In order to prove my point, let me share a valuable eye opener which if really understood will open the doors for us to understand the reality of life. This was shared by one of my sisters in Islam and with her permission I am sharing it with my readers:
A rich person looked out the window and saw someone taking things out of the trash...!! He said: Thank God that I am not poor...!! The poor man looked up and saw a crazy person wandering in the street...!! He said: I thank God that I am not crazy...!! The crazy person looked forward and saw an ambulance...!! He said: I thank God that I am not sick...!! In the hospital, a sick person passes the body of a dead man...!! He says: I thank God that I am alive...!!
Only the dead could not thank God for anything...!! So, what does life mean to you and me...!!?? In order to understand the meaning of life, you must visit three places: Hospital, prison and graveyard /cemetery.
In the hospital you will see that there is nothing more beautiful than health. In prison, you will see that there is nothing more beautiful than freedom. And in the cemetery, you will see that life is not worth anything...!! The ground you tread now will be your roof tomorrow...!! We all came with nothing and we will leave with nothing...!!
This is why we must be humble before God Almighty We thank Him at all times for all... What we are and everything we have... it is blessing of Allah who gave us so much without being asked or even making a request. And when we visit a hospital, we know the meaning of a healthy life. Even if a thumb is cut off, we suddenly find how important it was for the function of our hand. And so is good for a loss of eye or a limb. Just see those who have lost their body parts and how they dearly feel the void that has been created since. Or see the life of someone who is born blind. Can we still remain oblivious of the blessing that we are blessed with?
And a prison would remind us that it is all about freedom that life really is. There are many who undergo a life sentence and would never see the world again. How torturous it is to see the high walls of prison and the feeling of losing their families. They must be thinking all the time how their children were being raised and would there be enough for them to live a decent life?
But the real answer comes up when one stands alone in the quietness of a graveyard. There, close by us, lie between the surface of earth, many who took life to be a playing field where they yelled and cheered and made fun, not caring for a second that they have to be thankful to their Lord for the good they have. But the death angel did not wait for them to thank God and one day quietly made their exit from this worldly life forever.
The grave finally dawns on us the reality of life. A final full stop when nothing could be added or subtracted. And mind you, this full stop comes without announcing, just like I am typing this post, and I never knew whether I would live to hit the full stop. and freedom.
Before the end comes and we are taken to be buried under the earth, let us understand the true reality of life. Let us start to thank our Lord for every penny that we have, our health and our freedom. We still have breath left in us to repent and seek forgiveness so that when we leave, we leave with a satisfied heart to embark upon a journey which would one day lead us to stand in front our Lord. Such will be the blessed ones who would say:
“O soul that are at rest! Return to your Lord, well-pleased (with him), well-pleasing (Him), So enter among My servants, and enter into My garden.” (Quran, 89:27-30)
If we have played our innings well, we will be the most blessed people. But if we wasted our life to enjoy to worldly life, and never thanked our Lord for His blessing or never repented our sins and sought His forgiveness, then rest assured the blazing fire of hell will never spare us, God forbids.
“And spend [in the way of Allah] from what We have provided you before death approaches one of you and he says, ‘My Lord, if only You would delay me for a brief term so I would give charity and be among the righteous’. But never will Allah delay a soul when its time has come. And Allah is Acquainted with what you do.” (Quran, 63:10-11)
So do not wait to die. Be alive to the reality of death and make ARRANGEMENTS for a blessed life in the hereafter rather than a life in hell that no one can imagine how brutal and painful it would be.
May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door.
وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ
(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”
That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.
Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.
May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.
Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.
You may read more posts on similar theme in our series of posts related to Life from our reference page: Compiled verses from Qur'an on specified subjects: Life.
For more Selected Verses, please refer to our reference page: Selected Verses from the Qur'an. You may also refer to our Reference Pages and Understanding Al Qur'an for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.
Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references given above. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors. If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.
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