Abdullah b. Ahmad b. Hanbal (may Allâh's mercy be on both) said:
'When my father was to die, I was sitting beside him and there was a kerchief in my hand that I would use to tie his jaws when he died. Then my father began to have pangs of death until I thought that his soul had been taken then suddenly he would come back and say: 'Never! Never!' He did that a time or two.
'When it was the third time, I said to him: 'O father, what you are saying at this time?' He said: 'O my son; don't you know?'
I said: 'No!'
He said: 'Iblis – may Allâh curse him – stood by my feet holding my toes saying: 'O Ahmad, you have put me into a trial (by becoming free from me).' [He said that to make the Imam feel he was important].
Al-Imaam Ahmad said: 'I was saying: Never, until I die.'
[Ibn Alam reported it in his Juz'u as it appears in Imam Adh-Dhahabee's Siyar (11/341)]; Abu Nuaym also reported it in Hilyah (9/183); Al-Bayhaqi in Ash-Shuab (826); Ibn Al-Jauzee in Manaaqib Ahmad (p.546-547), with a sound chain. he said (that is, Ibn Jauzee): 'Adh-Dhahabee said in Siyar (15/544) while giving the biography of Ibn Alam – the narrator of the story – 'his reports from Abdullah b. Ahmad as regard the latter's father's speeches are not regarded as Munkar (reprehensible).']
Whoever ponders on this and what the Prophets were upon – Allâh's Benediction on them – in terms of remembering others of and making testament in its regard even at the point of death – as earlier shown – would know the secret connection between – when it becomes enshrined in the heart – and steadfastness in Islâm when one is leaving the world. This is taken from Al-Qaul Ath-Thaabit in the Verse of Suurah Ibrâhim, that is, His Statement:
"Allâh will keep firm those who believe, with the word that stands firm in this world (i.e. they will keep on worshipping Allâh alone and none else), and in the Hereafter..." [Ibrâhim: 27].
This was the reason Ibn Al-Qayyim said – may Allâh bestow mercy on him:
'Tauheed is the first thing that takes one into the Deen and the last that takes one out of the world as the Prophet (sallalahu alayhi wa sallaam) said: 'Whoever's last speech is Laa-ilaaha-illa-Allaah will enter Jannah' [Ahmad, Abu Dâwud and Al-Haakim; it is authentic]; therefore it is the first and last obligation; it is the first and last command.' [Madaarijus-Saalikeen: 3/443].
This is the reason Allâh's tradition with His slaves who live on Pure that is not mixed with doubts of the People of Ta'weel, Ta'teel and Tamtheel is that Allâh will take their souls on especially whoever among them that used to call to and defends its cause.
Al-Haafidh Abdul-Ghaafir Al-Faarisiyy said – may Allâh bestow mercy on him:
'I heard Abu Sâlih say: I entered upon Abu Bakr Al-Llabbaad in the hour of his death and I heard him say – while rendering in a good manner the Verse: '…The King, the Holy, the One Free from all defects, the Giver of security…' and he mentioned all the Names (in the Verse)' [Al-Muntakhab Min Siyaaq Litaareekh Naysaabuur of Ibrâhim As-Sireefeeniyy (p. 36), this chain is authentic.]
And among what I (Shaykh Ramadaanee) will not forget is the testament of our Shaykh Muhammad b. Ammaan Al-Jaamee – may Allâh bestow mercy on him. Some of our Mashaayikh who were present when he was to die said he was saying: 'Al-Aqeedah! Al-Aqeedah! I enjoin you with regard to it.'
What an excellent death! The Shaykh lived for ; almost all his speeches were on and its defence, thus Allâh took his life on it in that he made his testament after him. His case was just as Ibrâhim Al-Khaleel (alayhy salam) enjoined his children; Allâh the Mighty said:
"And this (submission to Allâh, Islâm) was enjoined by Ibrâhim upon his sons and by Ya'qûb, (saying), "O my sons! Allâh has chosen for you the (true) religion, then die not except in the faith of Islâm (as Muslims).
Or were you witnesses when death approached Ya'qûb? When he said unto his sons, "What will you worship after me?" They said, "We shall worship your Ilâh (God - Allâh), the Ilâh of your fathers, Ibrâhim, Ismâ'il, Ishâq, One Ilâh, and to Him we submit (in Islâm)." [Al-Baqarah: 132-133].
The Consequence of Turning Away from the Like of Preached by the Messengers
Ash-Shaykh Muhammad Khalil Haraas (Rahimahu-Llâh) said:
'What is surprising is that these Asharis see the most special aspect of Divinity of Allâh as saying Allâh is the Only Creator and Originator!... What is known is that believing that to Allâh belongs the right to create is an aspect of Ar-Ruboobiyyah which the polytheists too used to establish for Allâh. As for the most important aspect of and its greatest which is Al-Uloohiyyah, the Asharis show little concern for it, there is no mention of it in their books. Perhaps this is the reason most of them deviated and landed in the Bid'ah of Tasawwuf (Sufism), and (the reason for) their support for ways to Shirk that are made use of beside the mausoleums of saints in the graves.' [Da'watut-, p.231].
I (Ash-Shaykh Ramadaanee) say: This observation from this scholar of Al-Azhar (above) is applicable to people (of today); take note of that!
By Ash-Shaykh Abdul-Malik bn Ahmad Al-Mubârak Ramadaanee Al-Jazâirî - hafidha-huLlaah
