Tareek al-Hedayah: Episode 5
The Meaning of Death and its Signs in the Holy Qur’an (2)
Translated by: Dar al-Tarjama – The English Convoy
It would be a mistake to think that livelihood is just about wealth. It is in fact everything you have, including health, striving for work, knowledge, brilliance etc. To have work or not concerns your livelihood.
Allah’s (SWT) gifts to humans differed in kind, though not in quantity. For example, let us compare one person who is 80% gifted in health, and another who is gifted 60% in health. When it comes to money, for instance, these ratios maybe inverted. Hence, at the end of the day, both humans are equal. On the other hand, it is possible that a person may be in good health, though unfortunate in work, brilliance, happiness, contentment or patience.
The presenter proceeded to ask: if livelihood is just as you are saying, how could we explain the differences between wealth and children in the verse, “Wealth and children are the adornment of the life of this world” (18:46).
We said that the word “wealth” means all you have of livelihood and health. Thus money is metaphorically used. Thus this verse is true. When Ibrahim (Abraham) (PBUH) pondered life and the hereafter, he said, “The day when wealth and sons avail not any man, save him who brings unto Allah a whole heart” (26: 88-89).
Does that mean that someone who cannot have children should give up an adornment of life, as long as he can reach happiness in the hereafter with what he already has, as Ibrahim said? Besides, adornment mentioned in this verse is temporary – it exists only in this transient life. Hence nothing would ever be of a person’s benefit but to come, wholeheartedly, from Allah (SWT).
Moreover, whenever “adornment” is mentioned, surely, it could lead to pride or boasting about it, and then lead to trial. For wealth and children can be both a trial and a cause of misery. Hence, a person should consider this issue carefully, as any adornment in life is a trial that could be either a gift or a problem.
Moving on to the next question: does the child that dies in its mother’s womb intercede with Allah (SWT) for his parents? Yes it does, but only if the parents were patient after their child’s death. One should recall the following Hadiths (Traditions): “If a Muslim were to be forbearing when his beloved one’s soul is received by Allah (SWT), he deserves nothing but Paradise”.
A person may die of grief, however forbearing he is, because of the death of his sincere friend. According to the story of Yaqub (AS) (Jacob)” and his son Yusuf (AS) (Joseph), Yaqub’s eyes were whitened because of grief, that he was suppressing. “And his eyes were whitened with sorrow that he was suppressing” (Yusuf: 84).
Many of those who interpreted this verse said that Yaqub’s eyes were whitened because he cried his eyes out over losing Yusuf. However, the reality is that his eyes were whitened because he suppressed his own grief. Remember the saying: ‘lock that door behind which there is sorrow, with the key of contentment and forbearance, and be content.’
The second Hadith is Qudsi (Divine), where Allah (SWT) asks his angels: “Have you taken the spirit of my slave’s son?” They say: “yes Lord, we have.” So He asks, “Have you taken the spirit of the apple of my slave’s eyes (someone very dear to his heart)?” They reply, “Yes Lord, we have.” Then Allah (SWT) asks, “What did my slave say?” They reply, “Thank Allah, we are Allah’s and unto Him we are returning.” Then Almighty Allah says “Build for my slave a house in Paradise and call it The House of Gratitude”.
Here we see that thanking Allah (SWT) becomes the key for happiness on the Day of Judgment. This notion should be focused on when talking about death. It is undeniable that the awe of death is beyond prudence, however, as Muslims, we should content ourselves with whatever has been destined to us in life, because surely Allah (SWT) will reward us the best we can ever get. We should know that life is full of tests and trials of which we should consider in depth. How am I to be a Muslim though frightened?
“Nay, I swear by the places of the stars, and lo! That verily is a tremendous oath, if ye but knew.” (56:75-76)
This verse has a negated oath. But what does that mean? It may engrave the impression of negation, however, the verse that followed is “That verily is a tremendous oath, if ye but knew” so, is it an oath or not? It may seem as if there is a contradiction, though we should know that the language of The Holy Qur’an is very different from both slang and ordinary written Arabic. The Qur’an has its own Arabic language, from which morphology and grammar were derived. Hence, we have to scrutinize our language and refer to classical Arabic (plain Arabic) not to slang.
