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Is the feeling of death 40 days beforehand a reality or not?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

Allah has decreed death for every soul. Remembering death is encouraged, as the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "Increase in remembering the destroyer of pleasures: death." Fear of death is of two types: praiseworthy, which motivates one to do good deeds and avoid sins, and blameworthy, which stems from attachment to worldly life and turning away from the Hereafter. If the fear is praiseworthy, there is no harm in it. If it is blameworthy, it must be treated, and this may involve seeking psychiatric help if it exceeds a reasonable limit. What is mentioned about a dying person sensing their approaching death forty days beforehand is incorrect; rather, some may perceive signs indicating the nearness of death.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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