Two Approaches to Life – Or Is It Death? [Quote - 733]

There is not a doubt that we are all on our return journey to God – each and every one of us.

The Qur’an makes that categorically clear.

Wa Inaa Ilaihi Raaji’oon!

Paraphrase:

“We are all marching back to God!”

The first step in this return journey was our arrival in this world as a newborn baby, I should think.

Or was it our conception in our mothers’ wombs?

Or was it the encryption that was written when we were still in our fathers’ loins?

Or was it some earlier time when our return journey to God was really ticketed and commenced?

Regardless, it seems to me, the train is on the move, for each one of us, regardless of our gender, age or station in life.

And this train of life is unstoppable – for all of us. That is one thing human beings have not been able to figure out how to do: stop the train of life from moving.

For, in this world, to be alive is to be marching to one’s death. Because life in this world is the precursor to death.

Death that leads to life. Death that separates one life from another.

So, for us humans, our beginning is our end. And our end a new beginning.

But what is striking is how we approach our end – the end of time as it were. For, the Hadith Sharif says, when an individual dies, that is the end of time for that individual.

It is Qiyaamat (Day of Resurrection) so far as that person is concerned.

Qaamat Qiyaamatuhoo!

That is how the Hadith Sharif characterizes that situation.

But I am intrigued by how people seem to approach their destination. Some people, it seems to me, just sit and wait for the train to slip into the station.

But some others, even as they know the platform is approaching, keep themselves busy doing whatever it is that they have been doing.

These are two very different approaches to one’s end of time.

One is to wait for the icy fingers of death to reach out and grab you – and be mindful of it all the time.

Even though constantly reminding oneself of one’s own mortality and impending death – for, death is impending for all, old as well as young, for, as I said earlier, to be living is to be dying – is an Islamic requirement.

And the other, to put it out of your mind and just keep on working – especially, if you happen to be one of those who think or say they are Working for Allah.

They are people who, if they are holding a plant in their hand intending to plant it, they want to finish planting it, if they can, before they are whisked off.

And that, by the way, is also a Hadith Sharif.

They are people who want to keep doing their work till the very last picosecond (one-trillionth part of a second) of their life on earth, while the angels are busy doing their own job preparing to parcel them off from the mortal coils of Duniya (as Shakespeare calls it) into the immortal life of Aakhirah – the life that is forever.

Khaalideena Feehaa Abadaa!

END

Saga of Human Life: From God and To God! [Quote - 701]

Humans have a predictable trajectory in life. Some a bit different than some others in some minor details no doubt. But the basic process -- and the basic beginning and end -- is all the same.

We are all born weak and vulnerable, just as the Qur'an says.

And then we grow to great strength and resourcefulness and accomplishments, many of us, again just as the Qur'an states.

And then the curve inflects, and we return to a new state of feebleness and dependence as life fades and as strength drains from our limbs and muscles and bones. 

We increasingly become a slave of time and tide, doing things only as we are able to do them, if do them at all. 

As always -- we should not forget this, as always -- suddenly the mind and body seem to have their own calculus by which they operate. And the Law of Diminishing Returns comes increasingly into play. 

That means it now takes more time and more effort and more resources to do what at one time seemed effortless and instantaneous.

The arrogance of personal self-sufficiency and omnipotence falls by the wayside as we turn to everything and everyone in sight for help and support and assistance.

The flame inside flickers for many for a while and then eventually dies.

Life returning to the life-giver!

There are minor variations to this theme in some of the details. But the fundamentals of the story have not changed over time. 

Nor are they ever likely to.

The Qur'an sums up the entire human saga -- a saga for which there are no exceptions -- in the following words:

Innaa Lillahi Wa Innaa Ilaihi Raaji'oon!

"God is the origin -- of all. 
Just as God also is the end -- of all."

We -- see how personalized this is -- all come from God. And indeed we all shall return to him.

No truer words were ever spoken.

And no human being, in their right mind, can possibly miss being a live and active witness to this unfolding of the invariant saga of human life on earth, episode after episode after episode.

END

And the Point Is...? [Quote - 672]

One of the most important leaders of this work, a founding member of the Coworkers Community, an indefatigable worker for Allah, and just a plain wonderful Muslim, and a personal friend for who knows how long, had, by the Grace and Mercy of Allah, a rather narrow escape the other day. 

Alhamdulillah!

A car -- driven by a member of the police force, no less -- jumped the median and sideswiped him, while he was, as always, on the road to distribute books about Allah to the people of Allah -- anyone who will read them or even look at them.

Allah gave him prior warning -- and saved him from a head-on collision. 

Allah spared him -- for his wonderful family; for those of us who love him; and most of all for his own work. For, that is what this man has been doing all his life: Allah's work.

We are all grateful to Allah. And we celebrate and give thanks to Allah. 

We even decided to do a Khatm as a token of our gratefulness to Allah for sparing one for our leaders for us -- and for his work.

But there is another question here that must be asked: 

How many of us, associated with Allah's Work, realize -- and grasp to any degree -- that this could be a sign from Allah, telling us that we better watch out; we better not slack off; we better not put Duniya before Allah's Work, using all kinds of excuses and arguments and rationalizations.

What we are calling Allah's Work here, but which in reality is our first and foremost duty in this world, the very reason why Allah created us in the first place, and the very reason he gave us our degree, our jobs, our houses, our families and everything else. 

And that work -- Allah's Work -- is to take Allah's book to everyone of Allah's people -- everyone everywhere, Muslim and non-Muslim, male and female, child and adult.

For, the distance between life and death is that close. For each and everyone of us. In this Russian Roulette that we call Life.

That is the point we all need to get. And if we got the point we will all know that every breath we take -- every breath that we have been given by God -- is a blessing, and an opportunity, and at the same time, a challenge and a warning from Allah. 

The point is how do we know it is not our last breath.

We should understand that the line that separates us from our mortality is really devoid of width. That means it is not really a wide line. It is not even a thin line. It is simply an imaginary line.

That is the point that should not escape us.

END

All the Tricks Humans Play with Truth and Reality [Quote - 111]

“Human beings have a marvellous way of dealing with reality: If something causes you pain, stress or anxiety, change its name. That should make it go away.

Ever notice how no one dies anymore? They merely “pass away,” or even “pass on.”

Do people get buried these days? Imagine how horrible that sounds. They are just “laid to rest.”” (Dr. Pasha)

Pasha Hour International - Live from America! - June 29, 2010

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