When you read Qur’an, you’ll find the verse, “Will they not then ponder on the Qur’an?” (4:82). To ponder on The Holy Qur’an, you should seek refuge in Allah from Satan, for Allah (SWT) says, “And when thou recites The Qur’an, seek refuge in Allah from Satan the outcast.” Hence, The Qur’an is not to be understood unless we seek refuge in Allah.
Negated oaths verses are made many times throughout The Holy Qur’an. For example:
“Nay, I swear by the places of the stars” (56:75),
“Nay, I swear by this city (Makkah)” (90: 1),
“By the sun and its brightness” (91: 1),
“By the Heaven and the morning star” (86: 1) and so on.
Some have said that a negated oath means negating this oath.
In fact, a negated oath is stronger than a normal one. Otherwise, Allah (SWT) wouldn’t have said, “That verily is a tremendous oath, if ye but knew”. Besides, Allah (SWT), ultimately, is free to take an oath of whatever, however and whenever he wishes. But for us, humans, we swear only by Allah (SWT).
To understand the meaning of a negated oath, firstly we should acknowledge that it is an oath. According to the verse: “That verily is a tremendous oath, if ye but knew” if the issues were not so clear and witnessed by the people, negated oaths would not have been mentioned in The Holy Qur’an from the very beginning. Were it not for those who deny and reject the truth, Allah (SWT) wouldn’t have sworn by those things.
We do use this kind of oath in our daily life, in Arabic we say: “I swear it happened, needn’t I swear though.”
“Nay, I swear by this city, and thou art an indweller of this city, and the begetter and that which he begat, we verily have created man in toil and struggle” (90:1-4) Take this verse as an example, as human, himself, certifies that he was created in toil and struggle, so Allah (SWT) does not swear. However, humans do need assurance, so an oath is put in the negated form. Likewise in this verse: “Nay, I swear by the places of the stars” (56:75).
Moreover, The Holy Qur’an does not need to swear, as everybody certifies that it is The Holy Qur’an. Even enemies of Islam who keep trying to distort and undermine The Holy Qur’an, they take it as evidence and they quote its verses.
The Difference between “The Holy Qur’an” and “the book”:
“That this is indeed a noble Qur’an, in a book kept hidden” (surat Al- Waqi’aa: 77-78). The oath in this verse is a glorification of The Holy Qur’an. Hence, we should recognize the difference between the “Qur’an” and “the book”. The “Qur’an” was revealed to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in verses at separate times. Thus the word “Qur’an” is only applied to what had been revealed separately. As for the word “the book” it is applied only to the Qur’an after it had been completely revealed.
“Alef, Lam, Mim, This is the book (scripture) where of there is no doubt, a guidance unto those who ward off evil” (Surat Al- Baqara: 1-2). If we were to scrutinize this verse along with another verse in the same Surah, “The month of Ramadan, in which was revealed the Qur’an, a guidance for mankind” (Surat Al- Baqara: 185); we will notice the word “guidance” in both verses. However, in the first “the book” was the “guidance”, in the second, it was the “Qur’an”. So what’ is the difference?
The “Guidance” mentioned in the latter verse of fasting was meant as a guidance to the people. At the time, the Qur’an had not yet been completed nor rejected by them.
The “Guidance” in the former was meant as guidance to Al- Mottaqeen (the pious). Thus this verse refers to the Qur’an as a complete book. It is guidance only to pious Muslims, not for all people. This verse explains the difference that took long research to explain.
“That this is indeed a noble Qur’an, in a book kept hidden” (Surat Al- Waqi’aa: 77-78). “The book” contains the “Qur’an”, because it had been separately revealed.
But there is one question we can ask: Was The Holy Qur’an revealed all at once? The answer is no. Then what about the word “we revealed” mentioned in Surat Al- Qadr “we revealed it on the night of power”? this word implies that it was revealed all at once. So what is the truth?
Allah (SWT) said: “with truth have we sent it down, and with truth hath descended” (Surat Al- Israa: 105). So in fact there are two kinds of revelations. The first is the revelation of “the book” that reached the nether (upper) heaven. The second is the revelation of “The Qur’an” to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in separate verses. Thus the book was first revealed as a whole to the nether heaven in the same order of verses we have in hand now. Afterwards, from the nether heaven, the Qur’an, in separate verses, was revealed unto Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). One more thing should be known: there is a difference between the order in which the Qur’anic verses were revealed and the order of “the book” now. Here we should know who exactly gathered “the book”.
