Death

Death is the permanent cessation of all biological functions that sustain a living organism. Phenomena which commonly bring about death include aging, predation, malnutrition, disease, suicide, homicide, starvation, dehydration, and accidents or major trauma resulting in terminal injury. In most cases, bodies of living organisms begin to decompose shortly after death.

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Vaccine . Injury . Death

Is it permissible for a Muslim to participate in a medical trial of an experimental vaccine that could cause injury or death to the participant but could save many lives in the future?

Sayyed Mohammad Al-Musawi, Sayyed Mohammad al-Musawi is originally from Iraq and heads up the World Ahlul Bayt Islamic League in London. Other than being involved in various humanitarian projects, he frequently responds to... Answered 4 weeks ago

If the risk is considerable, then it is not allowed to expose yourself or other human deigns to a risk of life.
Wassalam.

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Fear . Death

I have extreme fear of death and it is affecting me daily, I feel like I will die soon and I get panic attacks regularly, I am 16 years old and I need help to get rid of this feeling. What should I do?

Fear of death is mainly caused by misunderstanding death and its consequences or because of fearing the bad results of sinful acts.

Death is a definite stage in the life of every human being and it does not mean a disaster but a transfer from a stage of life to another stage in which good people will enjoy the great reward and Mercy of Allah, while bad people will meet the results of their own deeds.

Believing in The Mercy of Allah should make us hope to get from His Mercy whether we are alive in this world or after this world.

Death is the start of the happy life of the believer as well as the start of punishment of the enemies of Allah.

Always trust and hope to get from Allah's Mercy and repeat: YA ARHAMARRAHIMEEN. Repeating Salawaat and Estighfaar is also very useful in getting peace of mind.

Wassalam .

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Death . Sin . Du'a (Supplication)

I cannot control certain sins and am afraid. Can I make Dua for my death so that I won't sin anymore?

Amina Inloes, Amina Inloes is originally from the US and has a PhD in Islamic Studies from the University of Exeter on Shi'a hadith. She is the program leader for the MA Islamic Studies program at the... Answer updated 2 months ago

You are not allowed to pray for your death. Death will come when it comes.

Pray instead that Allah helps you to stop the sins or shows you a way to end them (for instance, if someone has an addiction, this could be an intervention that actually works), forgives the sins, and heals any harm to yourself or others they may have caused. If it is possible to make adjustments to your life to reduce or avoid the sins (such as moving to a different place or household), also do that.

Allah is all-powerful and things that seem like miracles happen!

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Hadith . Time . Death . Ignorance . Paradise . Meaning . Sunni

On the basis of the Hadith that says that whoever dies without knowing the Imam of his time dies the death of ignorance, does that mean that Sunnis, therefore, will be unable to enter paradise?

It is not our job to determine who will enter Paradise or who will not. Allah knows the intentions and circumstances of every creature, and He grants Paradise to whom He wants, according to His Knowledge and Mercy.

No doubt, the authentic Hadeeth is mentioned in both Sunni books and Shia books states that: Who dies with out giving allegiance to the Imam of his time will die a death of Jahilyyah. ( Musnad Ahmad bin Hanbal, v,13, p. 188 and Saheeh Muslim, v.6, p.22 and Kitab Al-Sunnah by ibn Abi Aasim;489 and many other books of Hadeeth.

Wassalam.

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Animals . Hereafter . Dog . Pet . Death

What happens to animals such as dogs and cats after they die? Is there a hereafter for them or are they completely gone?

Animals will be resurrected on the Day of Judgement and many animals will be Paradise like the Boraaq of the Prophet Mohammad (SAWA), the Camel-she of prophet Saleh (AS), the dog of the people of the Cave etc.

Wassalam.

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Death . Najasa (Impurity) . Ghusl

What would happen if a person dies in a state of Nijasat or in a state where Ghusal was obligatory on him?

The Ghusl of Mayyit which is obligatory on every dead Muslim is enough for him.

Wassalam.

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Authenticity . Hadith . Time . Death . Ignorance

What are the sources and authenticity of the Hadith from the Prophet (saw) that anyone who dies without knowing the Imam of his time dies the death of ignorance?

The Hadeeth stating that who dies without allegiance to the Imam of his time, will die the death of Jahiliyyah (Ignorance) is a Mutawaatir Hadeeth which means narrated by many authentic narrators that can never jointly lie.
It has been narrated in many Sunni references like:

1. Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, V. 28, P. 88.

