Messenger of death

[Muslimah]

Bismillah

as salam alykom,

I received this very insightful email and felt to share it over here:

It was said in old legends that a man once befriended the angel of death. Whenever he would come, the man would ask him: `Have you come to visit [me] or to take [me]?' – and the angel would reply: `I've come to visit.'

One day, the man said to the angel of death: `I ask you in the name of our friendship that you send me a messenger when my time comes; one that informs me that you are coming to take my soul.' – so the angel said: `You shall have that…'

Then, the angel came down one day upon the man, so he said to him: `You are coming to visit, yes?' He said: `No, rather to take.'

He said: `But your messenger never came to me?!'

He said: `Rather, he did…

1. Your back hunching after it was upright;

2. your hair whitening after being black;

3. your voice wavering after it was bold;

4. your weakness replacing your strength;

5. your vision blurring after it was sharp;

6. your despairing after your hopes,

7. and also in those that died before you...'

`You requested one messenger, and I sent you a number of messengers, so how can you blame me?'

How many messengers reached you until now?