There are two important points in this section.

First Point: Everything Will Perish, Except Allah

The first point is that everything will perish, except Allah. Before anything else, we should admit that everything other than the Almighty Allah has to die. As the Almighty Allah has said:

كُلُّ نَفْسٍ ذَائِقَةُ الْمَوْتِ

“Every soul shall taste of death” (3:85).

There is no eternal life for any existing being. Al-Kulayni has narrated from Yaqub Ahmar that he said: We went to meet Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (‘a) to give condolence to him about his son, Isma’il. The Imam expressed mercy on him and said: The Almighty Allah informed His Prophet about his death and said:

إِنَّكَ مَيِّتٌ وَإِنَّهُمْ مَيِّتُونَ

“Surely you shall die and they (too) shall surely die” (39:30).

كُلُّ نَفْسٍ ذَائِقَةُ الْمَوْتِ

“Every soul shall taste of death” (3:85).

Then the Imam (‘a) said: All the folks of the earth will die; till there will not remain anyone. Then the folks of the heavens will die; till no one will remain, except the bearers of the Arsh, Jibra’il, Mika’il and the angel of death. At that time the angel of death will come and stand before the Almighty Allah. Allah will ask him who is remaining, although He is well-aware as to who remains.

The angel of death will say: O Lord, no one other than the angel of death, bearers of Arsh, Jibra’il and Mika’il remains. The Almighty Allah will order him to ask Jibra’il and Mika’il to die. The angels will plead: O our Lord, these two are Your messengers and trusted confidantes. Allah will say: I have destined death for every living thing. Thus, the angels of death will come to Jibra’il and Mika’il and ask them to die. Then they will again stand before the Almighty Allah and Allah will ask them: Who else remains?

They will say: O our Lord, the angels of death and the bearers of ‘Arsh. The Almighty Allah will order them to ask the bearers of ‘Arsh to die. After that the angels of death will come before the Almighty Allah in dejection and look fearfully above their heads. The Almighty Allah will ask: Who else remains? They will say: O Lord, except for the angels of death, no one remains.

The Almighty Allah will say: O, angels of death; die. So, they will also die. Now, the Almighty Allah will take the earth and the heavens in the hand of His power and call out: Where are those, who ascribed partners to Me? Where are those, who deemed another god with Me? It is necessary to have faith in the angel of death, as the Almighty Allah has appointed Izrael for capturing the souls. And from those angels are his helpers and assistants, who capture souls under his orders and submit to him.

Regarding this, the apparent meanings of the verses are in contradiction to each other. In some verses, the Almighty Allah has attributed the capturing of souls to Himself and in some, he has attributed it to the angels of death. In some, it is attributed to angels. Most scholars have reconciled these verses as follows: Some souls are captured by angels of death and some are captured by their assistants, and are handed over to them, and they present all the souls before the Almighty Allah.

It is narrated from Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a) that the Almighty Allah is higher than that He should perform those tasks Himself. On the contrary, whatever His messengers and angels do is all in fact His action, because they do so under His commands. Thus, the Almighty Allah has chosen between Himself and His creation angels, messengers, and envoys as He says:

اللَّهُ يَصْطَفِي مِنَ الْمَلَائِكَةِ رُسُلًا وَمِنَ النَّاسِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ سَمِيعٌ بَصِيرٌ

“Allah chooses messengers from among the angels and from among the men; surely Allah is Hearing, Seeing” (22:75).

Thus, the angels of mercy capture the soul of one that is an obedient servant while the angels of chastisement capture the soul of one that is disobedient. Some assistants of the angel of death are angels of mercy and some are angels of chastisement, who act according to his orders. And their action is in fact, the action of the angel of death. What these angels do is attributed to the angel of death. So, this matter is definite that the Almighty Allah captures the souls, and the angel of death also does, and so do his assistant angels.

In another tradition, it is said that the Almighty Allah plans all the affairs as He likes. He appoints to whatever matter any of His creatures that He likes. It is not necessary for one with knowledge to share his knowledge with everyone because people have different intellectual capacities, such that some are able to understand certain sciences while some are not.

There are also some special ones and saints of the Almighty Allah for whom Allah makes it easy for them to obtain that knowledge and He helps them in understanding it. It is sufficient for you to know that the Almighty Allah is the One that brings life and death. He captures the souls through the hands of whichever of His angels etc. that He likes.

The author says: It is hinted in this holy tradition that the Imam also, along with all the Holy Imams (‘a), do capture some souls or have a role in capturing all the souls, as per the command of Allah. But they have not clarified it due to Taqiyyah from hypocrites and from those having weak understanding. As he has said in some lesser-known sermon: I am by the command of Allah, the giver of life and death.

Moreover, this tradition proves that in some matters, a simple belief is sufficient, and that investigation into their details is not necessary. In reconciling those verses, it is narrated from Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (‘a) that the assistants of the angel of death are also angels. He is like that ruler having many deputies and he can send them wherever and whenever he likes.

