Page 38 - The Truth of the Life of This World

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nals a life-threatening condition. A person with a body temperature of
0
35 C suffers severely from disorientation and constantly falls asleep. Mental
functions slow. A slight decrease in body temperature can cause such con-
sequences, but even more exposure to cold weather, bringing body tem-
0
0
perature below 33 C, causes loss of consciousness. At 24 C, the respirato-
0
ry system fails to function. The brain is damaged at 20 C and finally the
0
heart stops at 19 C bringing on the unavoidable end: death.
This is only one of the examples upon which will be further expanded
in the remaining pages of this book. The purpose in providing these exam-
ples is to emphasise that, due to the inexorable factors endangering his
being, man will always fail to find profound satisfaction in his way of liv-
ing. The aim is to remind the reader that man should avoid blind attach-
ment to life and stop spending all his life running after dreams and,
instead, always remember Allah and the real life, the Hereafter.
There is an eternal Paradise promised to man. As readers will have the
opportunity to see from the pages that follow, paradise is a place of per-
fection. In paradise, man will be entirely insulated from all the physical
weaknesses and imperfections that surround him on earth. Everything he
desires will be within easy reach. Furthermore, fatigue, thirst, exhaustion,
hunger, and injury do not exist in paradise.
Helping people reflect on their real nature and consequently have a
deeper understanding of the infinite superiority of the Creator is another
purpose of this book. In addition, comprehending that man is in need of
the guidance of Allah is surely of great relevance to everyone. Allah states
this in the following verse:

O mankind! You are the poor in your relation to Allah. And Allah! He is the
Absolute, the Owner of Praise. (Surah al-Fatir: 15)

Bodily Needs

Man is exposed to many physical risks. Keeping one's body and envi-
ronment clean and taking painstaking care of them are life-long burdens
with which one has always to be occupied in order to minimise health
risks. What is even more striking is that the amount of time spent on such

36 The Weaknesses of Man