676. What Should The Terminally Ill Person Do ? And What Can OTHERS Do For Him?

By Asma bint Shameem 

Everyone’s lifespan is written. 

And we’re only here on this earth for an appointed time. 

When the time is up, we leave. 

No one knows exactly WHEN that time is. 

But sometimes, out of His Mercy, Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta’aala reminds a person of that time of departure by afflicting His slave with a terminal illness. 

Although it is hard to accept, this is actually a BLESSING IN  DISGUISE, because this way the person can “PREPARE” for that inevitable meeting with his Rabb and “get ready” for that ultimate journey. 

Here are some of the things a terminally ill person can do. 

1. He should make sincere Taubah to Allaah for all his previous major and minor sins. 

2. He should ask others for forgiveness 

3. He himself should clear his heart and forgive those that might have hurt him or treated him unfairly in any way. 

4. He should strengthen his ties with his blood relatives and ‘fix’ any that needed fixing. 

5. He should pay off his debts and settle any other financial issues with others. 

6. If he has any money he should write his will, if he wants to donate one third of that to charity. 

7. He should have good and positive thoughts about Allaah and hope to have a good end.  

8. He should try and live whatever life is left for him in the obedience to Allaah and stay away from all disobedience 

9. He must be very vigilant about his five daily prayers. 

10. He should busy himself with dhikr, read the Qur’aan with meanings, pray Nawaafil if he has the energy, do a lot of sadaqah regularly even if it’s a small amount and other good deeds. 

10. Stay away from people and places that are “dunya- oriented” and are a distraction to the goal of the Aakhirah. 

 *In the LAST FEW DAYS*

When he’s in the last hours/days of his sickness:

1. People around the dying person should say good things and make duaa for him 

The Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam said:

“When you visit a sick or a dying person, you should utter good words because the angels say “Ameen” at what you are saying.” (Muslim)

2. They should encourage him to say "Laa Ilaaha Illa Allaah”

The Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam said:

“Exhort your dying people to recite: Laa ilaaha illallaah.” (Muslim)

That’s because if their last words are “Laa ilaaha illallaah”, they will enter Jannah with the Will and Permission of Allaah. 

The Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam said: 

“He whose last words are: Laa ilaaha illallaah shall enter Jannah.” (Abu Dawood- saheeh by al-Albaani)

And he said: 

“He who dies while knowing (fully well) that there is none worthy of worship (in truth) but Allaah shall enter Jannah.” (Muslim)

3. The dying person should ask Allaah for forgiveness and mercy. 

The last words of the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam were:

“Allahumma-ghfir li, warhamni, wa alhiqni bir Rafiqil-Aa’laa”

 “O Allaah, forgive me, bestow Your Mercy on me and let me join the exalted companions.” (al-Bukhaari, Muslim) 

4. He should think positive and have good hopes with Allaah.  

The Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam said:

“None of you should approach death but he is hoping good from Allaah.” (Muslim)

5. The people around him should remind him of his good deeds 

Ibrahim An-Nakha’i said: 

“People liked to remind righteous people of their righteous actions so that they would have good thinking of Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta’aala.” (Ibn Abu Ad-Dunya)

*IMPORTANT NOTE*:

*1. No Qur’aan or Yaseen*

There’s NO PROOF of reading the Qur’aan for the dying person or reading Surah Yaseen etc. 

The hadeeth about reading Surah Yaseen is weak. 

And a weak hadeeth means that it’s highly doubtful that the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam ever said that or did that or approved of that. 

2. No other bid’ah 

Nothing should be done for the dying person that has no proof from the Qur’aan and/or authentic Sunnah such as slaughtering at the bedside, sprinkling blood of the sacrifice on him, going around the patient seven times with certain things like chillies, and many other practices that are borrowed from the Hindus and others. 

Astaghfirullaah!

Imagine the SIN of sending someone off to their Creator with Shirk and bid’ah!

La Hawla wa la Quwwata illa billaah. 

May Allaah guide us. 

May Allaah give us a good end.

May our last words be “Laa ilaaha illallaah” 

And May Allaah be pleased with us when we meet Him. Ameen