What is the meaning of longing for Allah Almighty, and is it associated with death and the love of death, and does the one who longs see his Lord immediately upon his death or only upon entering Paradise?

Longing for Allah stems from love, and it is the heart's journey to the Beloved, the pinnacle of worldly delights and blessings for those with insight. This was also the supplication of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, who combined the best thing in this world (longing for His meeting) and the best thing in the Afterlife (the joy of gazing upon His Face). Ibn al-Qayyim praised this good life, which has no equal for those who long for their Lord.

There is no necessary connection between longing for Allah and loving His meeting, and loving death. Longing can fill the heart of a believer even if they dislike death. This is affirmed by the Prophet's hadith: "Whoever loves to meet Allah, Allah loves to meet him; and whoever dislikes to meet Allah, Allah dislikes to meet him." And that when a believer is about to die, they are given glad tidings of Allah's pleasure and honor, so they love to meet Allah.

Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama'ah affirm the vision of Allah in the Afterlife for believers, both at the time of reckoning and in Paradise, and this is their greatest blessing. No one sees Allah in this world. As for disbelievers and hypocrites, their vision of Allah during the reckoning is not a vision of blessing but one of examination. A believer does not see their Lord immediately upon their soul's departure, nor in the realm of the barzakh (interim period), but rather the vision occurs after people rise from their graves.