How does a Muslim reconcile the yearning for the encounter with Allah with the prohibition against wishing for death?

The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, forbade wishing for death due to harm afflicting a servant, saying: "None of you should wish for death due to harm that has befallen him. If he must do so, let him say: 'O Allah, keep me alive as long as life is better for me, and cause me to die if death is better for me.'" This prohibition is restricted by this phrasing because it contains a delegation and submission to divine decree, unlike absolute wishing which implies an objection to destiny.

A long life for a believer is better for him. If he is righteous, he will increase in good deeds, and if he is sinful, he may have a chance to seek repentance. This is another reason for the prohibition against wishing for death.

A Muslim is required to long for the meeting with Allah and to prepare for it. This does not contradict the prohibition against wishing for death, for longing calls one not to be content with this world but to consider it a station of preparation for meeting Allah, which increases the believer's good provisions, and does not make him wish for death out of a desire to accumulate good and in contentment with Allah's decree.