Are You Ready to Die Today?

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate

Assalaamu alaykum

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

For most of us, we are not ready to die today. A life of Muslim entails that everyday we be ready to leave this life. Every soul has its term. Death is a sure thing, no matter what the cause was. When it comes, there is no escape.

... أَيْنَمَا تَكُونُوا۟ يُدْرِ‌ككُّمُ ٱلْمَوْتُ وَلَوْ كُنتُمْ فِى بُرُ‌وجٍ مُّشَيَّدَةٍ

Wherever you may be, death will overtake you, even if you should be within towers of lofty construction... [Qur'an, An-Nisa 4:78]

The Prophet sallalahu alayhi wassallam was asked who was the most intelligent person. He said, "The most intelligent of people are the ones who remember death most often and those who are prepared the most for it."

In order to live a life to its fullest one should remember death everyday. This world is meaningless without remembering the ultimate purpose of our existence.

وَمَا خَلَقْتُ ٱلْجِنَّ وَٱلْإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِ ﴿٥٦

And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me. (56) [Qur'an, Adh-Dhariyat 51:56]

So how can we live this life without thinking of the afterlife? The afterlife begins with death. So it is incumbent upon us to think about death today. For today might be your last day. When you realize that, your prayers, your purpose and your decisions today will suddenly change.

Narrated ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wassallam took hold of him and said, "Be in the world as a stranger (or a traveler), count yourself among the people of the grave."

The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wassallam said, "Love what you will, you are going to part from it." Our hearts have to be attached to things that are beyond this world. If your heart is attached to your wealth, comfort, children, spouses and family, and if they take root in your heart, it is going to be a painful situation when you die. Obviously we are supposed to love each other, love our children, our spouses and family but there is a greater love, that is, love of Allah and His Messenger sallallahu alayhi wassallam and love of the akhirah, and there is an understanding and conviction that death is not the end and inshaa Allah we will be reunited with our loved ones.

If one's heart is full of attachment to the world, it is very hard to fill the heart with the subtle meanings of the afterlife, with the descriptions of Paradise, the pleasure and punishment of the grave, and the anticipation of this mercy that the believers will receive from Allah. If our life is simply cooking, cleaning, studying, enjoying our children and our spouses, and if these attachments are not balanced and in the manner not legislated, then death is going to be very painful situation. Your heart need to be attached to the Ever-Lasting.

When we remember death, it is not to be sad but to live this day to the fullest. We have our own weaknesses and things we are struggling with and you might not able to overcome them, but as long as we turn to Allah, seeking strength in Him, seeking His help and being straight with Him, then you should not be sad when you remember death.

When one who is rebellious and disobedient, it is appropriate for him or her to fear Allah. Recognize and value the gifts of Allah upon you and that we have a Lord who is generous and merciful. Don't overlook them. Have this hope and yearning to meet the Lord and the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wassallam. Spiritually we should be ready to meet Allah today.

The framework of death is with hope, belief (iman), acts of obedience, and reliance on Allah.

No one on earth has any doubt about death is a sure thing. It does not make sense that for something that is certain for us not to be prepared for it.

A sign of an intelligent person is that he recognized what is certain and is prepared to receive it. So are we ready?

The way to prepare for death is to evaluate ourselves and improve ourselves. At the very least, make it an exercise daily to remember death. Don't be heedless of it. Inshaa Allah if this is the day you die, at the very least you are cognizant that you might die today and you would have sought from Allah the strength to deal with the challenges in life, and would have acknowledged your sins and repented.

Allahumma a'inni alaa dhikrika, wa shukrika, wa husni 'ibaadatika

O Allah, help me remember You, to be grateful to You, and to worship You in an excellent manner.

May Allah grant us excellent ending and make the meeting with Him the best of meeting.

Ameen.

Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wassallam.

And Allah knows best and He alone grant success.
Wassalaam

Adapted from a lecture by Shaykh Ramzy Ajem