Al-Matalib al-'Aliyah 777 — The states of the dying person

It is narrated from Alqamah (may Allah have mercy on him) that he went on campaign in the region of Khurasan and stayed there for two years. During that time he continued to pray only two rak'ahs (shortening the prayer) and did not combine the prayers. Then death approached a cousin of his, so he went to visit him and there narrated this hadith: Sayyiduna Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) informed me that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "There is no believer except that he has some sins for which he is recompensed (as expiation) in this world, and if some portion of sins remains upon him, (the throes of) death are made hard for him at the time of death (so that he is purified); and I do not like a death like the death of a donkey," meaning dying suddenly.
There is criticism of the chain of this report because of the weakness of the narrators named Husam bin Missak and Abu Ma'shar; however, the meaning of sins being forgiven through hardships, afflictions and the severity of death is established by other authentic hadith.