The angel of death عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام replied, “By Allah, I have many forerunners, such as illnesses, whitening of hair, old age, weakness in sight and hearing. When someone is afflicted with any of these and does not heed advice or repent, then at the time of seizing his soul, I call out to him and say: ‘Did I not send various harbingers to you? Now, I am the last harbinger. After me, there is no herald, and I am the last one to warn, there is no warner after me.’”^[1]

O devotees of the Prophet! It is evident that fever and various diseases are also harbingers of death. There is probably no person in the world who has never been afflicted with any illness. Fever, headache, etc. are common illnesses. Many people suffer from various other diseases; some have diabetes, some have hepatitis, some have liver diseases, and some have kidney problems. Do we take lessons from these illnesses? Perhaps not.

If someone has a fever or falls ill, he should take heed, remember death, consider this illness as the last illness of life, repent sincerely from sins, and engage in good deeds. However, our condition is the opposite. Many people are deprived of the honour of offering salah in congregation due to minor headaches or fever, and there are perhaps many foolish people who even use illness as an excuse to miss salah altogether.

Alas! Illness is a precursor to death, and it comes to awaken us from the sleep of negligence, but we fall further into heedlessness.

صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب                 صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلٰى مُحَمَّد

The difference between a believer and a hypocrite

The Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said: