Death and Living
Being alive is an experience. This experience can be described in various ways. As a chaplain, I will speak about life as a collection of experiences and emotions. Eventually, our time will conclude on Earth. What then? How do we live a wholesome life? This past Ramadan left with the souls of people I know. May Allah have mercy on all of those we lost. The passing of Chaplain Sohaib Sultan still is in my heart. (see: Sohaib's Smile) I ask this: what is life without death? Nothing we go through is permanent. There is an undeniable temporality to it all. What then?
Humans are complicated creatures. In Arabic, the word for heart is qalb, something that is always turning over. The Arabs understood the heart to be something that always changes states. Remembrance of Allah becomes something that helps steady the heart. “…those who have faith and whose hearts find peace in the remembrance of God- truly it is in the remembrance of God that hearts find peace (13:28)” With that remembrance, we remember that only Allah is permanent. How often have good times ended? How often have bad times ended? Every one of you reading this can come up with a different list from the next person. Keeping death in mind reminds us of this reality. How then do we go live life? Yes, death is something to mourn. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ cried when his son died. At the same time, death happens for us to keep things in perspective. Allah asks in the Quran, “Do people think once they say, “We believe,” that they will be left without being put to the test? (Q. 29:2)” There will be curveballs thrown in life as shown by the verse. This is for those who believe. Part of the reason is to remind us not to become too connected with the worldly life. This is one of many examples of the Quran being that guide for us through life.
I am a chaplain. I would be remiss if I completely ignored the complexity of people. There are traumas that we all experience. It is those experiences that affect our relationship with Allah and how we practice Islam. I remember a few years ago when the “Unmosqued” documentary was released that chronicled people’s experiences in the mosque. There are people who were either appointed or are self-appointed caretakers of Allah’s space that dictated who can and cannot pray. There were instances where things became physical. This is entirely uncalled for. There are other incidents of imams and community leaders grooming and taking advantage of younger community members for their own personal gain. This is madness! It goes against everything that our Prophet Muhammad ﷺ stood for. Death is a reminder for those as well who think they can get away with their heinous act, a punishment is guaranteed. We ask Allah for forgiveness and guidance.
Death reminds us of the temporality of the created world. We were alive before all of this. God reminds us of this day: “And ˹remember˺ when your Lord brought forth from the loins of the children of Adam their descendants and had them testify regarding themselves. ˹Allah asked,˺ “Am I not your Lord?” They replied, “Yes, You are! We testify.” ˹He cautioned,˺ “Now you have no right to say on Judgment Day, ‘We were not aware of this.’ (7:172)” We will be alive in the grave after we die, experiencing the questioning and hopefully our place in heaven. We will also be alive during the Day of Judgment where we will all be taken to account for things said and done while alive on Earth.
So, what is death? What is being alive? In a world where we have become disconnected with the unseen, it can be difficult to come to grips with this inevitable experience. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ cried when his son passed. I cried when a maternal aunt and a cousin passed a few months ago. It is healthy to do so. Death is a test. Goodness and prosperity are promised. Sadness and loss are also promised. “Do people think once they say, “We believe,” that they will be left without being put to the test? (Q. 29:2)” Be ready for that test. Allah promised He will not give you anything you cannot handle. “God does not burden any soul with more than it can bear… (2:286)” Trust in that. Trust in Him. You will never fail. Death is not something that is doom and gloom or a depressing moment. Of course, there is a sadness that comes along with the passing of a loved one. Keep them in your heart. Always remember, life is temporary. Death is temporary. Heaven is eternal. May Allah bless us with heaven.
Thank you for reminding us that death is as important as live. I like when you said "death is temporary" I never thought that way.