What should be done for whom about to die

[ابوالوليد المسلم]

What should be done for whom about to die (1)

‘Abdullah bin Hamoud al-Furaih




What should be done for whom about to die

Is there an angel who is responsible for death?

Yes, death has an angel designated to take the soul from the body. His name is the Angel of Death. For you, O blessed one, there is an appointment with him which cannot be brought forward nor delayed. Allah Almight says:

{قُلْ يَتَوَفَّاكُمْ مَلَكُ الْمَوْتِ الَّذِي وُكِّلَ بِكُمْ }
“Say, "The angel of death will take you who has been entrusted with you. Then to your Lord you will be returned.".” [Al Sajda 11].
As for the name of "Azraeel" which people give to the angel of death, it is neither correct nor confirmed by the Prophet (peace be upon him). [1]

A benefit: As for causing death, it came in the Glorious Qur'an in three forms as follows:
Firstly: Adding death to the “Angel of Death” as mentioned in the previous Ayah, because he is the one who is responsible for taking out souls from bodies.


Secondly: Adding death to “Angels”, Allah Almighty said:

{حَتَّىَ إِذَا جَاء أَحَدَكُمُ الْمَوْتُ تَوَفَّتْهُ رُسُلُنَا وَهُمْ لاَ يُفَرِّطُونَ}
“Until, when death comes to one of you, Our messengers take him, and they do not fail [in their duties].” [Al Anaam: 61].
Here it was ascribed to “Angels”, because they are helpers to the Angel of Death.


Thirdly: Adding death to Allah Almighty as He says:
{اللَّهُ يَتَوَفَّى الْأَنفُسَ حِينَ مَوْتِهَا}
“Allah takes the souls at the time of their death” [Al Zumar: 42].
Death is added to Allah because it takes place by His Command.


[1] Look at: Al Mumti’ (5/245)

[ابوالوليد المسلم]

What should be done for whom about to die (2)

‘Abdullah bin Hamoud al-Furaih




It is a Sunnah to dictate the dying the testification of faith: "La Ilaha Illalah(There is no God except Allah)"

The proof to that is:

A. The Hadith of Abu Sa`id (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Exhort to recite" There is no god but Allah" to those of you who are dying.”[1] It also came in Muslim from the Hadith of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him).[2]


B. The Hadith of Muath ibn Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “If anyone's last words are "There is no god but Allah" he will enter Paradise.”[3]
Al Qurtubi (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “Regarding the Prophet's command with dictating the dead the testification faith, it is a proof that people must attend the death agony of the dying to remind him of monotheism and closing his eyes, as it is one of the rights of Muslims over one another.”[4]


It is funny to mention that when death came to Abu Zar`ah, the great scholar of Hadith, his students wanted to dictate him the phrase of monotheism "La Ilaha Illalah," they were shy because he was a great scholar. They wanted to remind him of the chain of narration, and he knows his narrations, then he fainted. They stumbled and differed about a narrator whether he was Shuba or Al Aghmash Sulayman ibn Mahran. He woke up and heard their dispute about the chain of narrators so he said: The Hadith was reported by so and so from so and so from so and so on the authority of Abu Hurayrah who said: the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Exhort to recite" There is no god but Allah" to those of you who are dying.”[5] So and so narrated from so and so of Mu`adh about the Prophet (peace be upon him) who said: “If the last words of a person are "There is no god but Allah" he will enter Paradise.”[6] Then he died and this is among the signs of a good ending –we ask Allah for His Bounty.


Should a person command the dying to repeat “La Ilaha Illalah”?

The correct view is: This differs according to the condition of the dying.
• If he is a disbeliever, then he is commanded with it by saying: “Say La Ilaha Illalah.”
The proof to that is the Hadith of Al Musayyab ibn Hazn (may Allah be pleased with him) that when death came to Abu Talib, the uncle of the Prophet (peace be upon him), the Prophet commanded him by saying: “O uncle! Say La Ilaha Illalah.”[7] If he had said it, he would have hecome one of the winners; otherwise he shall be a ge However, if he did not, he is a disbeliever in principle.
• If he is a believer with strong faith and can handle what he is commanded to do, then he is commanded to say: “La Ilaha Illalah.”
The proof to that is the Hadith of Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) visited a man from the Ansar (and in a narration, from Banu-Najjar), so he said: “O uncle! Say La Ilaha Illalah.”[8]
The reason for the Prophet's saying to him “O uncle” is that the man was from Banu-Najjar and Banu-Najjar are the maternal uncles of `Abdul-Muttalib, the grandfather of the Prophet (peace be upon him).


