Never Plead Ignorance
of the Fact that Death is Inevitable

Death is an unavoidable end. Like all the other people who lived in the past, the ones who will live in the future will also die. Nobody, without exception, can escape it. That is why this is one of the issues human beings avoid thinking and talking about. Some people insistently avoid the thought that one day they will lose everything to which they are attached with desire, and they will stand before Allah to give an account of the deeds they did in this life.

Since, so far, not a single soul has escaped death, how can these people behave so heedlessly? How can they lead their lives as if they will never face death one day?

People often invent scenarios in their minds. They want to believe, for instance, that they will die in the later years of their lives and that hence they still have years ahead. Contrary to what they believe however, they hear almost everyday news of young people who lose their lives. Hearses which they see on television, or which they come across on the streets or cemeteries they pass by every day remind them of death. Yet, they pretend not to understand the fact of death.

However, death is always on the watch for man. It is possible that anyone could breathe his last in the blink of an eye. Any time, he may face angels assigned to take his soul. From then on, he loses all his chances to save himself from an everlasting grievous punishment. Nothing surely compensates for a life spent in heedlessness.

Never abandon yourself to this heedlessness, which seizes many people, and never plead ignorance of the fact that death is but a momentary transition and that it is very close to every soul.

People assume they can take precautions against death. This is however a senseless conviction. No matter where the person is, by whom he is surrounded, or under which circumstances he leads his life, it is unlikely that he could avoid death. Allah draws our attention to this fact in the following verses:

Say: "Death from which you are fleeing, will certainly catch up with you. Then you will be returned to the Knower of the Unseen and the Visible and He will inform you about what you did." (Surat al-Jumu'ah: 8)

Whereever you are, death will catch up with you, even if you are in impregnable fortresses. If a good thing happens to them, they say, "This has come from Allah." But if a bad thing happens to them, they say, "This has come from you." Say, "Everything has come from Allah." What is the matter with these people that they scarcely understand a single word? (Surat an-Nisa: 78)

Every self will taste death. We test you with both good and evil as a trial. And you will be returned to Us. (Surat al-Anbiya: 35)

Everyday we hear of the death of someone or we lose one of our close relatives. These incidents are surely OBVIOUS evidence that no one can avoid death. Whether young or old, well-off or poor, every one faces death on a predestined day. This makes one realise that one should not attach to this world and prepare for the life after death.

Never plead ignorance of the fact that a person merely deceives himself by assuming that death is far from him. And being aware of this fact, spend your life in earning the good pleasure of Allah.

In the course of his life, a person frequently comes upon such scenes in papers and on the TV. He, however, never thinks that one day his body will be placed in that coffin by his relatives, and carried to the graveyard. Never forget that one day they will also carry your coffin just the same way. You will stay for a short time in this world and be returned to our Lord.

Avoiding the thought of death does not change the fact that one will die one day. A sudden traffic accident or a clot on the brain may well be the unexpected end of a young and healthy person. Nobody can claim that he will not die falling down steps or on the way to a business meeting ing. This being the case, it is also irrational that one thinks one can avoid death by not giving a thought to it. Nobody knows where or under which circumstances he will die. Allah may take back the soul of any one at any moment.

In the rush of daily hassles, everyday you wake to a new day. That there are a lot of things to accomplish probably makes you feel that it is too early to die. However, this is just avoidance of death and these are only vain endeavours to escape it. Death is a reality you may meet any time, and time flies in the countdown to one's own death.

Never plead ignorance of this OBVIOUS fact, and do not be seized by death in a state of heedlessness.

Disbelievers often carry strange convictions about death. This fact is stressed in the Qur'an as follows:

Persisting in immense wrongdoing and saying, "When we are dead and turned to dust and bones, shall we then be raised again or our forefathers, the earlier peoples?" Say: "The earlier and the later peoples will certainly all be gathered to the appointment of a specified day. (Surat al-Waqi'ah: 46-50)

As stated in the verses above, death is not the beginning of an eternal sleep in one's grave. Death is the gate through which one passes to one's eternal abode after giving an account of one's deeds in this world. Death, which is merely the moment one leaves the body and all attachments to this life, is by no means the end of everything. On the contrary, it is the beginning of real life.

Man's possessions in this world do no good to him when he turns to a heap of bones in his grave.

Allah, in the Qur'an, which guides humanity to the true path, repeatedly reminds us of the temporary nature of this world, of death, the existence of the life beyond and the need to prepare for it, summoning us to clarity of mind and consciousness. Likewise, all the messengers of Allah invited their peoples to the religion of truth, and only demanded of them that they reorient their hearts and their deeds for the sake of Allah. The moment of death is the beginning of a day when the deeds of all people will be reckoned. So, never plead ignorance of the fact that death is the key to the gate of the eternal abode. Spend your life without forgetting the fact of death. Such a thought surely leads man to the right-acting way of life that will save one from eternal punishment.

All possessions one endeavours to attain in this life – money, respect and power – are only values of this world. Despite knowing that all these values will one day slip out of their hands, some people cannot help but develop deep attachment to these values. Though it is obvious that one day they will, in every case, leave these possessions in this world, they still pretend not to understand this and they endeavour to forget the fact of death.

In such a state of spirit, some people develop an ambitious attachment to this life. Throughout history, all fir'awns and some of the prominent people in different societies assumed that their possessions would make them immune to death. Furthermore, some famous queens were buried along with innumerable treasures, but that did not save their bodies from being reduced to skeletons.

However, a person who ponders on death will realise the futility of devotion to this life and start to live for his true abode, the hereafter. Never plead ignorance of the fact that the possessions of this life will remain behind in this world. Avoid the deep regret people will feel in the hereafter.

Think about a man who does not ponder on death all through his life, who does not take heed from the events Allah makes him experience, who does not respond to the call of Allah's messengers and accordingly who spends his life without believing Allah. A person who follows his vain desires will surely be seized abruptly by death. Regretful, he will demand another chance to return to life. However, there will be no return.

Never plead ignorance of the fact that those who avoid the thought of death will face a fearsome end. So, before that day, rearrange all your deeds, keeping in mind that nobody guarantees you eternal life on this earth, for it is a day on which no regret will save one from eternal grief.

Give from what We have provided for you before death comes to one of you and he says, "My Lord, if only you would give me a little more time so that I can give in charity and be among the righteous!" Allah will not give anyone more time, once their time has come. Allah is aware of what you do. (Surat al-Munafiqun: 10-11)

When death comes to one of them, he says: "My Lord, send me back again, so that perhaps I may act rightly regarding the things I failed to do!" No indeed! It is just words he utters. Before them there is an interspace until the day they are raised up. (Surat al-Muminun: 99-100)

There is no repentance for people who persist in doing evil until death comes to them and who then say, "Now I repent," nor for people who die rejecting faith. We have prepared for them a painful punishment. (Surat an-Nisa: 18)