Examples for good ends, Islamic Articles,-

All perfect praise is due to Allaah; I testify that there is none
worthyof worship except Allaah and that Muhammad is His Slave and
Messenger; as well as his family and all his companions.
Fear of an evil end had broken the hearts of our righteous Salaf
(predecessors) . Sufyaan Ath-Thawri cried one night until the morning,
and when he was asked whether he cried due to his fear of his sins, he
replied: "No, I am more scared of having an evil end"
Ibn Katheer, said: "People who are righteous inwardly and outwardly
and whose actions coincide with their words, Allaah willing, will not
have an evil way to end their lives; and never was this reported about
anyone before. It is only those who are evil inwardly and outwardly;
those who are daring and indulge in major great sins and who are
frequent in committing minor sins. This type of people, who are used
to this practice willcontinue to do so until they die without
repenting."
The Prophet said: "Verily, deeds are but by the way they end."
[Al-Bukhaari]. This is why our right predecessors feared their ends
because no one knows how he will end his life and in which state he
will depart.
For this reason, Huthayfah, was happy to die before the trialsabout
which the Prophet, , informed them and said: "All perfect praise be to
Allaah who has hastened my death before these trials".
One of the signs indicating that the person died whilst having a good
end is dying whilst performing a righteous deed. Anas, narrated that
he heard the Prophet saying: "Do not be impressed with someone's
actions (thinking they are righteous) until you see how his end is,
because one would be performing a (righteous) deed fora long period of
his life, and should he die upon such a deed he would enter Paradise,
but he switches to performing evil deeds (before his death). The slave
would be performing a (bad) deed for a long period of his life, and
should he die upon such a deed he would enter Hell, but he switches to
performing good deeds (before his death) and when Allaah Wills good
for a slave He uses him before his death" The companions asked: "O
messenger of Allaah! How does Allaah use him?" He, , responded: "He
enables him to perform a good deed, then ends his life upon it." ]
Ahmad [
Huthayfah, narrated that the Messenger of Allaah, said: "He who says;
'Laa ilaaha illallaah' (i.e., 'None is worthy of worship except
Allaah') seeking the pleasure of Allaah, and it being his final
statement, will enter Paradise; he who fasts sincerely, seeking the
pleasure of Allaah, and died whilst in this state, will enter
Paradise; he who spends in charity, sincerely seeking the pleasure of
Allaah, and it being the last thing he did before dieing, will enter
Paradise."
Jaabir, reported: "I heard the Prophet saying: "Every slave will be
resurrected in the state upon which he died" ] Muslim ]. Imaam
As-Suyooti said: "Thisnarration refers to the state of obedience or
disobedience" . Maalik Ibn Deenaar used to say: "If I can afford
(physically) not to ever sleep I would not sleep" he was asked about
the reason, to which he said: "I fear that the angel of death would
come to me whilst I am sleeping and I would like that he comes whilst
I am engaged in a righteous deed" .
An example highlighting one of the best ways to die is for a
disbeliever to embrace Islaam then immediately die. Anas reported: "A
young Jewish boy who was in the service of the Prophet fell ill. The
Prophet went to visit him. He sat down by his head and said to him:
"Embrace Islam." The little boy looked at his father who wassitting
beside him. He said: 'Obey Abul-Qaasim (i.e., the Messenger of Allaah
).' So he embraced Islam and the Prophet stepped out saying: "Praise
be to Allaah Who has saved him from Hell-fire." [Al-Bukhaari].
Allaah guided a man from the Philippines to the light of Islaam on
Wednesday in the city of Taa'if in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and he
was taught some of the merits of Islaam and on Thursdayhe started
reciting some chaptersof the Qur'aan and on Friday morning he passed
away, after only two days of him becoming a Muslim.
Uttering the testimonies of faith prior to death is a good deed
andanother example for one's good end. Mu'aath ibn Jabal, narrated
that the Prophet said: "He whose final words are: 'Laa Ilaaha
Illallaah' (i.e., 'None is worthy of worship except Allaah')will enter
Paradise." [Al-Haakim].
'Abdullaah Ibn 'Amr Ibn Al-'Aas, reported that when his father was on
his death bed he said: "O Allaah! You commanded me with many commands
and I fell short in many of them. O Allaah! You forbade me from many
matters, but I transgressed. O Allaah! Nonehas the right to be
worshipped but You" then he continued repeating this until he died .
Many of the Salaf died whilst praying, which is another example for a
good way to end life. 'Abdullaah Ibn Abi As-Sarh supplicated one night
after having performed Qiyaam saying: "O Allaah! Make my last deed in
this life the performance of Fajr prayer" Then he performed ablution
and prayed Fajr and died whilst concluding his prayer.
Abu Tha'labah used to say: "I hope that Allaah will not make me suffer
upon death like I see some people do" Then he started performing
Qiyaam and died whilst in the position of prostration. That night his
daughter saw in her dream that her father died, so she woke up
terrified and went to her mother asking about her father, so she told
her that he was praying Qiyaam. They went to check on him and found
him in the position of prostration and whenthey moved him he fell to
his side.
A young man prayed the Fajr prayer with the congregation andsat in the
mosque reciting the Qur'aan and waiting for the sun to rise so that he
may pray two Rak'ahs and he did not know thatit was the last hour of
his life, and died whilst in that state.
