What to do when someone is about to leave this world
1. When a person is about to die, make him lie down flat on his back. Place his feet towards the Qiblah and raise his head so that his face could be towards the Qiblah. If moving him causes difficulty then leave him in any convenient position. Sit near him and recite the Kalimah aloud so that by listening to you he will also commence reading. Do not order him to read the Kalimah because this is a very difficult time and we do not know what he will utter. It is desirable that a person in the state of Janabat (impurity) leaves the room.
2. The moment he recites the Kalimah once, keep quiet and do not try to make him read it repeatedly until he passes away. Because the purpose of this is that, the last words that are uttered by him are that of the Kalimah. It is therefore not necessary that the Kalimah be continuously recited until he passes away. However, if he starts talking of any worldly matter after having recited the Kalimah, commence reciting the Kalimah again. Once he recites it, keep quiet.
3. Once the breathing begins to stop, he starts taking quick breaths, the limbs get loose and he is unable to stand, the nose gets crooked and the temples begin to cave in, one should know that death has approached. At that time, the Kalimah should be recited in a loud voice.
4. By reciting Surah Yaaseen, the severity of death decreases. This Surah should be recited by sitting near his head or anywhere else near him. If one cannot recite it oneself, one should ask someone else to
recite it. It is recommended that Surah Ra’d also be recited at this time, if possible.
5. At that time of death, do not speak anything that will turn his attention towards the world because this is the time of leaving the world and presenting oneself in front of Allah Ta”ala. Do such things, talk of such things that his heart turns away from the world, and directs itself towards Allah Ta”ala. In this lies full benefit for the dead person. To bring his family and children in front of him, or anyone else for whom he had a lot of love, or to talk of such things towards which his heart turns or whose love enters his heart is extremely detestable at such a time
6. If at the time of death, he uttered some words of kufr, do not worry about it and do not announce it. Instead, think that due to the difficulty of death, his mind is not normal and this therefore occurred. When one is not in one’s senses, everything is forgiven. Continue making dua to Allah Ta”ala for his salvation.
7. Once the person dies, straighten all his limbs. Close his mouth in the following way: take a cloth and tie it in such a way that it goes from below his chin and around both sides of his head. Thereafter, tie a knot so that his mouth does not open. Close his eyes and thereafter tie the toes of both his feet together so that his legs do not move about. Cover him with a sheet and thereafter, as far as possible,
hasten towards his ghusl and kaffan.
8. At the time of closing his mouth, recite the following dua: Translation: “In the name of Allah and on the creed, religion and faith of Rasulullah.”
