for the Angel of Death is the one who draws the soul out of the body, and the accompanying angels bring with them a shroud and fragrance from Paradise if the dying person is a believer—may Allah make us and you among them. If, however, he is a disbeliever, the angels of punishment arrive with a shroud from the Fire and perfume from the Fire; we seek refuge in Allah from that.

So when someone is at the point of death and we know he is in his final throes, we prompt him to say, “There is no deity worthy of worship but Allah,” just as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) instructed: “Prompt your dying ones to say: ‘There is no deity worthy of worship but Allah.’” The scholars have clarified that this prompting must be done gently. One should not order him bluntly—“Say: ‘There is no deity worthy of worship but Allah’”—for it may be that, in that moment when his chest is tight and the world has closed in on him, he answers with “No.” You cannot imagine the constriction he feels unless you are yourself in that state—may Allah, when we meet Him, expand our chests and yours.

Rather, remember Allah in his presence and say, “There is no deity worthy of worship but Allah,” raising your voice slightly so he can hear. Perhaps Allah will favor him so that he realizes you are prompting him, and he will repeat, “There is no deity worthy of worship but Allah.” If he utters those words and they are the last thing he says in this world, he enters Paradise, as in the hadith of Muʿādh (may Allah be pleased with him) in which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Whoever’s last words are ‘There is no deity worthy of worship but Allah’ will enter Paradise.” The scholars further state that once he has said “There is no deity worthy of worship but Allah,” he should remain silent and not