A fifty five year old lady was admitted into ER (the emergency room)
as a result of getting a heart attack which made her heart stop
beating completely. When the physicians were trying to make a heart
massage with special equipment a very astonishing thing happened,
which doctors had never seen before that day … the woman suddenly
opened her eyes and spoke calmly saying a few words… she did not
complain of any pain … she did not scream asking for their assistance
… she did not ask for her husband or children …she simply uttered the
two testimonies of faith … then the heart stopped again. She repeated
this three times … then she died … and her face illuminated. When her
husband was asked about the type of woman she was, he said: "I married
her more than thirty five years ago, and since then I have never seen
her abandon the Witr prayer (i.e. the odd-numbered Rak'ahs after the
optional night prayer) unless she was sick or during her monthly
period".
Dying whilst fasting is yet another example exemplifying a good end,
like in the case of Asmaa' Bint Abu Bakr and her son 'Urwah, .
Some people die whilst in the state of Ihraam which entitles theperson
to a great reward, as in the narration about the Companion who died as
a result of his animal kicking him whilst in the state of Ihraam (for
either Hajj or 'Umrah ), he said: "Wash him with water and lote-tree
(leaves), shroud him in his own garments and do not cover his head,
because he will beresurrected on the Day of Resurrection uttering the
Talbiyah.".
There are some people who die whilst reciting the Qur'aan, like inthe
case of 'Uthmaan Ibn 'Affaan¸ who was known to be a person who
continuously recited the Qur'aan day and night. He was martyred whilst
reciting the Qur'aan in his house. Once Ibn 'Abbaas, recited the
saying ofAllaah which means: "Is one who is devoutly obedient during
periods of the night, prostrating and standing [in prayer], fearing
the Hereafter and hoping for the mercy of his Lord, [like one who does
not]?" [Quran 39: 9] then he said: "I swear by Allaah! This applies to
'Uthmaan Ibn 'Affaan".
One of the best examples indicating a good end is being martyred.
Al-Miqdaam Ibn Ma'di Karib, narrated that the Prophet said: "A martyr
has six bounties: He will be forgiven with the first drop of his blood
that is spilt; He will see his place in Paradise (at the time of
death);He will be saved from the 'Great Horror' (on the Day of
Judgment):A Crown of Dignity will be placed on his head, which
contains many corundum, each one being more precious than this life
and all that it contains; He will have seventy two Women of Paradise;
And, he will be allowed to intercede for seventy of his familymembers
(who would have otherwise gone to hell)." [At-Tirmithi].
Shaddaad Ibn Al-Haad, narrated: "A Bedouin came to theProphet accepted
Islaam and said: 'I wish to migrate (to Madeenah)'. So the Prophet
asked some of his companions totake care of him. Then after a battle,
the Muslims had gained some booty so the Prophet divided it and gave
the Bedouin's share to some of his companions to look after, as the
Bedouin was still at the rearguard. When the Bedouin returned, they
gave him his share, so he asked them: 'What is this?' they replied:
'It is your share from the booty which the Prophet gave us to hold on
to for you.' So the Bedouin took the booty and went to the Prophet and
asked: 'What is this?' The Prophet replied: "Your share of the booty."
The Bedouin said: 'This is not why I believe in you and follow you;
rather, I follow you so that I can get shot by an arrow right here,
(and then he pointed to his throat) then die and enter Paradise.' The
Prophet said: "If you are sincere then Allaah will grant you your
wish." After a short while, fighting resumed and the Bedouin's body
was brought to the Prophet with an arrow in his throat at exactly the
spot where he had pointed tothe Prophet . Thereupon The Prophet said :
"He was sincereso Allaah granted him his wish." Then using his own
garment, the Prophet shrouded the Bedouin, prayed the funeral prayer
over him and was heard by his companions to say during the prayer: "O
Allaah! This is Your slave who migrated for Your sakeand was killed as
a martyr – and Itestify to this". Which testimony could ever be more
honorable, sincere and truthful than this great one given by the
Prophet ?
A truck driver by the name of AbuDujaanah , was known in his town to
be an evil person who consumed intoxicants. One day, he got in a
deadly car accident, but Allaah rescued him from death. Allaah decreed
that two righteous young men see the accident and rush to him whilst
he was unconscious and took him with them and when he woke up they
told him to perform Ghusl (ritual bath) which he did, then they
instructed him to pray, and after he prayed they said to him: "Allaah
Has rescued you from death and had you died upon the state you were
in, it would have been the worse way to die and be resurrected. You
should repent to Allaah and shun all sins" their words affected him
deeply, and he shunned his evil company with whom he used to hang
around, and started practicing. A few months later, he traveled to
Bosnia for Jihaad , and Allaah granted him martyrdom there. His body
remained with the enemies thrown in an open field for two and a half
months after he was killed, and then a swap of dead bodies happened
between the Mujaahideen and the Serbs, and when the brothers opened
the plastic bag in which he was kept for this long period, they saw
his face smiling and an extremely pleasant scent emanating from his
body.
These were but some examples of how a good end may be, and we ask
Allaah to bless us and grant us a good way to end our lives.