Page 48 - The Truth of the Life of This World

plays moral perfection in this world, he will attain physical and mental per-
fection for all eternity. Knowing this fact, the physical defects of this world
lose all significance. This is the promise of Allah to the believers. That is
also the basic reason why believers show respect and affection to each
other and consideration for each other's physical handicaps, and demon-
strate lifelong devotion to one another.
This big gap in perception between believers and disbelievers and the
different states of mind they experience are quite important. While grudges
and anger are eliminated from the hearts of believers and peace and secu-
rity prevail instead, feelings of disappointment, dissatisfaction and unhap-
piness create anguished states of mind for disbelievers. This is as if it was
a punishment from the materialist society surrounding the disbelievers, but,
it really is a misfortune from Allah for those who do not believe. Those
who assume that they will not be judged for their misdeeds will be stunned
on the day of judgement when their misdeeds – cruelty, disbelief, and dis-
loyalty – will be judged:

Let not the disbelievers think that Our respite to them is good for them: We
grant them respite that they may grow in their iniquity: But they will have a
shameful punishment. (Surat Ali-'Imran: 178)

The Later Years of Life

The destructive effects of the passage of years are observable in one's
own body. As the years go by, the body, the most precious possession a
human being has, goes through an irreversible process of destruction. The
changes a human being experiences throughout his life are recounted in
the Qur'an as follows:

It is Allah Who created you in a state of (helpless) weakness, then gave (you)
strength after weakness, then, after strength, gave (you) weakness and a
hoary head: He creates as He wills, and it is He who has all knowledge and
power. (Surat ar-Rum: 54)
The later years of life are the times most neglected in the future plans
of an adult, except in the anxious process of saving for old-age pensions.
Indeed, being too close to death, people usually develop a hesitant
approach to this period. When someone tries to talk about old age, others

46 The Weaknesses of Man