• If he is a believer with a weak faith and cannot handle the issue, he is not commanded with it but should be reminded of the testification of faith so that he can hear and remember it.
The reason is: He needs leniency and kind treatment in such situation, so he may get bored or speak badly when someone commands him. So, it is better to show leniency to him and spreak gently with him so as to come out of this world in the best condition.

[1] Narrated by Muslim number (916)

[2] Narrated by Muslim number (917)

[3] Narrated Abu Dawud number (3116) and Al Hakim authenticated it (1/503) and Adh-Dhahaby agreed with him

[4] Look at: Al Mufham (2/570)

[5] Narrated by Muslim number (916)

[6] Narrated Abu Dawud number (3116) and Al Hakim authenticated it (1/503) and Adh-Dhahaby agreed with him

[7] Narrated by Al Bukhari number (1360). Narrated by Muslim number (24).

[8] Narrated by Ahmad number (12543) and An-Nasa'y said: it is correct on the condition of Muslim

[ابوالوليد المسلم]

What should be done for whom about to die (3)

‘Abdullah bin Hamoud al-Furaih


Should the testification of faith be repeated to him?

The correct opinion is that it should not be repeated to him but should be said only once, except if he does not respond because when the Prophet (peace be upon him) dictated the testifaction of monotheism to his uncle, it was reported in the wordings of the Hadith: “The Prophet (peace be upon him) repeated it over and over to him.”[1]


There is no doubt that the condition of a believer differs from that of a disbeliever. He was the uncle of the Prophet (peace be upon him) as reported in the previous Hadith, but repeating it to him would make him leave disbelieve to faith which is the main objective. If he does not respond, scholars deem it to be desirable to repeat it as the Prophet (peace be upon him) di so: “(If he) asked permission to enter, he would knock the door thrice with greeting and whenever he spoke a sentence he used to repeat it thrice.”[2]


It is desirable for the person who repeats the testification of faith to say it gently as gentleness is confirmed in this position. We ask Allah Almighty to make “La Ilaha Illalah” our last words.


Is it part of the Sunnah to read Surat Yasin at the dying person?

Those who hold the view of it is part of the Sunnah to recite Surat Yasin with the Hadith of Mi`qal ibn Yasar (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Recite Surat Yaseen over your dying people..”[3]


However, it is a weak Hadith because Abu Othman and his father whose uprightness is unknown, moreover Abu Al Qatan graded it as weak because of a discrepancy in its chain of narrators.[4]


The Hafizh ibn Hajar Al `Asqaly (may Allah be pleased with him) reported the saying of Ibn Al `Arabi on Al Daraqutny as he said: “This Hadith is weak in its chain of narrators, unknown strength and it is not correct in the Hadith.” [5]


Based on the above, it is not a Sunnah to read Surat Yasin over the one for whom death has come.
Is it part of the Sunnah to direct the dying person towards the Qiblah?

Those, who hold the view of it is a Sunnah to recite Surat Yasin, took the Hadith of `Umayr ibn Qatadah as a proof in which the Prophet (peace be upon him) said about the Sacred House: “(This is) your Qiblah, in your life and after death.”[6] There is the Hadith of Ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) raising (the issue): “The nobelest assemblies are those which are held toward the Qiblah..”[7] Both Hadiths are weak. Our Sheikh Ibn Othaimeen (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “Both Hadiths are weak.” [8]


Ibn Hazm (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “No narration came about facing the Qiblah.” [9]
Al Albany (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “Turning the one for whom death has come to face the Qiblah has been disliked by Sa`id ibn Al Musayyab, as in Al Muhalla (5/174) and Malik as in Al Madkhal (3/229-230).”


[1] Narrated by Al Bukhari number (1360). Narrated by Muslim number (24)

[2] Narrated by Al Bukhari number (94)

[3] Narrated by Ahmad number (20301). Narrated by Abu Dawud number (3121). Narrated by Ibn Majah number (1522)

[4] Look at: Bayan Al Waham wal Iham (5/49)

[5] Look at: At-Talkhees (2/110)

[6] Narrated by Abu Dawud number (2875)

[7] Narrated by At-Tabarany (Al Awsat) (1/255). Narrated by Al Hakim (4/300). Narrated by Al Bayhaqi (7/272)

[8] Look at: Ash-Sharh Al Mumti’ (5/251)

[9] Look at: Al Muhalla (5/174)