Majmu' al-Fatawa - Ibn Taimiya - (4/255)

He was asked:

Concerning the presentation of religions at the time of death: does this have any basis in the Quran and Sunnah? What is meant by the trial in the Prophet’s words (peace and blessings be upon him), “You will surely be tried in your graves”? If a servant apostatizes—Allah’s protection is sought—will he be rewarded for the righteous deeds he performed before his apostasy, or not? Give us a ruling, and may you be rewarded.

He replied:

All praise is due to Allah, Lord of all worlds. As for religions being presented to a servant at the time of death, this neither happens to everyone nor is it absent from everyone’s experience. Rather, some people are presented with religions before their death, while others are not. This has indeed happened to some people.

All of this falls within the trials of life and death from which we have been commanded to seek refuge in our prayers. These include what is mentioned in the authentic hadith:

“The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) commanded us to seek refuge in our prayers from four things: the punishment of Hell, the punishment of the grave, the trials of life and death, and the trial of the False Messiah.”

Yet it is at the time of death that Satan is most eager to lead the children of Adam astray, for it is a time of need.

سُئِلَ: عَنْ عَرْضِ الْأَدْيَانِ عِنْدَ الْمَوْتِ: هَلْ لِذَلِكَ أَصْلٌ فِي الْكِتَابِ وَالسُّنَّةِ أَمْ لَا؟ وَقَوْلُهُ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ {إنَّكُمْ لَتُفْتَنُونَ فِي قُبُورِكُمْ} مَا الْمُرَادُ بِالْفِتْنَةِ؟ وَإِذَا ارْتَدَّ الْعَبْدُ - وَالْعِيَاذُ بِاَللَّهِ - هَلْ يُجَازَى بِأَعْمَالِهِ الصَّالِحَةِ قَبْلَ الرِّدَّةِ أَمْ لَا؟ أَفْتُونَا مَأْجُورِينَ فَأَجَابَ: الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ، أَمَّا عَرْضُ الْأَدْيَانِ عَلَى الْعَبْدِ وَقْتَ الْمَوْتِ فَلَيْسَ هُوَ أَمْرًا عَامًّا لِكُلِّ أَحَدٍ وَلَا هُوَ أَيْضًا مُنْتَفِيًا عَنْ كُلِّ أَحَدٍ بَلْ مِنْ النَّاسِ مَنْ تُعْرَضُ عَلَيْهِ الْأَدْيَانُ قَبْلَ مَوْتِهِ؛ وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ لَا تُعْرَضُ عَلَيْهِ وَقَدْ وَقَعَ ذَلِكَ لِأَقْوَامِ. وَهَذَا كُلُّهُ مِنْ فِتْنَةِ الْمَحْيَا وَالْمَمَاتِ الَّتِي أُمِرْنَا أَنْ نَسْتَعِيذَ مِنْهَا فِي صِلَاتِنَا: مِنْهَا: مَا فِي الْحَدِيثِ الصَّحِيحِ {أَمَرَنَا النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنْ نَسْتَعِيذَ فِي صِلَاتِنَا مِنْ أَرْبَعٍ: مِنْ عَذَابِ جَهَنَّمَ وَمِنْ عَذَابِ الْقَبْرِ وَمِنْ فِتْنَةِ الْمَحْيَا وَالْمَمَاتِ وَمِنْ فِتْنَةِ الْمَسِيحِ الدَّجَّالِ} . وَلَكِنْ وَقْتُ الْمَوْتِ أَحْرَصُ مَا يَكُونُ الشَّيْطَانُ عَلَى إغْوَاءِ بَنِي آدَمَ؛ لِأَنَّهُ وَقْتُ الْحَاجَةِ.