10 Hadith About Death In Arabic And Meaning

Every soul of the children of Adam and other mortals shall taste death, and there is no way it will not taste it. Death has a bitter taste that everyone dislikes. This article will be looking at some hadith about death in Arabic and English.

Hadith About Death: The Remembrance Of Death

1. Hadith

Abdullah bin ‘Umar reported: Messenger of Allah SAW took hold of my shoulders and said, “Be in the world like a stranger or a wayfarer.

Ibn ‘Umar used to say: When you survive till the evening do not expect to live until the morning; and when you survive till the morning do not expect to live until the evening. While in good health (do good deeds) before you fall sick; and while you are alive (do good deeds) before death strikes.

Source: Al-Bukhari

2. Hadith

Narrated Anas bin Malik: The Prophet (ﷺ) drew a few lines and said, “This is (man’s) hope, and this is the instant of his death, and while he is in this state (of hope), the nearer line (death) comes to Him.”

Source: Sahih al-Bukhari 6418

3. Hadith

Narrated `Abdullah: The Prophet (ﷺ) drew a square and then drew a line in the middle of it and let it extend outside the square and then drew several small lines attached to that central line, and said,

“This is the human being, and this, (the square) in his lease of life, encircles him from all sides (or has encircled him), and this (line), which is outside (the square), is his hope, and these small lines are the calamities and troubles (which may befall him), and if one misses him, an-other will snap (i.e. overtake) him, and if the other misses him, a third will snap (i.e. overtake) him.”

Source: Sahih al-Bukhari 6417

4. Hadith

Shaddad bin Aws narrated that the Prophet (s.a.w) said: “The clever person ids the one who subjugates his soul, and works for what is after death. And the incapable is the one who follows his desires and merely hopes in Allah.”

[He said:] The meaning of his saying: “Who subjugates his soul”, is to say the one who reckons with his soul in the world, before he is reckoned with, on the Day of Judgement. It has been related that ‘Umar bin Al-Khattäb said:

“Reckon with yourselves before you are reckoned with, and prepare for the Greatest Inquisition. The reckoning of the Day of Judgement is only light for the one who reckoned with himself in the world.”

And, it has been related that Maimun bin Mihran said: “The slave (of Allah) will not be a Taqi until he has reckoned himself, just as he would account for where his business partner got his food and clothing.”

Source: Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2459

5. Hadiths that forbid wishing for death

There are hadiths from the Prophetic Sunnah regarding the prohibition of wishing for death.

Narrated Sad bin Ubaid: (the Maula ofAbdur-Rahman bin Azhar) Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, “None of you should long for death, for if he is a good man, he may increase his good deeds, and if he is an evil-doer, he may stop the evil deeds and repent.”

Source: Sahih al-Bukhari 7235

6. Hadith

Hammam b. Munabbih said: Abu Huraira narrated to us ahadith from Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) and out of these one is that Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said: None amongst you should make a request for death, and do not call for it before it comes, for when any one of you dies, he ceases (to do good) deeds and the life of a believer is not prolonged but for goodness.

Source: Sahih Muslim 2682

7. Hadith

Narrated Anas bin Malik: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “None of you should wish for death because of a calamity befalling him; but if he has to wish for death, he should say: “O Allah! Keep me alive as long as life is better for me, and let me die if death is better for me.’ “

Source: Sahih al-Bukhari 5671

The stupors of death

8. Hadith

Narrated `Aisha: There was a leather or wood container full of water in front of Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) (at the time of his death). He would put his hand into the water and rub his face with it, saying,

“None has the right to be worshipped but Allah! No doubt, death has its stupors.” Then he raised his hand and started saying, “(O Allah!) with the highest companions.” (See Qur’an 4:69) (and kept on saying it) till he expired and his hand dropped.”

Source: Sahih al-Bukhari 6510

9. Hadith

Narrated Aisha: It was one of the favors of Allah towards me that Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) expired in my house on the day of my turn while he was leaning against my chest and Allah made my saliva mix with his saliva at his death.

Abdur-Rahman entered upon me with a Siwak in his hand and I was supporting (the back of) Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) (against my chest ). I saw the Prophet (ﷺ) looking at it (i.e. Siwak) and I knew that he loved the Siwak, so I said ( to him ), “Shall I take it for you ? ” He nodded in agreement. So I took it and it was too stiff for him to use, so I said, “Shall I soften it for you ?” He nodded his approval.

So I softened it and he cleaned his teeth with it. In front of him there was a jug or a tin, (The sub-narrator,Umar is in doubt as to which was right) containing water. He started dipping his hand in the water and rubbing his face with it, he said, “None has the right to be worshipped except Allah.

Death has its agonies.” He then lifted his hands (towards the sky) and started saying, “With the highest companion,” till he expired and his hand dropped down.

Source: Sahih al-Bukhari 4449

10. Hadith

It has been narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira (through another chain of transmitters) that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Whom do you consider to be a martyr among you?

They (the Companions) said: Messenger, of Allah, one who is slain in the way of Allah is a martyr. He said: Then (if this is the definition of a martyr) the martyrs of my Umma will be small in number.

They asked: Messenger of Allah, who are they? He said: One who is slain in the way of Allah is a martyr; one who dies in the way of Allah, is a martyr; one who dies of plague is a martyr; one who dies of cholera is a martyr.

Ibn Miqsam said: I testify the truth of your father’s statement (with regard to this tradition) that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: One who is drowned is a martyr.

Source: Sahih Muslim 1915

• Read also Hadith On Anger
• What Is The Difference Between Sunnah And Hadith?

Hadith about death in Arabic

1. Hadith

عَنْ أَنَسٍ، قَالَ خَطَّ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم خُطُوطًا فَقَالَ ‏ “‏ هَذَا الأَمَلُ وَهَذَا أَجَلُهُ، فَبَيْنَمَا هُوَ كَذَلِكَ إِذْ جَاءَهُ الْخَطُّ الأَقْرَبُ ‏”‏‏.‏

Bukhari 6418

2. Hadith

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ”‏لاَ يَتَمَنَّى أَحَدُكُمُ الْمَوْتَ إِمَّا مُحْسِنًا فَلَعَلَّهُ يَزْدَادُ، وَإِمَّا مُسِيئًا فَلَعَلَّهُ يَسْتَعْتِبُ ‏”‏‏.‏

Bukhari 7235

3. Hadith

عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَذَكَرَ أَحَادِيثَ مِنْهَا وَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ “‏ لاَ يَتَمَنَّى أَحَدُكُمُ الْمَوْتَ وَلاَ يَدْعُ بِهِ مِنْ قَبْلِ أَنْ يَأْتِيَهُ إِنَّهُ إِذَا مَاتَ أَحَدُكُمُ انْقَطَعَ عَمَلُهُ وَإِنَّهُ لاَ يَزِيدُ الْمُؤْمِنَ عُمْرُهُ إِلاَّ خَيْرًا ‏”‏ ‏.‏

Muslim 2682

Commentary

In these hadiths, it is mentioned that an intelligent person should remember death always and restrain his hope. This refers to hope in this world, not hope in Allah’s rewards or what is with Him – the Mighty and Sublime – of great reward for whoever does righteousness deed.

So, do not put much hope on this world. How many are those who had high hopes but were cut short by the sudden arrival of death? And how many are those who dreamt and thought of implementing various plans but could not because of shortened lifetime.

Hence, whenever an intelligent person feels that his heart is yearning for this world and becoming occupied and deluded by it, he should remember death and the affairs of the Hereafter.

This is because (the Hereafter) is the home of certainty but whatever a man considers in this world may become a reality or otherwise.