a funeral bier is laid down and the people—or, in one wording, the men—hoist it on their shoulders, if the deceased was righteous it will say, “Carry me on, carry me on!” But if he was not righteous it will cry, “Woe is me! Where are you taking me?” Everything hears its voice except human beings; and if a human being were to hear it, he would collapse.” Related by al-Bukhari.

3/445 – Ibn Masʿud (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Paradise is nearer to any one of you than the strap of his sandal, and the Fire is just as near.” Related by al-Bukhari.

[Explanation]

The author (may Allah have mercy on him) entitles this chapter: “Joining Fear and Hope, and Giving Hope Precedence in Times of Illness.”

Scholars have differed over whether a person should let hope dominate or fear dominate. Some have said that hope should always prevail; others that fear should always prevail. Yet others have held that fear and hope should remain in perfect balance, with neither outweighing the other, for if hope prevails a person may feel secure from the scheme of Allah, while if fear prevails he may despair of Allah’s mercy. Some scholars state that while one is healthy he should keep fear and hope equal—as Imam al-Nawawi (d. 676 AH) prefers in this book—but when illness strikes he should allow hope to predominate.