Ready for the end?

So the world has not come to an end after all. As I type, millions of sub-atomic particles are being accelerated round in a circular tube, approaching the speed of light in an attempt to recreate the conditions in the Universe moments after the big bang. The experiment is taking place in a Large Hadron Collider at the famous CERN facility in Geneva (the same CERN organisation mentioned in the novel Angels & Demons by Dan Brown). The experiment sparked rumours that it could cause the end of the world, causing the Earth to be swallowed up by a huge black hole.

Listening to the radio on my drive to work this morning, presenters were having a good laugh, joking about the imminent end of the world. Now of course, today is not going to be the end of the world. According to Shia belief, for the end of the world to happen, the re-appearance of the 12th holy Imam needs to occur - and that has not yet happened. However, it was amusing to listen to the presenters joking about the end of the world - I couldn't help thinking, if indeed it was the end of the world they are all going to be in for a mighty shock.

The end of the world heralds the arrival of the Day of Judgement - when all of mankind will be resurrected to be judged fairly and justly by God, to determine whether we will spend the rest of eternity in heaven or hell. That is what life is all about - we are here for God to judge our actions and decide whether we deserve heaven or hell - I can't stress the point enough. Everything we do, especially in this holy month of Ramadan, has just two purposes - to receive God's blessings and to avoid his punishment.

Yesterday I attended a majlis commemorating the recent death of a relative. The speech was about death and how Muslims should embrace it. Death is not something to be feared, in fact quite the opposite, it is something to be welcomed. If our faith and belief is strong then that is no problem, we will be ready for death because we are aware of the potential rewards that lie beyond. God says in the Quran "What is the life of this world but amusement and play? But verily the Home in the Hereafter,- that is life indeed, if they but knew." (Surah 29, Verse 64) and also "O my people! This life of the present is nothing but (temporary) convenience: It is the Hereafter that is the Home that will last. He that works evil will not be requited but by the like thereof: and he that works a righteous deed - whether man or woman - and is a Believer- such will enter the Garden (of Bliss): Therein will they have abundance without measure." (Surah 40, Verses 39-40). To achieve that feeling, that status, we continue to strive to seek nearness to God and to seek his blessings.

We are all destined for death - it is not something that anyone can escape. No matter what scientists and doctors try, they cannot prevent death. The Quran states that "Every soul shall have a taste of death in the end to Us shall ye be brought back." (Surah 29, Verse 57) It is something we have no control over whatsoever, we have no say as to where we will die, "Nor does any one know in what land he is to die." (Surah 31, Verse 34) and we have no say as to when we will die "Nor can a soul die except by Allah's leave, the term being fixed as by writing." (Surah 3, Verse 145). Modern medicines and technology may seemingly prolong life, but that is due to God's mercy. He has blessed us with the knowledge and ability to develop new technologies and medicines and with it certain illnesses and diseases can be prevented or cured, but that doesn't change the inevitable. Our time is fixed and we are all destined for death.

With the guarantee of death set, it's what we do in the meantime that counts. Our aim is to struggle and strive to reach nearness to God. To follow his commands, to follow the teachings of the Holy Prophet and Imams. This constant struggle will determine our reward in the hereafter. I know I sound repetitive, but it is important to keep discussing the issue. Death should be at the forefront of our minds. Everything we do should be to get ready for death. Have we done enough? Are we doing enough?

Moving on to briefly talk about the Day of Judgement. God has described it as "...a Sign for those who fear the penalty of the Hereafter: that is a Day for which mankind will be gathered together: that will be a Day of Testimony. The day it arrives, no soul shall speak except by His leave: of those (gathered) some will be wretched and some will be blessed. Those who are wretched shall be in the Fire: There will be for them therein (nothing but) the heaving of sighs and sobs. And those who are blessed shall be in the Garden: They will dwell therein for all the time that the heavens and the earth endure, except as thy Lord willeth: a gift without break." (Surah 11, Verses 103-108). It is the time when everything we have done in this life will be judged. "Some faces, that Day, will beam (in brightness and beauty), looking towards their Lord. And some faces, that Day, will be sad and dismal." (Surah 75, Verses 22-24).

Like I have said on numerous occasions, not only today but in various other blogs, the Holy Quran has made it quite clear what will happen after we die and how we will be judged and what the rewards and punishments will be. It is clear-cut. That leaves it down to us to ensure that we are ready for that time. This is not something to put to one side, it should constantly be on our minds. We all have jobs, all need to earn a living, have family and friends that we interact it and it is all blessed by God as long as we live our lives in accordance with his teachings. We earn money correctly and spend it in a halal way, we remain friendly and cordial in our personal interactions, not judgemental and vain. A lot of these elements we already do, it is not that difficult, God has not made this life an impossible struggle, he has made it an achievable struggle and inshallah a struggle that we will benefit from in the hereafter.

One final point, coming back to the experiment that is currently taking place at CERN. Scientists are constantly striving to prove that God doesn't exist. Today's experiment is designed to study what happened after the big bang - no doubt in another attempt to explain away God's influence in it all. However, these experiments and discoveries do the exact opposite. Each time a new revelation is made, it just reminds me of the power of God. He has blessed us with the ability to develop these technologies, which enable us to study his creation down to a micro-microscopic detail. We can marvel at the sub-atomic particles and study how the Earth and the Solar system was created and remain in awe over God's creation. These experiments continue to provide more information about God's power and will. They don't deny his existence, but only strengthen the proof that he is holding power over all things.

Take care all,
Thoughts just flow, when do they have to make sense?