Death and Eschatological Beliefs in the Lives of the Prophets according to Islam

Islamic stories of the prophets include themes and motifs of eschatology and death. The genre dedicated to the stories of the prophets includes many accounts of prophets meeting the Angel of Death. Most of these concern attempts by the prophets to delay their death, or even report that the prophets feared death. Others, however, reflect a different religious attitude, seeking to inspire trust in the fate of good believers by showing that the prophets were not afraid of death and were confident in God ’ s Final Judgment. In ḥ ad ī th literature, prophets are also mentioned in reports dealing with the Day of Judgment, such as in traditions about the prophets being asked to intercede for believers before God. Jesus is also frequently mentioned in eschatological stories, because of his return before the end of time and his killing of the Antichrist. Later literature added further narratives connecting prophets to death and the End Times. All these accounts demonstrate the widespread diffusion of an interest in the themes of death and eschatology, in particular as associated with the prophets.