Death Dies
The soul was created to be eternal, and will never die. The body was created for the purposes of life on earth and dies upon death.
After the Final Judgement there is no need for death anymore, and so even death must die. Death will die in the form of a spotted ram on the wall between Hell and Paradise so that everyone can see the event, which has been mentioned by Prophet Muhammad in this way:
"After the people of Paradise enter Paradise and the people of the Fire enter Hell, death will be brought forward [i.e. grasped at the throat] in the form of a spotted ram. It will be on the wall that separates the people of Paradise from the people of Hell. Then it will be said: 'O people of Paradise!' Thereupon the people of Paradise will raise their heads apprehensively (because they fear they may be taken from their pleasant abode). Then it will be said 'O people of the Fire!', whereupon its inhabitants will raise their heads in hope of intercession.
After this the people of Paradise and the inhabitants of the Fire will be addressed thus, 'Do you know what this is?' They will all reply, 'We know it; it is death, which was assigned to us.' Thereupon death (in the form of the ram) will be placed on its side and slaughtered on the wall.
Finally, it will be said, 'O people of Paradise, [there is] only eternity and no more death. O people of the Fire, only eternity and no more death.'"
(Hadith)
It is said that the ram will be spotted black and white, and that the reason for this choice of black and white is that the former colour indicates the description of the people of Hell, whilst the latter indicates the description of the people of Paradise.
By illustrating the death of death to all of creation it is made clear that Paradise and Hell will be the dwelling place for their inhabitants for all time to come.
This life is but a short time throughout our long existence - which will last for eternity. There will be no end to the time we will spend in our final abode (Paradise or Hell). It is indeed difficult to imagine how long forever is! This should help a person put in perspective the importance of what we do in this life, for it will determine for us everything that follows our death.
If a person believes in Allah, follows His commands and does good deeds it is only for his/her benefit. If a person turns away from Allah and commits evil, then it is only to his/her harm.
"Whosoever does a good deed, it is for his ownself, and whosoever does evil, it is against (his ownself). Then to your Lord you will be made to return."
(Qur'an 45:15)
Death is unavoidable and at the end of every day we should remind ourselves that we are one day closer to tasting it than we were yesterday.
'Abdullah bin 'Umar said:
"Allah's Apostle took hold of my shoulder and said, 'Be in this world as if you were a stranger or a traveller." The sub-narrator added: Ibn 'Umar used to say, "If you survive till the evening, do not expect to be alive in the morning, and if you survive till the morning, do not expect to be alive in the evening, and take from your health for your sickness, and (take) from your life for your death."
(Hadith)
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