Q I have been troubled for about 7 months now. This fear of incoming death started about 7 months ago. Initially, it was very constant where I had a constantly rapid heart rate for one week straight. Throughout these 7 months, I have experienced everything - from absolute dread that I’m going to die right now, to a very sad and unexplainable feeling that I’m going to die soon and it’s pointless for me to do things like study in life. I’m a medical student, and this has caused a huge negative impact on my studies. I’m not able to study at all. Every time I sit to study, I feel dread. My mind wanders to places.

I stopped exercising, stopped taking care of my body, and just eat whatever I want sometimes because it helps to take my mind off the feeling for a few minutes. Because of this extreme fear of death, I have experienced so many physical symptoms as well - from unexplained body pains to chest pains to throat tightening. I am very scared of this one Hadith that roughly says that at the time of your death, you will have this feeling in your neck first. I have somehow managed this feeling over the months, but recently, it has become much more scary.

Because yesterday, I was reading a Hadith. Before I began reading, I just hoped it would not be about death. But it was. The Hadith said something like “Prophet Muhammad PBUH would go to the Bali graveyard and speak to all the graves there saying - you got the news of your death.

Soon, we will be with you too.” It felt like a sign that Allah is sending me. Since then, I have been so scared. I also came across another article that mentioned how if a Muslim dies and they had in their life made some false promises in the name of Allah and don’t compensate for it, how it should be compensated for after their death. This scared me again cus I made some false promises when I was a teenager. Now it just feels like these are all signs from Allah that I will die soon.