The day the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم) died, what was the last thing he did? He used siwak to clean his mouth. Then he raised his hands and said “Allahumma ar-rafeeq al-‘ala” (o Allah, the highest friends — the closest companions to Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) in the Hereafter)–and then he died (صلي الله عليه وسلم).
Commenting on this, his beloved wife ‘Aisha (رضي الله عنها) said: no Prophet lives except he is given a choice between the dunya (this word) and the akhira (the next life), and all of them chose the next life.
What will your last words be?
In another hadith, the Messenger of Allah (صلي الله عليه وسلم) promised us–and this is the promise of Allah!–that whoever says laa ilaaha illallah (there is no deity except Allah) as his last words and then dies, will enter Paradise.
“Aha,” you might say, “this is it, this is my jackpot–I can live my life in disobedience and then say it and I’m saved!” NO! In fact, you will be on autopilot when that time comes, and so whatever is in your heart will emerge. It will be a mercy from the mercy of Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) if He allows you to say it before you die.
Don’t think it’ll be easy, either–when Imam Ahmed was dying, he said “not yet, not yet!” One of his sons was like “oh, that’s not good–a great imam dying, and he’s saying ‘not yet?’” When he asked his father later why he was saying that, he said: When I was dying, Iblees (Shaytaan) came to me and said “o son of Adam, you are free of me!” And I said, “not yet!”
May Allah make us all among those who say laa ilaaha illallah as our last words and reach Paradise (ameen). What is the best way to be that kind of person? Increase your eman. Click here to find out the best way to do that.
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Yasir Qadhi. Lecture. AlMaghrib. Light of Guidance. University of Toronto, Toronto. March 2006.
Muhammad ibn Faqih. Lecture. AlMaghrib. Rules of Engagement. University of Toronto, Toronto. September 2006.