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Loving Death

By Muhammad Tauseef Naqshbandi

The Ride of Your Life

In this piece, it is my wish to highlight a few things in regards to loved ones we have lost but particularly our own coming moments of death. Before we continue, formulate in your heart and mind the possibility that all you have ever understood and realised about death is erroneous.

Firstly, the reason that people mourn is that they cannot physically see the person who has "died" with their eyes on a regular basis anymore. The soul has exited the body, but they both still exist, and you still meet the soul when you yourself undertake the "younger brother of death" i.e. sleep. Those of you who have seen deceased persons in your dreams, you have really met their souls in the spiritual realm and you must cherish those moments. A dream is actually nothing other than a visit to the hereafter and a good opportunity to see how our relatives, friends and others are faring.

Indeed one of the most obvious, foolproof and easiest methods to not only look forward to death but to grow comfortable to the idea and less hating of it is appreciating the concept and nature of sleep. Let me ask you a question at this juncture: when you are about to slip into bed and go to sleep, are you afraid or frightened as in: “oh no, I’m about to go to sleep!!!” I will tell you that no, in fact you are quite comfortable with the idea of going to sleep. This regardless of the fact that what takes place at the time of sleep is exactly the same process as what happens when you die: your sultan-soul exits the body.

“It is Allah that takes the souls (of men) at death and those that die not (He takes) during their sleep: those on whom He has passed the decree of death, He keeps back (from returning to life), but the rest He sends (to their bodies) for a term appointed. Verily in this are signs for those who reflect.” (39:42)

Death is as natural a process to a human as sleep is. Furthermore, just as naturally as we are born, become toddlers, mature, enter old age is the process of dying. So, there should not be anything horrifying about the process of death itself to an intelligent person.

Also, when someone passes away and we are left to gaze at the body, do not think for an instant that nothing is taking place. You know when you walk into a room where someone is sleeping; if it weren’t for the breathing the person would look like he is literally dead. However, you and I know that this is far from reality since at that very moment he is probably vividly dreaming of a battle taking place, flying through the air or sailing the seas. That sensory input, which is being processed by the person, is from his internal senses i.e. the very real senses of the soul. Just as we have external physical senses that effect a reaction on our body, so do the internal senses (for example, when you have a wet dream, wake up sweating from a dream, etc). I have a lot to say on this but let’s not sidetrack and leave this topic for another time. The point is we see the dead, motionless, lifeless person at the front of the prayer hall being prayed over. The reality, however, is that much is taking place with him. He knows it but we don’t unless our internal senses are turned on which 99% of the time they aren’t.

Death has been described as a metamorphosis: a moving from one state to another, and that is ALL it is. In Urdu, we all know that when someone dies we say that he has had a process of ‘intikaal’, meaning transference or transformation. The soul is not restricted by physical laws such as when you travel to distant places in your dream whether it be Australia or Mars. Similarly, when you die your internal body, the soul, has no restrictions whatsoever and can be, for the believer, fully utilised. I remember in an episode of Babylon 5 (I could give many examples about this, I think for now 1 will suffice us), there was a race of aliens (call them X) that was disappearing and other races became worried and innocently tried to interfere to stop what was taking place, as they believed that Race X were dying. A human said to Race X, “we thought you were dying.” Race X protested, “we were not dying. We were evolving!” With the human experience, this is a valid and true observation. Death is metamorphosis par excellence. If we don't appreciate this now, I guarantee you we will one day.

All this doesn’t mean, however, that we should sin freely and merrily look forward to death; the way of Islam teaches one to have a realistic and balanced perspective. The punishment of the grave is a dauntingly real phenomenon for the unbeliever and the sinning believer for both will have to pay the dues and the price of sin. When you experience trauma in a dream such as when you are beaten up or something similar, the experience will be vividly more real in the grave. However, when one of the companions of the Prophet (blessings of Allah and peace be on him and his family and followers) was on his deathbed, he said to the Beloved (blessings of Allah and peace be on him and his family and followers) that he found himself in a state where he is hopeful of Allah’s mercy and fearful of His wrath. The Prophet of Allah (blessings of Allah and peace be on him and his family and followers) replied that, "never have these two things been united in the heart of a bondsman in circumstances such as these without God granting him that for which he hopes, and delivering him from what he fears." The believer is one who is practical, realistic and intelligent and who does not fear the process of death but does fear the punishment in the grave, these are two different matters altogether. Don't hate or fear death, but do be warned of what may follow.

Said the Emissary of Allah (blessings of Allah and peace be on him and his family and followers), “the gift of a believer is death.” If someone told you that they have a gift for you and that he will present it to you either in 1, 2, 10 or 40 years' time, no matter when he gives you it, you are going to be looking forward to it. Am I right or not. May we live a life of faith, contemplation and anticipation. Another word for death in Urdu when someone dies is ‘wisaal’: meeting. Death is the meeting with the King Himself; let’s look forward to it.

www.tauseefswritings.com

P.S. For those of you who have spiritual inclinations or ambitions, do check out the new section on my website entitled 'Unity of Existence.'