2. Saheeh Muslim, V. 3, P. 1478.

3. Hilyatul Awliyaa' by al-Asbahani, V.3, P. 244.

4. Kitab Al-Sunnah by Ibn Abi 'Aasim , V.2, P.503.

5. Al-Sunan Al-Khubra by al-Bayhaqi, V.8, P. 270.

6. Saheeh ibn Hibbaan, V.10, P.434.

7. Sunan Abi Dawood, V.3, P.425.

8. Al-Mo'jam Al-Kabeer by al-Tabaraani, V.19, P.334. And many other Sunni books.
Main Shia books as well narrated this Hadeeth like:

Kitab Al-Kaafi by al-Kulaini 2; 21,

Kamaal Al-Deen by Al-Sadouq;2;409,

and Kifayat Al-Athar by Al-Khazzaz 296.

Wassalam.

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Death . Qur'an

I have heard that when a person dies he can hear the whispers of people and footsteps. However I understand that the Quran says that they cannot hear us. How can this matter be understood correctly?

Qur'an 27:80-81 say: "Thou dost not make the dead hear; nor dost thou make the deaf hear the call when they turn their backs; nor canst thou guide the blind away from their error. Thou canst only make hear those who believe in Our signs and are submitters."

Some exegetes take this verse metaphorically, to mean that you cannot make a person who is dead in their heart to understand the call to the truth. Not that it is literally saying that it impossible for people who are physically deceased to hear anything from the living world.

This seems to better fit with the context of the verses which are about how the Prophet (S) cannot force people to listen to or accept his message; the main idea of the verses is not about physical death and the deceased.

A similar idea in the Qur'an is: "Have they not journeyed upon the earth, that they might have hearts by which to understand or ears by which to hear? Truly it is not the eyes that go blind, but it is hearts within chests that go blind (22:46)." That is, it is not about physical blindness but rather a metaphorical blindness.

God knows best.

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Parents . Death . God (Allah) . Forgiveness . Divine Guidance . Paradise . Salah (Prayers)

My parents are Muslim but they don't pray. Is it permissible for me to ask Allah (swt) to forgive my parents, and to guide and grant them Jannah? And can I keep praying for a Muslim even after his death?

Yes it is very good to pray for the guidance and forgiveness of your parents.

It is also allowed to pray for deceased Muslim for forgiveness and mercy from Allah (SWT).

Wassalam.

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Khums . Zakat . Kafan . Death

Is Khums or Zakat compulsory on a personal Kafan which is never worn and kept only to be used in the event of death?

If it remains with you for one year, you should take out 20% of its current value.

Wassalam.

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Islam . Atheism . Death

According to Islam what happens to atheists after they die? Are they punished in an equal manner to those who believed in other deities?

Atheists who don't believe in The Creator, Allah, despite seeing the creatures and the Most sophisticating universe which guides to the Biggest Fact of The One Creator, have insisted on denying The Truth. Allah, Knows how to deal with them. May Allah protect us and our families from denying the truth.

Wassalam.

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Anxiety . Fear . Death

I suffer from very severe anxiety and fear especially about death and dying. How can I, as a Muslim, overcome these feelings?

Most of people misunderstand the fact of death and think it as terrible and fearful. The terrible death is only for the sinners who did insist on wrong till their death and never repented. Death for the believer is bounty and great relief from the sufferings of this worldly life. When we read Quran, we find that the moment of death of a believer is the start of new life of mercy, bounties and peace. (Refer to Sura Al-Waqi'ah). We also read in Quran that pious believer is been received by the angles on his death with peace and good news of entering Paradise: Those (Believers) whose souls are taken back by the angles, angles tell them: Peace be upon you, enter the Paradise for the good which you used to do. Sura 16, Verse 32.

Authentic Hadeeths stated that every believer will have the pleasure of seeing the Prophet (SAWA) and Ameerul Mo'mineen (AS) and other Infallible Imams (AS) on his death and they will give him best news of Paradise.

It is narrated in a Hadeeth that death is the happiest day for the believer.

Understanding these facts should make the believer not only free from fearing death but also longing for that happiness. We read in Ziyarat Ameen Allah ; O Allah make me longing for the happiness of meeting Your Mercy ( Death). مشتاقة إلى فرحة لقائك.

Death is ordained by Allah, The Most Merciful, on all the creatures and it is part of His Mercy. Enemies of Allah will face the results of their bad deeds, but believers and pious servants of Allah will meet The Great Mercy of Allah.

Wassalam.