The Demise of Muḥammad ibn Al-Munkadir رحمه الله
‘Allāmah Ibn Al-Jawzī رحمه الله writes in Ṣifat-aṣ-Ṣafwah:
It has been narrated from ‘Ikrimah رحمه الله regarding Muḥammad ibn Al-Munkadir رحمه الله that he became extremely scared at the time of his death. He was asked, ‘Why are you so afraid?’
He replied, “I fear [that I may be victim of] a verse in the Book of Allāh; Allāh عز وجل says:
وَبَدَا لَهُمْ مِنَ اللَّهِ مَا لَمْ يَكُونُوا يَحْتَسِبُونَ
‘And that [punishment] will appear to them from Allāh what they have never imagined’, (39:47)
And I fear that I get from Allāh what I did not expect."
He further narrates from Ibn Zayd, that Ṣafwān ibn Sulaym came to visit Muḥammad ibn Al-Munkadir while he was in his final stages, and said, “O Abū ‘Abdillāh! It is as if I am seeing that death has been very severe for you?” He then continued to console him and lighten the anxiety, and it positively affected Muḥammad رحمه الله so much so that [his face lit up such that] it was as if there were lanterns on his face. Muḥammad رحمه الله then said to him, “If you were to see the condition I am experiencing, your eyes would be cooled.” He then passed away.[1]
One can just imagine the fear these great pious people had of the Hereafter, despite leading stellar lives of obedience to Allāh. May Allāh grant us the ability to also lead lives of obedience to Him, and grant us some of the fear that our pious predecessors had, Āmīn.
[1] روى ابن الجوزي v في صفة الصفوة:
عن عكرمة عن محمد بن المنكدر أنه جزع عند الموت فقيل له: لم تجزع؟ قال: أخشى آيةً من كتاب الله عز وجل، قال الله عز وجل: {وَبَدَا لَهُمْ مِنَ اللَّهِ مَا لَمْ يَكُونُوا يَحْتَسِبُونَ} [الزمر: ٤٧] فإني أخشى أن يبدو لي من الله ما لم أكن أحتسب.
وعن ابن زيد قال: أتى صفوان بن سليم إلى محمد بن المنكدر وهو في الموت فقال: يا أبا عبد الله كأني أراك قد شقّ عليك الموت؟ قال: فما زال يهوّن عليه الأمر وينجلي عن محمد حتى لكأن في وجهه المصابيح. ثم قال له محمد: لو ترى ما أنا فيه لقرّت عينك. ثم قضى رحمه الله.
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