A long life in which a believer does righteous deeds is better for him than death.
Narrated Anas bin Malik: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "None of you should wish for death because of a calamity befalling him; but if he has to wish for death, he should say: "O Allah! Keep me alive as long as life is better for me, and let me die if death is better for me.' "
حَدَّثَنَا آدَمُ، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، حَدَّثَنَا ثَابِتٌ الْبُنَانِيُّ، عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم " لاَ يَتَمَنَّيَنَّ أَحَدُكُمُ الْمَوْتَ مِنْ ضُرٍّ أَصَابَهُ، فَإِنْ كَانَ لاَ بُدَّ فَاعِلاً فَلْيَقُلِ اللَّهُمَّ أَحْيِنِي مَا كَانَتِ الْحَيَاةُ خَيْرًا لِي، وَتَوَفَّنِي إِذَا كَانَتِ الْوَفَاةُ خَيْرًا لِي ".
Reference: Sahih Al-Bukhari 5671
Book 75, Hadith 32
English: Vol.7, Book 70, Hadith 575
'Abdur-Rahman bin Abi-Bakrah narrated from his father that a man said: "O Messenger of Allah! Which of the people is the best?" He said: "He whose life is long and his deeds are good." He said: "Then which of the people is the worst?" He said: "He whose life is long and his deeds are bad."
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو حَفْصٍ، عَمْرُو بْنُ عَلِيٍّ حَدَّثَنَا خَالِدُ بْنُ الْحَارِثِ، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ زَيْدٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي بَكْرَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، أَنَّ رَجُلاً، قَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَىُّ النَّاسِ خَيْرٌ قَالَ " مَنْ طَالَ عُمُرُهُ وَحَسُنَ عَمَلُهُ " . قَالَ فَأَىُّ النَّاسِ شَرٌّ قَالَ " مَنْ طَالَ عُمُرُهُ وَسَاءَ عَمَلُهُ " . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ .
Grade: Hasan (Darussalam)
Reference: Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2330; Book 36, Hadith 27; Vol. 4, Book 10, Hadith 2330
The Prophet (pbuh) forbade wishing for death, because it deprives the believer of the goodness of obedience and the joy of worship, and of the opportunity to repent and make up for what one has missed.
Hammam b. Munabbih said: Abu Huraira narrated to us ahadith from Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and out of these one is that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: None amongst you should make a request for death, and do not call for it before it comes, for when any one of you dies, he ceases (to do good) deeds and the life of a believer is not prolonged but for goodness.
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ رَافِعٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ، أَخْبَرَنَا مَعْمَرٌ، عَنْ هَمَّامِ بْنِ مُنَبِّهٍ، قَالَ هَذَا مَا حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَذَكَرَ أَحَادِيثَ مِنْهَا وَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " لاَ يَتَمَنَّى أَحَدُكُمُ الْمَوْتَ وَلاَ يَدْعُ بِهِ مِنْ قَبْلِ أَنْ يَأْتِيَهُ إِنَّهُ إِذَا مَاتَ أَحَدُكُمُ انْقَطَعَ عَمَلُهُ وَإِنَّهُ لاَ يَزِيدُ الْمُؤْمِنَ عُمْرُهُ إِلاَّ خَيْرًا " .
Reference: Sahih Muslim 2682; Book 48, Hadith 15; Book 35, Hadith 6485
1. The hadeeth clearly indicates that it is makrooh to wish for death because of some harm that has befallen one, such as loss or distress caused by an enemy, or other such hardships of this world. But if a person fears harm or fitnah with regard to his religious commitment, it is not makrooh to wish for death, according to this hadeeth, and several of the salaf did that.
2. The throes of death are very hard, and the terror of seeing one's end draw nigh is immense. Man is faced with nothing else like it. Moreover, no one knows what awaits him after death. We ask Allaah to keep us safe and sound. Wishing for death is seeking something which is unknown. Perhaps if he wishes for death because of some hardship that he has fallen into, he may end up like one who jumps out of the frying pan and into the fire, and after death he may find himself in an even worse situation. In that case, wishing for death is akin to seeking to hasten calamity before it happens.
