Things that Believers and Unbelievers See in Dying Conditions

قَالَ لِي أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‌ يَا عُقْبَةُ لَا يَقْبَلُ اللَّهُ مِنَ الْعِبَادِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ إِلَّا هَذَا الْأَمْرَ الَّذِي أَنْتُمْ عَلَيْهِ وَ مَا بَيْنَ أَحَدِكُمْ وَ بَيْنَ أَنْ يَرَى مَا تَقَرُّ بِهِ عَيْنُهُ‌[3] إِلَّا أَنْ تَبْلُغَ نَفْسُهُ إِلَى هَذِهِ ثُمَّ أَهْوَى بِيَدِهِ إِلَى الْوَرِيدِ ثُمَّ اتَّكَأَ وَ كَانَ مَعِيَ الْمُعَلَّى فَغَمَزَنِي أَنْ أَسْأَلَهُ فَقُلْتُ يَا ابْنَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ فَ

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), once said, ‘O ‘Uqbah, Allah, on the Day of Judgment, will not accept anything other than what you believe in (following Ahl al-Bayt). No other thing stands between anyone of you, and the delight of the hearts, other than the time when one’s soul reaches this’ ( He (the Imam) pointed his hand tow

قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‌ إِذَا حِيلَ بَيْنَهُ وَ بَيْنَ الْكَلَامِ‌[5] أَتَاهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص وَ مَنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ‌[6] فَجَلَسَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص عَنْ يَمِينِهِ وَ الْآخَرُ عَنْ يَسَارِهِ فَيَقُولُ لَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص أَمَّا مَا كُنْتَ تَرْجُو فَهُوَ ذَا أَمَامَكَ وَ أَمَّا مَا كُنْتَ تَخَافُ مِنْهُ فَقَدْ أَمِنْتَ مِنْهُ ثُمَّ يُفْتَحُ لَهُ بَابٌ إِلَى الْجَنَّةِ فَيَقُولُ هَذَا مَنْزِلُكَ مِنَ الْجَنَّة

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that when a dying person loses the ability to speak, the Messenger of Allah comes to him along with whomever Allah wants. The Messenger of Allah sits near his right side and the other on his left side. The Messenger of Allah then says, ‘What you hoped for is in front of you, you are saf

فَحَضَرْتُهُ عِنْدَ مَوْتِهِ فَبَسَطَ يَدَهُ ثُمَّ قَالَ ابْيَضَّتْ يَدِي يَا عَلِيُ‌[5] قَالَ فَدَخَلْتُ عَلَى أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع وَ عِنْدَهُ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مُسْلِمٍ قَالَ فَلَمَّا قُمْتُ مِنْ عِنْدِهِ ظَنَنْتُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّداً يُخْبِرُهُ‌[6] بِخَبَرِ الرَّجُلِ فَأَتْبَعَنِي بِرَسُولٍ فَرَجَعْتُ إِلَيْهِ فَقَالَ أَخْبِرْنِي عَنْ هَذَا الرَّجُلِ الَّذِي حَضَرْتَهُ عِنْدَ الْمَوْتِ أَيَ‌ شَيْ‌ءٍ سَمِعْتَهُ يَقُولُ

“I was present at the time of the death of one of the sons of Sabur - both being people of merits, piety and great sincerity in their belief. One of them became ill and I think he was Zachariah ibn Sabur. I visited him in his dying condition. He stretched his hand and then said, ‘O Ali, my hands have become white.’ I t

مِنْكُمْ وَ اللَّهِ يُقْبَلُ وَ لَكُمْ وَ اللَّهِ يُغْفَرُ إِنَّهُ لَيْسَ بَيْنَ أَحَدِكُمْ‌[1] وَ بَيْنَ أَنْ يَغْتَبِطَ وَ يَرَى السُّرُورَ وَ قُرَّةَ الْعَيْنِ إِلَّا أَنْ تَبْلُغَ نَفْسُهُ هَاهُنَا وَ أَوْمَأَ بِيَدِهِ إِلَى حَلْقِهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ إِنَّهُ إِذَا كَانَ ذَلِكَ وَ احْتُضِرَ حَضَرَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص وَ عَلِيٌّ ع وَ جَبْرَئِيلُ وَ مَلَكُ الْمَوْتِ ع فَيَدْنُو مِنْهُ عَلِيٌّ ع فَيَقُولُ يَا رَسُولَ اللّ

