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Is it permissible to wish for death (on finding it difficult to abstain from sin)?

Answered as per Hanafi Fiqh by AskOurImam.com

Salam. Sub: asking dua for good death in certain situation.

I just want to clear if I ask dua for giving me beautiful death as soon as possible. Is it permissible? Now I`m explaining the situation. I’m young 22 years old. I’m an aeronautical students. In my life I already got so much help from Allah. He turns me so I’m thankful. I don’t wanna disobey him. When I’m doing any sin, I feel very upset. I’m worried about bcz I wanna become closer to Allah. I do tawba, try my best as I can but after few days again sin. Actually I`m struggling with my nafs, not jinah, but like porn…but I don’t wanna do…sometime I do fasting but next day again. I can just control few days but thn again thn tawba again. It should be stopped but if Allah forgive me and give a good death thn I won`t be able to do sin. I`m afraid to do disobey but can’t hold. I’m trying for long time but still this is major problem or I can start fasting till death. Maybe I will be sick but I’m afraid if I miss even one day fasting shaitan will try to brk my iman. Only option if Allah give me good death then I will be successful.no sin. But I’m not asking death bcz of depression. I’m fully satisfied with I have and my Rabb…only thing I don’t wanna disobey even a single time until I’m dead…help me

Answer:

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

Consider the following Prophetic traditions:

Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

لا يتمنى أحدكم الموت ولا يدع به من قبل أن يأتيه إنه إذا مات أحدكم انقطع عمله وإنه لا يزيد المؤمن عمره إلا خيرا

None of you should ever wish for death and neither should one supplicate for it before its time. Verily when any of you dies, his [ability to add to] deeds come to an end. The life of a believer increases him only in good. [Sahīh Muslim]

Anas bin Malik (May Allah be pleased with him) narrates that Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

لا يتمنين أحدكم الموت من ضر أصابه فإن كان لا بد فاعلا فليقل: اللهم أحيني ما كانت الحياة خيرا لي وتوفني إذا كانت الوفاة خيرا لي

None of you should ever wish for death because of a harm that has afflicted him. [But] If he must do it, he may say, “Oh Allah keep me alive as long as life is good for me and cause me to die when death is better for me.”[Sahīh al-Bukhārī]

Therefore, as believers, we must entertain our trust and pin our hope only in Allah, The Almighty[1].

You may adopt the following techniques to help you overcome your anxiety and strengthen your hope and faith:

  • Be optimistic. Know that this life is a bounty from Allah to His servants. It is an opportunity for us to increase in good actions, repent from shortcomings, and reach out to Allah Ta`ālā. The challenges in life are a test from Allah; to wipe away our sins and elevate our rank in the Hereafter. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:

ما يصيب المسلم من نصب ولا وصب ولا هم ولا حزن ولا أذى ولا غم حتى الشوكة يشاكها إلا كفر الله بها من خطاياه

A believer is not afflicted with exhaustion, fatigue, pain, grief, anxiety, worry or any harm or sadness, even if it were the prick of a thorn, but that Allah removes his sins because of it. [Sahīh al-Bukhārī]

He (peace be upon him) also said:

ما يصيب المؤمن من شوكة فما فوقها إلا رفعه الله بها درجة أو حط عنه بها خطيئة

A believer is not afflicted with any harm such as being pricked with a thorn or anything more, but that Allah elevates his rank because of it and removes his sin because of it. [Sahīh Muslim]

  • Pray to Allah for ease in your affair, entertain full believe in Allah that He will respond to your call and adopt resilience. Allah is the One who opens the distressed hearts and infuses love and mercy between antagonists. Allah Ta`ala states, “Verily, with every hardship there is ease”[2].
  • Supplicate to remove restlessness and grief. Anas ibn Malik (May Allah be pleased with him) narrates that whenever Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was overcame with any restlessness or sorrow he would read the supplication:

يا حيّ يا قيّوم، برحمتك أستغيث

Transliteration: ‘Yaa Hayy, Yaa Qayyoom, birahmatika astagheeth’[3].

Translation: O Ever-Living One, O Everlasting One, by Your mercy I seek help.”

  • You should consult a reliable local scholar to assist you in your predicament. Attend religious classes and engage in the remembrance of Allah, as “Verily, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest.[4]

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

Hanif Yusuf Patel

Student Darul Iftaa
UK

Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.

References
[1] However, it is permissible for a person to wish for death in order to preserve their faith and protect themselves from committing wrongdoing at times when evil immorality and corruption are prevalent. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said::

 

إذا كان أمراؤكم خياركم وأغنياؤكم سمحاءكم وأموركم شورى بينكم فظهر الأرض خير لكم من بطنها وإذا كان أمراؤكم شراركم وأغنياؤكم بخلاءكم وأموركم إلى نسائكم فبطن الأرض خير لكم من ظهرها

 

`When your leaders are the best amongst you, your affluent ones are the most generous amongst you, and your matters are resolved through mutual consultation then the surface of the earth is better for you than its interior (i.e. living is better than dying). But when your leaders are the worst of you, your affluent ones are stingy and your affairs are submitted to your womenfolk, then the interior of the earth is better than its surface (i.e. death is better than life).’ [Sunan al-Tirmidhī]

 

(يكره تمنى الموت) لغضب أو ضيق عيش (إلا لخوف الوقوع في معصية) أي فيكره لخوف الدنيا لا الدين لحديث «فبطن الأرض خير لكم من ظهرها» خلاصة

(قوله أي فيكره) بيان لحاصل كلام المصنف، وعبارة الخلاصة: رجل تمنى الموت لضيق عيشه أو غضب من عدوه يكره لقوله – عليه الصلاة والسلام – ” «لا يتمنى أحدكم الموت لضر نزل به» وإن كان لتغير زمانه وظهور المعاصي فيه مخافة الوقوع فيها لا بأس به لما روي عن النبي – عليه الصلاة والسلام – في مثل هذه الصورة قال «فبطن الأرض خير لكم من ظهرها» اهـ.

أقول: والحديث الأول في صحيح مسلم «لا يتمنين أحدكم الموت لضر نزل به فإن كان لا بد متمنيا فليقل: اللهم أحيني ما كانت الحياة خيرا لي وتوفني إذا كانت الوفاة خيرا لي».

[Radd al-Muhtār`alā al-Durr al-Mukhtār, 6: 419, H. M. Sa`īd Company]

[2] [Qur`ān; 6: 94]

[3] [Sunan at-Tirmidhi, 2: 192, Qadimi Kutub Khana]

[4] [Qur`ān; 13: 28]

This answer was collected from AskOurImam.com, which is operated under the supervision of Mufti Hanif Yusuf Patel. He graduated from Jamiatul Ilm Wal Huda, Blackburn, U.K, with a distinction in Alimiyyah degree. He thereafter travelled to Darul Iftaa Mahmudiyyah Durban, South Africa, to train as a Mufti under the tutelage of Mufti Ebrahim Desai and Mufti Husain Kadodia.

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