Aishah mentioned that the Messenger of Allah said: "Whoever loves to meet Allah, then Allah loves to meet him. And whoever dislikes meeting Allah, then Allah dislikes meeting him." She said: "O Messenger of Allah! All of us dislike death." He said: "It is not like that. But when the believer is given the good news of Allah's mercy, His pleasure, and His Paradise, then he loves to meet Allah and Allah loves to meet him. Whereas when the disbeliever is given the news of Allah's punishment and His wrath, he dislikes meeting Allah, and Allah dislikes meeting him."
The Book on Jana'iz (Funerals)
Jami' at-Tirmidhi - Hadith Reference: Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1067
Hadith Commentary
This profound narration clarifies the spiritual state of believers and disbelievers at the approach of death. The initial statement appears paradoxical since all humans naturally dislike death's experience. However, the Prophet ﷺ distinguishes between the physical aversion to death's pain and the spiritual yearning for divine encounter.
For the believer, when reminded of Allah's boundless mercy, eternal pleasure, and the gardens of Paradise, their soul transcends worldly attachments and eagerly anticipates meeting its Creator. This spiritual longing transforms their perspective on death from dread to joyful anticipation.
Conversely, the disbeliever, when confronted with the reality of divine punishment and wrath, experiences profound dread. Their avoidance of this meeting stems from recognizing their unpreparedness and the consequences of their rejection.
The divine response mirrors the human disposition - Allah's love or displeasure corresponds to the servant's spiritual state. This establishes the principle of divine reciprocity in the spiritual realm.
Scholarly Insights
Classical scholars explain that the "meeting" refers to the soul's encounter with Allah after death. The believer's love manifests through righteous deeds, sincere repentance, and constant remembrance of the Hereafter.
Imam al-Qurtubi notes this hadith encourages believers to cultivate such spiritual excellence that death becomes a bridge to divine proximity rather than a source of fear.
Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali emphasizes that the true believer's character is revealed at life's end - their faith translates into joyful anticipation of their Lord's presence.