What is death, what is its reality and its stages, and does a person sense the approach of his demise?

Allah created death and life to test people as to which of them is best in deeds. Death is the separation of the soul from the body, while life is the soul's connection to it. On the Day of Resurrection, death will be personified as a ram and slaughtered, as stated in the prophetic tradition (Hadith (definition)), to announce eternity for the people of Paradise and Hellfire. As for what is narrated about the creation of death and life in two forms, it is more akin to the words of the Sufis and its apparent meaning is incomprehensible. Death does not go through stages; rather, it occurs when the appointed time (ajal) expires, and Allah may inspire some people with the nearness of their appointed time.