THE SPECTACLES OF DEATH SERIES -No: 4 - Episode In The Life Of A King

There was a king who decided to make a tour of his kingdom. He ordered a dress to be brought for him. His order was immediately complied with but he did not like it and instructed to bring another one. At last he selected the best dress. Thereafter three horses were brought before him but he rejected them one by one. At last all the horses were brought and he selected the last one. The accursed satan filled his mind with vanity. 

He ostentatiously mounted the horse. His retinue and infantry accompanied him but, he out of haughtiness, did not care even to have a look at them. On his way he came across a distressed person dressed in rags. The man saluted the king but he gave him no response. The distressed person seized the bridle of his horse. The king rebuked him for his audacity and ordered to take his hands off from the rein. He told the king that he had business with him. The king ordered him to wait till he got down from the horse, but he told that he would speak to him just then, and saying that he snatched the bridle. 

The king permitted him to speak. He told the king that he would express that secretly. The king drew his ear near to him. The man said that he was the angel of death and that he had come to commend his soul to God. As soon as the king heard that, his face turned pale and he started stammering. After a moment the king requested the angel of death to defer the matter and allow him to return home in order to enable him to settle his affairs and meet the members of his family. 

The angel of death said that he would not allow him time and that the king would not be able to see his home and settle his affairs. On saying that, he extracted his soul from the body. The king fell down from the horse. After that, the angel of death approached a pious Muslim, who was also going on a journey. The angel of death saluted the pious Muslim, who in turn also greeted him. The angel of death informed him that he had to tell him a matter secretly. The pious Muslim lent his ear near to him for the purpose. 

The angel of death disclosed his identity. The pious man gave him a warm welcome and said that his visit was auspicious for him because he was afflicted by his prolonged separation and added that he was more desirous of meeting him than any other person. The angel of death bade him to accomplish the task which he deemed necessary to finish. He said that he had no longing except that he wanted to meet God. The angel of death asked him to opt for the state in which he wanted to die, so that he could extract his soul in that very state. 

The man asked the angel of death whether he had been given an authority to that effect. The angel of death told him that he had been ordered to show respect to his desire. The man requested the angel of death to allow him to offer prayer after performing ablution and added that he should extract his soul at the time when he would be in a state of prostration. When he knelt down in prayer the angel of death extracted his soul.

READ ALSO:

[THE STORY OF KING HARUN AL RASHID SON’S]

[THE HOLY PROPHET DEATH]

[THE LIFE OF THE KING]

[THE LIFE OF A WEALTHY MAN]

[THE LIFE OF A CRUELTY MAN]

[THE STATEMENT OF HASSA BASRI ON DEATH]

[THE CRUEL ISRAELITE]