“I heard abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) say, ‘Only from you, by Allah, it (good deeds) is accepted and only your sins are forgiven. There is nothing between any one of you and bliss, joy and the delight of heart, except the time when the soul reaches here’ - pointing to his throat he continued - ‘and when that time comes the Me

قُلْتُ لِأَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ع حَدَّثَنِي صَالِحُ بْنُ مِيثَمٍ عَنْ عَبَايَةَ الْأَسَدِيِّ أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ عَلِيّاً ع يَقُولُ وَ اللَّهِ لَا يُبْغِضُنِي عَبْدٌ أَبَداً يَمُوتُ عَلَى بُغْضِي إِلَّا رَآنِي عِنْدَ مَوْتِهِ حَيْثُ يَكْرَهُ وَ لَا يُحِبُّنِي عَبْدٌ أَبَداً فَيَمُوتُ‌ عَلَى حُبِّي إِلَّا رَآنِي عِنْدَ مَوْتِهِ حَيْثُ يُحِبُّ فَقَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ ع نَعَمْ وَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص بِالْيَمِينِ‌[1].

“Once I said to abu Ja‘far (a.s.), that Salih ibn Mitham narrated to me from ‘Abayah al- Asadi who had heard Ali (a.s.), say the following: ‘By Allah, everyone who dislikes me and dies in such condition, can see me at the time of his death but with dislike. Everyone who loves me and dies in such condition, can see me a

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ‌ فِي الْمَيِّتِ تَدْمَعُ عَيْنُهُ عِنْدَ الْمَوْتِ فَقَالَ ذَلِكَ عِنْدَ مُعَايَنَةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص فَيَرَى مَا يَسُرُّهُ ثُمَّ قَالَ أَ مَا تَرَى الرَّجُلَ يَرَى مَا يَسُرُّهُ وَ مَا يُحِبُّ فَتَدْمَعُ عَيْنُهُ لِذَلِكَ وَ يَضْحَكُ.

“I heard abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), say about a dying person, ‘His eye tears up (moistens with tears) at the time of his death.’ He then said, ‘This happens upon seeing the Messenger of Allah. He sees what makes him happy.’ He then said, ‘Is it not a fact that when a person sees someone whom he loves his eye tears up (mois

سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ‌ إِنَّ النَّفْسَ إِذَا وَقَعَتْ فِي الْحَلْقِ أَتَاهُ مَلَكٌ فَقَالَ لَهُ يَا هَذَا أَوْ يَا فُلَانُ أَمَّا مَا كُنْتَ تَرْجُو فَأْيَسْ مِنْهُ وَ هُوَ الرُّجُوعُ إِلَى الدُّنْيَا وَ أَمَّا مَا كُنْتَ تَخَافُ فَقَدْ أَمِنْتَ مِنْهُ.

‘When a soul reaches the throat, an angel comes and says to him, “O you, - or so and so - what you had hoped for, be certain, is of no avail to you, meaning returning to the worldly life, but you have become safe from whatever you were afraid of.’””

جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ وَ مَا يَرَى قَالَ يَرَى رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص فَيَقُولُ لَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ أَنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ أَبْشِرْ ثُمَّ يَرَى عَلِيَّ بْنَ أَبِي طَالِبٍ ع فَيَقُولُ أَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ الَّذِي كُنْتَ تُحِبُّهُ تُحِبُّ أَنْ أَنْفَعَكَ الْيَوْمَ قَالَ قُلْتُ لَهُ أَ يَكُونُ أَحَدٌ مِنَ النَّاسِ يَرَى هَذَا ثُمَّ يَرْجِعُ إِلَى الدُّنْيَا قَالَ قَالَ لَا إِذَا رَأَى هَذَا أَبَداً مَاتَ وَ أَعْظَمَ ذ

