EnterParadise for what you did."(Surat an-Nahl: 32)
Death in a Virtuous State
Up to this point, we have seen that sincere believerslive a good life
in this world, are not overcome with fear or pessimism, and have a
healthy and comfortable spiritual life. Since those who believe seek
Allah's pleasure, we learn from the Qur'an thatthey have won His
special assistance, support, and protection; their misdeedswill be
removed from them and that they will be rewarded according to the best
of what they did;and they will not be wronged. Since they"purchase"
the next life inexchange for this life, theyhave made what the Qur'an
calls a "good bargain." Allah is pleased with them, and they are
pleased with Him.
But what will happen to them at the end of their lives? Where and when
will Allah meet them at the hour He has appointed for their
death?Neither believers nor unbelievers know where and when they will
die. This fact is explained in Surah Luqman in these words:
Truly Allah has knowledgeof the Hour, sends down abundant rain, and
knowswhat is in the womb. And no self knows what it will earn
tomorrow, and no self knows in what land it will die. Allah is
All-Knowing, All-Aware. (Surah Luqman, 34)
Together with this, the Qur'an informs us how death will come to
believers, how their souls will be taken, and what will happen at the
moment of death. As far as we know, believers experience death as a
very gentle passage, like amomentary change in dimension. Just like
the person whom Allah causes to be "as dead during his sleep" (Surat
az-Zumar, 42) and wakes up the next morning to a new day, when
believers die, they will be taken outof the worldly dimension and pass
to the next dimension (Certainly Allahknows the truth.)
Allah announced this gentle and easy passage in Surat an-Nazi'at, 2,
where He points to the appointed angels and says "those who draw
outgently."
Another verse tells about the angels' conversation when they come to
take abeliever's soul:
Those the angels take in avirtuous state. They say:"Peace be upon you!
EnterParadise for what you did." (Surat an-Nahl, 32)
The following verse describes a believer's death:
The greatest terror will not upset them, and the angels will welcome
them: "This is your Day, the one that you were promised." (Surat
an-Anbiya', 103)
Clearly, believers who have led a good life in thisworld will have a
beautiful and easy death, and their life in the next world will begin
when they are met by angels. From that moment on, all of their
relations with thisworld will cease, and theywill be sent to an
appointed place where they will come before Allah's Presence. As it
was from the beginning, so it continues: comfort and ease await all
believers.
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