Malfuzat – Volume III — Page 77
77 ten years at most; ultimately, he must die. Death is certain and no one can evade it in any way. I observe that people remain inexplicably absorbed in counting their money but never bother to count the days of their lives. Unfortunate is the one who gives no attention to counting the days of one’s life. It is one’s life which is most important and most worthy of being calculated, lest death arrive and a per- son is forced to depart from this world deprived. It is established from the Holy Quran that just as the heavenly life begins in this world, so too a life of hell begins here on earth. When a person is at the brink of death with their desires unful- filled, they suffer an excruciating form of hell. When one sees that they are about to depart this world and when they become afflicted by cholera, plague, typhoid, palpitations, or some other severe disease, they experience a death before their actual death, which crushes their heart and soul, as it were, and this is also a sort of deprivation. Certain ailments do not let a person live in peace for even a few moments and finish a man within no time. A person who realises that they are nothing more than a creature bound to die, will reflect on the means by which to save themselves from that punishment which consumes a person through grief. One of our relatives began to suffer from colic and his condition reached a state where he could no longer pass urine. He vomited a black substance after which he could no longer hold up his head. It was at this time that he said: ‘I have now realised that the world is worth nothing. ’ Always remember, the world has no value. Who can say that those of us who are present here at this time will also definitely be alive in the coming year. Many of our friends who were alive last year are no longer with us today. What did they know that they would no longer be in the year to come. Similarly, who can say at this time that they will definitely be present when the new year dawns, and who can know the names of such people who are in the list of those destined to pass on. Hence, an individual who does not reconcile with God before they die, and who gives precedence to their super- ficial relations, is utterly foolish and ignorant. Evil Company Keeping evil company is also from among the things which lead a man to ruin. One may observe that Abu Jahl not only perished himself, but also took many others along with him to destruction—the people who would go and sit in his company. His meetings and gatherings were characterised by nothing except mockery and ridicule. These people would say: p. 68