so the disbeliever’s soul is torn from his body like a thorny skewer dragged through wet wool. In other words, he is compelled to surrender his soul, because he has—Allah’s refuge!—been given the tidings of evil. Concerning this Allah the Exalted says, “If only you could see the wrongdoers in the throes of death, when the angels stretch out their hands, saying, ‘Release your souls!’” (Qur’an 6:93).

They cling greedily to their very selves—Allah protect us—and do not want the soul to depart. Yet the angels insist: “Release your souls!” Once the warning is pronounced, the soul scatters through the body and the angels wrench it out like a thorny skewer pulled through wet wool—Allah’s refuge—until it finally emerges.

In short, the believer loves meeting Allah because he loves Allah, loves His reward, His Garden, and the bliss it contains; therefore he yearns to meet Allah, especially at the moment of death, and Allah loves to meet him. O Allah, make us among those who long to meet You, Lord of all worlds, and grant us a good conclusion—You have power over all things.

1849 – The Mother of the Believers, Safiyyah bint Huyayy (may Allah be pleased with her), reported: “The Prophet ﷺ was observing iʿtikāf in the mosque, and I came to visit him one night. I spoke with him for a while, then rose to return home, and he stood up to escort me. Two men from the Ansar passed by; when they saw the Prophet ﷺ they hurried on. He said, ‘Take it easy—this is Safiyyah bint Huyayy.’ They replied, ‘Glory be to Allah, O Messenger of Allah!’ He said, ‘Satan flows through a human being like blood, and I feared lest…’”}