Is the Location and Cause of Death Decided by Allah?

Answered by Mawlana Ilyas Patel

Question

I want to ask whether the location of death and cause of death is decided by Allah 100%. My mother died from Covid, and I regret sending her hospital, but it was like an external force wanted her to go, and me and my siblings I just made a random decision to send her. She didn’t want to go and was scared I feel bad that we sent her despite her not wanting to go to the hospital.

I thought she would recover and come back. I feel if I took care of her at home and treated her with herbal remedies, and if she was with her family, she would still be alive. Is this Satan putting such thoughts in my head? I can’t stop thinking about it, and when I hear others surviving covid at home, I feel guilty as if I am responsible for my mother’s death!

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate

I pray you are well. I am sad to hear about the demise of your beloved mother (Allah have mercy on her) in covid. It has been a testing time for many. You will be rewarded for your patience, and your beloved mother has earned martyrdom and forgiveness. You were not responsible for her death; every moment of our life unfolds in its unique way, and only Allah (Most High) knows the wisdom behind it and unfolds in the Hereafter for us.

Yes, the location of death and cause of death is decided by Allah (Most High)

Location of Death

“Indeed, Allah (alone) knows of the Hour. He sends down the rain and knows what is in the wombs. No soul knows what it will earn for tomorrow, and no soul knows in what land it will die. Surely Allah is All-Knowing, All-Aware.” [Quran, 31:34]

Cause of Death

Say, (O Prophet) “Your soul will be taken by the Angel of Death, who is in charge of you. Then to your Lord you will ˹all˺ be returned.” [Quran, 32:11]

Under the above verse, Imam Qurtubi mentions a report, that when Allah (Most High) handed over to Angel Izra’il (peace be upon him) the charge of managing the death of everyone in the world, he pleaded, “O my Lord, You have put such a service in my charge that the entire race of the children of ‘Adam living in the world is going to give me a bad name to the extent that every time I am remembered, I shall be dubbed as evil.” Allah (Most high) would say, “We have taken care of that by placing some obvious diseases and causes of death in the world due to which everyone will attribute death to these diseases and causes and you will remain safe from their adverse comments, as mentioned in detail by Qurtubi in his ‘Tadhkira Bi Ahwal al-Mawta Wa Umur al-Akhira.’ [Qurtubi, Tafsir al-Qurtubi]

Check this answer:
Preparing and Dealing with COVID-19 – SeekersGuidance Reader – SeekersGuidance

I pray this helps with your question.

[Mawlana] Ilyas Patel
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani