A good ending

As-salaamu ‘alaykum warahmatullaahi wabarakaatuh,

The state in which an individual dies in can very much reflect whether their ultimate abode (Aakhirah) will be one of eternal bliss or otherwise.

There is a compelling story that I wish to share with you.

When Abu Zuraah Ar-Razi, the renowned scholar (rahimahullaah) was dying, Abu Hatim Ar-Razi and Muhammad Ibn Muslim Ibn Wara, his two students wished to attend to their teacher at his death bed desiring to remind Abu Zuraah of the testimony of faith but they were too shy because he was their teacher who had taught them about the religion.
But they had an idea. So the students pretend to have forgotten a hadeeth hoping their teacher would complete it for them and as a result for their teacher to utter the shahada.

The two students stood beside their teacher as his eyes remained closed.

Ibn Muslim cited the saying: “Abu A’asim An-Nabil narrated that Abdul Hamid Ibn Ja’far said…” and then he stopped, pretending to have forgotten.

So Abu Hatim, the other student carried on saying: “Muhammad Ibn Bashar narrated that Abu A’asim An-Nabil narrated that Abdul Hamid Ibn Ja’far said…”

And likewise Abu Hatim pretended he too had forgotten.
At that moment, Abu Zuraah Ar-Razi who was lifeless opened his eyes and sat up and said: “Abu A’asim An-Nabil narrated that Abdul Hamid Ibn Ja’far said that Salih Ibn Abu A’rib reported that Kathir Ibn Murra had said that Mu’adh Ibn Jabal quoted the prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa salam) as saying: “He who seals life with the words, there is no deity except Allaah…” Then Abu Zuraah’s soul departed as he was trying to remind his students of a hadeeth.

And so this scholar died with his last moment dedicating to teaching his students as well as saying the shahada. The manners of his students is something that we should all aspire to achieve, their gentleness towards helping their teacher to husnil khaatim ( a good ending) is one that is still told through outt history. May Allaah have mercy upon him (Ar-Razi) and his students, Aameen.

And may Allaah (exalted and glorified be he) grant us a good ending, Aameen!

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‘Ala baab Al-jannah by Mustafa Hosny

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