Thus, those angels, who are helpers and assistants, they capture the souls; then the angel of death takes those souls from them; after that the Almighty Allah takes those souls, and also the souls that the angel of death has captured, from the angel of death.

In the traditions of Mi’raj, it is narrated through numerous channels that the Messenger of Allah (S) saw the angel of death on the first heaven and asked: How do you capture all the souls in an instant, although some are in the east and some in the west. The Angel of death replied: I summon them, and they obey me.

According to another tradition, he said: The whole world, in my view, is like a pail placed before one of you. And wherever he likes, he may stretch his hand and take a morsel; and all the world in my view is like that Dirham in your hand; and you may turn it in whichever direction you like.

When it is known that a simple faith is sufficient, there is no need to dive into the details of this matter. Denial of the angel of death and physical powers or heavenly spirits or to interpret it through active intelligence, as the philosophers do, is unbelief. We should know that there is dispute whether souls of animals are captured by the angel of death or by some other angel. Since no definite statement is seen regarding it; it is not necessary to contemplate on it.

On the contrary, we should collectively know that life and death of all animals is through the power of Almighty Allah and only He is the giver of life and death to all. It is possible that angels of death may be the ones capturing their souls or it may be someone else. The Almighty Allah has numerous agents, and the apparent conclusion of the verses is that their souls are also preserved till Judgment Day, as will be known after this, God willing.

Second Point: Throes Of Death

It is necessary to acknowledge all those mentioned in authentic traditions regarding the throes of death, hardships in the face of death, and all its conditions; the arrival of the Holy Prophet (S) and the Holy Imams (‘a) at the time of capturing of the soul of every believer to give him glad tidings and to ease the hardship of death; and at the time of the capturing of the souls of hypocrites and infidels to increase the severity of their death and to inform them of everlasting chastisement.

But one should not contemplate as how is their arrival at the death of every person, and how that dying person is able to see them in those conditions. Also, one should not contemplate whether these personalities arrive in their original bodies or in facsimile bodies, as was previously mentioned, because to contemplate on all this is a cause for dominance of Shaitan and his instigation. There are widely related to traditions in this regard and this couplet that Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a) recited to Harith Hamadani is also almost widely related: O Harith Hamadani, one, who dies, whether a believer or a hypocrite, he definitely sees me.

It is mentioned in many reliable traditions from Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (‘a) that when the time comes for the death of a believer, the Almighty Allah send two breezes to him; one is Mansiya and the other is Maskhiya. Mansiya makes him forget his family and wealth and Maskhiya motivates him to dare and to give up life. After that, when the angels of death arrive to capture his soul, they tell him: O friend of Allah, do not make haste; by the God, who sent Prophet Muhammad (S) with truth, I am more kind to you than a kind father; open your eyes and look up.

At that time, the Holy Prophet (S), Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a), Fatimah, Al-Hasan and al-Husayn and the Imams from their progeny will appear for him. The angels of death tell him: This is the Holy Prophet (S) and the Holy Imams (‘a), whose companion you will become. That believer will open the eyes and see those personalities. After that a caller calls out to him from the Almighty Allah:

يَا أَيَّتُهَا النَّفْسُ الْمُطْمَئِنَّةُ

“O soul that art at peace!” (89:27).

ارْجِعِي إِلَىٰ رَبِّكِ رَاضِيَةً مَرْضِيَّةً

“Return to your Lord, well-pleased (with him), well- pleasing (Him)” (89:28).

فَادْخُلِي فِي عِبَادِي

“So enter among My servants” (89:29).

وَادْخُلِي جَنَّتِي

“And enter into My garden” (89:30).

At that moment, nothing would be more preferable for him, except that his soul should be captured and joined to that caller. It is mentioned in other reliable traditions that no soul ever dies, except that it sees the Holy Prophet (S) and Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a).

The narrator asked: Does he come back to the world after he sees these personalities? He replied: No, when he sees them, he moves to the hereafter. Thus, the Holy Prophet (S) comes and sits at his head and Imam ‘Ali (‘a) sits at his feet. The Messenger of Allah (S) says in his ear: Glad tidings to you, I am the Messenger of Allah, I am better for you than what all you left in the world. Then Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a) rises up and says in his ear: O Wali of God, rejoice that I am ‘Ali Ibn Abi Talib; whom you were devoted to, and my benefit reaches you at this point. Then Imam (‘a) said: It is mentioned in the Book of Allah that:

الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَكَانُوا يَتَّقُونَ

“Those who believe and guarded (against evil)” (10:63).

لَهُمُ الْبُشْرَىٰ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ لَا تَبْدِيلَ لِكَلِمَاتِ اللَّهِ ذَٰلِكَ هُوَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِيمُ

“They shall have good news in this world’s life and in the hereafter; there is no changing the words of Allah; that is the mighty achievement” (10:64).

