The Reality Of Death
By Abdul Rahman Chao | 2026-01-15T10:18:40.11761+00:00 | Topic: Hereafter
The Reality Of Death
Sheikh Abdulrahman Chao
Introduction: The Forgotten Home
Brothers and sisters, in this country there is a practice for newlyweds to set up something called bridal registry or something called wedding registry. And what this means is the soon-to-be husband and wife, they go to a store or they go online, it could be Crate and Barrel, Target, whatever it is, and they set up a wish list of what they want in their homes. So this wish list, brothers and sisters, it gives the wedding guests an idea as well as a choice of what the bride and the groom want.
Most of the time, the registry contains things related to furnishing the house. Like for example, they want someone to purchase a set of cooking ware. Sometimes they want dinner ware, a set of dinner ware, right? Sometimes they want toaster, sometimes they want alarm clock, you name it.
But brothers and sisters, today's topic is not about weddings or wedding registries, but I want to bring you into something more important than that. And that is, look at the care, the time, the money that is spent to decorate and furnish our homes. How much money have you spent for your rent? How much money have you spent to buy a nice couch for yourself in the family room? How much money have you spent to make sure that the carpet is clean? But Subhanallah, there is one more house, there is one more apartment, there is actually one more property that each and every one of us own.
The Grave: Our Second Home
And more often than not, the greater majority of these homes are not furnished. Therefore today brothers and sisters, I want you to come with me to visit this other home that you own. You have not spent any money to furnish it. You have not spent much time. Needless to say, I hardly imagine any one of you even visited that home. You know that is your house. But you never think about it. This other house, brothers and sisters, that I am talking about, is your grave. No matter how rich a person is, no matter if someone does not own any homes, even if they are homeless, every single person on this earth has a promised home.
Not always on top, but always underneath in the ground. 6 feet by 3 feet, 7 feet by 3 feet, 7 feet by 4 feet, whatever size it is. That is your other home. The greater majority of people do not even know that they have this home. This home, brothers and sisters, is where you will spend most of the time. You might spend on earth 90 years, 80 years, 70 years.
But look at the people before us. They have lived 4,000, 5,000, 6,000 years before us. And they are still in their homes, in their quboor. They have spent so much money decorating those houses that they live in this world, but they forget that in comparison to the house underneath, the qabr, they have been there for thousands and thousands of years. Brothers and sisters, sometimes you visit people's houses, different homes, and you see, mashallah, tabarakallah, how beautiful and how nice these homes are. They have so many different rooms.
They have multiple bathrooms. They have a family room, a living room, and they also have another family room and a living room in the basement. So they can entertain many guests at one time. But subhanallah, every single one of you will move into that dark, dark qabr, that grave. That is your home. Your home, brothers and sisters, is cold. Your bed is the earth itself, the ground. And your blanket is the dirt. That is what you will be sleeping on.
The Nature of the Grave
Ask yourselves, if you were to die in the next five minutes, if you were to leave this Salatul Jum'ah, and tonight Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala took you away, ask yourself, are you ready to meet Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala? Are you ready to move into your second home? The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) has told us, that this grave is either:
(Tirmidhi hadith 2308)
This grave that you live in, that you will stay in, before the Qiyamah al-Kubra, it is either a garden from the gardens of paradise or a pit of hellfire. Imagine if your house was on fire today, the kitchen was on fire. What would you do? Brothers and sisters, we have to go through a reality check.
The Inevitability of Death
Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala tells us in the Qur'an:
Every single soul, every single person will taste death, without exception. So the question is not, why do people not think about death? It's not, why did the mushrikeen say, we will not be resurrected? The mushrikeen know they will die. But the problem is, they don't want to believe that they will be held accountable after they die.
Death is reality. And grasping that reality, or the reality of accountability, sometimes for some people, it's almost like a form of impossibility. Brothers and sisters, the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) tells us, remember the destroyer of all pleasures:
(Tirmidhi hadith 2307)
Whatever pleasure you like, whatever wealth you want, whatever it is that you desire, brothers and sisters, it stands nothing in front of the idea of death.
Allah says in the Qur'an:
Everything will die, everything will perish, everything will go away, except Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, Who is ever-living.
The Reality of Time and Our Denial
Brothers and sisters, why do you think in our society, it's so rude to ask someone how old they are? Do you think it's simply to find out their age that makes it rude? It's because it is a reminder of their death.
(Reference: Hasan al-Basri saying)
O son of Adam, you are only to be measured. In reality, you are just a matter of days, that's it. If some days pass by, a part of you goes by. Brothers and sisters, you can just see how happy birthdays is so deceiving. There is nothing to be happy about.
It should serve as a reminder to each and every one of us. It should serve as a reminder that with every minute that is ticking by, we are approaching that other home that Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala promised for us.
Allah's Constant Watch
As you can see here, we have video cameras. Under the watchful lens of a video camera, most people become extremely careful of how they behave. But they forget under the watchful eyes of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. They forget that Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala is watching them every single second.
That's how we are fooling ourselves, brothers and sisters. There was a man and a woman. They wanted to go and commit zina. They wanted to go and do something haram together. So they looked and looked for a place to hide so they can do their haram. So they finally got to this location, this deserted house.