‘When a man’s soul reaches his chest he then sees.’ I then asked, ‘May Allah keep my soul in the service of your cause, what does he see?’ The Imam said, ‘He sees the Messenger of Allah and he says, “I am the Messenger of Allah. I have good news for you.” He then sees Ali ibn abu Talib (a.s.), who says, “I am Ali ibn a

كَانَ خَطَّابٌ الْجُهَنِيُّ خَلِيطاً لَنَا وَ كَانَ شَدِيدَ النَّصْبِ لآِلِ مُحَمَّدٍ ع وَ كَانَ يَصْحَبُ نَجْدَةَ الْحَرُورِيَّةَ[4] قَالَ فَدَخَلْتُ عَلَيْهِ أَعُودُهُ لِلْخُلْطَةِ وَ التَّقِيَّةِ فَإِذَا هُوَ مُغْمًى عَلَيْهِ فِي حَدِّ الْمَوْتِ فَسَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ مَا لِي وَ لَكَ يَا عَلِيُّ فَأَخْبَرْتُ بِذَلِكَ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع فَقَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع رَآهُ وَ رَبِّ الْكَعْبَةِ رَآهُ وَ رَبِّ الْك

“Khattab al-Juhniy was one of our associates and he was a hardheaded adversary of the family of Muhammad, ‘Alayhim al-Salam. He was a companion of Najdah al-Harawriyyah. I once went to visit him to maintain social relations and due to fear. I found him fainted in dying condition and heard him say, ‘What did I have to d

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ‌ إِذَا بَلَغَتْ نَفْسُ أَحَدِكُمْ هَذِهِ قِيلَ لَهُ أَمَّا مَا كُنْتَ تَحْذَرُ مِنْ هَمِّ الدُّنْيَا وَ حُزْنِهَا فَقَدْ أَمِنْتَ مِنْهُ وَ يُقَالُ لَهُ- رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص وَ عَلِيٌّ ع وَ فَاطِمَةُ ع أَمَامَكَ‌[1].

‘When the soul of any one of you reaches this point, he is told, “You are now safe from the anxiety and sadness of the worldly matters.’” It is also said to him, ‘The Messenger of Allah, Ali and Fatimah, ‘Alayhim al-Salam, are in front of you.’”

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ ع يَقُولُ‌ إِنَّ آيَةَ الْمُؤْمِنِ إِذَا حَضَرَهُ الْمَوْتُ يَبْيَاضُّ وَجْهُهُ أَشَدَّ مِنْ بَيَاضِ لَوْنِهِ وَ يَرْشَحُ جَبِينُهُ وَ يَسِيلُ مِنْ عَيْنَيْهِ كَهَيْئَةِ الدُّمُوعِ فَيَكُونُ ذَلِكَ خُرُوجَ نَفْسِهِ وَ إِنَّ الْكَافِرَ تَخْرُجُ نَفْسُهُ سَلًّا مِنْ شِدْقِهِ كَزَبَدِ الْبَعِيرِ أَوْ كَمَا تَخْرُجُ نَفْسُ الْبَعِيرِ[2].

“I heard abu Ja‘far (a.s.), say, ‘One of the signs of belief in a person is that at the time of his death his face turns more white than normal, his forehead sweats, something like tears flow from his eyes and that is the time for coming out of his soul from his body. The soul of an unbeliever comes out of his body as

قُلْتُ أَصْلَحَكَ اللَّهُ مَنْ أَحَبَّ لِقَاءَ اللَّهِ أَحَبَّ اللَّهُ لِقَاءَهُ وَ مَنْ أَبْغَضَ لِقَاءَ اللَّهِ أَبْغَضَ اللَّهُ لِقَاءَهُ قَالَ نَعَمْ قُلْتُ فَوَ اللَّهِ إِنَّا لَنَكْرَهُ الْمَوْتَ فَقَالَ لَيْسَ ذَلِكَ حَيْثُ تَذْهَبُ إِنَّمَا ذَلِكَ عِنْدَ الْمُعَايَنَةِ إِذَا رَأَى مَا يُحِبُّ فَلَيْسَ شَيْ‌ءٌ أَحَبَّ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ أَنْ يَتَقَدَّمَ وَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى يُحِبُّ لِقَاءَهُ وَ هُوَ يُحِبُّ لِقَاءَ

