Title: Clarification on Renouncing Faith at the Time of Death Question/Comments: I would like you to clarify my point of view regarding the faith at the time of death. It is said in Al-Nisaa 18: And repentance is not for those who go on doing evil deeds, until when death comes to one of them, he says: 'Surely, now I repent'; nor (for) those who die while they are unbelievers. These are they for whom We have prepared a painful chastisement. It is also said in Yunus 90-91: And We made the children of Israel to pass through the sea, then Firon and his hosts followed them for oppression and tyranny; until when drowning overtook him, he said: I believe that there is no god but He in Whom the children of Israel believe and I am of those who submit. What! now! and indeed you disobeyed before and you were of the mischief-makers. By reading the above verses one infers that God is not accepting the repentance of an unbeliever no matter how sincere he/she is at the time of death i.e. he is still alive. Firon was also not spared although he said that he believed in God. It seems that at the time of death a person's faith is not judged. Let me rephrase the situation: What if a person at the time of death has thoughts like "God may not exist, resurrection might not take place, I might have wasted my time in all the prayers those I offered etc.", out of fear and desperation. It is also said that if a person is asked to recite Kalima at the time of death, he will not become a Muslim on the basis that he is not in his senses. The time of death is certainly a very distressing situation in ones' life. God accepts the repentance of humans, even when they have committed sin intentionally, if they repent sincerely. How can a God expect an individual, i.e. His own creation, to be in right state of mind at such a distressing time of his life? After all He knows what a human is capable of. Like God Himself says in Surah Qaaf 50:16: And certainly We created man, and We know what his mind suggests to him, and We are nearer to him than his life-vein. How many individuals can pass this moment successfully? It is not a situation like others where many individuals are going through the same distressing situation and can hold on to themselves. Here no one can help; he is alone and desperate. So, does this person consider to be died at kufr (disbelieve), because of just having these thoughts, and go to hell; no matter how pious he has been throughout his life? Will God nullify his deeds just because he could not bear the psychological pain associated with his death? Thanks for your time again. Jazzakallah khairun Nauman Ilyas Pakistan Answer: Firstly, we must remember that what man goes through at the time of his death, how conscious he is while going through this ultimate phase of his life and which of his thoughts, at that time, should be excused as having been generated unconsciously, over which he has no control, are known more to God than even man himself. On the basis of this obvious reality as well as on the assurance provided by the Qur'an that man shall only be held responsible and accountable for the sins that he has intentionally committed and for which he has no repentance, we can rest assured that any incorrect thought or idea coming in a less than fully conscious mind shall not subject man to eternal doom. A truly pious man shall always find God's mercy to be far more abounding than the gravest of his mistakes. Nevertheless, we must also keep in mind that for a person, who has lived his life with full commitment to God's guidance, God, with His special mercy for them, bestows upon them with satisfaction, contentment and serenity of heart and mind and continues to strengthen their faith in Him at every stage in their life. The Qur'an says: God is the guardian of those who believe; guiding them out of the dark [alleys of falsehood] into the light [of Truth]. ( Al-Baqarah 2: 257) At another instance, the Qur'an says: Those who declare: 'Our Lord is God alone' and then remain steadfast on it, angels shall descend upon them [saying] that: 'You shall neither fear [your future] nor regret [your past]. Receive tidings of [the eternal bliss of] Paradise, which you were promised. We were your companions in the worldly life and are also your companions in the later life. [Here] you shall have all that your hearts desire. [Here] you shall have all that you ask for: As a first greeting from the Forgiving, the Merciful. ( Fussilat 41: 30 - 32) If a person has truly tried his best to live a steadfast life of piety and submission to his Merciful Creator, God will Himself save him from going astray during the most distressing moments of his life. I hope this helps. Regards, Moiz Amjad December 16, 2002