The surprising death incident I witnessed during my
school days is about a teen-aged girl who was my aunt. This true story
about her death narrates how gloriously and miraculously Allah
(Subhana Wata’alah) ends a true Muslim’s life and how the
Almighty, the Rehman, shows signs of His blessings upon a true Muslim
or Muslimah to other people so that every one can be able to have a
firm belief in Him(SWT).
My aunt was a true Muslimah. I remember the moments
when she often used to weep owing to fear of Allah (SWT).Whenever she
knew about the life after death, especially the death process by the
Angel of death, life of grave (Barzakh)[1]
and the accountability process during the Day of Qiamah (The Day of
Judgement), she often became frightened and used to start weeping due
to Allah’s fear. I also remember that even being a teen-aged, when
the worldly desires are always on peak, my aunt never missed prayers
of five times and other Islamic obligations. She always used to advise
other family members to obey the teaching of Prophet Mohammad (SAW)
and the ahkam of the Holy Qur’an.
I was a school going boy and the school was
adjacent to my home. One day afternoon during lunch break I went to my
home for lunch. My aunt, being a house lady, was cleaning a room of
our house. Suddenly she got out of the room and started weeping with
signs of something’s fear. My mother reached to her and asked the
cause for weeping. My aunt replied that she wanted to be stretched on
a bed. My mother arranged a bed for her and she laid down on it .As
soon as she got stretched on the bed, she started shivering.
Meanwhile, a doctor was called and the doctor said that she was going
to die. Within ten minutes the doctor declared her as dead.
But after one minute of his death, she miraculously
became alive again and sat down on the bed. Now she was in full
conscious. Everyone was surprised, including the doctor who declared
her as dead three minutes ago. She spoke loudly and said “I was dead
but I have requested to Allah to give me five minutes more so that I
could request to everyone at home to seek forgiveness, as I am going
to meet the Almighty. So please come to me quickly I have only five
minutes”
Subuhana-Allah, Allah never denies the request of a
true Muslim or Muslimah. So everyone at home came to her and she
sought forgiveness individually from everyone. Everyone forgave her,
though she never committed any mistake regarding the rights of
individual (Haqooq-ul-Ibaad).Five minutes had passed and she, after
seeking forgiveness from everyone, said “Allah had given only five
minutes to me and the specified time has completed. So I am going to
meet Allah. Please pour some water in my mouth”. One of our family
members poured some water in her mouth and she after drinking it
proclaimed the Kalima-e-Tauyyibah “Laa’ ilaaha
illallahu,Mohammad-ur-Rasoolullah”(There is no god but Allah and
Mohammad(SAW) is the Messenger of Allah” She, after proclamation
about the Oneness of Allah and the Prophethood of Mohammad(SAW) , left
all of us forever.
Everyone of us was shocked for her sudden departure
but at the same time everyone was happy too, owing to her miraculous
and glorious death. Because it is a rare opportunity that every human
should be able to die with a chance for seeking forgiveness and
proclaiming about the Oneness of Allah(SWT) and the Prophethood of
Mohammad(SAW). Surely her beautiful death was due to her pragmatic
approach towards the Islamic obligations and an extraordinary fear of
the Almighty. Her short life was a complete posture of a true Muslim.
Allah (SWT) says about such people in the Holy Qur’an;[2]
"Nay,-whoever submits His whole self to Allah and is a doer of
good,- He will get his reward with his Lord; on such shall be no fear,
nor shall they grieve." (Al-Baqarah,Verse Number 112)
My aunt’s exemplary death is a great lesson for
all Muslims and non-Muslims. All the human beings are guests in this
temporary inn of world and the real life shall start after death. We
must give priority to preparation for the life after death and should
not indulge in the worldly affairs in such a way that our preparations
for the Hereafter affect negatively. I request all the humankind, with
the reference of this true story that please adopt the Islamic code of
life because only the Islamic code of life is acceptable to the
Almighty and other ways of living are neither accepted nor recommended
by the Creator of this universe. Allah says in the Holy Qur’an;
"The
Religion before Allah is Islam (submission to His Will): Nor did the
People of the Book dissent therefrom except through envy of each
other, after knowledge had come to them. But if any deny the Signs of
Allah, Allah is swift in calling to account." (Al-Imran, Verse
Number 19)
May Allah bless all of us the real opportunities to
follow His blessed religion of Islam! May He bless all of us success
in this life and the life after death! Aameen!
Mustafa Ali,
Islamabad,
Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
[*]
Mo’minah means a true Muslim woman who tries to act upon all the
Islamic teachings and obligations.
[2]
Barzakh is the life after death ,which is started soon after death and
will end at the start of the Day of Qiamah(The Day of Judgement).
[3]
All the translations are by the well-known translator Mr. Yusuf Ali.
