Is It Permissible for Us to Wish for Death When Trials and Tribulations Become Severe?
Answered by Shaykh Muhammad Fayez Awad
Question
Is it permissible for us to wish for death when trials and tribulations become severe?
Answer
Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds. All praise to Allah for the blessings of faith and Islam. And praise be to Him for making us among the nation of Muhammad (Allah bless him and grant him peace).
The blessing of being successors on Earth, living in its expanse, and walking on its flanks is a trial and a test.
Understanding the Nature of Life and Death
Allah says: ”He is the One, Who created death and life in order to test which of you is best in deeds. And He is the Almighty, All-Forgiving.” [Quran, 67:2]. Allah created life to test who is most obedient to Him, quickest to His pleasure, and most cautious of His prohibitions.
Death is one of Allah’s many verses, decreed upon His servants. Allah says: “Every soul will taste death.” [Quran, 21:35]
Allah has generally hidden from His servants the knowledge of the time and place of death and the manner in which it will occur. Allah, the Exalted, says: “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]
A long life for a believer who performs righteous deeds is undoubtedly better for him than death. The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “The best of people is one whose life is long and whose deeds are good.” [Ahmad, Tirmidhi]
Abu Hurayra (Allah be pleased with him) narrated that two men accepted Islam with the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace). One of them was martyred, and the other was delayed for another year. Talha ibn ‘Ubaydullah said: “I saw in a dream that I was at the door of Paradise, and the one who was delayed was admitted before the martyr. I was surprised at that, and so in the morning, I mentioned it to the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace). He said, ‘Did he not fast a Ramadan after him? And pray 6,000 or such-and-such prayers during the year?” [Ahmad]
Abu Bakra reported that a man said, “O Messenger of Allah, which people are the best?” The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “One whose life is long and his deeds are good.” The man asked, “And which people are the worst?” The Prophet said, “One whose life is long and his deeds are bad.” [Hakim, Tirmidhi, Darimi, Ibn Abi Shayba]
Imam Tibi (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “Indeed, time and hours are like the capital of a trader; it should be traded in what is profitable, and the more capital, the more profit. So, whoever benefits from his life by doing good deeds has succeeded and prospered, and whoever wastes his capital has not profited and lost a clear loss.” [Tuhfat al-Ahwadhi bi-Sharh Jami‘ al-Tirmidhi]
For this reason, the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) forbade wishing for death, as it deprives the believer of the good of obedience, the pleasure of worship, the opportunity for repentance, and making up for what has passed.
Bukhari and Muslim reported from Anas ibn Malik (Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: “Let none of you wish for death because of a calamity that befalls him. But if he must wish for death, let him say: ‘O Allah, keep me alive as long as life is better for me, and take my life if death is better for me.’”
The prohibition of wishing for death is when it is due to harm in worldly matters, as wishing for death then indicates impatience with what has afflicted him.
Cases When it is Permissible to Wish for Death
It is permissible to wish for death in certain cases, such as:
Firstly, Wishing for death when facing the causes of martyrdom.
Muslim reported from Anas ibn Malik (Allah be pleased with him) that during the Battle of Badr, when the polytheists drew near, the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: “Stand up for a Paradise as wide as the heavens and the earth.” Umayr ibn al-Humam al-Ansari said, “O Messenger of Allah, is Paradise really as wide as the heavens and the earth?” He said, “Yes.” Umayr said, “Excellent! Excellent!” The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) asked, “What makes you say ‘Excellent! Excellent!’?” Umayr replied, “Nothing – by Allah, O Messenger of Allah – except the hope that I may be one of its people.” He said, “You are one of its people.” He then took out some dates from his quiver and started eating them. Then he said, “If I were to live until I have eaten all these dates, it would be a long life.” He threw away the dates he had in hand and fought until he was killed.
Secondly, Wishing for death out of eagerness to meet Allah – the Exalted.