In another authentic tradition, he said: When the tongue becomes speechless in the throes of death, the Holy Prophet (S) and Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a) arrive. The Holy Prophet (S) sits on his right and Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a) sits to his left. The Holy Prophet (S) tells him: What you had hoped for is before you and you have become secure from what you feared.

After that, he opens the door of Paradise for him and says: This is your abode in Paradise; if you like, we can send you back to the world and we are prepared to give as much gold and silver you may want. He says: I have no need of the world. At that time his complexion turns fair, and perspiration appears on his forehead; both his lips tighten, and his nose becomes long and his eyes watery.

When the soul is separated from his body, the world is presented to him once more, but he selects the hereafter. Thus, the soul is with him. The soul shares giving him the funeral bath, and also assists those who turn him over during the wash. When he is placed in the coffin after being shrouded and the coffin is lifted; the soul walks before them. The souls of believers come to welcome him and salute him. And they give the glad tidings of what the Almighty Allah has prepared from the bounties of Paradise.

When he is placed in the grave, his soul is inserted into his body up to the waist. Then they ask him about his religious beliefs, of which he is cognizant. When he replies, the door of Paradise is opened for him. After that, the effulgence of Paradise and its coolness enter upon him and his grave.

Moreover, it is narrated through authentic chains of narrators from Imam (‘a) that he said addressing the Shi’as: Indeed, the Almighty Allah accepts your deeds and forgives; and when the life of the believer reaches his throat, he becomes elated, and he sees what pleases him. When he is in the throes of death, the Holy Prophet (S), Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a), Jibra’il and the angel of death come to him. Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a) comes to him and says: O Messenger of Allah (S), he is a devotee of us Ahl al-Bayt (‘a), you also regard him as a friend.

The Holy Prophet (S) tells Jibra’il: This person was devoted to Allah, the Prophet, and his Ahl al-Bayt (‘a); you also regard him as a friend. Jibra’il says to the angel of death: This person was devoted to Allah, the Prophet and his Ahl al-Bayt (‘a); you also regard him as a friend and be kind and lenient with him. After that, the angel of death comes to him and says: O servant of Allah, have you adopted that as a result of which you may free yourself from divine chastisement and due to which you gained security and you were freed from hellfire and in the life of the world, you remain attached to the great infallibility of the Almighty Allah?

He will reply: Yes. The angel of death will ask: What is that? He will reply: It is the Wilayat of ‘Ali Ibn Abi Talib (‘a). The angels of death will say: You are right, and the Almighty Allah has saved you from what you feared, and you gained what you had been desirous of. Thus, glad tidings to you for the companionship of the past righteous, the Holy Prophet (S), ‘Ali, Fatimah, Al-Hasan and al-Husayn and the Imams from his progeny. After that they capture his soul in a gentle way.

They bring his shroud and anointment from Paradise. That anointment will more fragrant than Musk. Then they will make him wear a yellow robe from Paradise and after placing him in the grave, open a door of Paradise, so that the fragrance of the flowers of Paradise reaches him. His grave will widen before him, and to his right and left, to the extent of one month travel. They will tell him: Now, go to sleep as a bride groom sleeps in his chamber. He will be told: Glad tidings of Paradise from your Lord, who is not infuriated at you. After that he is blessed with seeing Aali Muhammad (‘a) in the gardens of Paradise.

He eats their food and drinks their drinks and converses with them and frequents their company till the Qa’im of Aali Muhammad (‘a) will appear. When he appears, the Almighty Allah will raise that believer and he joins his companions saying Here I am.

At the time of the death of a disbeliever, the Holy Prophet (S), Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a), Jibra’il and angels of death come to him. Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a) comes near him and says: He was inimical to us Ahl al-Bayt (‘a); you also be inimical to him. The Holy Prophet (S) tells Jibra’il: He was inimical to Allah, His Messenger, and his Ahl al-Bayt (‘a); you also be inimical to him. Jibra’il tells the angel of death: This man was the enemy of Allah, His Messenger, and his Ahl al-Bayt (‘a); you also be inimical to him; and capture his soul in a harsh manner.

So, the angels of death approach him and ask: Did you, in the life of the world, adopt what might have secured you from the chastisement of Allah and have you obtained immunity from the fire of Hell and remained attached to the great infallibility? He will reply: No. The angels of death will say: O enemy of Allah, may you get the fury, divine chastisement, fire of Hell and what you feared and now, you have reached them.

Then they take his life from his body harshly and appoint 300 satans on his soul, who all spit on his face and torture his soul. When they place him in the grave, they open a door of Hell in his grave, through which flames of Hell and stench enter. There are many traditions regarding this, and it is necessary to admit all of them generally, and it is not necessary to investigate their details.