Reflecting about Death

Tahir Mahmood

I was thinking in the Kitchen this morning, whilst making breakfast, and that typical English cup of tea of course, about the anguish the world is going through right now about life and about death.

I was thinking how clueless the world was about who Allah is and how he works. Especially in relation to the reality and role of death in human life. 

I was reflecting more about how people are now being forced to think about the possibility of death, because of the Coronavirus and all that. 

The world was encouraged to do that -- to think seriously about death I mean -- by Prophet, sallallahu Alahi wa Sallam, a long time ago. More than 1400 years ago in fact. 

And if all of us human beings, if all of us did that, if we all from time to time seriously thought about death, then there is every chance it would impact our life and our behavior. It will influence how we act on a day to day basis in this world.

And knowing and believing that there is Hisaab -- total and complete accountability before God after death -- we humans would not only behave better, and live a better life in this world, we also would not worry too much about what we have in this Duniya, in this world.

And, more than anything else, we would mend our connection with our maker and master and also patch things up with our fellow humans.

That way, not only will our life be better, but our whole world will be a better place to live.

Of course, at the same time, Islam also teaches us that it is our primary duty in this world to safeguard life, and to do our best to survive as individuals, as families and as communities, and as a race of humans, and not wish for death.

That is right! Islam teaches us not to wish for death, but to work for life and to wish and pray for the best in this world.

And of course also in the next world.

END