Book of Funerals
It is recommended for a person to remember death and prepare for it, for it has been narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) that he said: "Increase your remembrance of the destroyer of pleasures; for it is not remembered in times of abundance but that it diminishes them, nor in times of scarcity but that it increases them." Al-Bukhari narrated the first part of it (39). If one becomes ill, it is recommended for him to be patient, and moaning is disliked, because it was narrated from Tawus that he disliked it. One should not wish for death due to an affliction that has befallen him, due to the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him): "Let none of you wish for death due to an affliction that has befallen him (40). Let him instead say: 'O Allah, keep me alive as long as life is better for me, and take my soul when death is better for me'" (41). Al-Tirmidhi said: This is a hasan sahih (good and authentic) hadith (42). He should have a good opinion of his Lord, the Almighty. Jabir said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) saying three days before his death: "Let not any of you die except while he has a good opinion of Allah the Almighty." Narrated by Muslim (43) and Abu Dawud (44). Mu'tamir said, from his father, that he said to him at the time of his death: "Narrate to me the concessions (rukhas)."
(39) This is how the author mentioned it, but we did not find it in [Al-Bukhari]. See Talkhis al-Habir 2/101 and al-Fath al-Rabbani 7/32. It was documented by Al-Tirmidhi, in: Chapter of what has come regarding the remembrance of death, from the Chapters of Asceticism, and in: Chapter of 'Sufyan bin Waki' narrated to us...', from the Chapters of Resurrection (Aridat al-Ahwadhi 9/186, 187, 283); Al-Nasa'i, in: Chapter of the frequency of the remembrance of death, from the Book of Funerals (Al-Mujtaba 4/4, 5); Ibn Majah, in: Chapter of the remembrance of death and preparation for it, from the Book of Asceticism (Sunan Ibn Majah 2/1422); and Imam Ahmad, in: Al-Musnad 2/293. All of them [narrated it] without the addition 'for it is not remembered... etc.' Al-Nabhani in Al-Fath al-Kabir attributed this addition to Al-Bayhaqi in Shu'ab al-Iman, Ibn Hibban, and Al-Bazzar (Al-Fath al-Kabir 1/225). (40) Omitted from A and M. (41) Documented by Al-Bukhari, in: Chapter of a patient wishing for death, from the Book of Medicine, and in: Chapter of Supplication for death and life, from the Book of Supplications (Sahih al-Bukhari 7/156, 8/94); Muslim, in: Chapter of the dislike of wishing for death due to an affliction that has befallen one, from the Book of Remembrance (Sahih Muslim 4/2064); Abu Dawud, in: Chapter of the dislike of wishing for death, from the Book of Funerals (Sunan Abi Dawud 2/167); Al-Tirmidhi, in: Chapter of what has come regarding the prohibition of wishing for death, from the Chapters of Funerals (Aridat al-Ahwadhi 4/195); Al-Nasa'i, in: Chapter of wishing for death, from the Book of Funerals (Al-Mujtaba 4/3, 4); Ibn Majah, in: Chapter of the remembrance of death and preparation for it, from the Book of Asceticism (Sunan Ibn Majah 2/1425); and Imam Ahmad, in: Al-Musnad 3/101, 104, 163, 171, 195, 208, 247, 281. (42) In the original, there is an addition: 'agreed upon'. It is not part of Al-Tirmidhi's statement. (43) Omitted from A. (44) Documented by Muslim, in: Chapter of the command to have a good opinion of Allah at the time of death, from the Book of Paradise (Sahih Muslim...
