37/31. Chapter:
Sunan Ibn Majah 4264 — Loving to Meet Allah
Death and preparing for it
Whoever Loves to Meet Allah: Hadith Meaning and Core Lesson
Sunan Ibn Majah : 4264
Sunan Ibn MajahHadith Number 4264
حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ خَلَفٍ أَبُو سَلَمَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الأَعْلَى، عَنْ سَعِيدٍ، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، عَنْ زُرَارَةَ بْنِ أَوْفَى، عَنْ سَعْدِ بْنِ هِشَامٍ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ قَالَ : " مَنْ أَحَبَّ لِقَاءَ اللَّهِ أَحَبَّ اللَّهُ لِقَاءَهُ وَمَنْ كَرِهَ لِقَاءَ اللَّهِ كَرِهَ اللَّهُ لِقَاءَهُ " . فَقِيلَ لَهُ : يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ كَرَاهِيَةُ لِقَاءِ اللَّهِ فِي كَرَاهِيَةِ لِقَاءِ الْمَوْتِ فَكُلُّنَا يَكْرَهُ الْمَوْتَ قَالَ : " لاَ إِنَّمَا ذَاكَ عِنْدَ مَوْتِهِ إِذَا بُشِّرَ بِرَحْمَةِ اللَّهِ وَمَغْفِرَتِهِ أَحَبَّ لِقَاءَ اللَّهِ فَأَحَبَّ اللَّهُ لِقَاءَهُ وَإِذَا بُشِّرَ بِعَذَابِ اللَّهِ كَرِهَ لِقَاءَ اللَّهِ وَكَرِهَ اللَّهُ لِقَاءَهُ " .
A'isha Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Whoever loves to meet Allah, Allah loves to meet him, and whoever hates to meet Allah, Allah hates to meet him.” It was said to him: “O Messenger of Allah, does hating to meet Allah mean hating to meet death? For all of us hate death.” He said: “No. Rather that is only at the moment of death. But if he is given the glad tidings of the mercy and forgiveness of Allah, he loves to meet Allah and Allah loves to meet him; and if he is given the tidings of the punishment of Allah, he hates to meet Allah and Allah hates to meet him.”
Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 4264In-book reference : Book 37, Hadith 165English translation : Vol. 5, Book 37, Hadith 4264
Summary of Sunan Ibn Majah Hadith 4264
This hadith about loving to meet Allah explains an important point with care. The Prophet said that whoever loves to meet Allah, Allah loves to meet him, and whoever hates to meet Allah, Allah hates to meet him. When it was asked whether this means simply hating death, the Prophet said no. He explained that it is about the moment of death. If a person is given glad tidings of Allah’s mercy and forgiveness, he loves to meet Allah. If he is given tidings of Allah’s punishment, he hates that meeting. So the hadith is not saying that natural fear of death itself is blameworthy. It is speaking about the final news given at death.
What we learn from this hadith
- Hating death is not the same as hating to meet Allah in this hadith.
- Glad tidings of mercy and forgiveness make the meeting beloved.
- Tidings of punishment bring fear and dislike at the moment of death.