“Stir not thy tongue herewith to hasten it, upon us resteth the putting together thereof and reading thereof and when we read it, follow thou the reading” (Surat Al- Qiyama: 17-19).
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was hastening to memorize verses of The Qur’an at the same moment it was revealed by angel Jibril (AS) (Gabriel). Accordingly, Allah (SWT) revealed this verse, by which we can understand that it is Allah (SWT) who gathered The Qur’an.
Hence, Qur’an verses were gathered by Allah (SWT) at the moment. His will, (SWT), was set to grant this nation a Holy book. However, many Muslims fall into the common error of believing that the gathering of The Qur’an was by Othman and Abu- Bakr. It is not true, because they did not gather The Qur’an. They merely write it according to what had been gathered before by Allah (SWT), for no human could ever gather The Qur’an.
Scholars of Qur’anic sciences unanimously agreed that “the book” is what had been written in the “preserved tablet”. Hence, when Allah (SWT)’s will was set to grant this nation a Holy Book, he revealed the book in the same order of verses as we know nowadays. Then, separately, verses were revealed unto Prophet Muhammad PBUH. “That this is indeed a noble Qur’an, in a book kept hidden” (Surat Al- Waqi’aa: 77-78). “The book kept hidden” is the synonym of the “preserved tablet.”
“Which none touches save the pure” (Surat Al- Waqi’aa: 79). Another common misunderstanding becomes evident when interpreting this verse: most say that he who has not performed ablution is not permitted to touch The Qur’an. Although if we were to know the meaning of the word “pure”, we would know that the angels are those whom the verse mentions; those who were guarding Jibril (AS).
Moreover, “pure” is not the same as “purified”. Humans who perform ablution to remove dirt become “purified”. As for “pure”, it was meant to be angels, for Allah (SWT) had created them pure by nature. Hence, the last verse does not talk about us, humans, but about angels. If it were to talk about humans, it would have been “none toucheth save the purified”.
The “Preserved tablet” is that on which Allah (SWT) wrote everything that would happen in the world, from the pen that was created and ordered to write. That event was even before the creation of the Heavens and earth. (Review the last episode, about the people of Yemen).
Essence of Demise before Death:
Let us review the verses we discussed last episode, which talk about death in The Holy Qur’an, like: “and the agony of death cometh in truth” (Surat Qaaf: 19), “why, then when the soul cometh up to the throat of the dying” (Surat Al- Waqi’aa:83). These verses explain the mechanism of death and how it takes place. Allah (SWT) miraculously tells people about how the spirit leaves the body. The evidence that he did so appears is another verse: “I made them not to witness the creation of the heavens and the earth, nor their own creation” (Surat Al- Kahf: 51).
He also said: “and breathed into him my spirit” (Surat Saad: 72). We said that the spirit that is breathed in by Allah (SWT) is the basis of life.
“Why, then when the soul cometh up to the throat of the dying, and ye are at that moment looking, and we are nearer unto him than ye are, but ye see not, why then if you are not in bondage unto Us, do ye not force it back, if ye are truthful?” (Surat Al- Waqi’aa: 83-87).
I would like to direct this verse to disbelievers, and then ask them: does anyone have the capability of restoring the spirit after it leaves body? Surely not. We said before that this spirit, which was blown into body, is the last thing to enter the body, and thus it is the first thing that leaves it. (Review the last episode for details). The mechanism of life is the reverse of death. Allah (SWT) says: “Why, then when the soul cometh up to the throat of the dying” and “nay, but when the life cometh up to the throat” (Surat al- Qiyama: 26). Both verses should be well analysed to recognize Allah’s unique abilities in human creation. For those who disbelieved in the most magnificent creator, here is the best challenge till the Day of Judgment. Look at yourselves, when you surround someone who is about to die. This is the peak of challenge: to restore life to a body after the spirit is completely leaving the body, and also when it is just reaching the throat. Those who disbelieve in Allah (SWT) should seize this horrifying moment, the moment of death, to return to Allah (SWT), and repent.
Allah (SWT) says that as long as we have reached this moment, so we have reached a stage of death. For we said before, that every death is surely a type of demise, however not every demise is an example of death.
For example, sleep is a kind of death.
