Mohammad Rafoqie
Junior Member
Islam and human Life
By Mohammad Rafique Etesame
What is life, it is a question often rises in the minds and answered in various manners. For example, the rich people see it as a beautiful dream, while the poor see it as a heavy mountain or a crown of thorns. Some people pass their lives expecting that the golden days will come soon, someone devotes his life in the name of love, while some people become so tired of their lives that they prefer death to life etc.
Usually the routine life goes like this: people rise up in the morning, take their breakfast and go to the their work. When it is evening, they return back to homes, take meals and enjoy their leisure activities if any, and then go to sleep. And again it is morning and this routine work resumes again. By and by, life meets to its end and people go to the graves. This is a short story of human life.
When the man is young, he makes plan that what will he be in the future? For example, whether he will be a doctor, engineer, a pilot in the Air force, an officer in the Military or a successful business man etc? His main point of view is: how to get money, fame and respect more and more?
While according to the teachings of Islam, mankind is created only for the worship of Allah the most High and He Himself is responsible for providingsustenance to him as mentioned in the holy Qur’an,” I created the jinn and humankind only that they might worship Me. I seek no livelihood from them, nor do I ask that they should feed Me. Lo! Allah! He is that giveth livelihood, the Lord of Unbreakable might”. (Az-zariyat: 58)
These verses reveal that the duty of a Muslim is the worship of Allah the most High. And then there is a question that what is the real meaning of worship?
So, according to the teachings of Islam, every action done following the “Uswa-e-hasanah” (good example) of the holy Prophet Mohammad (May peace and mercy of Allah be upon him), is the worship. Therefore, eating, drinking, sleeping, and even go to the toilet, business, services, labor of a Muslim will be the worship if it is done according to the good example of the holy Prophet (PBUH).
Human life can be divided into two categories as:-
(1) Temporary life, this is the Life of this world.
(2) Everlasting life, this is the Life, the life after death.
Life of this world is a trial base for mankind where he is tested by many ways as the holy Qur;an reveals,” And surely We shall try you with something of fear and hunger, and loss of wealth and lives and crops; but give glad tidings to the steadfast, Who say, when a misfortune striketh them. Lo! We are Allah’s and lo! Unto Him we are returning. Such are they on whom are blessings from their Lord, and mercy. Such are the rightly guided”. (Al-Baqarah: 157).
In fact, this world is the” crop” of the Hereafter. Man will reap there as he sows here from good or bad actions.
Life after death is the real life because it is everlasting and has no end. There are two resting places for mankind in the Hereafter, Paradise or Hell. Life of Paradise is a luxury life and there are such type of blessings and awards from Allah the Most High that no one can imagine or listen about them, the holy Qur’an reveals,” A similitude of the Garden which those who keep their duty (to Allah) are promised: Therein are rivers of milk whereof the flavor changeth not, and rivers of wine delicious to the drinkers, and rivers clear-run honey, therein for them is every kind of fruit, with pardon from their Lord” (Mohammad: 15). Also reveals,” And give glad tidings (O Mohammad ) unto those who believe and do good works; that there are Gardens underneath which rivers flow; as often as they are regaled with food of the fruit thereof; they say: This is what was given us aforetime; and it is given to them in resemblance. There for them are pure companions; (fair ones, close-guarded in pavilions) there forever they abide” (Al-Baqarah: 25)
Everyone wants to be successful in his life but the question is: what is the real success and who are the successful one? So according to the holy Qur’an, “Whoso is removed from the Fire and is made to enter Paradise, he indeed is triumphant. The life of this world is but comfort of illusion” (Ale-Imran: 185).
But it requires a permanent struggle to meet this life. The question is: why the struggle and against whom it will be done? So the struggle will be done against two dangerous and hidden enemies of human being, i.e. Nafs-e-Ammarah (inordinate soul) and Satan Iblis. The holy Qur’an reveals,” I do not exculpate myself. Lo! The (human) soul enjoneth unto evil, save that whereon my Lord hath mercy. Lo! My Lord is Forgiving, Merciful” (Josefh: 53). And,”Lo! Satan is an open enemy to you” (Al-A’raf:22). So a faithful believer of Islam is in serious need to remain alert to every time and make constant struggle against them. And if someone fails to achieve his goal in any time, he should not lose his heart, but continue his struggle from anew. Only those people attain their goals who stick to their struggle and remain working. May Allah the most High give us “Taufeeq to obey the Uswa-e-hasanah of the holy Prophet (PBUH).