WE HAVE BEEN CREATED TO DIE

Submitted by Mohammed Gilani on

الَّذي خَلَقَ الْمَوْتَ وَالْحَيَاةَ لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ أَيكُمْ أَحْسَن ُ عَمَلَاً وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْغَفُورُ
 In this verse of the Quraan Sharif, Allah Ta'ala has mentioned death first and then life whereas we live first and then die. The reason for the change in sequence according to the commentators is that we have come in the world to die, and not for the sake of living. It is for this reason that we have to prepare for death from the point of arrival in the world. Unfortunately, we don’t even prepare our children for death, in fact if someone speaks of death we say, “Nobody is dying now, so why discuss death.”

He has created death and life to test which of you carry out the best of actions Allah Ta'ala is that great Being that has created death. Generally, people think that a person passes away either due to illness, old age, accident, etc. The fact of the matter is that death is a creation of Allah Ta'ala. It is stated in the Hadith, “When the people of Jannat will enter Jannat and people of Jahannam will enter Jahannam, death will be brought in the form of a sheep, and be slaughtered between Jannat and Jahannam. Death will not exist after this event.

Our Sheikh (Rahimahullah) had made Tafseer of ‘ أَيكُمْ أَحْسَن عَمَلَاً‘as follows, 

ايكم اتم عقلا و فهما

 Which of you are perfect in intelligence and understanding? 

In other words, Allah  created death and life to test you, which of you are perfect in intelligence and understanding. In our worldly circles, we will consider a scientist, computer programme designer, computer I.T., etc. as an intelligent person whereas a man of perfect intelligence and understanding is one that prepares for the eternal life of the Aakhirah. As for those that are aware of the worldly matters but are negligent in regards to the matters of the hereafter, aren’t possessors of intelligence and understanding. Our pious predecessors had spent their lives in preparation for the Aakhirah. 

The 2nd Tafseer is, 

ايكم اسرع الي طاعة الله 
Which of you will hasten towards the obedience of Allah ? 

In other words, Allah Ta’ala has created death and life to test you, which of you will hasten towards the obedience of Allah ? When the Adhaan is called out, we should not delay in proceeding towards Salaah, nor should we delay in completing our daily recital of Quraan Sharif and completing our Azkhaar and Wazaaif.

 The 3rd Tafseer is, 

ايكم اورع من محارم الله

The one that is most abstentious from the prohibitions of Allah  

In other words Allah Ta’ala has created death and life to test you, who will refrain from those things which Allah  has made Haraam? Those within the religious circles are more concerned of obtaining references of narrations and quotations, yet there is a lack of concern in regards to preparation of the Aakhirat. That which matters most is how a person lived in the world, and a person will die in accordance to the manner in which he lived.

Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) is reported to have said, You will die as you lived, and you will be raised as you died. (Tafseer Roohul Bayaan) 

We should therefore be concerned of the Aakhirat, the long stay of the Qabr, the day of Qiyaamah, the eternal stay either in Jannat or Jahannam, etc. In preparation of this, we should engage in abundant Taubah and Istighfaar. May Allah Ta'ala bless us all with the Taufeeq of preparing for these stages of our life. Ameen! 

 Preparing for death - Hazrat Moulana Abdul Hamid Saab Daamat Barakaatuh