Removing the Doubts: The concept of “Haraam Maut” (Unlawful Death)

بـسـم الله والحـمـد لله والـصلاة والـسـلام عــلى رسـول الله، وبـعـد

Growing-up I used to hear that whenever a person died in an accident, some people would term it as “Haraam maut”, literally meaning that the person – who met a sudden end due to an accident - died at a time when he was not supposed to have died.

The people should understand that there is nothing like “Haraam maut”. No person dies except that his time was up. He can neither delay nor hasten his death.

Allaah تعالى says:

{And every nation has its appointed term; when their term comes, neither can they delay it nor can they advance it an hour (or a moment)} [Surah al-A`raaf (7):34]

He تعالى also says:

{And every nation has its appointed term; when their term comes, neither can they delay it nor can they advance it an hour (or a moment)} [Surah al-Nahl (16): 61]

The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

“(The matter of the Creation of) a human being is put together in the womb of the mother in forty days, and then he becomes a clot of thick blood for a similar period, and then a piece of flesh for a similar period. Then Allaah sends an angel who is ordered to write four things. He is ordered to write down his (i.e. the new creature's) deeds, his livelihood, his (date of) death, and whether he will be blessed or wretched (in religion)…” [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (3207, 3332, 6594, 7454) and Saheeh Muslim (4787, 4789) on the authority of `Abdullaah ibn Mas`ood رضي الله عنه]

So, there is no such thing as “Haraam maut”, rather the sudden death is the catching of Allaah in which a person does not get a chance to repent for his sins:

Allaah تعالى says:

{Verily, We sent (Messengers) to many nations before you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم). And We seized them with extreme poverty (or loss in wealth) and loss in health (with calamities) so that they might humble themselves (believe with humility) * When Our torment reached them, why then did they not humble themselves (believe with humility)? But their hearts became hardened, and Shaitaan made fair-seeming to them that which they used to do * So, when they forgot (the warning) with which they had been reminded, We opened for them the gates of every (pleasant) thing, until in the midst of their enjoyment in that which they were given, all of a sudden, We took them (in punishment), and lo! They were plunged into destruction with deep regrets and sorrows * So the root of the people who did wrong was cut off. And all praise and thanks are Allâh's, the Lord of the `aalameen (mankind, jinn, and all that exists)} [Surah al-An`aam (6): 42-45]

`Ubaid ibn Khaalid al-Sulami رضي الله عنه said: The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “Sudden death is a wrathful catching.” [Sunan Abu Dawood (3110) and graded as “Saheeh” by Shaikh al-Albaanee]

If a person gets time before his death, he repents for his sins, does more good deeds, pays off his debts etc. But in the case of dying suddenly, he departs from this world without correcting his affairs and with all his burden with him.