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ADDRESS IN GOVT. MEDICAL COLLEGE, NAGPUR ON "DEATH"
Sunday 28th March 2010
Respected dignitaries on the dais and off the dais, first of
all, I would like to thank my Creator, the Almighty, for
providing me time to express my views in this august
gathering. The same Almighty created me, put life in me,
sustains me every now and then, and in whose hands my death
is. And I welcome you all here by a supplication for peace,
prosperity and tranquillity for all of you. Let me convey
this in Arabic.
السلام وعليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته
May peace and mercy of Allah be upon you.
This is a very commonly used dialogue, but used very
casually without knowing the spirit behind, and without even
knowing its meanings. But be sure, I used this dialogue from
the depth of my heart.
The topic for this seminar is death. Respected audience,
this is the ultimate and undeniable Truth of life of all
those who habituate the universe. We all know that it is the
harsh truth of life. Respected ladies and gentlemen, I am
not a clergy, but I am a student of the Final Testament
revealed down by HIM, who is the owner of the universe. It
is The Holy Qur'an, in which I find in chapter 56 verse 60:
“WE
have ordained death for all of you O mankind, and none
of you shall escape it,
and no one will get ahead
to prevent Us.”
And in chapter 21 verse 35, the words are appearing
“Every
soul
is bound to
pass the process of
death; and
O mankind! WE put
you
in test
through
the bad
and the good
things of
this
life,
by way of trial: and unto US, you all must return.”
It is very much obvious that we came from somewhere, we die
and despite our choice, we have to go somewhere. It proves
that we have a small halt on this globe in our span of life.
We have to go back, whether we wish it or not. Every one of
us came here with a confirmed return ticket. Once again it
is obvious that, someone has the power over us, and He
created us, and He has the power over our death.
Highlighting the topic, another quotation from Holy Qur'an
chapter 2 verse 28, I quote here:
“O mankind! how
can you refuse to acknowledge
God Almighty,
while
before this you were lifeless and HE gave you life, and that
HE will cause you to die, and then will bring you again to
life, whereupon unto HIM you will be brought back (for
accounts)?”
So friends, the life does not end at death, but the death is
a transitory period, and in all such periods of transit, one
has to pass with less or more difficulty and pains. I will
quote here an intellectual, Mr Sudheendra Kulkarni who
writes: “Awareness of the nearness and immediacy of death
can completely re-orient our outlook towards life. It could
make us more humane, and less prone to anger and
aggressiveness. Yet, humans generally do not like to live
with the awareness of the death.”
He
further writes about the reasons behind our disremembering
of death: “We
are deeply and too much attached to this world, to our own
hopes, desires, relations and comforts, all rooted in this
beautiful world of ours, to entertain the idea that we would
one day be separated from all these.”
“It
is amazing that, whereas human beings take birth only in one
way, which is both predictable and anticipated, we die in
countless different ways, which are often unpredictable and
unanticipated. Birth is a probability,
while
death
is
a certainty. Birth has parentage, death has none. Only one
of the million sperms has a chance to find an egg. For the
fertilized egg, there is again the inescapable residence in
the mother’s womb for nine long months. Death follows no
such journey and, often, knows no such waiting."
Friends, we all know that the process of our birth is also
painful. The conceiving and carrying of a baby in the womb
is not easy for a lady. We also know that embryo also has to
suffer the pains. Mother has to suffer while delivering the
child and all the children come crying due to pains. We can
be helpful only to reduce the pains, but we cannot change
the natural course.
So is the case of death. We can only be helpful to the dying
one, by helping him whatever is possible for us, and within
our limits, and within the framework of human ethics. And
for our own death, we can ask our Creator just it was asked
by Prophet Mohammed (s.a.w.s) which I found in one of his
supplications in these words:
“O GOD, MAKE EASY FOR US THE PROCESS OF DEATH”
Friends, now the question comes in my mind that, what for I
am here and what I have to face after my death. Here I am
not getting any further data from the existing knowledge of
science. For this topic, I have to refer the One and only
One, who created me, and who has the power upon my death. I
found it in the Final Testament chapter 29 verse 64 in these
wordings:
“O human beings, beware! The life of this world is nothing
but joys and delight, which will pass away sooner or later!
But behold, the life in the hereafter is indeed the only
true and everlasting life: if the humanity could realise
it!”
Moreover, friends, a
Natural law of degeneration is playing its role. The
sorrow and joy, the happiness and sadness, the cheer and
gloom, nothing is permanent in nature. My intellect suggests
me to be more careful for my coming life which is
everlasting and permanent in nature.
The test and trial we are enduring here in this world, and
our actions and reactions over them will reflect in our
coming everlasting life. I would like to refer here a known
dialogue which is also commonly used. It is from Hindu
scriptures that
Shareer Ko Mrutyu Hai, Atmaa Amar Hai. I am alive with
two factors, one is my body and other is soul. One can use
any word for Soul like life,
Aaatma, or
Rooh. My body is
from this earth, while the soul came from somewhere. At the
time of my death, the body will remain here for the
disposal, while the soul will go back to the Originator, the
Almighty. And in the coming life, I have to face the
consequences of my moral failings, and fruits of my moral
and human achievements in this worldly life.
Now in the conclusion, I am coming to the point of
bereavement. When we are neither the owners of our body nor
the soul, we have to follow the moral and human ethics. We
can be helpful to the sufferer, but we cannot change the
destiny. My body and my soul are like the things given by my
Creator in my trust, and I should prove myself loyal and
trustworthy to my Creator. I have no ethical permission to
destroy, finish or put end to it, while knowing that every
phase will just pass away in its due time. Nothing is
permanent here. This phase of pain will also pass away. Yes,
but the life to come after the death is permanent, and I
should keep up high moral and human ethics to get the ease,
joys and pleasure of that ultimate future.
In
the end, I pray the LORD of the Universe, as per holy
Quran Chapter 10 / Verse101
"O
my Sustainer! YOU are the Originator of the heavens and the
earth! YOU are my protector in this world and in the life to
come: let me die in the state of submission unto YOU, and
make me amidst the righteous!"
I
further make a supplication (dua) here:
“O my LORD, I ask you to
grant me sincere repentance, contrition before my death,
grant me ease in the process of death, salvation and mercy
after death, and forgiveness at the time of accountability
in front of You, and keep me away from the hell-fire and
grant me the paradise.”
“O,
Lord, You are the fountain of peace, Peace originates
from you, Peace returns to you, Let us live in peace,
Let us enter the Abode of Peace, Glory to you our Lord,
And all mights are due to you, O Fountain of Majesty and
Dignity.”
Thank you very much for patiently listening. May GOD Bless
us all.
Abdul Ghafoor Parekh
Director,
Institute for Promoting International Languages
Parekh Compound,
Fire Brigade Road, Lakadganj,
NAGPUR 440 008
(India)
Ph:
0712 – 277 7420, 276 1219
Cell: 0091 –
98230 80845
E-mail: aghafoor_ngp@sancharnet.in
www.explore-quran.com,
www.explore-truth.com
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