Translation from Kanz-ul-Iman: And they shall be screaming in it, ‘Our Lord! Free us, so that we may do good deeds, the opposite of what we used to do’; (it will be said to them) ‘And did We not give you an age long enough, in which anyone who wants to understand, would have understood? And the Announcer of Warning did come to you; therefore now taste it – for the unjust do not have any supporter.’ (Part 22, Surah Al-Faatir, Ayah 37)

Under the commentary of this blessed Ayah, according to a quotation, it is stated in the books of commentary: ‘النَّذِیۡرُ ؕ’ refers to old-age. ‘Allamah Baghawi رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه has stated: When the first hair turns white, it says to others, you also get ready, the time of death has approached.

(Tafseer Baghawi, vol. 3, pp. 495; Tafseer Durr-e-Mansoor, vol. 7, pp. 32)

It is learned that old age is also a messenger of death, this is the age when one should return to Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ, getting rid of love of worldliness and the remaining days; life should be spent with the remembrance of death and the preparation of the Hereafter. Our pious predecessors رَحِمَهُمُ الـلّٰـهُ تَـعَالٰی used to spend all of their lives obeying Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ and contemplating over the Hereafter and when they would notice any single hair which turns white they would start leading a life of seclusion and would engage themselves in worshipping and devotion.

Seclusion of a saint

Sayyiduna Iyaas Bin Qatadah رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ was the chief of his tribe, once he    رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ spotted a white hair in his beard and supplicated: ‘O Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ!      I seek refuge with You from the sudden calamities. I know my death is around the corner and I cannot escape from it.’ Then he رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ came to his people and said: ‘O Banu Sa’d! I had dedicated my youth for you and now you spare my old-age for me.’ Thereafter, he رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ came to his house and kept himself busy worshipping until his last breath. (Bahr-ud-Dumu’, pp. 112)

Dear Islamic brothers! An elderly person is always closer to death, however, some elderly people remained stuck in the marsh of sins and do not get rid of the evils of swearing, watching dramas and movies, telling lies, tale-telling,