Even the Angel of Death Will Die
The Day Will Come When Even the Angel of Death Will Taste Death
My dear friends, a time will come when even the Angel of Death will face death.
Hazrat Muhammad bin Ka‘b Al-Qurazi (RA) said that the Angel of Death will be among the last of Allah’s creation to die.
Allah Almighty will command him: “O Angel of Death, die.”
It is said that after receiving this command, he will let out such a cry that if the inhabitants of the heavens and the earth were to hear it, they would be overcome with fear. Thereafter, death will come upon him. Hazrat Ziyad An-Namiri (RA) stated that the difficulty of death for the Angel of Death will be greater than for the rest of creation.
Human beings remain occupied with earning wealth and building their worldly lives, yet they often forget death completely.
Businessmen carefully maintain their accounts. They pay what they owe on time and collect what is due to them without delay.
In a similar manner, the Angel of Death fulfills his duty precisely. A wealthy man may be concerned about his possessions and plans, but when the Angel of Death arrives, all that remains is the command to return the soul.
It is famously said that a wise person never acts without wisdom. Likewise, although death appears sorrowful, it contains many profound wisdoms.
First, through death, reward and punishment become meaningful. If there were no death, how would the righteous receive the reward for their worship, sacrifices, and struggles? How would oppressors and wrongdoers be held accountable for their deeds? Death opens the door to divine justice.
Second, if there were no death, life on earth would become impossible due to overcrowding. Humanity continues to grow generation after generation. Through death, one generation departs while another arrives, allowing life to continue in balance according to Allah’s wisdom.
Third, if the elders remained forever alive, the abilities and talents of younger generations would never emerge. History itself demonstrates this reality. Leadership, scholarship, and service to religion passed from one generation to the next, allowing countless individuals to contribute to the preservation and spread of faith.
A famous incident is narrated about Caliph Harun Al-Rashid and Bahlul.
One day, Harun Al-Rashid gave Bahlul a beautiful staff and said, “Give this staff to the greatest fool you can find.”
Bahlul took the staff and went home. Some time later, Harun Al-Rashid became seriously ill. Despite receiving treatment, his condition did not improve.
When Bahlul heard of his illness, he visited him and asked, “O King, whenever you travel to another place, do you first make arrangements for your destination?”
The Caliph replied, “Yes, I do.”
Bahlul then asked, “If you find something lacking there, do you make sure it is provided?”
The Caliph replied, “Yes.”
Bahlul continued, “You are now lying on your deathbed. Soon you will travel to your grave. Have you prepared for that destination?”
The Caliph answered, “No.”
Bahlul asked, “Have you ensured that nothing is lacking for that journey?”
Again, the Caliph replied, “No.”
Bahlul then handed him the staff and said, “O King, I have not found anyone more deserving of this staff than you, for you prepared for every journey except the most important one.”
A pious elder used to say:
“As much as you are going to live in this world, strive for it accordingly. And as much as you will remain in the Hereafter, prepare for it accordingly.”
Imam Al-Ghazali (RA) explained the everlasting nature of the Hereafter with a remarkable example.
Imagine that grains of sand filled a person's hand, then a bag, then spread across the entire earth until they reached the sky, filling the space between heaven and earth.
Now imagine a bird that eats only one grain every thousand years.
Eventually, after an unimaginable amount of time, every grain would be consumed.
Yet even after all those grains had disappeared, the life of the Hereafter would still not come to an end.
Therefore, O believer, value the opportunity of this worldly life. Use every moment to prepare for the eternal life that awaits you. A person whose heart remembers the Hereafter learns lessons even from the smallest events and finds reminders of Allah in everything around him.
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