Dying in Hope

Dying in Hope A famous film producer died some years ago. He was in his 80s. In his last days, he lived almost all by himself. With him only his domestic help remained. His last stage was painful. Dialysis ventilators were his companions for several months. More than that were the sorrows of his personal life. His wife, his brothers, and even his younger son had passed away. In his last days, a close friend of this man went to meet him. The man took his friend to sit outside and watch the sun go down. When the sun had set, he broke his long silence and said, “One more day has gone by.” When I read this report about this man, I thought that this was the tragedy of a person who had been unable to discover the reality of life, a man who had spent his last days in despair. In contrast to this man is someone who has discovered Truth. Such a person has learnt that life doesn’t end with death but, rather, that after death one enters the next phase of life, where God’s mercies and His eternal Paradise are awaiting those who have lived in the way pleasing to God. Instead of mourning about one more day go by as he sees the sun set, such a person will joyfully exclaim, “One more day closer to Paradise!” This reality we can learn from the life of Bilal ibn Rabah al-Habashi, a Companion of the Prophet Muhammad. Bilal ibn Rabah died at the age of 63 in 642 CE. It is said that in his last days he was seriously sick. Seeing his condition, Dying in Hope