A person comes across hundreds of things to distract his attention in the course of the day. During the busy daily life, it is only possible to deepen one’s faith and reflect with more certainty on the existence of the Hereafter by way of true faith. In particular, thinking about death and realizing that that one’s existence in this world will come to an end at a time appointed by Allah (God) and that one can embark on one’s eternal life at any moment take on a very distinct form in the mind.

That is because with death, many worldly things that had been of such value up until then, that had seemed so important and had such time expended on them, will lose all significance. The proximity of Paradise and Hell can be better realized with this seriousness of faith that thinking about death brings with it. One obtains a deeper understanding of the proximity of the Hereafter and that the world is merely a place of testing. People who do not understand faith as it requires have a vague view of death and the Hereafter in the life of this world. But when faced with death, this vagueness will become a sharp accuracy, and all these people will grasp the reality of the Hereafter in full clarity. This clear understanding at the moment of death is revealed as follows in the Qur’an:

The throes of death come revealing the truth. That is what you were trying to evade! The Trumpet will be blown. That is the Day of the Threat. Every self will come together with a driver and a witness: “You were heedless of this so We have stripped you of your covering and today your sight is sharp.” (Surah Qaf, 19-22)

The words “… You were heedless of this so We have stripped you of your covering...” in the verse are to be interpreted in terms of people living heedless of the transitory nature of the life of this world, the existence of the Hereafter and the Day of Judgment. At the moment of death, however, even someone who has never thought about Paradise and Hell during his life acquires a far sharper perspective and clear understanding. But that person’s test is now over and the verdict has been given. There is no way back. There is no possibility of one’s wish that “I have understood the reality, so let me start my test all over again” becoming a reality.

Since believers have a great fear of encountering such a situation in the Hereafter they spend their lives looking for ways to draw closer to Allah and have a deeper faith. Believers look only to Allah’s good pleasure, mercy and Paradise. Everyone must achieve a serious comprehension of the proximity of Paradise and Hell before the moment of death arrives, and must turn to our Almighty Lord.

Dec 08, 2008

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