" اللَّهُمَّ بِعِلْمِكَ الْغَيْبَ وَقُدْرَتِكَ عَلَى الْخَلْقِ أَحْيِنِي مَا عَلِمْتَ الْحَيَاةَ خَيْرًا لِي وَتَوَفَّنِي إِذَا عَلِمْتَ الْوَفَاةَ خَيْرًا لِي وَأَسْأَلُكَ خَشْيَتَكَ فِي الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ وَكَلِمَةَ الإِخْلاَصِ فِي الرِّضَا وَالْغَضَبِ وَأَسْأَلُكَ نَعِيمًا لاَ يَنْفَدُ وَقُرَّةَ عَيْنٍ لاَ تَنْقَطِعُ وَأَسْأَلُكَ الرِّضَاءَ بِالْقَضَاءِ وَبَرْدَ الْعَيْشِ بَعْدَ الْمَوْتِ وَلَذَّةَ النَّظَرِ إِلَى وَجْهِكَ وَالشَّوْقَ إِلَى لِقَائِكَ وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ ضَرَّاءَ مُضِرَّةٍ وَفِتْنَةٍ مُضِلَّةٍ اللَّهُمَّ زَيِّنَّا بِزِينَةِ الإِيمَانِ وَاجْعَلْنَا هُدَاةً مُهْتَدِينَ "
Allahumma bi 'ilmikal-ghaiba wa qudratika 'alal-khalqi ahini ma 'alimtal-hayata khairan li, wa tawaffani idha 'alimtal-wafata khairan li. Allahumma as'aluka khashyataka fil-ghaibi wash-shahadati wa as'aluka kalimatul-aqua fir-rida'i wal ghadab, wa as'alukal-qasda fil faqr wal-ghina, wa as'aluka na'iman la yanfadu wa as'aluka qurrata ainan la tanqati'u wa as'alukar-rida'i ba'dal-qada'i wa as'aluka bardal 'aishi ba'dal-mawti, wa as'aluka ladhatan-nazari ila wajhika wash-shawqa ila liqa'ika fi fitnatin mudillatin, Allahumma zayyina dizinatil-imani waj'alna hudatan muhtadin
"O Allah, by Your knowledge of the unseen and Your power over creation, keep me alive so long as You know that living is good for me and cause me to die when You know that death is better for me. O Allah, cause me to fear You in secret and in public. I ask You to make me true in speech in times of pleasure and of anger. I ask You to make me moderate in times of wealth and poverty. And I ask You for everlasting delight and joy that will never cease. I ask You to make me pleased with that which You have decreed and for an easy life after death. I ask You for the sweetness of looking upon Your face and a longing to meet You in a manner that does not entail a calamity that will bring about harm or a trial that will cause deviation. O Allah, beautify us with the adornment of faith and make us among those who guide and are rightly guided."
Grade: Hasan (Darussalam) Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 1306; Book 13, Hadith 128; Vol. 2, Book 13, Hadith 1307
There are some cases in which it is prescribed to wish for death, such as the following:
1. One who fears for his religious commitment because of fitnah
Undoubtedly death which takes a person away from fitnah (tribulation, temptation that takes one away from religious commitment), even if his righteous deeds are few, is better for him than being subjected to tribulations with regard to his religious commitment. We ask Allah to keep us safe and sound. It was narrated from Mahmoud ibn Labeed (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “There are two things that the son of Adam dislikes: death, although death is better for a believer than fitnah; and he dislikes having little wealth, but less wealth means less reckoning.” Narrated by Ahmad; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in al-Silsilah al-Saheehah, 813.
The fact that wishing for death in this situation is also prescribed is indicated by the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) in his du’aa’: “If You should decree fitnah for Your slaves, then take my soul (in death) before I am put to trial.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 3233; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami’.
Ibn Rajab (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: This is permissible according to the majority of scholars. Based on this, the reports of the salaf wishing for death are to be understood as meaning that they wished for death for fear of fitnah.
2. When his death is martyrdom for the sake of Allah, may He be glorified and exalted.
It has been narrated on the authority of Anas b. Malik that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Nobody who dies and has something good for him with Allah will (ever like to) return to this world even though he were offered the whole world and all that is in its (as an inducement), except the martyr who desires to return and be killed in the world for the (great) merit of martyrdom that he has seen.
وَحَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو خَالِدٍ الأَحْمَرُ، عَنْ شُعْبَةَ، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، وَحُمَيْدٍ، عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " مَا مِنْ نَفْسٍ تَمُوتُ لَهَا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ خَيْرٌ يَسُرُّهَا أَنَّهَا تَرْجِعُ إِلَى الدُّنْيَا وَلاَ أَنَّ لَهَا الدُّنْيَا وَمَا فِيهَا إِلاَّ الشَّهِيدُ فَإِنَّهُ يَتَمَنَّى أَنْ يَرْجِعَ فَيُقْتَلَ فِي الدُّنْيَا لِمَا يَرَى مِنْ فَضْلِ الشَّهَادَةِ " .
Reference: Sahih Muslim 1877 a; Book 33, Hadith 163; Book 20, Hadith 4634
"O Allah! I seek refuge with Thee from the torment of the Hell, from the torment of the grave, from the trial of life and death and from the evil of the trial of Masih al-Dajjal" (Antichrist)."
" إِذَا تَشَهَّدَ أَحَدُكُمْ فَلْيَسْتَعِذْ بِاللَّهِ مِنْ أَرْبَعٍ يَقُولُ اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ عَذَابِ جَهَنَّمَ وَمِنْ عَذَابِ الْقَبْرِ وَمِنْ فِتْنَةِ الْمَحْيَا وَالْمَمَاتِ وَمِنْ شَرِّ فِتْنَةِ الْمَسِيحِ الدَّجَّالِ "
Reference: Sahih Muslim 588 a; Book 5, Hadith 162; Book 4, Hadith 1217
Rest Allah knows best.
Source: Quran, Sunnah, IslamQA