this) that when a believer (at the time of death) is given the glad tidings of the mercy of Allah, His Pleasure, and of Paradise, he loves to meet Allah, and Allah also loves to meet him, and when an unbeliever is given the news of the torment at the Hand of Allah, and Hardship to be imposed by Him, he dislikes to meet Allah and Allah also abhors to meet him.
ليس كذلك؛ ولكن المؤمن إذا بشر برحمة الله ورضوانه وجنته، أحب لقاء الله فأحب الله لقاءه، وإن الكافر إذا بشر بعذاب الله وسخطه كره لقاء الله فكره الله لقاءهThere is no blame on the Muslim to fear natural harmful things, such as wild beasts and snakes and the like, and to take precautions against them with protective means. Likewise, there is no blame on Muslims in fearing their enemy until they prepare the lawful means for it, as Allah the Exalted said:
And prepare against them whatever you are able of power
وَأَعِدُّوا لَهُمْ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْ مِنْ قُوَّةٍ(9) [Remember] when you asked help of your Lord, and He answered you, "Indeed, I will reinforce you with a thousand from the angels, following one another." (10) And Allah made it not but good tidings and so that your hearts would be assured thereby. And victory is not but from Allah. Indeed, Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise.
إِذْ تَسْتَغِيثُونَ رَبَّكُمْ فَاسْتَجَابَ لَكُمْ أَنِّي مُمِدُّكُمْ بِأَلْفٍ مِنَ الْمَلائِكَةِ مُرْدِفِينَ * وَمَا جَعَلَهُ اللَّهُ إِلا بُشْرَى وَلِتَطْمَئِنَّ بِهِ قُلُوبُكُمْ وَمَا النَّصْرُ إِلا مِنْ عِنْدِ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌThe fear that Allah prohibited is the fear of the created being in a way that leads its owner to leave an obligatory duty or commit a sin. In this context, the saying of the Exalted was revealed:
So fear them not, but fear Me, if you are [indeed] believers.
فَلا تَخَافُوهُمْ وَخَافُونِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ مُؤْمِنِينَ
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.