the night in which good fortune or misfortune is written in one’s destiny. Tonight is also the night, however, in which the names of those who will die before the next Shab-e-Bara`at are handed over to the angel of death, Sayyiduna Izra`eel عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلاَم.

Dear Islamic brothers! Life is a trust from Allah Almighty which is gradually, or suddenly, overcome by death. Every living thing will have to pass through the gates of death. The time of death is fixed but we are unaware when it will occur. However, when our hair turn grey and we begin to experience old-age, we must realise that the trial of death is looming over us because after having seen the days of youth, old-age arrives as a message-bearer of death. Let us listen to a story about the signs of death and try to reform ourselves by pondering over the following Madani pearls.

Three signs of death

Imam Muhammad Ghazali رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه has mentioned in Mukashafa-tul-Quloob, that the Prophet Ya’qoob عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلاَم was friends with the angel of death [Malak-ul-Maut], Sayyiduna Izra`eel عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلاَم. Once, Sayyiduna Izra`eel عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلاَم visited Sayyiduna Ya’qoob عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلاَم and the Prophet asked him, ‘Have you come to visit me or to take my soul?’ He replied, ‘To meet you.’ Sayyiduna Ya’qoob عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلاَم then said, ‘Before you come to take my soul, send some message-bearers’. The angel of death, Sayyiduna Izra`eel عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلاَم agreed, saying: ‘I will send two or three message-bearers.’

Later, when the angel of death came to seize his soul, Sayyiduna Ya’qoob عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلاَم asked, ‘Where are the message-bearers you agreed to send to me before my passing?’ Sayyiduna Izra`eel عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلاَم replied by saying, ‘White hair after black hair, weakness after physical strength, and a hunched back after a straight one; O Ya’qoob عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلاَم! These are my message-bearers, which I send to people before their deaths.’ (Mukashafa-tul-Quloob, p. 21)

Illness is also a sign of death

Dear Islamic brothers! These are signs of death, and these come about so a person may turn his life around and seek forgiveness from Allah before he dies. These signs remind us to obey the commands of Allah and His Messenger, and to spend our lives preparing for the Hereafter. Remember,