I dont understand about the time of death

Question

Things I have read so far talk about how the time of death is specific and does not change no matter what as it says in the Quran:

.....And no one’s life is made long or cut short but is ˹written˺ in a Record. That is certainly easy for Allah. [35:11]

So that means, that there is no need to pray for someone to have a long happy life, or to be cured of an illness because your prayers dont change anything? I used to go to this Islam Community thing and the woman there was talking about how when she was giving birth to her first son, she said there were lots of complications and everything, and how everyone thought he was not going to make it. But she said he did, because she had confidence in her prayers. But if the time of death was set, then there was no need for her to pray for him to live, because he would have anyway. Recently, I get this really horrible feeling that one of my close relatives is going to die (God forbid) im not going to say who because it will be even horrible if I type it out. Its a really terrible feeling and I even started crying today. I prayed for them to have a really long life, so will my prayer change anything? I am really scared of this feeling and I hope Inshallah that it means nothing and is just my brain.

Answer 1

Bismillah.

Yes, the time of death is specific, but Dua can change destiny. As prophet muhammad peace be upon him said:

“Nothing can change the Divine decree except dua”.[Musnad Ahmad, 5/677; Ibn Majah, 90; Jami` Al-Tirmidhi, 139].

Classed as hasan by Albani

When your dua change your time of death, maybe some years, the death is still specific. It will come and when it comes, it cant be postponed.

Scholarshave classified fear of death as:

1. Natural fear of death, like when we are near some wild animal.
2. disgraceful fear of death, which show that the person have a weak level of iman, usually because of loving the dunya too much or he want to fulfill every desire in this world.

It is not always good for someone to make dua for a long life only. If we live longer, it may have chance that we might end up committing more sins? So make dua for a long life in Iman and Taqwa.

I suggest you to not to think about fate or destiny to much, just do what allah told us to do and avoid what He prohibit. Because usually shaitan plays in this kind of thinking to make us doubt. Learn islam more, read books, watch islamic scholars videos and attend teaching in masjid.

Hope this answers your question.

Answer 2

I have never understood the confusion. What Quran says matches common sense completely.

Everyone has to die (Quran 3:185)

So praying for escaping death altogether is futile. The correct method is to prepare for death.

Death is part of destiny (Quran 3:145)

We will go when our time comes. We can't die before appointed time. No forts or weapons or doctors can change that.

Allah can change destiny

Of course Allah can, if Allah wants to. This is hinted in Quran 10:96-98. People of Prophet Yunus (peace on him) were spared after direct signs of destruction had reached them. However they were an exception.

I have also read that there are hadiths that confirm that dua can change divine decree.

It is also logical. Destiny comes from Allah then Allah can change it (even if it is not done usually)

So praying for long and pious life is not harmful. If it is accepted, you enjoy long and pious life. Otherwise you will earn credit for your dua on the day of judgement.

I will end by presenting this hadith.

Musnad Aḥmad 12902

Anas ibn Malik reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "If the Final Hour comes while you have a shoot of a plant in your hands and it is possible to plant it before the Hour comes, you should plant it."

In the same sense, even if time of death doesn't change, praying for long (and pious) life is not wrong.