Page 118 - Matter: The Other Name for Illusion

When people realize that these appearances they thought they owned
during this life are actually an illusion, they understand that they have
struggled and worried in vain, and that they have wasted their time. There are
those who jealously guard what they own, and for the sake of these things
become angry and abuse others, get irritated and pound the table with their
fist. But when they realize that they have no connection with the actual
material things, they are ashamed and deeply sorry that they are like be
someone who, in a dream, assaults other people, gets angry and shouts at
them. They immediately understand that they should act in a way that will be
pleasing to God, the Origin of all the appearances shown to them. Those who
comprehend this reality, that is, believers say:

Say: "My prayer and my rites, my living and my dying, are for God
alone, the Lord of all the world." (Surat al-An'am: 162)
It is important never to forget this important point: It does not matter at
which point in his life a person comes to understand this reality; it is never too
late. He can change his way of looking at life right away and reorder his way
of living according to this principle; he can begin to live not for illusions but
for our Lord, the One Absolute Being. God is always forgiving to His servants.
Those who slyly pretend not to know this reality, and refuse to accept the
fact that God is the One Absolute Being, have fallen into a powerful trap. God
describes their state:

... What they achieved here will come to nothing. What they did will
prove to be null and void. (Surah Hud: 16)

Even if a person does not want to accept this reality now and prefers to
deceive himself by believing that the things he owns are absolute things,
everything will become very clear after he dies on that Last Day when he is
raised again to life. On that day, as it says in the verse, his "sight is sharp"
(Surah Qaf: 22), and he will come to a much clearer awareness of everything.
But if he has spent his worldly life running after illusory goals, he will wish
that he had never lived in that world. He will perish saying, "If only death
had really been the end! My wealth has been of no use to me. My power has
vanished." (Surat al-Haqqa: 27-29)

116 MATTER: THE OTHER NAME FOR ILLUSION