Death

I wonder what will happen to me when my heart stops beating and when my eyes close forever. What will happen to me when I leave this world? What will I experience? How will I feel? 

Death can happen at any moment, it could happen to me before I publish this, it could happen to you or me two minutes after I publish this, it could happen in two days or in a few months or it could happen when I'm 97. But the sad thing is we hardly think about it, it's so hard to imagine and sometimes we live in this world as if we are going to live in it forever.

But the one thing we can be certain of is that we WILL eventually die. As Imam Ali (as) says "the departure is imminent" and "Everyone shall taste death." [Quran, 3:185]

Then what use will our land, hoarded wealth, certificates, achievements, popularity and fame be? The sad reality is we try our hardest in this life to reach the top,the highest ranks in society only to die and to be left low in a grave a few feet underground, beneath people's feet. Imam Hussain (as) reminds us“O’ the son of Adam ! Think for a while and ask yourself : Where are the kings and emperors of the world ? Where are those who re-built the ruins , dug ditches and wells , planted trees and set up habitable towns ? Where are those who gathered wealth ? They had to part with their wealth and properties and leave them to others reluctantly. We, too, will have the same fate.” He (as) also says “O’ the son of Adam! Remember the death of your fathers and your children, where they were and to where they went. I can foresee that you , too ,will join them very soon and provide a lesson for others.”

We're often advised not to think about death, relax and enjoy this life, 'YOLO (you only live once)' right? Wrong. It's wrong because after this life, once we die, we will be alive again, only in another world. And we most certainly shouldn't just 'relax and enjoy this life' because we're only living a FEW years in this life to work for our ETERNAL abode. This wordly life is a delusion, it's deceiving, it's an illusion and it is all just simply fun and games. We are asleep, it is only when we die that we will wake up, as Imam Ali (as) says, because once we die the truth will be so clear to us and we will be able to see how pathetic and lowly this life really is. And then, when the day of judgement comes it will be the "day of regret" [Quran, 19:39]. Allah (swt) says to us in the Quran "If you could but see when they will be held over the (hell) fire they will say 'would that we were but sent back to the world then we would not deny the signs of our lord and we would be believers'" but Allah says "if they were returned, the would certainly revert to that which was forbidden." [6:27-28] A few years of pleasure would never be worth eternity in hell-fire!

In Dua Abu Hamza Al-Thumali, an absolutely beautiful supplication that was said to be read by Imam Zayn Al-Abadeen (as) (the fourth imam) during ramadan, we read: Oh my lord "I have wasted my life away with procrastination and false hopes and now I have come to You, hopeless of my goodness. Who is more worse off than me if I'm now passed on, in my present state, to a grave that I have neither paved for my long stay nor furnished with righteous deed for my extended abode? And why would I not weep? For I have no knowledge of my fate and I observe my self deceiving itself and my days are fading away and the wings of death have flapped close by. So why wouldn't I cry! I weep for my soul when it departs from my body, I weep for the darkness of my grave, I weep for the narrowness of my vault, I weep for the questioning of Munkar and Nakeer of me (the names of the two angels that question the dead after being laid in the graves), I weep for when I come out of my grave (on the Resurrection Day) naked, humiliated and carrying my book (of deeds) on my back. I look to the right once and to the left once. Behold! The creatures will each be engaged with matters other than mine for every person that day has a concern of his own. Many faces on that day shall be bright, laughing, joyous. And many faces on that day, on them shall be dust. Darkness, and humiliation shall cover them. O' Master! I settle my destination, dependence,

hope and reliance upon You and with Your mercy I cling. You bestow Your mercy on whomever You please and You guide with Your benevolence whomever You like, so praise to You for purifying my heart from taking false partners to You." 

Allah (swt) says in the Quran [40:68] "It is he who gives life and causes death and when he decides upon a thing he says to it only be and it is." Think about it, when you're dying you will be helpless, you'll have no control, you'll be all alone and you will be so scared. Just imagine what it would be like. Imam hussain (as) says “Son of Adam! lmagine your death bed , your grave , imagine the Day of Judgement when all parts of your body will testify against you ; the day when knees will tremble , hearts will be squeezed inside tight chests ;the day secrets will be disclosed , people will be unmasked , some will come out victorious and dignified and some will be disgraced , and the divine justice will gauge people’s deeds.”

Thinking about death is important as it reminds us of where we will return and helps us see how lowly and worthless this world really is, which in turn helps us get closer to God. This will prevent us from committing sins and will motivate us towards doing good. And this will gain us paradise.