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), saying, ‘May Allah grant you wellbeing, is it true that whoever loves to meet Allah, He loves to meet him, and whoever dislikes to meet Allah He dislikes to meet him?’ He said, ‘Yes, that is true.’ I then said, ‘By Allah, we dislike death.’ The Imam then said, ‘It is not the way you

قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ حَدِيثٌ سَمِعْتُهُ مِنْ بَعْضِ شِيعَتِكَ وَ مَوَالِيكَ يَرْوِيهِ عَنْ أَبِيكَ قَالَ وَ مَا هُوَ قُلْتُ زَعَمُوا أَنَّهُ كَانَ يَقُولُ أَغْبَطُ مَا يَكُونُ امْرُؤٌ بِمَا نَحْنُ عَلَيْهِ إِذَا كَانَتِ النَّفْسُ فِي هَذِهِ فَقَالَ نَعَمْ إِذَا كَانَ‌ ذَلِكَ أَتَاهُ نَبِيُّ اللَّهِ وَ أَتَاهُ عَلِيٌّ وَ أَتَاهُ جَبْرَئِيلُ وَ أَتَاهُ مَلَكُ الْمَوْتِ ع فَيَقُولُ ذَلِكَ الْ

“Once I said to abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), ‘May Allah keep my soul in the service of your cause, I have heard a Hadith from your followers and servants who narrate from your father.’ He then asked, ’What is it?’ I replied, ‘They think that he said, “One should be proud of his affairs being as what we believe in when his so

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ‌ إِذَا بَلَغَتْ نَفْسُ أَحَدِكُمْ هَذِهِ وَ أَوْمَأَ بِيَدِهِ إِلَى حَلْقِهِ قَرَّتْ عَيْنُهُ.

‘When the soul of one of you reaches here’ - pointing to his throat - ‘his eyes become delightful.’”

قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع قَوْلُهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَ‌ فَلَوْ لا إِذا بَلَغَتِ الْحُلْقُومَ‌ إِلَى قَوْلِهِ‌ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ صادِقِينَ‌[1] فَقَالَ إِنَّهَا إِذَا بَلَغَتِ الْحُلْقُومَ ثُمَّ أُرِيَ مَنْزِلَهُ مِنَ الْجَنَّةِ فَيَقُولُ رُدُّونِي إِلَى الدُّنْيَا حَتَّى أُخْبِرَ أَهْلِي بِمَا أَرَى فَيُقَالُ لَهُ لَيْسَ إِلَى ذَلِكَ سَبِيلٌ.

“Once I said to abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), ‘These are the words of Allah, the Majestic, the Glorious, “When it (the soul) reaches the throat. ... if you are truthful.’” (56: 82- 87) The Imam said, ‘When it reaches the throat then it sees its dwelling in paradise and says, “Return me to the worldly life so I can inform my f

قَالَ: إِذَا رَأَيْتَ الْمَيِّتَ قَدْ شَخَصَ بِبَصَرِهِ وَ سَالَتْ عَيْنُهُ الْيُسْرَى وَ رَشَحَ جَبِينُهُ وَ تَقَلَّصَتْ شَفَتَاهُ وَ انْتَشَرَتْ مَنْخِرَاهُ فَأَيَّ شَيْ‌ءٍ رَأَيْتَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ فَحَسْبُكَ بِهَا[2]. - وَ فِي رِوَايَةٍ أُخْرَى‌ وَ إِذَا ضَحِكَ أَيْضاً فَهُوَ مِنَ الدَّلَالَةِ قَالَ وَ إِذَا رَأَيْتَهُ قَدْ خَمَصَ وَجْهُهُ وَ سَالَتْ عَيْنُهُ الْيُمْنَى فَاعْلَمْ أَنَّهُ‌[3].

“He (the Imam) has said, ‘If you see a dying person’s eyes fixed upon something and tears come out of the left eye, his forehead sweats, his lips shrink and his nostrils expand, then whatever of such things you find with him is sufficient (proof of his salvation).’ In another Hadith it says, ‘And if he laughs also it t