A: There are two types of narrations regarding sudden death: those that condemn it and those that praise it.
Hereunder are a few narrations which I have come across that condemn it; there may be more:
1) Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wa sallam sought protection from seven types of death: sudden death. ..
(Musnad Ahmad, vol.2, p.171). Al-Haythmi states, “Narrated by Ahmad, al-Bazzar, al-Tabarani in al-Kabir and al-Awsat; in the sanad there is Ibn Lahi’ah regarding whom there is criticism. ” (Majma’ al-Zawa’id, vol.3, p.57)
There is also the narrator, Malik ibn ‘Abd Allah who is regarded as majhul. However, al-Bazzar narrates the same hadith without Malik in the sanad. (Kash al-Astar, vol.1,p. 371)
This is the narration Mufti Omar Baigh mentioned.
2) Rasulullah made du’a, “…O Allah, do not destroy us suddenly…” (al-Mu’jam al-Awsat, vol.8, p.282). Al-Haythmi states, “In the sanad is Nahshal ibn Sa’id and he is Matruk.” (Majma’ al-Zawa’id, vol.2, p.436)
This is the narration mentioned by Mufti Ismail.
3) Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wa sallam mentioned, “I dislike موت الفوات.” (Musnad Ahmad, vol.2, p.356)
Ibn al-Athir explains, “That is, sudden death.” (Al-Nihayah, vol.3, p.4)
Al-Haythmi states, “The sanad is weak.” (Majma’ al-Zawa’id, vol.3, p.57)
4) Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wa sallam would seek protection from sudden death and would like that one gets sick prior to death. (Al-Mu’jam al-Kabir, vol.8, p.132)
He narrates this hadith via two routes, one of which does not contain ‘Uthman ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman. This answes the objection of those who regarded it weak do to this narrator.
6) Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wa sallam mentions, “Sudden death is the striking of a sword.” Sunan Abi Dawud
Some scholars object that this has been narrated both as a statement of ‘Ubayd ibn Khalid and as a satement of Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wa sallam. However, Allamah al-Mundhiri mentions, “The narrators of this sanad are reliable. It being narrated mawqufan does not impact it because this cannot be explained by reason. Morever, he narrated once marfu’an.” (Mukhtasar Sunan Abi Dawud, vol.4, p.282)
The second type of narrations are those that praise praise sudden death:
1) Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wa sallammentions, “it is relief for a believer and the striking of a sword for a Fajir.” (Musnad Ahmad, vol.6, 136) Al-Haythami states, “The sanad contains Abd Allah ibn al-Walid al-Wassafi who is matruk.” (Majma’ al-Zawa’id, vol.3, p.56)
2) Abd Allah ibn Mas’ud mentions, “Sudden death is ease for a believer and the striking of a sword for a disbeliever. (Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah, vol.7, p.43)
3) A similar statement from Aishah (Ibid)
4) Abu al-Sakan al-Hijri mentions, ” Khalil Allah passed away a sudden death, Dawud passed away a sudden death, Sulayman passed away a sudden death, and the pious. It is ease for a believer and difficulty for a disbeliever.” (Shu’ab al-Iman, vol.12, p.457)
Al-Munawi gives an explanation to reconcile between the two apparently contradictory narrations. He writes, “It is comfort for those who prepare for death as opposed to those who don’t.” (Fayd al-Qadir, vol.6, p.256)
Muhammad al-Sindhi writes, “Sudden death is a sign of Allah’s wrath as he did not allow him to repent and prepare for the hereafter. He did not make him sick to be an expiation for his sins. That is why Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wa sallam sought protection from it. However, it has been narrated that this is regarding a disbeliever. As for a believer it is mercy because he is generally prepared for it and thus he is relieved of the hardship of the world.” (Hashiyat al-Sindi, vol.3, 514)
Aadiel Moosagie (Mufti)
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