Many of the early generations wished for death out of longing to meet Allah. Death is the means of joining the beloved with his Beloved. Habban ibn al-Aswad said, “Death is good, as it delivers the lover to his Beloved.”
It was narrated about Hudhayfa ibn al-Yaman that, when he was approaching death, he said, “A beloved is coming at a time of need. May whoever feels regret never prosper. O Allah, if You know that death is more beloved to me than life, then make death easy for me so that I may meet You.” [Hilyat al-Awliya]
This is also indicated by Allah’s words when He says, “Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ ‘If the ˹eternal˺ Home of the Hereafter with Allah is exclusively for you ˹Israelites˺ out of all humanity, then wish for death if what you say is true!’” [Quran, 2:94] Also, when Allah says, “Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ ‘O Jews! If you claim to be Allah’s chosen ˹people˺ out of all humanity, then wish for death if what you say is true.’” [Quran, 62:6]
These verses indicate that those who are close to Allah do not hate death but rather look forward to it. In the following verse, Allah says, “But they will never wish for that because of what their hands have done.” [Quran, 62:7] Allah teaches us that only those who fear facing their sins dislike death.
Ammar ibn Yasir (Allah be pleased with him narrated that the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “Allah, by your knowledge of the unseen and your power over the creation, give me life for as long as You know life is better for me, and wake me when you know that death is better for me. Allah, I ask you for fear of you in private and in public and for the word of fairness and truth in anger and content. I ask you for moderation in poverty and in wealth, and I ask you for bliss that never waivers and for coolness of the eyes that never ends. I ask you for contentment after your decree, and I ask you for the comfort of living after death. I ask you for the pleasure of looking at you, and I ask you for a yearning to meet you without any harmful hardships nor any misguiding tribulations. Allah, beautify us with the beauty of Iman and make us rightly guided guides.” [Ibn Hibban, Hakim, Nasa’i, Ahmad]
We learn from this hadith that yearning to meet Allah is by loving death. Preferring death over life often happens upon fear of a harmful hardship in this world or a tribulation that may divert someone in their religion. But if one prefers death without any of these, then it is purely for meeting Allah (Most High). Someone who. is obedient to Allah and finds comfort in Him will love to meet Allah—And Allah loves to meet him. A disobedient person is discomforted by the sins that obstruct him from Allah. He hates to meet Allah, though it is inevitable.
Abu Hazim was asked: “How is it to meet Allah?” He said, “For the obedient person, it is like a traveler meeting his family who longs for him. For the disobedient, however, it is like a fugitive slave coming back to his angry master.” [Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali, Lata’if al-Ma‘arif]
Thirdly, Wishing for Death Due to Fear of Tribulation or Harm in Religion:
Bukhari and Muslim report from Anas ibn Malik (Allah be pleased with him) who narrated that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “None of you should wish for death due to a calamity befalling him (in another narration: “due to a harm that has afflicted him”), but if it is inevitable (in another narration: “if he really wishes”), then he should say: ‘O Allah, keep me alive as long as life is better for me, and let me die if death is better for me.’”
In the aforementioned hadith of the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace), it says, “And let me die if death is better for me.” This is a wish for death when it is better for the Muslim than being subject to trial in his religion.
This is, in fact, what the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) used to pray for. Imam Ahmad and Tirmidhi reported from Muadh ibn Jabal (Allah be pleased with him), who narrated, “The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) was delayed from us one morning for the Fajr prayer until we almost saw the sun rising. Then the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) came out quickly, ordered the iqama, and prayed rapidly. After he finished, he said, ‘Stay in your rows as you are.’ Then he turned towards us and said, ‘I will tell you what kept me from you this morning. I got up during the night and prayed as much as was decreed for me. I grew sleepy during my prayer until I fell into a heavy slumber, and suddenly, I found myself before my Lord – Blessed and Exalted – in the best way. He said: ‘Muhammad, do you know what the highest assembly is disputing about?’ I said: ‘No, my Lord.’ He said: ‘O Muhammad, do you know what the higher assembly is disputing about?’ I said: ‘No, my Lord…’ Then everything was made clear to me, and I knew. He said: ‘O Muhammad, what is the higher assembly disputing about?’ I said: ‘About expiations.’ He asked: ‘And what are these expiations?’ I replied: ‘Moving the feet towards congregational prayers, sitting in mosques after prayers, and performing ablution properly in difficult conditions.’ He asked: ‘And what are the high ranks?’ I replied: ‘Sharing food, speaking gently, and praying while people are asleep.’ He said: ‘Ask.’ I said: ‘O Allah, I ask You for the performance of good deeds, the avoidance of evil deeds, love for the needy, and that You forgive me and have mercy on me. If You intend a trial for a people, then take my soul untried. I ask for Your love and the love of those who love You, and the love of deeds that bring me closer to Your love.’” The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “It is true, so study it and learn it.”
