Eye Movements Before Death: A Medical and Islamic Perspective
The phenomenon of people looking around or appearing to gaze at something unseen before death is observed in many cases. This can be understood from both medical and Islamic religious perspectives.
Medical Perspective:
Medically, there are several reasons why a person may exhibit such behavior before death:
1. Loss of Brain Function: As the body starts shutting down, blood flow to the brain decreases. This can cause confusion, hallucinations, or involuntary eye movements. The brain's inability to function properly may lead to strange eye movements or the appearance of "looking around."
2. Delirium and Hallucinations: In the last stages of life, many people experience delirium, a state of confusion that can involve visual or auditory hallucinations. This could explain why some individuals seem to be looking around at things that others cannot see.
3. Agonal Breathing: In some cases, when the brain is oxygen-deprived, there can be a gasping reflex and involuntary movements, including eye movements, which can appear as if the person is looking around.
4. Neurological Signals: As the brain and nervous system degrade, random neurological signals may cause the eyes to move without conscious control.
Islamic Perspective:
In Islam, death is considered a significant transition from the worldly life to the afterlife. Several Islamic teachings touch on the experiences of a person close to death:
1. Angels of Death: According to Islamic belief, at the moment of death, the angel of death (Malak al-Mawt) comes to take the soul. It is believed that a dying person may sense the presence of angels around them, which could be why they appear to look around or be in awe. There are also reports in Islamic tradition that a righteous soul will be greeted by angels who bring good tidings, whereas a sinful soul may witness more fearful sights.
2. The Unseen World (Al-Ghayb): Islam teaches that certain aspects of the unseen (Al-Ghayb), including angels or even visions of the afterlife, may become visible to a person close to death. This may explain why a person’s eyes might appear to be following something that others cannot see.
3. Soul’s Departure: The Quran mentions that Allah takes away the souls at the time of death (Quran 39:42). Islamic tradition also narrates that the soul leaves the body in stages, and during these moments, the person may experience visions related to the afterlife. This could include seeing their position in paradise or hellfire.
4. Last Moments and Gaze: The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is reported to have said that when a person dies, their gaze follows their departing soul. This could explain why dying people may seem to stare in a particular direction or have a fixed gaze.
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- Medically, eye movements and looking around may be caused by neurological deterioration, hallucinations, or lack of oxygen in the brain as the body shuts down.
- Islamically, it may be that the person is seeing angels or other elements from the unseen world, and their gaze may follow their departing soul.
Both perspectives offer insight into the behaviors observed during the moments before death, highlighting the profound and complex nature of this transition.