As long as we have talked about demise, we should talk about the essence of demise (that is prior to death). This is based on the verses in Surat Al- Qiyama when Allah (SWT) describes how death does take place, attributing the reception of the spirit to Him (SWT), the angel of death and the angels in charge of pulling the spirit out of the body, “nay, but when the life cometh up to the throat, and men say: where is the wizard who can save him now?” (Surat al- Qiyama: 26-27).
We said that “wizard” might have two meanings. Firstly, it may be the family of the dying person, who are asking for the help of anybody to charm and cure the dying. The other meaning is that the angel of death is the one who has the say. He is asking: who would dare to ascend this spirit to heavens, because when an evil spirit leaves its body, the angels argue about who will ascend a spirit with such a stinking smell to the heavens (in Arabic, using the passive voice broadens the meaning). However, if it is a good spirit, the angels hasten to ascend it. “And every soul cometh along with it a driver and a witness” (Surat Qaaf: 21).
Maybe someone would ask: what are “driver” and “witness”?
Either it means angels, or organs of the body that witness against the person and his doings. If we thought carefully about this verse, none of us would stop praying, fasting or giving alms, because no matter the quality of our belief in Islam, what really matters is our good doings. As soon as you are in your grave, nothing will accompany you save your deeds. This becomes clear when we listen to Allah (SWT) saying: “And every soul cometh along with it a driver and a witness, and unto the evil doer it is said, thou waste in heedless of this, now we have removed from they covering, and piercing is thy sight this day” (Surat Qaaf: 21-22).
“And he knoweth that it’s the parting” (Surat al- Qiyama: 28). We said that perception has four stages; knowledge, supposition, doubt and illusion (Review the previous episode). Then we said that knowledge is the recognition of certainty, which is an attribute only of Allah (SWT); no human could ever reach the level of the Omniscient. As for supposition, it is the recognition of the probable. This is the nearest level to knowledge to which human can ever ascend, for at the presence of the Omniscient, no human can ever say “I know”. “Surely I knew that I should have to meet my reckoning” (Surat Al- Haqqah: 20).
Moreover, a real believer should believe in The Day of Judgment from the very beginning, instead of waiting until he reaches knowledge; for he will never reach the complete knowledge. “And he knoweth that it’s the parting” (Surat al- Qiyama: 28), “my Lord, send me back that I may do right in that which I have left behind” (Al- Mo’minoon: 99-100). He said so after he became assured that it was too late.
The pulling out of the spirit:
There is a difference between death and demise. The latter is a kind of death. Allah (SWT) mentioned demise in three stages, never contradicted. The first stage is that in which Allah (SWT) himself receives the spirit. The second is attributed to the angel of death, and the last is attributed to other angels.
There are two meanings of demise, either death or the case in which temporarily, the spirit separates from the body while sleeping. “Allah receives men’s souls at the time of their death, and that soul which dies not yet in its sleep, he keeps that soul for which he hath ordained death and dismisses the rest till an appointed term” (Surat Az-Zumar: 42). Here, death is the main issue, and the rest are just stages. Allah (SWT) either receives the spirit while it is asleep, or after death.
In this verse, we notice that the spirit was mentioned as a “soul” because the verse combines between the two kinds of death. Firstly, the verse talks about sleep, during which a temporal separation takes place. Secondly, that which happens after the angel of death and other angels fulfil their job.
“He keeps that soul for which he hath ordained death”. This is a permanent death. It takes place after demise. “Dismisses the rest” this refers to the temporal separation that takes place during sleep.
“He it is who gathers you at night and knew that which you commit by day” (Surat Al- An’aam: 60). This verse asserts that temporal separations do happen during sleep, as he said: “and knew that which you commit by day”, which precedes sleep.
During sleep one of two things happens. Either Allah receives spirit at its time of death, or He dismisses the spirit whose appointed time of death has not yet come.
“Say: the angel of death, who hath charge concerning you, will gather you” (Surat Al- Sajda: 11), this verse refers to the role of the angel of death, who gathers the spirit from the body, and finally, Allah (SWT) who receives it.
“Until when death cometh unto one of you, our messengers receives him, and they neglect not” (Surat Al- An’aam: 61), this verse refers to the role of the angels when the spirit leaves the body.