And then he looks outside the window, and he says:
Tonight, nothing sees us except the stars. And so the woman said:
What about the One? What about the One who created the stars?
Using Death as Motivation for Repentance
Brothers and sisters, the reality of death should spur us to seek the maghfirah of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. It should not simply scare us because that doesn't last. Because once the fear is gone, a person is not motivated. So instead of fearing death, people should use it as a reminder to do istighfar, so that way they hope for Allah's mercy.
Mu'awiyah (رضي الله تعالى عنه) as he was getting closer and closer to his death, moments before his death, Mu'awiyah (رضي الله تعالى عنه) was on the ground, not on the carpet, on the ground. And he would push against the ground, and he would close his eyes, and then he would turn his other cheek, and he would push down, and he would keep repeating that process.
And then he would say, Allahumma, O Allah, You have said:
O Allah, You have said in the Qur'an, that Allah will not forgive anyone who associates partners with Him in worship. But Allah will forgive anything less of shirk.
So make me among those, O Allah, make me among those whom You will forgive.
No Escape from Death
Brothers and sisters, think about the grave. Think about the reality of this grave. You cannot run away from it.
Allah says in the Qur'an, wherever you are, death will come to you. Even if you are in the sturdy and tall fortresses, death will come to you.
This is a reality. And that is why brothers and sisters, time is not on your side. You cannot delay death even by one minute.
Say, the death that you are running away from, it will definitely catch up to you. And then you will be returned to Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala, Who knows the seen and the unseen. And He will tell you, He will judge you, and inform you of what you used to do.
The Urgency of Preparation
Ibn Umar used to say:
(Bukhari hadith 6416)
When you reach the night time, don't wait for the next day. Don't expect that you will live the following morning. And if it's during the morning time, don't expect that you will live until the evening.
The Story of Musa and Death
Musa Alayhi Salatu Wassalam was one time approached by the angel of death. And Musa became agitated, because he did not want to die yet. So Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala gave Musa a choice. He said to him, Put your hand on the body of a bull or a cow. The number of hairs that your hand can cover, we will increase you by that number in age.
And then Musa Alayhi Salatu Wassalam, he said, And what about after that? What will come after that? Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala said, Death will still come to you. Death will still come to you, brothers and sisters. So Musa Alayhi Salatu Wassalam, he said, If death will come to me now as well as later, then let it come now.
The Reality of This World
Brothers and sisters, death is a reality. And this reality is usually obscured because we do not think about the reality of the world. What is the reality of the world, brothers and sisters? The reality of the world is that it is temporal. It is temporary. It doesn't last forever.
Ibn Abbas Radiallahu Ta'ala, listen to this athar, listen to how scary this narration is. Ibn Abbas Radiallahu Ta'ala, he actually narrates an athar. He says:
(Reference: Tafsir Ibn Kathir)
Dunya, the whole world itself, will be brought forth. Not the planet earth, but it will manifest in the form of what? In the form of a very very old woman. شَمْطَاءَ means something like very very old. And she is pale. She is weak. And everyone that looks at her is terrified of her.
So Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala will say to the people:
Do you know who this lady is? And the people of the day of judgment, they will seek Allah's refuge from knowing who this terrifying lady is.
Then it will be said to the people:
This is the world. This is the world that you went after. This is the world that you were chasing after. This is the world that you were fighting after. This is the world, the worldly life with which you broke your family ties.
Because of this world, you started practicing jealousy. You started becoming jealous of other people.
And because of this dunya, you sinned. And then Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala will tell us that this woman, she will say, Oh Allah, where are my followers? Where are the people that used to run after me? And Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala will say, and order to the people, all those people who were chasing after the dunya, follow her, and she will be thrown into Al-Jaheem.
The Three Friends
Brothers and sisters, death is a reality. No matter how much money you gather, whatever properties you purchase, whatever it is, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم makes it very clear for us in this hadith. He says in a riwayah, he says in this hadith sahih, that a Muslim has three friends, three very very close friends.
So the first friend will say to this person, whatever you give, it belongs to you. Whatever you hold back, it never belongs to you. That friend is your wealth. The second friend will say, I have been with you, but when we go to the palace of the king, I cannot go in, I cannot come with you. That is our family. And the king is referring to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala.
And the third friend will say, I am with you wherever you go. I am always with you. And that friend brothers and sisters, that is our a'mal, our action.
That's why the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلمhe says:
(Reference: Bukhari hadith 6514, Muslim hadith 2960)
Three things will follow the deceased person to the graveyard. Two will not stay there at the graveyard, only one will. His family, his wealth, and his actions will follow him to the graveyard. Your family will leave you. Your very closest wife, your husband, your children, if they saw you having some dirt on your clothes while you're alive, they will try to clean it off brothers and sisters. But this time, they will put the dirt on you.
So the family and the wealth, they come with you to the graveyard, and then they go back. The only thing that stays with you is your (عَمَل - 'amal) (actions).
