Features
Topic: Islam and death
In the name of Allah, the most gracious, the most merciful. (Part 1)
All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of all that exists. Peace and blessings be upon the final Messenger, Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, his family, his companions, and all who follow them until the Last Day.
Death is among the most certain and universal truths of existence. It is not an accident, nor an end to life, but part of the divine plan. Allah reminds us:
“Every soul will taste death. And you will only be given your full compensation on the Day of Resurrection. So he who is drawn away from the Fire and admitted to Paradise has attained [his desire].” (Qur’an, 3:185).
The nature and purpose of death in Islam
Islam describes death as a divinely ordained transition, not the annihilation of the human soul. It marks the completion of our temporary assignment on earth and the commencement of our eternal existence in the Hereafter. It is a passage from the realm of worldly trials (dār al-ibtilā’) to the realm of recompense (dār al-jazā’).
Death is decreed by Allah
Life and death are both in the exclusive control of Allah, they are not random events.
“It is He who gives life and causes death; and to Him you will be returned.”(Qur’an, 10:56)
“No soul can ever die except by Allah’s permission, at a destined time.”(Qur’an, 3:145)
“Every soul will taste death, and we test you with evil and with good as trial; and to us you will be returned.” (Qur’an, 21:35)
From the Islamic perspective, death is not determined by chance, disease, or accidents — these are merely the apparent causes. The real cause is Allah’s decree (Qadr), and it comes at the exact moment written for every soul before creation.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Know that if the whole nation were to gather to benefit you with something, they would not benefit you except with what Allah had already decreed for you. And if they were to harm you with something, they would not harm you except with what Allah had already decreed against you.” (Tirmidhi)
Death as a means of accountability
Death signals the end of the test of life and the beginning of judgment.
“He who created death and life to test you as to which of you is best in deed — and He is the Exalted in Might, the Forgiving.” (Qur’an, 67:2)
The purpose of this test is not to determine who lives the longest, but who lives the most righteous and God-conscious life. Every moment after birth is an opportunity to write our record of deeds — and death seals it permanently.
The Prophet ﷺ said: “The one whose last deeds were good will enter Paradise.” (Ahmad)
This is why scholars such as Imam al-Ghazali stressed that we must live every day as though it could be our last, ensuring our hearts are in a state of faith (īmān) and our hands in righteous action (ʿamal ṣāliḥ).
Death as a Reminder of Life’s Shortness
One of the profound wisdoms of death is that it constantly reminds the believer of the temporary nature of this world and the certainty of the Hereafter.
“And the worldly life is not but amusement and diversion; but the home of the Hereafter is best for those who fear Allah, will you not reason?” (Qur’an, 6:32)
“Wherever you may be, death will overtake you, even if you should be within towers of lofty construction.” (Qur’an, 4:78)
The Prophet ﷺ said: “Remember often the destroyer of pleasures — death.” (Tirmidhi)
By remembering death, the believer remains humble, detached from excessive love of worldly possessions, and motivated toward deeds that will matter in the eternal life.
Ibn Umar رضي الله عنه said:
“When you survive till the evening, do not expect to be alive till the morning, and when you survive till the morning, do not expect to be alive till the evening. Take advantage of your health before your sickness, and your life before your death.”
(Bukhari)
Death as a Mercy for the Believer
While death is often feared, Islam also teaches that for the faithful, it is a mercy — an end to worldly hardship and the beginning of eternal peace.
The Prophet Mohammed s.a.w. said: “The gift to a believer is death.” (Ahmad)
This is because it delivers the soul from trials and transports it to the mercy of Allah, provided it lived in obedience.
Summary of Lessons from death:
- Humility — we are powerless before Allah’s decree.
- Accountability — every moment is part of our test.
- Urgency — time is a non-renewable resource.
- Perspective — worldly life is a brief stop on the eternal journey.
How Muslims should prepare for death and face loss
In Islam, preparing for death is both an inner journey of purification and a practical readiness for the inevitable. It is not about living in fear, but about living with awareness, purpose, and readiness to meet Allah. The Prophet ﷺ encouraged his companions to remember death frequently because it softens the heart, detaches one from worldly greed, and inspires righteous living.
Spiritual preparation
Preparation for death begins in the heart. A believer must constantly strive to purify their soul and strengthen their relationship with Allah.
Repentance (Tawbah)
Allah commands: “And turn to Allah in repentance, all of you, O believers that you might succeed.”(Qur’an, 24:31).
True repentance means leaving sins, feeling remorse, and making a sincere intention never to return to them. The Prophet said: “Allah accepts the repentance of His servant until the throes of death begin.”(Tirmidhi).
Righteous deeds
Good deeds done with sincerity are the best investment for the Hereafter.
The Prophet Mohammed s.a.w. said: “The most intelligent among you is the one who remembers death often and prepares for it well.” (Ibn Majah).
Every act of worship such as prayer, charity, fasting, helping others — is a provision for the eternal journey.
Living as a traveller
The believer should not attach themselves permanently to this world. The Prophet ﷺ advised:
“Be in this world as if you were a stranger or a traveler.”(Bukhari).
A traveller only carries what is necessary, and a Muslim should live similarly — taking from this world only what is needed for the journey to Allah.
