and by praying for him, just as one continues to tend to a living companion in this world, and finally by treating the deceased’s family and relatives—and others besides them—with kindness.” End of Ibn al-Qayyim’s words.

It is recommended to make frequent mention of death and to prepare for it by repenting from sins, returning wrongfully taken rights to their owners, and racing to good deeds before death strikes unexpectedly.

The Prophet ﷺ said, “Increase your remembrance of the destroyer of pleasures.” It was narrated by the Five with sound chains, and declared authentic by Ibn Ḥibbān, al-Ḥākim, and others. The “destroyer of pleasures”—with the letter dhāl—is death.

Al-Tirmidhī and others transmit—traced back to the Prophet ﷺ—on the authority of Ibn Masʿūd: “Show modesty before Allah as He truly deserves.” They said, “We do feel modesty before Allah, O Messenger of Allah—praise be to Allah.” He replied, “That is not what I mean. Whoever truly shows modesty before Allah should guard the head and what it contains, guard the belly and what it holds, remember death and decay, and whoever longs for the Hereafter will renounce the adornments of this world. Whoever does so has indeed shown modesty before Allah as He truly deserves.”

First: Rulings concerning the sick and the dying.

When a person is afflicted by illness, he must be patient, seek his reward from Allah, and not show discontent.