An arrogant King is not allowed by the Angel of Death to take leave of friends and family; a devout man is allowed, but refuses because nothing is more important as the meeting with his Lord.
There is a rich and proud King who one day asks for his steed. He goes along his troops and glorying in his pride and despotic power. He is very arrogant saying: “Who among men is like unto me?” When a person stood before him clad in tattered clothes he would not answer his salam, or greeting. When the person’s name is revealed, the Angel of Death claiming his soul, he asks for some time to take leave of his children, family and people, but he is not allowed to.
Then the Angel of Death meets a devout man and the Angel again states “I am the Angel of Death”. Upon which the devout man welcomes him. The Angel says that if he has any business to has to end. But the devout man says, there is nothing more important as the meeting with my Lord. The man makes the Wuzu-ablution and prays, and his soul taken is transported by Allah to the place of mercy and acceptance and forgiveness.
From: The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night — Volume 05
The Arabian Nights 