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The art of life and death
Wisdom
says: do for your life as you are eternal, and do for your life
after as you die tomorrow!
This
saying was referred to Prophet Muhammad, and to Imam Ali, but has
not being proved yet. When I think about these words, and take a
closer look at our life style and its circumstances, it appears to
me the amount of shortage we actually suffering, so the need to
making art of life and death in this controversial term. Some people
would see beautiful meanings in it as it urges asceticism with
worldly life, and yet concentrate on the afterlife. It carries the
meanings (some people reject) which urges to pursue in this world,
and refuel for the hereafter, as of humans were immortal. Let us
think about it, and try to associate the entire matter with our
present reality. Words urging asceticism are actually filling the
heritage of all religions. In fact, life is like a train station, we
are all going to depart from. Life itself is just a bridge,
afterlife is the most enduring, and that what it is referred to, in
the second part of the phrase which says: “and do for your life
after as you die tomorrow!”
Returning to the first phrase, “do for your life as you are
eternal” actually it holds two meanings: the first shows an
individual would be a hard worker, so would gain fortune, fame, and
have children like he is immortal! Apparently, any individual who
can live a hundred years would work hard in order to earn a
significant future, they would gather as much assets as possible
since the journey of life is long ahead, would train himself, and
gain knowledge as it shall be in need later.
Anyways; there is logic substitute for any logic, and for each
logical explanation, there is another logical explanation, this is a
game of thought! In other words; any human would not rush to make a
living knowing he would live for over a hundred of years, so are the
coming days would be sufficient to get matters done and settled,
while death is inevitable at any moment! Work of the afterlife
cannot be postponed as the postponement of work in this world. Now
both phrases include the same meaning, and provide one sense, it is
asceticism in the world and work on the hereafter.
But
what if we consider the phrase containing dialectical or
controversial meaning? As is the phrase (there is no god, but Allah)
Containing negation (there is no god) and prove (except Allah). At
this point if you take this statement into contemplation, you shall
find many dimensions…It might be confusing, as well as the phrase in
question gives these dimensions, if we should take it as dialectic
in this sense.
In
other words, the first part and the second of which urges us not to
asceticism in this life as mentioned above, but they urge us to
extreme the two things together,
so one
would seek in this world as he eternal, gather enough assets, at the
same time would work for the hereafter as if he will die tomorrow.
Here are the dialectical irony and dialectics ... there is a
maximum-dimensional and dialectical matter here … Here is the art
of living life, and the art of leaving life. Think about it!
When
we turn to the east and their ways of living, such as China and
India in particular, we see they have high spirituality; ‘Zahedan’
in life, living extreme poverty and one does not have a crumb of
bread. Even when he gets bread, it will not lay for tomorrow ...
They are controlled by metaphysical and spiritual ideas, theological
beliefs and some different religions. They believe in a better life
later on than their present life, as if they embody the meaning of
"Do for hereafter as if you die tomorrow." Their eyes look at
the sky, waiting for freedom away from this life, looking forward
for life in Nirvana or the highest paradise, believing earthy life
is controlled by karma and metaphysical system!
On the
next side, turning to western life, controlled by physical images,
where science, technology and luxury are widely available, and one
there enjoys a comfortable life well-off, away from poverty. Even
the poor may enjoys luxury of a rich, as institutions of the
countries assist them, search for jobs for them, and provide them
with homes and food. Apparently, some persons enjoy this type of
poverty; they get fed in these institutions,
and
spend their days begging people to finish their given meals with a
glass of wine or vodka, something unnecessary to sustain life. One
lives in Western countries only a physical life, and very few of
them turn to metaphysics and spirituality, as opposed to the eastern
states. Thus western life actually embedded the first part of the
phrase "work for worldly life like you are eternal."
But
what if the two were put into combination? What if eastern life
gathered with Western life? This is the secret of ‘taw’; it is a
collection of contradictions for coming up with wisdom and balance.
One
cannot live half a life; one cannot turn a blind eye to his
half-physical entity, or his half spiritual entity. The eastern
mystic lost a lot when he moved away from the physical world of
life, as well as the west people lost a lot when they denied their
spiritual side, which resulted despair, loneliness and alienation.
For
this,
we find that the Buddha characterize something very strange in the
religions of the Far East, where he did not talk about God or the
unseen or any spiritual powers, instead he has focused his teachings
on man, So he wanted to re-instill the feet of spiritual eastern
human in the ground again to pay attention to his world, because as
it is well-known, the religions of the Far East overflowing with
supernatural legends. As people headed to mysticism and remain away
from pursuing of livelihood. . That is why we did not understand the
Buddha, when he did not mention God or heaven or any of the sorts.
We considered him an atheist or typeface in religion, and did not
realize he wanted to re-balance the eastern man who went too far in
Spirituality!
This
wisdom restores balance in us and gives us the secret of the art of
life and art of death … Rebalance the relationship of man to life
and death. We can see that in many levels of it:
-The level of
materiality/body:
As we
know, the body is a gift, and cannot be compromised, whatever the
reasons and excuses sounded, and as a man got on the body properly
in the womb of his mother, as much as possible to keep him healthy
at the moment of death. But some may stray from the righteous sense,
and say, we are (going to die tomorrow) So why not have fun and do
what we want with this body, since it is belong to us, and as long
as we would not hurt others, no one has the right to judge us. But
if one has decided to follow this wisdom:
do for
your life as you are eternal, and do for your life after as you die
tomorrow.
He
will keep his body so fit to live as long as possible, and this will
only be when one is loving life with true passion, as the body gift
from God, as well as the life of the world a gift and a blessing,
too. The more one's passion for life is still filled with excite
admiration, and passion, the body become healthier and live longer.
