The Human Soul

"" And the stupor of death, certainly comes. `this is what thou wast striving to run from. "" 50:19

The amazing thing about our unique religion of Islam is that, Islam gives us complete details about various aspects of life including death. Death is the number one mystery in life and for that reason, our beloved Prophet (pbuh) has, using the Qur'an & related Hadith, explained to us in vivid details how the human being dies. Once the Soul departs the body it goes to another heavenly world, but the body " the temple" remains on Earth....arabic paper

"" By the (angels) who tear out (the souls of the wicked) with violence; By those who gently draw out (the souls of the blessed); And by those who glide along (on errands of mercy), Then press forward as in a race, Then arrange to do (the Commands of their Lord).""79:1-5

The Angel of Death, Ozrael, is the Angel in charge of the soul retrieval from the human body. Many Hadiths affirm the fact that when the human dies, he sees the Angel of Death. The Angel of Death has staff of other angels, each has designated assignment in handling the human Soul.

In Verse One, Al-Nazi'at which means the Angels who tear out, or extract with violence the Infidel's Soul.
In Verse Two, Al-Nashitat which means the Angels who gently remove the Believer's Soul.
In Verse Three, Al-Sabihat, which means the Angels who carry the Souls to the Almighty.
In Verse Four, Al-Sabiqat, Ibn Masood said: " these are the Believers Souls that are racing to get out of the bodies for the great reward and pleasure that is awaiting them. As we mentioned before, upon death, One will see his ultimate destination, Heaven or Hell.
In Verse Five, Al-Mudabirat, which means the Angels who execute Allah's commands and orders.

One day, Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) went to visit an ailing man from Al-Ansar. Upon entry, the Prophet found the Angel of Death standing next to the man's head. The Prophet (pbuh) said to the Angel: " O' Angel of Death, be gentle with him, he is one of my followers."

The Angel of Death replied: " Don't worry and be pleased O' Messenger of Allah, I'm greatly gentle with all Believers."

The Soul goes to one of the TWO places, either "Illyeen" which is in Heaven,

or "Sijeen" which is in Hell.

The Believer's Soul in "Illyeen" Heaven turns into a bird flying in Heaven until the Judgment Day as mentioned in the following Hadith narrated by Imam Ahmed Ibn Hanbal:

While in the Grave, TWO mighty Angels, Munkar & Nakeer, come to the human being and they sit him up and they asked him THREE questions: 1) Who is your God? 2) What is your Religion? 3) What do you say in the man (Mohammad) that was sent amongst you? The Angels will show him his place in either Hell or Heaven.

As soon as the human body gets placed in the grave and his family walk a way, Allah (SWT) says to him: " O' my slave, they went back and behind they left you, and in the Sand they buried you, nothing you'll gain if they would've stayed a round you, and no body left for you but ME and I'm the "A Live" who never dies. "

When the Prophet (pbuh) was dying, he was wiping his face with cold water and saying: " O' Allah, make the Stupor of Death ( sakratu al-mawtu ) easy on me ".

When Omar Ibn Al-Khatab was dying due to his poisonous knife stab, he was laying on the floor with a pillow underneath his head. Omar told his son Abdullah, " O' Abdullah, remove the pillow underneath my head and let my head lay on the floor hopefully Allah will look at my condition and have mercy on me."

Ozrael, the Angel of Death, came to Prophet Abraham (pbuh) to rest to his Soul. Abraham said to the Angel, " O' Angel of Death, have you seen a beloved one (Allah) causes his beloved (Abraham) to die." Allah revealed to the Angel to say to Abraham, that Allah extends his greetings on to you and say to you: " Have you seen a beloved one (Abraham) dislikes to meet his beloved (Allah)."

When Pharo was struggling with the mighty waves in the Red Sea after he failed to capture Moses, Pharo called unto Moses and said: " Moses..help me", Moses didn't respond to him. Allah said to Moses: " O' Moses, Pharo has called unto you - for your help - Seventy times and you didn't help him, O' with own Mighty, if he called unto me just once, he would've found me near and responsive. "
(( just moments before his death, Pharo said: " And now I believe in One God, but Allah didn't accept it from Pharo, and Pharo drowned.))

During the presidency of Jamal Abdel-Nasir in Egypt, an 80 year old Sheik named "Al-Aowdan" was sent to prison, Al-Harby Prison. Sheik "Al-Aowdan" was one of the Muslim Imams who taught the Qur'an in the "Al-Azhar Al-Shareef " in Egypt, plus he had the knowledge to give tafseer to the Holy Qur'an.

The man in charge of the arrest, Shams Badran, told the jailer: " Take this dog (Old Sheik) and throw him a long with a hungry dog in a prison cell. " After a while, Shams Badran asked the jailer to check on the prison cell, and see what "the dog did to the other dog". The Jailer looked in the prison cell and he saw an amazing thing, he saw, the Old Sheik was praying in prostration position and the dog was next to him on the alert guarding the Old Imam.

After his release, Sheik Al-Aowdan went to Saudi Arabia, and upon learning his arrival, King Faisal greeted the Old Sheik personaly in the Airport and took him to Mecca and Al-Medina for him to teach and give tafseer to the Holy Qur'an. In his Will, Sheik "Al-Aowdan" requested to be buried in the Al-Baqi Cemetery, a famous cemetery where the majority of the Prophet's companions are buried.

Finally, Sheik "Al-Aowdan" was granted his wish and was buried in Al-Baqi cemetery....Congratulations Sheik "Al-Aowdan" and we ask the Almighty to reward you beyond plenty in the Hereafter......Amen.

by: Sheik Abdel Hamid Kishik