Page 50 - Seeing Good in All
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SEEING GOOD IN ALL
punished. For this reason, for everyone who has faith in God
and the existence of the hereafter, and thus lived a life
devoted to his Lord, death is a gate through which to pass to
blissful eternity. But, from the point of view of the ignorant,
who deny the hereafter and disregard the Day of Judgment,
death is a gate to eternal torment. For this reason, to them, it
is difficult to regard death as a good. For Muslims, however,
it is the beginning of total salvation.
The believer's reaction to the death of another believer
differs clearly from that of the type of morality or attitude of
the ignorant. Because, death, perceived to be the worst thing
that could happen to anyone, is, in truth, a good for believers.
The attitude of the believers' towards death is clearly
described in the following verse:
If you are killed in the Way of God or if you die,
forgiveness and mercy from God are better than
anything you can acquire. (Surah Al 'Imran: 157)
As it is with their lives, the death of the believers also
brings good. In the sight of God, special degrees await those
believers who meet death while striving for His cause, for
martyrdom is an honour and blessing that greatly increases a
believer's reward in the Hereafter. The death of a believer,
who makes his sole aim to attain the hereafter, and thus lives
to earn God's consent, is, thus, a glorious event. Aware of
these glad tidings given in the Qur'an, believers never grieve
over the death of another believer who loses his life in God's
way. On the contrary, seeing the good and blessings of his
death, they are joyful. Truly, the greatest reward is in gaining
the pleasure of God and His paradise.
Abeliever who had led a long life spent in the service of