Our forefathers said: “Do not say what I was, instead say what I will be.” However, since those who do not learn from the lessons of their past are unable to project their future, let us first examine our past, and then we will look at our future. What Was I? There were visitors to this world before us. We were dead elements, existing as oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, carbon, potassium, calcium, sodium, phosphorus, magnesium and iron. It could have lasted forever like that. Yet, Allah, the Lord of all universes, can do whatever He wishes. As He can transform dead elements into living organisms and creatures, He can also do the reverse. No one can stop Him and no one can alter the laws set by Him as there is no partner who can be associated with Him. While we were dead elements in the ground, Allah poured abundant rain over us. We could not bear it. We were dissolved and became clay. We were absorbed by the roots of the plants and transformed into , and are called cereal, fruit, and vegetables. We were digested in those who had consumed us and transformed into reproductive cells, and known as sperm and ova. When we were fertilized by the will of Allah, we were known as the embryo and when our organs were shaped, we were called fetuses. When we were able to accord with the conditions of the earth, we were born as small humans, and called infants. What I Became? How did we come from “What I was” to “What I Became” and what phases did we pass through? Let us go as far back as we can remember in order to learn this lesson. Once we were babies who used to cry, breastfeed, snivel and wet ourselves. Then we grew up and became the darlings of our parents. In the material world, everything is in action and in the process of change; we are dependent on the laws of this world. We could have ended up not the darlings of our parents. For some time, we played and then we studied. After graduating from primary school, middle school, and finally high school, we found ourselves in universities or embarked on a career. Meanwhile, we were growing up physically and emotionally. We became youngsters full of energy and dynamic. O Lord! Where did those days pass away to? Only yesterday we were the darlings of our parents. Then, we became engaged and married. We had husbands or wives, and homes and children. Then we got status, power and authority. Our circle became ever larger and our lives became enriched. We reached the pinnacle. Then our stagnation period began. While activity continues in the material world and our life continues, we cannot last forever! When we look at behind us, we see a signboard reading “No Return.” We have no choice but to descend from the pinnacle and to continue to run in the race of life. When we look down from the top, we see a great graveyard surrounded by those who were buried before us. We begin to descend to the graveyard. What will happen now? When our lives are over, will we be buried in a hole? O Lord! Is our life an illusion? Will our bodies combine with the ground? If so, then what is the hurry to reach the top? Why do we tire ourselves out? Why all this effort? In other words, why did we join a marathon if the result is already known? What Will I Be? Even though times change, new galaxies are discovered, man takes steps on the moon and computer networks turn the world into an office, the race of humanity continues towards death and one day the Angel of Death will take our souls. We will be buried in pits dug in the graveyards by our friends. That day, we will understand that our worldly life was nothing but an illusion; it will be as if it has never been lived and our bodies will decay and become ground. At this point one may ask a question: A living organism, say a flower, also decays and becomes ground. If so, what is the difference between a human and a flower or a piece of straw? Humans, of course, are fundamentally different from plants, ants, elephants and birds. Because Allah says: “We have indeed created man in the best of molds.” (At-Tin, 4) The human, created in the best form anatomically and physically, becomes aware with their mind and limited by the soul. They are the caliphate (sovereign) on the earth and candidates for Paradise, the place of infinity. Humans are the only creation whose head is upright and who walks straight on two feet. Humans are the only creation that can eat the best of food by cutting, washing, cooking and serving one another. Humans are the only creation that can talk, tell their ideas concisely, listen to others and benefit from the knowledge of others. Humans are the only creation that can take advantage of previous experiences through reading and writing, make progress in science and technology by adding them to their own experiences. Since the human has many material and spiritual capabilities, surely they are not the same as a flower or piece of straw. *** The human is the only creation that comprises all of the universe, be it material or beyond material. They are physically dependent upon the material universe and spiritually dependent upon the universe that is beyond the material. While their dead body decays like a flower, their spiritual entity continues to live after its demise. Physical diseases, permanent handicaps and social turmoil temporarily affect the soul. Likewise, death is also a shock to it. Yet, after a while, the soul overcomes the shock of death and it becomes reconciled to the universe of Barzakh. According to the life and belief of the person in the world, they either face torment in the grave, which becomes one of the pits of the pits of Hell, or they are spiritually content there when it becomes a garden from the gardens of Paradise. The Soul and Body The true and permanent character of the human is the soul. There is no spiritual difference between the 20-year old and the 70-year old. Nevertheless, the 20-year old cannot perform the same actions with an old body and the 70-year old cannot perform the same actions with a 20-year old body. A soul who resides in the universe of Barzakh cannot perform what has been done in the world because the body has decayed and gone. Why do we come to this world if our life ends with death? More truly why were we sent? In fact, we did not come by our will! As small woods would be restrictive to a lion, which was created for great forests and a lake would limit the whale, created for oceans, Allah has created the human for paradise, and thus, the world limits us. This world is as narrow and confined as the uterus is compared to the earth. Yet, in the same way that we have to stay in the uterus for a limited time for the sake of our physical development, we have to stay in this world in order to reach spiritual maturity and thereby gain Paradise.
Posted on: Wed, 06 Aug 2014 13:18:40 +0000
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