The Two Roads - Heaven and Hell

It had been narrated regarding the Prophet Ibr\h|m u, that the Angel
of death, `Izr\’|l u was in his company. Ibr\h|m u requested `Izr\’|l
u that he appear in the form he chooses to adopt, whilst extracting
the souls of unbelievers and sinners. `Izr\’|l u initially refused, saying
that it would be intolerable. Ibr\h|m u persisted, and persuaded
`Izr\'|l u who then requested him to turn away. Thereafter when,
Ibr\h|m u returned his gaze, and upon seeing him, he shrieked and
fell unconscious at the sight that he witnessed.
Upon recovery, Ibr\h|m u stated that if a person was to live his entire
life in defiance of All\h’s laws, then the mere sight of `Izr\’|l u in that
hideous form alone would suffice as a severe punishment for him.
This was a description of just the appearance of the Angel of death. The
actual removal of the soul is yet another matter. ad-Durr al-Manth[r
Before a person breathes his last, he becomes insatiably thirsty. If at this
stage drinking water as immeasurable as the world’s oceans were to be
put at his disposal it would not quench his bottomless thirst.
In many places the intimacy of the soul to the body has been depicted
as a thorny twine, twisting and turning to find its way to ensnare each
and every square inch of a damp cloth with its monstrous thorns and
spines, so interlocked that it being deemed inseparable is no
exaggeration. At the time of a reprobate’s death this inseparability
ceases to exist, and with one slow grinding tug the soul is thrust out
ending the life of the unfortunate. A killing most horrid: ruthlessly
painful, inescapable torment: showing no one its handiwork as it steals
the last breaths of the miscreant depriving him the opportunity to
scream or to warn others of the horrendous pain.
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