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Abstract
This paper is an interpretative essay about death in Islam, as well as religious beliefs and social practices. The study of death in Islam is analysed as a philosophy of life. For this reason, some works dealing with psychoanalis are used in this paper, such as those by Sigmund Freud, and Erich Fromm. In order to compare some themes developed by psychoanalisis, Seneca´s De Brevitate Vitae is also studied, because he insisted in the need to be prepared for death. Seneca’s teachings about being prepared for death are also compared with some Christian books, such as the Imitation of Christ, by Thomas of Kempis, as well as some of the most important sufi (mystics of Islam) works. All of this is aimed to study the need to be prepared for death. In Islam, believers and faithful followers of the Qur’an and Prophet Muhammad’s teachings in the Sunna (sayings and deeds of the Prophet) shouldn’t be afraid of death and should be prepared to face it because they have the hope of life in the hereafter (al-Akhira). This paper also studies the sufis’ concepts about death and the hope they have to become one with God, to be united with Allah, either in this life or inal-Akhira. Because of their mystical practices, sufis are always prepared to face death and also to enjoy Allah and all the promises contained in theQur’an and the Sunna of a better life in al-Janna (the Paradise). Sufis’ teachings have become an inspiration to many other Muslims.