If these events are reversed, then we will understand the essence of demise, along with its stages. When spirit was breathed into the body, it became alive. But how does the spirit come out of the body?
When a person dies while sleeping or dies suddenly, his spirit leaves his body with angels in charge, after which Allah (SWT) receives it. Demise is prior to death and these are the stages of the spirit leaving the body: when the spirit is to leave the body temporarily, we call it demise. Allah (SWT) receives the spirit when it leaves the body permanently. “Allah receiveth men’s souls “he did not say “spirit” as demise could be followed either by death or waking up. The spirit is the basis of the body’s life, without it there can be no life. If the spirit were to leave a body, we would call it a dead body.
This is called demise because it is prior to death. Whenever angel of death or angels are mentioned, so, it’s related to demise. As for death, there comes the verse: “Allah receiveth men’s souls”. As soon as the spirit leaves the body, it becomes a corpse, and that is what we call death. But when the spirit leaves the body during asleep, it is only demise: it is followed either by death or waking up.
When the moment of death comes, life continues until the angels come and pull the spirit out of the body, then Allah (SWT) receives it. At that point only do we call it death.
The difference between “sleep” and “death”:
Does the angel of death gather the spirit of a sleeping person?
Demise was only mentioned in relevance to Allah (SWT). As for death, it was mentioned in relevance to the angel of death and other angels. “The angel of death, who hath charge concerning you, will gather you”, “Until when death cometh unto one of you, our messengers receives him, and they neglect not”. It refers to demise that is followed by death. As for “Allah receiveth men’s souls” refers to two kinds of demise, one that is followed by waking up, “dismisseth the rest” and the other, which is followed by death. “He keepeth that soul for which he hath ordained death and dismisseth the rest till an appointed term.” This is a permanent leave, so firstly the spirit is taken away by angels, and then it is received by Allah (SWT).
“But ye see not, why then if you are not in bondage unto Us, do ye not force it back, if ye are truthful?” And “Why, then when the soul cometh up to the throat of the dying, and ye are at that moment looking, and we are nearer unto him than ye are, but ye see not, why then if you are not in,
What is the meaning of “the moment”?
It is truly amazement, as this verse has something in common with another one: “and we are nearer to him than his jugular vein” (Surat Qaaf: 16), also, “and we are nearer unto him then ye are” (Surat Al- Waqi’aa: 85).
What is the “jugular vein”?
This vein is a blood vessel that runs along the side of the neck. Should it be cut, a person immediately dies. So what is the difference between death and killing?
Death is the spirit leaving the body after the moment of passing away has come. As for killing, it is the destruction of the body, in which the spirit is contained. Hence, the body becomes unable to contain the spirit anymore. Afterwards, the spirit leaves the body
Cutting the vein is the closest action to death, because if it is cut, death surely takes place. Accordingly, the spirit leaves the body in the same way at the process of hanging or strangulation. Allah (SWT) is closer to us than our spirit. As long as spirit is our basis of life, and Allah (SWT) is closer to us than spirit, then he is the All- controller of the spirit. Nobody has ever escaped from death.
“But ye see not, why then if you are not in bondage unto Us, do ye not force it back, if ye are truthful?”
When a patient recovers, he should not think that it was due to the doctor. The doctor is no more than a means of recovery and staying alive. Had it not been for Allah (SWT), nobody would have ever recovered. Even if we did not seek the help of a doctor, it would still be destined too.
If the moment of death is not yet to come, the patient will never die. That is how we should understand what Allah (SWT) said: “But ye see not, why then if you are not in bondage unto Us, do ye not force it back, if ye are truthful?”
Which is followed by those “ifs”: “thus if he is of those brought nigh, then breath of life, and plenty and garden of delight and if he is of those on the right hand, then the greeting ‘peace be unto thee’ from those on the right hand, but if he is of the rejecters, the erring” (Surat Al- Waqi’aa: 88-92). And “nay, but when the life cometh up to the throat, and men say: where is the wizard who can save him now?” (Surat al- Qiyama: 26-27), followed by “for he neither trusted, nor prayed” (Surat Al- Qiyama: 31).
“Nay, but when the life cometh up to the throat, and men say: where is the wizard who can save him now?” (Surat al- Qiyama: 26-27).
This is the issue of our next episode God welling.
(Aired on 21st March, 2004)