435 – Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “None of you should ever wish for death because of some harm that has befallen him. Yet if he must make a wish, let him say: ‘O Allah, keep me alive so long as life is better for me, and cause me to die when death is better for me.’” Agreed upon. (1)

Vocabulary of the ḥadith
– “lā yatamannayanna”: lā is a prohibitive particle, and the verb bears a fatḥah because it is attached to the heavy emphatic nūn, placing it in the jussive mood. The verb tamannā means “to desire something eagerly,” derived from al-munā (apportionment), for the one who wishes envisions its allotment.
– “li-ḍurr”: with ḍād ḍammah, although a fatḥah is also permissible. Ḍurr refers to any adverse condition—poverty, illness, or physical hardship.
– “lā budda”: i.e., there is no escape and no alternative; if one must express a wish, let him entrust the matter to Allah and utter the stated supplication.
– “aḥyinī”: with a hamzah of interruption, meaning “keep me alive.”

Lessons derived from the ḥadith
1 – It is disliked to wish for death when faced with a worldly ordeal, fear of an enemy, illness, poverty, or any other hardship of life.
2 – The reason is that such a wish conflicts with the patience we have been commanded to display, for which we have been promised a tremendous reward,