Can Death Be Delayed? (Quran vs. Hadith)
Quran Talk Blog · Article · November 25, 2023
According to Hadith from both Bukhari and Muslim, Moses was able to delay his death because he struck the Angel of Death and knocked out his eye.
Narrated Abu Huraira: The Angel of Death was sent to Moses, and when he went to him, Moses slapped him severely, spoiling one of his eyes. The angel returned to his Lord and said, “You sent me to a slave who does not want to die.” Allah restored his eye and said, “Go back and tell him (i.e. Moses) to place his hand over the back of an ox, for he will be allowed to live for a number of years equal to the number of hairs coming under his hand.” (So the angel came to him and told him the same). Then Moses asked, “O my Lord! What will be then?” He said, “Death will be then.” He said, “(Let it be) now.” He asked Allah that He bring him near the Sacred Land at a distance of a stone’s throw. Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) (p.b.u.h) said, “Were I there, I would show you the grave of Moses by the way near the red sand hill.”
حَدَّثَنَا مَحْمُودٌ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ، أَخْبَرَنَا مَعْمَرٌ، عَنِ ابْنِ طَاوُسٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ ” أُرْسِلَ مَلَكُ الْمَوْتِ إِلَى مُوسَى ـ عَلَيْهِمَا السَّلاَمُ ـ فَلَمَّا جَاءَهُ صَكَّهُ فَرَجَعَ إِلَى رَبِّهِ فَقَالَ أَرْسَلْتَنِي إِلَى عَبْدٍ لاَ يُرِيدُ الْمَوْتَ. فَرَدَّ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ عَيْنَهُ وَقَالَ ارْجِعْ فَقُلْ لَهُ يَضَعُ يَدَهُ عَلَى مَتْنِ ثَوْرٍ، فَلَهُ بِكُلِّ مَا غَطَّتْ بِهِ يَدُهُ بِكُلِّ شَعْرَةٍ سَنَةٌ. قَالَ أَىْ رَبِّ، ثُمَّ مَاذَا قَالَ ثُمَّ الْمَوْتُ. قَالَ فَالآنَ. فَسَأَلَ اللَّهَ أَنْ يُدْنِيَهُ مِنَ الأَرْضِ الْمُقَدَّسَةِ رَمْيَةً بِحَجَرٍ ”. قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ” فَلَوْ كُنْتُ ثَمَّ لأَرَيْتُكُمْ قَبْرَهُ إِلَى جَانِبِ الطَّرِيقِ عِنْدَ الْكَثِيبِ الأَحْمَرِ ”.