Persons who are upset with life seem to be more infected with
diseases. For this reason doctors advise retired people to practice
a profession or volunteer or learn a new hobby or a new skill.
-The level of
meaning /Thought:
Child
enters primary school to learn the numbers and figures, and enters
the elementary school in order to expanding knowledge, as well as
the secondary, which opens the doors of his various sciences and
knowledge and to be
prepared to enter the university. But not one shall graduate from
cosmic university… Knowledge is secure asset on our paths, more
knowledge means greater ease of future life. Thus, learning is
instinct of life where something new appears to us every day, on the
other side; death is certain to those who reject it, they are like
someone crossing a desert not providing him with water or money!
Do
for your life as you are eternal, and do for your life after as you
die tomorrow.
Who
lives like eternal, he shall improve himself...but learning is not
just a process to gather experience and discoveries. But also to
keep abreast of new updated knowledge, otherwise will live in
yesterday even if all knowledge is put in his head. Most specialists
today have huge amount of knowledge, but it is old and not useful
after at least a period of up to seven years. Those who want to live
like eternal, have to live in the process of "demolition and
building," or as referred to the Christian symbol "death and
resurrection”, or the Baha'i definition of sacrifice:"
sacrifice the lower in favor of the Supreme, " That is, one
lives in every moment, cutting roots of past to move more forward,
to be renewed more, to be full of vitality!
An old
owner of a great library felt depressed, because his library
contains thousands of rare and valuable books getting full of dust.
He is unable to clean up hundreds of books, cannot bring more
books, and cannot move around. For this he was holding a burden on
his shoulder, and felt depressed. One day the next store was burned,
the fire caught his library also ... But something strange has
happened to this man, confused all! "How can he be happy after
losing thousands of books in his library?" He said: "Just at the
moment in which my books lost value, I felt at liberty flowing as a
feather,
and
full of vitality!”
From
time to time one needs to shake the dust of him, in order to feel
more vital, and gain further regeneration of starting all over
again. Life teaches us that, a river is always renewed, if the river
stopped flowing, its water would just be bad and mudded!
One
cannot live today with the mentality of the past, or he would be
isolated from reality. I remember my friend once told me about women
in the Arab region, in the beginning of importing televisions, where
people had to marvel at this strange device that shows images of
people from all over the country ... their behavior was strange…
they wore headscarves at home when they watch television thinking
that the presenter sitting inside the TV looked at them, so the
presence of ‘Muharram’ in the room was compulsory, beside wearing
the headscarves!
On the
other side; on different areas of the Arabian Peninsula, there is
even the case for prohibiting television religiously!! As well in
some other religions, church
Patristics prohibited medical and surgeries, refusing of attempt
medicine to cure diseases, where they believe that disease is an
estimate of God! This is a life well spent in the past!
-Level of society/the others:
As
this wisdom affects one's perception and behavior with his body, so
it does as well with society and others through the quality of his
work and production. Ironically; I find some people building their
temporary homes in certain way they apparently dislike because they
planning to build another, or a young man who says: "This is a
temporary work for me, I’m moving to another company, so
why
should I improve my relationships or do my best?"
The
idea that this is a temporary situation and will improve later is
never successful. In other words; should a person put all his power
in his job as it is eternal, he shall give his very best! For
example those companies which produce shelf-life devices, in order
to be early disrupted so the consumers would buy a new device
shortly. Apparently temporary work distracted more energy and
effort than it costs to be long-lasting! This idea created polluted
environment around us, most of the productivity of Muslims or Arabs
is of poor quality, because they are holding the idea of a temporary
stay on earth before leaving either by death or by resurrection!
However; those who do not believe in Day of Reckoning, their
dictionary does not contain the word "temporary" they go on planning
and performing their work which last for ten years, or perhaps for
hundreds of years!
Our
environment is polluted, simply humans are not planning to keep it
clean for future generations who consider outrigger to humans
(work for worldly like you are eternal), if we thought that we
are going to live for ever, we shall not find a human polluting the
environment in any way, but because we believe that we are leaving
this life after 30 or forty years from now, so polluted environment
will not hurt us since we will not be present here! Human beings are
so strange!
The
Prophet says: "Allah loves when one of you does a certain work to
be well done"
Unless
you think your work will remain forever, there shall not be real
elaboration in it. Remember the elaborately-made pyramids, genius
achievements of mankind from an artistic to musical, architectural
work, medicine, scientific discoveries, and others! Apparently,
wisdom
Embodied of balanced relationship between humans and life and death.
From Prophet Muhammad speech where he said: "If the hour is come,
and there is a plant in one’s hand, he should implant it"
A Person should stay build the earth
with the kindest things, even if he knew he will leave it tomorrow.
But we are out of that completely, because they all want the same
thing for himself not for the others or his sons or for the future
generation, he wants to take the biggest part of the cake even if
the others died starving.
I
conclude with the say of ‘Ibn ‘Kathyr’ about this sentence: what if
the understood from this sentence is to induce people to build
the
earth and settled on it to live and benefit from it who comes after
you, as you benefited from the work of your ancestor, and you live
in while the others build. If he knows that his ages will get
longer, so well he will be proficient in his work, and pays
attention to what he gains. On the other side, he insisted on work’s
sincerity, and the intention and the heart transfiguration in all
the worships and obedience and make lots of them. Who knows that he
will die tomorrow he will multiply his worships and to be loyal in
his obedience as the prophet says in the Holy Tradition: “pray
like a man bidding farewell”
Ahmad Alfarhan
30/05/2015 Kuwait
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References:
(1) http://www.aqaed.com/faq/6003/
(2) http://islamqa.info/ar/130847
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