A Believer's Death
Allah's Prophet(SalAllahu alaih Wasallam) attended an Ansari Companion's funeral. The grave was still being prepared, so he sat down and the Companions quietly sat around him. He lifted his blessed head and said that when a believer's time of death arrives, angels with fair, shining faces descend from the heaven. They are carrying the burial cloth and the scent from the Haven, and they sit beside the person who is about to die. Then, the angel of death Izraeel(AS) arrives and addresses his spirit, 'O content spirit, come out for the Forgiveness and the Pleasure of your Rubb[1]'. At that moment, his spirit leaves his body as smoothly as water flows out from a water-pouch when its mouth is untied. The angel of death holds his spirit in his hands and gives it to the other angels, who then ascend with that spirit. Whenever they pass by a group of angels, the latter ask, 'whose blessed spirit is this?' The carrying angels mention the best of the names with which that person was known in the world, and say that he is so-and-so son of so-and-so. In this way, the angels reach the gate of the first heaven along with the spirit, and get the gate opened. More angels join them from there and they continue ascending all the way to the seventh heaven. At that time, Allah, the Truth, issues the Decree that the His slave's record of deeds be inscribed in the Illiyeen[2] and turn him around. This spirit returns to the grave, where the angels of accountability sit him/her down and ask the questions: "Who is your Rubb and what is your Deen?" He/she says, "My Rubb is Allah the Most High, and my Deen is Islam". Then, the angels ask, "Who is this saintly person that was sent for your sake?" He/she says that this is Allah's Prophet(SalAllahu alaih Wasallam). At that moment, a heavenly calling is heard: "My slave is truthful. Lay down for him/her the floor from the Paradise and dress him in clothes from the Paradise and open a door for him into the Paradise". The breezes and fragrances of Paradise start reaching that person from that door, and his/her pious deeds come to him/her in a beautiful form to make him/her feel comfortable.
[1] An Arabic word that has meaning similar to "the Caretaker "or "the Guardian"
[2] The higher place where the good spirits live after death until the Judgment Day
