Al-Irshad ila Sahih al-Itiqad - Salih Al-Fawzan - (258)

Al-Irshad ila Sahih al-ItiqadSalih Al-Fawzan

the righteous.’ Yet Allah will never grant a reprieve to a soul once its appointed term has arrived; and Allah is fully aware of what you do. 1

The Exalted also says, ‘Every soul shall taste death.’ 2 Death, therefore, is the minor resurrection, whereas the advent of the Hour is the major resurrection.

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “Within a single surah Allah, Exalted be He, mentions both the major and the minor resurrection. In surah al-Wāqiʿa, for instance, He opens with the major resurrection and states that people will be divided into three groups, as He says:
‘When the Inevitable Event occurs, none can deny its occurrence, abasing some and exalting others. When the earth is shaken violently and the mountains are crushed to powder so that they become scattered dust, you will then be three kinds.’ 3
Later, at the end of the same surah, He alludes to the minor resurrection—death—and again speaks of three categories after death:
‘Why then, when the soul reaches the throat while you look on—and We are nearer to him than you, though you do not see—if you are free of all accountability, bring the soul back, if what you say is true. If he is one of those brought near, then for him will be ease, fragrance, and a Garden of bliss. If he is one of the people of the right, then “Peace be upon you, people of the right.” But if he is one of those who denied and went astray, then the welcome he receives is scalding water and burning in Hellfire.’ 4”

At the moment of death, the human soul is taken from the body by Allah’s command.

Allah attributes the taking of souls to Himself in His words, ‘Allah takes the souls at the time of their death,’ 5 and to the angels in His words, ‘When death comes to any of you, Our messengers take him, never neglecting their duty,’ 6 and again, ‘If only you could see how the angels take the souls of those who disbelieved…’ 7 He also attributes it to the Angel of Death in His words, ‘Say, “The Angel of Death who has been put in charge of you will take you…”’ 8

1 Qur’an, Surah al-Munafiqun, verses 9–11. 2 Qur’an, Surah al-Anbiya, verse 35. 3 Qur’an, Surah al-Waqi‘a, verses 1–7. 4 Qur’an, Surah al-Waqi‘a, verses 83–94. 5 Qur’an, Surah az-Zumar, verse 42. 6 Qur’an, Surah al-An‘am, verse 61. 7 Qur’an, Surah al-Anfal, verse 50. 8 Qur’an, Surah as-Sajda, verse 11.

الصَّالِحِينَ وَلَنْ يُؤَخِّرَ اللَّهُ نَفْساً إِذَا جَاءَ أَجَلُهَا وَاللَّهُ خَبِيرٌ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ﴾ ١. وقال تعالى: ﴿كُلُّ نَفْسٍ ذَائِقَةُ الْمَوْتِ﴾ ٢، والموت هو القيامة الصغرى، وقيام الساعة هو القيامة الكبرى. قال شيخ الإسلام ابن تيمية ﵀ الله: "وهو ﷾ في السورة الواحدة يذكر القيامة الكبرى والصغرى؛ كما في سورة الواقعة؛ فإنه ذكر في أولها القيامة الكبرى، وأن الناس يكونون أزواجا ثلاثة؛ كما قال تعالى: ﴿إِذَا وَقَعَتِ الْوَاقِعَةُ لَيْسَ لِوَقْعَتِهَا كَاذِبَةٌ خَافِضَةٌ رَافِعَةٌ إِذَا رُجَّتِ الأرْضُ رَجّاً وَبُسَّتِ الْجِبَالُ بَسّاً فَكَانَتْ هَبَاءً مُنْبَثّاً وَكُنْتُمْ أَزْوَاجاً ثَلاثَةً﴾ ٣، ثم في آخرها ذكر الصغرى بالموت، وأنهم يكونون ثلاثة أصناف بعد الموت؛ فقال: ﴿فَلَوْلا إِذَا بَلَغَتِ الْحُلْقُومَ وَأَنْتُمْ حِينَئِذٍ تَنْظُرُونَ وَنَحْنُ أَقْرَبُ إِلَيْهِ مِنْكُمْ وَلَكِنْ لا تُبْصِرُونَ فَلَوْلا إِنْ كُنْتُمْ غَيْرَ مَدِينِينَ تَرْجِعُونَهَا إِنْ كُنْتُمْ صَادِقِينَ فَأَمَّا إِنْ كَانَ مِنَ الْمُقَرَّبِينَ فَرَوْحٌ وَرَيْحَانٌ وَجَنَّتُ نَعِيمٍ وَأَمَّا إِنْ كَانَ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ الْيَمِينِ فَسَلامٌ لَكَ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ الْيَمِينِ وَأَمَّا إِنْ كَانَ مِنَ الْمُكَذِّبِينَ الضَّالِّينَ فَنُزُلٌ مِنْ حَمِيمٍ وَتَصْلِيَةُ جَحِيمٍ﴾ ٤. وعند الموت تقبض روح الإنسان من جسده بأمر الله تعالى. وقد أسند الله قبض الأنفس إليه سبحانه في قوله تعالى: ﴿اللَّهُ يَتَوَفَّى الأنْفُسَ حِينَ مَوْتِهَا﴾ ٥، وأسنده إلى الملائكة في قوله: ﴿حَتَّى إِذَا جَاءَ أَحَدَكُمُ الْمَوْتُ تَوَفَّتْهُ رُسُلُنَا وَهُمْ لا يُفَرِّطُونَ﴾ ٦، وفي قوله: ﴿وَلَوْ تَرَى إِذْ يَتَوَفَّى الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا الْمَلائِكَةُ﴾ ٧، وأسنده إلى ملك الموت في قوله: ﴿قُلْ يَتَوَفَّاكُمْ مَلَكُ الْمَوْتِ الَّذِي وُكِّلَ بِكُمْ﴾ ٨.

١سورة المنافقون، الآيات: ٩ ـ ١١. ٢ سورة الأنباء، الآية: ٣٥. ٣ سورة الواقعة، الآيات: ١ ـ ٧. ٤ سورة الواقعة، الآيات: ٨٣ ـ ٩٤. ٥ سورة الزمر، الآية: ٤٢. ٦ سورة الأنعام، الآية: ٦١. ٧ سورة الأنفال، الآية: ٥٠. ٨ سورة السجدة، الآية: ١١.