By Imam Alhaji Saeed Abdulai, the Author
THE typical itinerant salesman in Sikaman is a herbalist. He is normally a slim macho with the capacity to perambulate the expanse of area covering the triangle of Accra-Tema-Ashiaman. In short, he can walk a total of 60 miles a day, marketing a product that cures every disease, including poverty. 
The door-to-door herbal pharmacist advertises his product by word of mouth. He has nothing to do with the Food and Drugs Board (FDB). After all, his concoctions do not feature on FM stations.
Those herbalists who cannot walk to propagate the herbal gospel, liaise with drivers of mass transportation and their mates. They are, therefore, given the chance to sell their products on Benz buses that ply the routes.
Normally, the herbalist starts his sales message with a prayer and Bible study. He asks the passengers to bow down their heads in supplication to God the father, the son, the Holy Spirit.
When a herbalist asks the passengers to close their eyes and bow their heads, Moslems on board naturally feel offended. They feel that the herbalist has no right to assume that every passenger is a Christian. They think such an assumption is an affront to Islam.
So a Moslem on board will raise the hand for a point of order. He’ll remind the herbalist that it would be in his own interest to mind his language.
“Be careful the way you address people in a public place. Not every person here is a Christian,” he’d state assertively.
Of course, the herbalist will promptly ignore him, but would all the same “watch” his tongue. Who knows whether or not the Moslem brother is inspired by Quoranic zeal to defend the tenets of Islam to the hilt?
When he starts saying, “Wallahi!” and “Inshallah!” it could be the beginning of proclaiming Islam as supreme, a point which must be driven home with talibanic precision.
So the herbalist must tread carefully lest he steps on fire.
The herbalist could even add a measure of mirth to it all, by announcing that Christians on board today have very interesting company on the journey, but that should not detract from the business of the day.
The Moslem brother will weigh the words carefully and offer a wry smile.
He must be careful the occasion does not degenerate into the use of semantics and proverbial oration to deride his conviction that public utterances must be mindful of religious sensibilities. He has made his point very clear and expects that it is taken in good faith in the interest of a peaceful journey.
The herbalist will now open the New Testament and preach salvation, stating clearly that salvation can come only through Jesus Christ and NOBODY else.
The Moslem brother will now start twitching his moustache. The visible and almost revolutionary reflexes of his upper lip can be an indication that sentiments have begun superseding reason, and the outcome could well be tragic now shift uneasily in his seat.
The time has come for him to also express his right to the religion of his fore-bears. He’ll put his hand into his pocket and rise to his feet. The time has indeed come!
This article was first published on Saturday, September 9, 2006
When the cause of a particular problem like sickness, disease, sudden illness, a social issue etc. are not known, it stands to reason that resolving it becomes a huge challenge.
Citizens would understand the government when public announcements are made to the effect that government is trying to find a solution to the issue, even though it is taking a while for it to be resolved because citizens are rational beings.
On the other hand, if the solution to a particular issue is known to everybody but the government for whatever reason, is dragging its feet in resolving it, citizens become frustrated and begin to lose trust in their leaders.
One such issue is the heavy traffic along a section of the Kasoa – Odokor road. A short stretch of bad road between the traffic light at the Weija Government Hospital and the entrance to the entrance of the overhead that leads to the N1, is the cause of the problem but nothing is being done about it, day after day, week after week, month after month. Thus is clearly unacceptable.
Another issue that requires urgent attention is the lack of pavements along a lot of streets in parts of the various Municipal Assemblies. Exercise is a prerequisite for long life and healthy living and for those of us who it has become a way of life, this issue of people putting up structures right to the edge of the drains beside the roads, are making life difficult for us.
We are compelled to walk along the roads, putting our lives at serious risk. Pedestrians should never be compelled to compete with vehicles on our streets and roads. Roads and streets are made for vehicles and pavements are made for pedestrians. That is the norm. Any attempt to normalise a situation where pedestrians are mingling with vehicles is insanity.
It is the road regulations that makes it so and therefore district or municipal assemblies are to take responsibility and ensure that spaces for pavements are not encroached upon. Citizens have rights that must be protected by their leaders and making pavements available to pedestrians, is one of them.
When we hear of teachers having sex with students, it appears it is something recent. It is not a new phenomenon. It has been there since Adam. Perhaps this issue is getting much attention due to the proliferation of social media. It was an open secret in times past when Teachers were in relationships with female students and some married them immediately after completion of school.
Some teachers were also known to be having unholy interactions with female pupils but due to the times that these acts occurred, human rights issues and the awareness around it, allowed such unscrupulous teachers to get away with their crimes.
Now we are in a different era and so a Headmaster is now in hot waters. He is alleged to have raped about 19 female students and as usual, some officials tried to cover it up and are also in hot waters and their actions or inactions in the matter are under investigation.
Why the man has been allowed to roam freely without being arrested is simply mind boggling. It appears that the law applies differently, depending on who you are. This issue came to public attention sometime in August this year, yet the police had not arrested or invited this man for question regarding the rape allegation.
It has come out that he is a Constituency Secretary of the ruling party and the question in the public domain is that, is it because he is a political figure that is why he is still walking around without questioning? I believe in the rule of law so let us hold our breadth and let the proper thing be done.
The police must however be seen to be active in this matter. God bless.
SKIP THE QUEUE, TAP THE NEWS
You can now read the Ghanaian Times and The Spectator newspapers from the comfort of your device via TimesNewsPlus.
Join our WhatsApp Channel: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbBElzjInlqHhl1aTU27
