The Situation Of Those In This World And The Hereafter Who Do Not Take Lessons From Death

The majority of people have an inadequate conception of death. "Death is the moment life ends" is one of these. Take one step further, however and one will comprehend that death is the moment the next life starts. This ill-informed outlook makes disbelievers compress everything they want into the very short time of this life. That is why, those who do not come to realise the truth of the Hereafter want to make the most of this life without giving it a second thought. Not making a distinction between right and wrong, they seek to satisfy all their tastes in this world. This stance is essentially based upon the notion that death will put an end to all the joys and pleasures of this world. Believing that they still have long years ahead of them, they chase after long-term plans. They consider themselves to be very intelligent while they think believers, who have an unshakeable faith in God and the Hereafter and thus prepare themselves for it, are unwise. This is one of the most classical methods employed by Satan to deceive man. God draws our attention to this "deceptive method" in the following verse:

Those who have turned back to unbelief after God's guidance has been revealed to them, are seduced by Satan who has filled them with false hopes. (Surah Muhammad: 25)

He makes promises to them and fills them with false hopes. But what Satan promises them is nothing but delusion. (Surat an-Nisa': 120)

Amassing fortune in this world as if life would last forever, disbelievers perceive life as a competition. All throughout their lives, they take pride in possessions and children. This pride gives them a sense of artificial superiority, which causes them to drift completely away from the thought of the Hereafter. However, the following verses disclose where they are destined for because of this great delusion:

Do they imagine that, in the wealth and children We give to them, We are hastening to them with good things? No indeed, but they have no awareness! (Surat al-Mu'minun: 55-56)

Do not let their wealth and children impress you. Through them God merely wants to punish them during their life in the world and for them to expire while they are unbelievers. (Surat at-Tawbah: 55)

God gives man many warnings and messages to make him ponder upon death and the Hereafter. In one verse, God draws attention to the trials given as a warning to man:

Do they not see that they are tried once or twice in every year? But still they do not turn back. They do not pay heed. (Surat at-Tawbah: 126)

Indeed, the majority of people encounter various trials, so that they may frequently ask for forgiveness and take heed. These may take place very rarely, once or twice in a year, as mentioned in the verse. Alternatively, they may be small, daily troubles. Man witnesses accidents, deaths or injuries. Newspapers abound in stories of death and obituaries. In the face of such events, man should remember that calamities can at any time befall him and at any moment his testing period may end. Such an awareness makes one sincerely turn to God, seek refuge in Him and ask for forgiveness from Him.

The lessons believers draw from the adversity they encounter are abiding. Yet, the same events have a totally different impact on disbelievers. Being terrified by the thought of death, disbelievers turn their backs on the reality of death or simply try to forget it. In doing this, they seek relief. However, this deceptive method only does them harm. That is because God "reprieves them till a predetermined time" and this period, contrary to what they think, works against them. (Surat an-Nahl: 61) In another Qur'anic verse, it says:

Those who are disbelievers should not imagine that the extra time We grant to them is for their good. We only allow them more time so they will increase their evil-doing. They will have a humiliating punishment. (Surah Al 'Imran: 178)

A heedless person, who does not take a lesson even when death befalls someone very close to him, becomes very sincere towards his Creator, when he himself encounters death. This psychology is related in the Qur'an as follows:

It is He Who guides them on both land and sea so that, when some of them are in a boat, running before a fair wind, rejoicing at it, and then a violent squall comes upon them and the waves come at them from every side and they realise there is no way of escape, they call on God, making their religion sincerely His: 'If You rescue us from this, we will truly be among the thankful.' (Surah Yunus: 22)

However upon deliverance, these people return to their initial heedless state. Forgetting their promise, they display a low and false attitude and, while doing this, never feel the slightest pangs of conscience. Yet, this falsity will be evidence against them on the Day of Judgement:

But then, when He does rescue them, they become rebellious in the land without any right to do so. Mankind, your rebelliousness is only against yourselves. Take your enjoyment in the life of the world and then you will return to Us and We will inform you about what you did. (Surah Yunus: 23)

Desperately, man re-attempts to do the same at the moment of death. Yet, the time predetermined for him is already over:

If only you could see the evil-doers hanging their heads in shame before their Lord: 'Our Lord, we have seen and we have heard, so send us back again and we will act rightly. Truly, we are now firm believers.' ...(It will be said to them): 'So taste this. Because you forgot the meeting of this Day, We have forgotten you too. Taste the eternal punishment for your misdeeds.' (Surat as-Sajdah: 12-14)

The same unyielding efforts will continue also in hell:

There they will cry out: 'Our Lord! take us out! We will act rightly, differently from the way we used to act!' 'Did We not let you live long enough for anyone who was going to pay heed to pay heed? And did not the warner come to you? Taste this then! There is no helper for the wrongdoers. (Surat al-Fatir: 37)

These hopeless strivings in the Hereafter and the painful end are surely the results of man's scant acknowledgement of the actual purpose of his existence on earth and of his value. One who has no faith does not take lessons from the happenings around him, does not listen to the warnings sent by God, feigns ignorance of the voice of his conscience or flouts it, and sees death as an unlikely event for himself. He complies with the wishes of the wicked side of his soul rather than seeking God's pleasure. All these eventually pave the way for death to seize him suddenly and make him fall into the desperate situation depicted in the above verses. Thus, before death comes upon one, one should wake up from the deep sleep of heedlessness, since the moment of death is too late for such a recovery:

Give from what We have provided for you before death comes to one of you and he says, 'My Lord, if only you would give me a little more time so that I can give alms and be one of the righteous!' But God will not give anyone more time, once their time has come. God is aware of what you do. (Surat al-Munafiqun: 10-11)

A person of intelligence should constantly dwell upon death rather than keep avoiding the thought of it. Only thus can he act in compliance with God's will and prevent the wicked side of his soul and Satan from deceiving him with this fleeting life. Indeed, making the life of this world one's only goal is the greatest danger for people. Our Prophet (pbuh) also reminded the believers of this with his supplication "let not worldly affairs be our greatest care of all that we know about." (Narrated by Abdullah ibn Umar, Al-Tirmidhi, 783)