Q: I am scared of death and please tell me what happens after death. I was so scared at night.
A: Death for a true mu’min is a moment of joy. As it is famously stated: الموت جسر يوصل الحبيب إلى الحبيب – Death is a bridge which links the lover with his beloved. After all, a true mu’min toils his entire life to earn the pleasure of Allah Ta`ala and longs for the day to meet Allah Ta`ala. In fact, this is the sign of intelligence.
Hadhrat Abdullah bin Umar (radhiyallahu anhuma) said: “I was once among ten people who came to Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam). An Ansaari stood up and asked: ‘Who is the most intelligent and careful person?’ Nabi (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) replied: ‘Those who remember death most and prepare for it most. These are people who have excelled in the nobility of this world and the honour of the hereafter.’” (Tabraani in Al-Mu`jamus Sagheer)
Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) once said: تحفة المؤمن الموت – Death is a gift for a believer. (Mustadrak Haakim) The reason is quite clear that life in this world is filled with trials and tests, and with death one is now saved from all these trials. This is also clearly borne out in another hadeeth of Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) where he is reported to have said:
اثنتان يكرههما ابن آدم الموت والموت خير للمؤمن من الفتنة ويكره قلة المال وقلة المال أقل للحساب
There are two things that man has an aversion for. (One is) death, whereas death is better for him than trials and tribulations. And he dislikes the paucity and shortage of wealth whereas little wealth allows for lesser accountability (in the hereafter). (Musnad Ahmad)
Imagine if a person was given the choice of either dying earlier or extending his lifespan and he chose the latter, not realising that he would fall into sin and vice and get caught in a whole host of sins. Wouldn’t the extension of life be a source of problems for him? We thus find that there should be reason for a mu’min to long for and anticipate death, rather than being afraid and fearful of death.
Hadhrat Abu Maalik Al-Ash`ari (radhiyallahu anhu) narrated that Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) made the following dua: اللهم حبب الموت إلى من يعلم أني رسولك – O Allah, make death beloved to the one who believes that I am Your rasul. (Al-Mu`jam-ul-Kabeer – Tabraani) This beautiful dua teaches us that Nabi (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) actually wants us to love death and not be fearful of death.
The time of death for a true believer is an extremely joyous and wonderful occasion. The angels of mercy which are not visible to those around the dying person, come to welcome him and receive him. Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) has mentioned: “The angels (of mercy) come to the dying person, and if the man was righteous, they say: ‘Come out, o pleasant soul that was in a good body, come out praiseworthy and receive glad tidings of mercy, fragrance and a Rabb Who is not angry.’ This call is repeated until the soul exits the body. It is then taken up to the heaven, and it is opened for it. It is asked: ‘Who is this?’ They say: ‘So and so,’ to which the reply is given: ‘Welcome to the pleasant soul that was in a good body. Enter praiseworthy and receive the glad tidings of mercy, fragrance and a Rabb Who is not angry.’ And this is repeated until it is brought to the heaven above which is Allah Ta`ala.” (Sunan Ibnu Majah)
Once Nabi (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) saw the angel of death at the head side of an Ansaari sahaabi and said to him: “O malak-ul-maut, be gentle and kind to my sahaabi (companion) for he is a mu’min.” The angel of death said, “Gladden your heart, cool your eyes and be assured that I am gentle with every mu’min.” (Majma`uz Zawaa’id)
When a mu’min is made to lie in his grave then a window towards Jannah is opened for him. It is not the dark confined space that we see when we bury the deceased. In a lengthy narration it appears that on one occasion, Nabi (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) came out to the Sahaabah (radhiyallahu anhum) and it seemed as if they were laughing among themselves. He then addressed them saying: “Indeed, if you were to increase in the remembrance of the severer of pleasures, then you would find yourselves occupied from what I see. So increase in the remembrance of the severer of pleasures, death. For indeed there is no day that passes upon the grave except that it speaks, saying: ‘I am the abode of estrangement, I am the abode of solitude, I am the abode of dust, and I am the abode of worms.’ When a believing bondsman is buried, the grave says to him: ‘Welcome, make yourself comfortable. Indeed, to me, you are the most beloved of those who walked upon me. Since you have been entrusted to me and delivered to me today, you shall see how I will treat you.’ It then expands for him to the extent of his sight, and a door to Jannah is opened for him.” (Sunan Tirmizi)
With these in mind, one should endeavour and toil to make himself deserving of such treatment. Don’t ever lose hope of Allah Ta`ala’s mercy and keep His pleasure and happiness as your ultimate goal. If you do so, then the journey to the hereafter will be a journey that you will look forward to, and not one to fear.
And Allah Ta'ala (الله تعالى) knows best.
Answered by: