Page 86 - Deep Thinking

84 DEEP THINKING

the examples regarding the delicate balances on earth. Yet a man who
reflects can readily see the order, perfection and balance that prevail in
every corner of the universe, and thus reach the conclusion that Allah has
created everything for man. Allah states this in the Qur'an thus:
And He has made everything in the heavens and everything on
the earth subservient to you. It is all from Him. There are cer-
tainly Signs in that for people who reflect. (Surat al-Jathiyya:
13)

What Eternity Makes One Think

Everyone is familiar with the concept of eternity, yet have you ever
thought about eternity? This is one of the subjects upon which a person
believing in Allah reflects.
Allah's creating of the eternal life of Paradise and Hell is a very impor-
tant subject over which everyone needs to think. Someone who thinks it
over poses the following questions: the eternal nature of Paradise is one
of the greatest blessings and rewards bestowed in the life after death. The
glorious life in Paradise will never end. Man may live in this world for at
most a hundred years. Life in Paradise, however, is timeless, so that in
comparison a quadrillion times quadrillion years is short.
Someone who remembers this will also soon realize that it is impos-
sible for man to comprehend eternity. No matter what figure man comes
up with, it would still be negligible in comparison to the number of years
to be spent in the eternal life.
Someone who thinks on these matters reaches the following conclu-
sion: Allah possesses such great knowledge that what is everlasting for
man, in His sight has already ended. Every incident and every thought that
has taken place from the first moment time began to its last moment are,
with their times and forms, determined and come to an end within His
knowledge.
One should, in the same way, think that hell is a place in which unbe-
lievers will dwell forever. There are various kinds of torture, torments, and
distresses in Hell. Unbelievers in Hell are subject to uninterrupted physical