Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Assalamo alaikum brother burhan

kindly explain in detail.

is it normal to get scared of death for a muslim.  (what does islam says about it)

thank you

jazakallah

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Answer:

Fear death

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Your Question: …is it normal to get scared of death for a muslim.  (what does islam says about it)

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 8.514 Narrated by Ubada bin As Samit

The Prophet (saws) said, "Whoever loves to meet Allah, Allah (too) Loves to meet him; and whoever hates to meet Allah, Allah (too) Hates to meet him!" Hadrat Aisha (r.a.) said to the Prophet (saws): "But we (all) dislike death!" The Messenger of Allah (saws) replied: "It is not like this, but it is meant that when the time of the death of a believer approaches, he receives the good news of Allah's Pleasure and His Blessings upon him, and so at that time nothing is dearer to him than what is in front of him (the meeting with His Lord). He therefore loves the meeting with Allah, and Allah (too) Loves the meeting with him; but when the time of the death of a disbeliever approaches, he receives the evil news of Allah's Torment and His Requital, whereupon nothing is more hateful to him than what is before him (meeting with His Lord). Therefore, he hates the meeting with Allah, and Allah too, Hates the meeting with him!"

Respected sister, the fear, or dislike, or aversion of death is something which has been placed by the Lord Creator in the very inherent nature of man….thus it would be absolutely normal and natural for every human being to fear or dislike death.

Allah Subhanah and His Messenger (saws) have time and time again guided the believers that the natural result of this ‘fear’ or ‘dislike’ of death should be that one prepares in earnest for what will inevitably transpire with him after his death: ie. the Day of Tribunal in the Presence of The Lord Most Majestic Most Supreme!

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 2168 Narrated by Abdullah ibn Umar

Allah's Messenger (saws) said, "The hearts become rusty just as iron does when water affects it." On being asked what could clear them he (saws) replied, "A great amount of remembrance of death, and the recitation of the Qur'an."

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 5352 Narrated by AbuSa'id

When the Prophet (saws) went out to the prayer and saw the people looking as if they were grinning. He (saws) said, "If you were to keep much in remembrance death, which is the cut-off of (worldly) pleasures, it would distract you from what I see! Keep much in remembrance death, which is the cut-off of (worldly) pleasure, for a day does not come to the grave without its saying, 'I am the house of exile, I am the house of solitude, I am the house of dust, I am the house of worms!.....The grave is one of the Gardens of Paradise, or one of the pits of Hell."

Thus my respected sister, if the question is whether or not it is normal for a believer to fear or get scared of death….the simple answer would be: it is absolutely normal and inherently natural for every human being, including the believers, to fear the element of death!

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan