This transient world is governed by age, decay, death and destruction, it is the limited domain, a cage and prison for the immortal soul, whereas the Heaven is under the Countenance of God, the Infinity and hence inexhaustible.
Man is immeasurably greater than an animal. An animal is confined to this three-dimensional physical world and dies within it and with it when this three-dimensional physical world comes to an end. Man on the other hand is the visitor from the immortal real. He exists outside this transient realm, and hence the denial of his Creator and the Everlasting life to which he belongs is the greatest injustice to his soul.
In today’s superficial and nominal age, we attach a relevance and significance to the meaningless, such as the land of our birth or the origin of our immediate ancestors, forgetting that we are all descended from Adam ‘alayhi asalam and the true abode of man is the Everlasting Hereafter, whether in Eternal bliss or perpetual regret.
The previous discourses emphasised on the fundamental Truth of our absolute dependence on the Transcendent and Immanent Creator, the recognition of which leads to a state of being which is at peace with itself, an open receptacle of God’s Grace and a natural inhabitant within the Eternal Bliss of Heaven. The rejection of this Truth leads to a soul in chaotic turmoil and at war with itself; fragmented and dissipating into oblivion, in a state of perpetual regret – disease and pain.
The Hereafter is also immeasurably more Real and Substantive than this transient temporal world. This transient world is governed by age, decay, death and destruction, it is the limited domain, a cage and prison for the immortal soul, whereas the Heaven is under the Countenance of God, the Infinity and hence inexhaustible.
“This worldly life is no more than play and amusement. But the Hereafter is indeed the real life, if only they knew.”[1]
Imagine living forever, with perpetual youth, but confined to a box, a room or a house for eternity; would not that soul grow weary of the limitations of this world? Imagine a pleasurable experience, such as perpetually eating strawberries in fresh cream, would not the perpetual experience lead to monotony, boredom, sickness and dread? The immortal soul cannot be satisfied within this limited, tiny world and would sooner or later yearn death. Only the light and grace of the Infinite Creator can satiate the soul.
Hence only a submitted, graceful and selfless soul can endure Eternity, whereas the selfish greedy narcissistic soul is hollow and empty and lives in perpetual anxiety. The Prophets are themselves the archetypes of these Heavenly Receptacles of the Hereafter. They are luminous and perfect beings, and immaculate vehicles of Divine Grace. By mimicking and following their examples, we are preparing and nurturing our souls for the Heavenly state.
Truth is Eternal, and Heaven is everlasting, unchanging without being limited or monotonous. This transient world of which man is the custodian can mimic that Heavenly reality should man submit himself completely to God’s Grace or become a constant domain of chaos and destruction should man turn away.
Religion which binds man to God and the Hereafter preserves that stable, constant contentment. All religions are revealed in the pure form – Islam, but as human intervention introduces corruption, they become susceptible to decay and destruction. With the decay and destruction of all religious paradigm (except Islam), man jumps from one temporary paradigm and ideology to another more quickly than a child going through new toys.
Likewise, all the modern secular paradigms of fascism, capitalism, liberalism, socialism, communism, and so on. despite very small temporary respite, are short-lived and inherently contain the seeds of their own destruction.
Although man recognises the reality of the Everlasting Hereafter, the devil, through his minions, tries to contort and diminish this reality into some worldly humanistic lie such as living through one’s children and descendants, in the memory of others, through the legacy of one’s achievements, through one’s inventions, or through one’s nation, all of which will come to an end and be forgotten.
“Many are the societies We have destroyed for persisting in wrongdoing, leaving them in total ruin. ˹Many are˺ also the abandoned wells and lofty palaces!”[2]
As the free market forces of numerous competitors leads to one winner dominating and monopolising all (unless there is non-capitalistic intervention), so too does communism negate all distinction and order leading to chaos and futility. Socialism leads to the neglect of individual liberty and accountability, and Capitalism leads to the neglect of social responsibility and community. Ironically, liberalism instead of representing balance and harmony has now become the bastion of the immorality and the denial of right, wrong, Truth and falsehood.
The Arabic word for Prophet is ‘Nabi’ which shares the same root as Naba, meaning ‘Good News’. Of this ‘Good News’ is that of the immensely Forgiving and Merciful God and the everlasting life that the Prophets came to remind man of. This knowledge and certainty provided traditional man with the patience, resilience and forbearance to endure and ‘suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune.’
The Quran, unlike any other sacred scripture is immersed within the imagery and description of the next life to further reinforce this reality in the minds of the pious believers. There is no despair, only hope for Divine Grace. In fact, hope is the desire and resignation to God’s Mercy. Besides this, there truly is no such thing as hope.
References:
[1] Qur’an 29:64
[2] Qur’an 22:45
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