The point of interest in this hadith is the Prophet’s (Allah bless him and grant him peace) saying, “And if You intend a trial for a people, then take my soul untried.” This indicates the permissibility of wishing for death when fearing a trial. This is what the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) emphasized, as Mahmud ibn Labid narrated that the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “The son of Adam hates two things: Death, though death is better for the believer than tribulation; and scarcity of wealth, though scarcity of wealth results in less accountability.” [Ahmad]
Understanding Mary’s Wish for Death in the Quran
Many from the Companions and the leaders of Islam, among others, have wished for death and prayed for it out of fear of tribulation.
Qurtubi said in his tafsir of this verse that Maryam (peace be upon her) wished for death for the sake of religion for two reasons: Firstly, she feared that evil would be suspected in her religion, and she would be insulted, which would then put her to trial. Secondly, so that her people would not fall into slander and false accusations of adultery, which would be destructive. On this basis, wishing for death is permissible.
Ibn Kathir (Allah have mercy on him) pointed out in his tafsir of this verse that this is evidence of the permissibility of wishing for death in times of tribulation. Maryam knew she would be tried and tested with this child and that people would not accept her account of what had happened. After being known among them as a devout worshipper, she would fall in their eyes, as they would think she was a promiscuous adulteress. She said: “Alas! I wish I had died before this, and was a thing long forgotten!” wishing that she was not created and did not exist, as explained by Ibn Abbas.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is permissible to wish for death when fearing tribulation in religion, and Muslims should adhere to the Prophet’s supplication (Allah bless him and grant him peace): “Allah, keep me alive as long as life is better for me, and let me die if death is better for me.”
Shaykh Dr. Muhammad Fayez Awad, born in Damascus, Syria, in 1965, pursued his Islamic studies in the mosques and institutes of Damascus. A graduate of the Islamic University of Medina in 1985, he holds a Ph.D. in Islamic Studies from Bahauddin Zakariya University in Pakistan.
He has extensive experience developing curricula and enhancing the teaching of various academic courses, including conducting intensive courses. Shaykh Awad has taught Fiqh, Usul al-Fiqh, Quranic sciences, the history of legislation, inheritance laws, and more at several institutes and universities such as Al-Furqan Institute for Islamic Sciences and Majma‘ al-Fath al-Islami in Damascus.
He is a lecturer at the Sultan Muhammad al-Fatih Waqf University in Istanbul, teaching various Arabic and Islamic subjects, and teaches at numerous Islamic institutes in Istanbul. Shaykh Awad is a member of the Association of Syrian Scholars, a founding member of the Zayd bin Thabit Foundation, a member of the Syrian Scholars Association, and a member of the Academic Council at the Iman Center for Teaching the Sunna and Quran.
Among his teachers from whom he received Ijazat are his father, Shaykh Muhammad Muhiyiddin Awad, Shaykh Muhiyiddin al-Kurdi, Shaykh Muhammad Karim Rajih, Shaykh Usama al-Rifai, Shaykh Ayman Suwaid, Shaykh Ahmad al-Qalash, Shaykh Muhammad Awwama, and Shaykh Mamduh Junayd.