Remembering Our True Home
Have you ever gone outside and touched some dirt? Go to your backyard and dig up a hole, small hole, and take the earth. And if it helps you to remember about the reality of death, take that and put it on your face. Because that is what will be covering our faces. That is our second home brothers and sisters. It's not air-conditioned, doesn't have the nice carpet. How have you prepared for that home?
As Imam Al-Shafi'i, he says:
You know when you go on a journey, you need provision, you need supplies. This life is a journey to the hereafter. Imam Al-Shafi'i is saying, prepare yourselves with Taqwa. Because you do not know, will you live to the next morning at Fajr?
How many young people, Shabab, they are there in the morning laughing. And they do not even know that the Kafan, the shroud that's gonna cover them has already been sewn for them. And it's waiting for them already.
How many brides are there? They have been put on the makeup for their husband on their wedding night. But Allah ordains that on that day of their marriage, Allah will take their husband's soul away or vice versa.
How many young people are there? Do we always hope, oh, he has a long life to live. He has great goals inshallah, he has great plans. Guess what? But no, all these big plans, next minute their body is being interred into the dark graves.
How many people do you know of who are healthy and they die without any reason? And how many sick people do you know of who keep living?
The Importance of Frequent Remembrance
Brothers and sisters, we have to remind ourselves about the reality of the death. We have to keep thinking about الموت. Anas radiallahu ta'ala عنه at the companions, he narrates that the Prophet صلی :he said الله عليه وسلم
(Reference: Ibn Majah hadith 4258)
Remind yourself a lot about death. This will purify your sins. And you will not be chasing after the world.
One time the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was going out and he heard some people sitting there and they were laughing and laughing and laughing. So the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم approached them and he said:
Remember and think about death.
(Reference: Tirmidhi hadith 2312)
By the one whose hand possesses my soul. If you knew what I knew, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said, if you knew what I knew, you would laugh little and crying more. Crying over what? The reality of death.
The Practice of the Salaf
Brothers and sisters, the reality of death is close. Some of the Salaf as-Saleh, you know what they used to do? Some of them used to even dig a grave and they used to lie down in it. They used to go and dig their own grave and they used to lie down in it.
And they would close their eyes and they would imagine how they would answer Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala in that house. And then he would get up. They would get up and then they would dust themselves off.
And then they would say to themselves, the person would address his own nafs:
Now you have come back.
You've come back, O soul. So go and do good deeds. Go and do good deeds
Go now. You have been given a chance. Go now and do good deeds before you go and then you can't come back.
Verses About Those Who Delay Repentance
We conclude brothers and sisters with some powerful verses from the Qur'an. And for those of you who understand Arabic, I want you to think carefully about these verses. Because Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala shows us the reality of those who do not want to face the reality of death and keep delaying tawbah.
Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala tells us in Surah Al-Mu'minoon. Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala begins by teaching us how we should seek refuge from shaytan. Because shaytan tries to make us to forget about the reality of death.
So Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala starts:
And say, I seek refuge in Allah from the whisperings of shaytan, from the devils. O my Lord that they are present trying to misguide me and make me go off the guidance of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala and go astray.
When death comes to that evil person, what will they say? Oh Allah, take us back to the earth, give us one more chance. They will say to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, send me back to earth, oh Allah, so I can go do some good deeds, some more deeds now. This is after they have died and they are resurrected.
Allah will say to them, No, no way. In other words, no to what you have requested. The kalima is the request to go back. We deny you of this request. And in front of them now, it is the life of the hereafter, it prevents them from going back to the earth. And Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala shows us.
On the day of judgment, when Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala orders the angel to blow the trumpet, then there is no more families after that. No more. They won't be asking about this anymore.
Whoever possesses good deeds, and those good deeds outweigh their bad deeds, they are the successful people. And Allah talks about the kuffar, whoever has their bad deeds outweighing their good deeds, then they will be in Jahannam forever.
The Punishment of the Disbelievers
And listen to the next verse, this terrifying verse:
Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala talks about the punishment of those people who disbelieved in Allah, their faces will be burned so much. Guess what? Their kalih, you know what kalih mean? Kalih has two meanings. Number one, it means to be sad and gloomy, but also in Arabic it means that the upper lip and the lower lip have been seared and charged so bad that they have folded away revealing this smile.
Can you imagine that brothers and sisters? The lips are burnt off. Why? I'll tell you why it's in a smile because Allah says in the next verse:
(Quran 23:105) Were not that my verses and my signs should come and be recited to you? And you should disbelieve in them. Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala brothers and sisters warns us and He says in the next verse, then they give themselves excuse.
They give themselves an excuse. Allah says:
(Quran 23:106) And in another Qur'an, they give themselves excuse and they say, No, it's because of our shiqwah (wretchedness) why we are bad. We're just bad.
(Quran 23:107) Oh Allah, return us back to earth. And if we do bad again, then we surely are deserving of punishment. We are ظَالِمِين Again, request denied.
(Quran 23:108) Be humiliated. Be disgraced. And stay silent and do not speak to me. This is what Allah says.
(Quran 23:109) Why? Because some group of believers, they used to make dua, they used to believe in Allah. Oh Allah, forgive us. Oh Allah, give us mercy. And you are