Ajal - The Only Cause of Death

Ajal - The Only Cause of Death

The cause of death is often misunderstood, and erroneously attributed to various tangibles that surround a specific case. The distinction between factors accompanying death, and what causes it, is often lost to a casual observer. Death is a reality, and can be defined as the end of life. Since death is a universal phenomenon, its cause must be universally unique. However, it must be noted that death may occur in many ways, being dependent on circumstances that surround it. Therefore, the multiplicity of events in which death occurs should not be indicative of death being a multi-causal phenomenon.





The cause of death is defined as the factor that necessarily leads to death, and death does not occur without it. It is also not an effect of some other tangible factor. All other factors are cases in which death occurs. Some of these factors may always coincide with death, and some may not.





To illustrate this let us analyse two cases where death occurs:





(1) Death in a fatal state: Apparently stabbing seems to be the cause of death, however stabbing cannot be the cause, since it is an action initiated by an aggressor and therefore an effect of his decision. Moreover, stabbing does not guarantee death in itself. Therefore, stabbing only surrounds death and is not a cause of it. Since death is universally unique, its cause must also be characteristically unique. Hence if stabbing is the cause in this instance, it must be the only cause wherever death occurs. This is a ridiculous proposition. Similarly, physiological factors cannot be causes of death, because they are effects of stabbing. The only remaining possibility is that the aggressor inflicted the wounds thereby causing death of the victim. In this regard, we must note that the intention of the aggressor does not necessarily inflict death upon the victim. None of the above mentioned factors guarantee death, or exist independently. Conclusively none of these factors are a cause of death. The determinant lies beyond our perception, and the tangibles are merely descriptors of the event (i.e. death), or cases in which death occurs.





(2) Death in a gas chamber: There should be no doubt in anyone's mind that inhaling a poisonous gas (eg: Cyanide) always results in death. Perhaps this would imply to some that toxic gases caused death. Reviewing the scenario carefully, one notes that the presence of gases in a chamber for example, is in itself an effect of some other external factor (For example: opening the valves that allowed fumes to fill the chamber). This proves that although inhaling toxic fumes results in death, it is nevertheless triggered from outside. Further more, upon identifying the triggering element (i.e. the person who caused the fumes to fill the chamber), we notice that it does not guarantee death of the victim. This is because the act of opening the valves is not sufficient by itself to ensure death. Again the cause of death is not any of the tangible factors pointed above, nor a combination of them. These factors are merely events surrounding death, and exist only as cause and effect of one upon the other. However, the cause of death still remains obscure and needs further investigation.





The cause of death should be universal, because death is the same wherever it occurs. This implies that a particular incident of death is not caused by the prevailing circumstances, but by a determining element common to all such incidents. It should be emphasised that although the tangibles involved may describe or even explain a death scenario; the sequence of events leading to death will only culminate in death independent of the perceptible factors mentioned earlier.





However, our queries regarding the cause of death are answered by Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) on multiple occasions in the Qur'an. Since Qur'an can rationally be proven to be the word of Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala), we accept the answer as decisive and therefore part of the Islamic Aqeedah. Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) says,





"Nor can a soul die except by Allah's leave, the term being fixed as by writing." (Ale-Imran: 145).






''He it is who created you from dust, then from a sperm, then from a clot of blood, then He delivers you as an infant, then He makes you grow up to attain full strength then makes you to grow further to reach old age, though some one of you is recalled earlier. This is done so that you may reach an appointed time and may understand the reality. He it is who gives life and ordains death. Whatever He decrees, He only commands it to be and it is.'' (Al-Mu'minoon: 67-68)






''No ageing person grows old nor is anything reduced of his age except in accordance with a Book�'' (Fatir:11)





Therefore the cause of death is the expiration of time. It was preordained, by Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) how long one will live. Medical science can only explain the failure of a living body when death occurs However it would be erroneous to conclude that a mere medical explanation is the cause of death. The cause of death is beyond our perception, and this point has been established by observing that none of the tangible factors fulfil the criterion of being a cause of death.





Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) says,






"Wherever ye are, death will find you out, even if ye are in towers built up strong and high!" (AI-Nisa : 78)





This Ayah was revealed as a response to those who said,





"Our natural term of life is short enough; why should we jeopardise it (our lives) by righting (correcting) that in which there is no personal gain?"





Here they are informed that death is inevitable and there is nothing in their power to escape it. Therefore it is a folly to say that if someone had not gone to Al-Jihad, he would have escaped death or even lessened his chances of dying. Or that a tyrant ruler should not be accounted brought to account, lest the speaker (the one accounting him) is killed. Rather, the belief that death is caused by an appointed time ordained by Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) gives a believer the tranquillity and courage in Jihad. It is a source of courage for the one who speaks the truth and enjoins the ma'roof and forbids the munkar. While the fear of death exists, to a varying degree, in everyone, the Islamic Aqeedah stops it from being a constant source of worry. We are all familiar with the vigour, the Sahabah carried the dawah and fought with in numerous battles even when the enemy out numbered and out weighed them. Indeed they realised that the material strength of the enemy could not inflict death upon them. Indeed they realised that the life can only be taken by the Will of Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala).





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Has not the time yet come for those who believe


that their hearts should be humble for the remembrance of Allah and what has

come down of the truth?


[57:16]