Remembering Death
Total Hadiths 11
Remembering Death in Islam: Lessons from the Prophet
These authentic narrations emphasize the vital Islamic practice of remembering death to keep our spiritual lives focused. Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) advised believers to constantly remember the "severer of pleasures," which is death itself. According to Islamic scholars, this mindfulness helps shift focus from passing worldly pursuits toward eternal preparations. The narrations vividly describe the grave as the initial, most serious testing stage of the hereafter, which moved companions like 'Uthman to deep reflection. Ultimately, when a person passes away, their family and wealth return home, while only their personal deeds remain with them in the grave. Embracing this truth teaches us to nurture a sincere love for meeting Allah through our daily actions.
حَدَّثَنَا مَحْمُودُ بْنُ غَيْلاَنَ، حَدَّثَنَا الْفَضْلُ بْنُ مُوسَى، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو، عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ : " أَكْثِرُوا ذِكْرَ هَاذِمِ اللَّذَّاتِ " . يَعْنِي الْمَوْتَ .
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘Frequently remember the destroyer of pleasures,’ meaning death.”
Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 4258In-book reference : Book 37, Hadith 159English translation : Vol. 5, Book 37, Hadith 4258
حَدَّثَنَا مَحْمُودُ بْنُ غَيْلاَنَ، حَدَّثَنَا الْفَضْلُ بْنُ مُوسَى، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو، عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " أَكْثِرُوا ذِكْرَ هَاذِمِ اللَّذَّاتِ " . يَعْنِي الْمَوْتَ . قَالَ وَفِي الْبَابِ عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ غَرِيبٌ .
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) said: "Increase In Remembrance Of The Severer Of Pleasures." Meaning Death.
Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2307In-book reference : Book 36, Hadith 4English translation : Vol. 4, Book 10, Hadith 2307
حَدَّثَنَا سُوَيْدُ بْنُ نَصْرٍ، أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ الْمُبَارَكِ، أَخْبَرَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبِي يَقُولُ، سَمِعْتُ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ، يَقُولُ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " مَا مِنْ أَحَدٍ يَمُوتُ إِلاَّ نَدِمَ " . قَالُوا وَمَا نَدَامَتُهُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ " إِنْ كَانَ مُحْسِنًا نَدِمَ أَنْ لاَ يَكُونَ ازْدَادَ وَإِنْ كَانَ مُسِيئًا نَدِمَ أَنْ لاَ يَكُونَ نَزَعَ " . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ إِنَّمَا نَعْرِفُهُ مِنْ هَذَا الْوَجْهِ . وَيَحْيَى بْنُ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ قَدْ تَكَلَّمَ فِيهِ شُعْبَةُ وَهُوَ يَحْيَى بْنُ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مَوْهَبٍ مَدَنِيٌّ .
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
The Prophet(s.a.w) said: "There Is No One Who Dies But He Shall Regret." They Said: "What Shall He Regret Over O Messenger Of Allah?" He Said: "If He Was A Good Doer, He Regrets That He Did Not Do More, And If He Was An Evil Doer, He Regrets That He Did Not Stop."
Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2403In-book reference : Book 36, Hadith 101English translation : Vol. 4, Book 10, Hadith 2403
حَدَّثَنَا الزُّبَيْرُ بْنُ بَكَّارٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَنَسُ بْنُ عِيَاضٍ، حَدَّثَنَا نَافِعُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، عَنْ فَرْوَةَ بْنِ قَيْسٍ، عَنْ عَطَاءِ بْنِ أَبِي رَبَاحٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، أَنَّهُ قَالَ : كُنْتُ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ فَجَاءَهُ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ فَسَلَّمَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ ثُمَّ قَالَ : يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَىُّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَفْضَلُ قَالَ : " أَحْسَنُهُمْ خُلُقًا " . قَالَ فَأَىُّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَكْيَسُ قَالَ : " أَكْثَرُهُمْ لِلْمَوْتِ ذِكْرًا وَأَحْسَنُهُمْ لِمَا بَعْدَهُ اسْتِعْدَادًا أُولَئِكَ الأَكْيَاسُ " .
Ibn 'Umar Narrated from:
I was with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and a man from among the Ansar came to him and greeted the Prophet (ﷺ) with Salam. Then he said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, which of the believers is best?’ He said: ‘He who has the best manners among them.’ He said: ‘Which of them is wisest?’ He said: ‘The one who remembers death the most and is best in preparing for it. Those are the wisest.’”
Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 4259In-book reference : Book 37, Hadith 160English translation : Vol. 5, Book 37, Hadith 4259
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
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ الْحَكَمِ بْنِ أَبِي زِيَادٍ، حَدَّثَنَا سَيَّارٌ، حَدَّثَنَا جَعْفَرٌ، عَنْ ثَابِتٍ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ، : أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ دَخَلَ عَلَى شَابٍّ وَهُوَ فِي الْمَوْتِ فَقَالَ : " كَيْفَ تَجِدُكَ " . قَالَ : أَرْجُو اللَّهَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَأَخَافُ ذُنُوبِي . فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ : " لاَ يَجْتَمِعَانِ فِي قَلْبِ عَبْدٍ فِي مِثْلِ هَذَا الْمَوْطِنِ إِلاَّ أَعْطَاهُ اللَّهُ مَا يَرْجُو وَآمَنَهُ مِمَّا يَخَافُ " .
Anas Narrated from:
The Prophet (ﷺ) entered upon a young man who was dying and said: “How do you feel?” He said: “I have hope in Allah, O Messenger of Allah, but I fear my sins.” The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “These two things (hope and fear) do not coexist in the heart of a person in a situation like this, but Allah will give him that which he hopes for and keep him safe from that which he fears.”
Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 4261In-book reference : Book 37, Hadith 162English translation : Vol. 5, Book 37, Hadith 4261
حَدَّثَنَا سُوَيْدُ بْنُ نَصْرٍ، أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ الْمُبَارَكِ، عَنْ سُفْيَانَ بْنِ عُيَيْنَةَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ، هُوَ ابْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَمْرِو بْنِ حَزْمٍ الأَنْصَارِيُّ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَنَسَ بْنَ مَالِكٍ، يَقُولُ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " يَتْبَعُ الْمَيِّتَ ثَلاَثٌ فَيَرْجِعُ اثْنَانِ وَيَبْقَى وَاحِدٌ يَتْبَعُهُ أَهْلُهُ وَمَالُهُ وَعَمَلُهُ فَيَرْجِعُ أَهْلُهُ وَمَالُهُ وَيَبْقَى عَمَلُهُ " . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ .
Anas bin Malik Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah (S.a.w) said: "Three Follow The Deceased, Two Of Them Return, And One Remains. He Is Followed By His Family, His Wealth, And His Deeds. So His Family And His Wealth Returns, And His Deeds Remain."
Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2379In-book reference : Book 36, Hadith 76English translation : Vol. 4, Book 10, Hadith 2379
حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ ثَابِتٍ الْجَحْدَرِيُّ، وَعُمَرُ بْنُ شَبَّةَ بْنِ عَبِيدَةَ، قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا عُمَرُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ، أَخْبَرَنِي إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ أَبِي خَالِدٍ، عَنْ قَيْسِ بْنِ أَبِي حَازِمٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ قَالَ : " إِذَا كَانَ أَجَلُ أَحَدِكُمْ بِأَرْضٍ أَوْثَبَتْهُ إِلَيْهَا الْحَاجَةُ فَإِذَا بَلَغَ أَقْصَى أَثَرِهِ قَبَضَهُ اللَّهُ سُبْحَانَهُ فَتَقُولُ الأَرْضُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ : رَبِّ هَذَا مَا اسْتَوْدَعْتَنِي " .
'Abdullah bin Mas'ud Narrated from:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “If the appointed time of death of anyone of you is in a certain land, some need will cause him to go there, then when he reaches the furthest point that it is decreed he will reach, Allah takes (his soul). And on the Day of Resurrection the earth will say: ‘My Lord, this is what You entrusted to me.’”
Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 4263In-book reference : Book 37, Hadith 164English translation : Vol. 5, Book 37, Hadith 4263
حَدَّثَنَا مَحْمُودُ بْنُ غَيْلاَنَ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو دَاوُدَ، أَخْبَرَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَنَسًا، يُحَدِّثُ عَنْ عُبَادَةَ بْنِ الصَّامِتِ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " مَنْ أَحَبَّ لِقَاءَ اللَّهِ أَحَبَّ اللَّهُ لِقَاءَهُ وَمَنْ كَرِهَ لِقَاءَ اللَّهِ كَرِهَ اللَّهُ لِقَاءَهُ " . قَالَ وَفِي الْبَابِ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ وَعَائِشَةَ وَأَنَسٍ وَأَبِي مُوسَى . قَالَ حَدِيثُ عُبَادَةَ حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ .
'Ubadah bin As-Samit Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) said: "Whoever Loves To Meet Allah, Allah Loves To Meet Him. Whoever Is Averse To Meeting Allah, Allah Is Averse To Meeting Him."
Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2309In-book reference : Book 36, Hadith 6English translation : Vol. 4, Book 10, Hadith 2309
حَدَّثَنَا هَنَّادٌ، حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ مَعِينٍ، حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامُ بْنُ يُوسُفَ، حَدَّثَنِي عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ بَحِيرٍ، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ هَانِئًا، مَوْلَى عُثْمَانَ قَالَ كَانَ عُثْمَانُ إِذَا وَقَفَ عَلَى قَبْرٍ بَكَى حَتَّى يَبُلَّ لِحْيَتَهُ فَقِيلَ لَهُ تُذْكَرُ الْجَنَّةُ وَالنَّارُ فَلاَ تَبْكِي وَتَبْكِي مِنْ هَذَا فَقَالَ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " إِنَّ الْقَبْرَ أَوَّلُ مَنَازِلِ الآخِرَةِ فَإِنْ نَجَا مِنْهُ فَمَا بَعْدَهُ أَيْسَرُ مِنْهُ وَإِنْ لَمْ يَنْجُ مِنْهُ فَمَا بَعْدَهُ أَشَدُّ مِنْهُ " . قَالَ وَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " مَا رَأَيْتُ مَنْظَرًا قَطُّ إِلاَّ وَالْقَبْرُ أَفْظَعُ مِنْهُ " . قَالَ هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ غَرِيبٌ لاَ نَعْرِفُهُ إِلاَّ مِنْ حَدِيثِ هِشَامِ بْنِ يُوسُفَ .
Hani Narrated from:
When 'Uthman Would Stop At A Grave He Would Cry Until His Beard Was Soaked (In Tears). It Was Said To Him: 'The Paradise And The Fire Were Mentioned And You Did Not Cry, Yet You Cry Because Of This?' So He Said: 'Indeed The Messenger Of Allah Said: "Indeed The Grave Is The First Stage Among The Stages Of The Hereafter. So If One Is Saved From It, Then What Comes After It Is Easier Than It. And If One Is Not Saved From It, Then What Comes After It Is Worse Than It." And The Messenger Of Allah Said: "I Have Not Seen Any Sight Except That The Grave Is More Horrible Than It."
Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2308In-book reference : Book 36, Hadith 5English translation : Vol. 4, Book 10, Hadith 2308
