Birth ----------------- Past ----------------- Present ------------- Future (?) ------- Death
{ ------------ KNOWLEDGE ------------------ }{ ------------ IGNORANCE ------------ }
We know that our death is a certainty so as a consequence, the time between this very moment and the moment of our death is a certainty too. Now since we do not know what will transpire between now and then, the time between this moment and our death can only be described as our ignorance.
However as time rolls on, we become more aware of what has transpired into what was previously the unknown. This increase in awareness as a result of time means that time is actually the removal of ignorance. For instance, we will always have more information on our life now than when we did moments earlier and we will always have more information on our life in the future than what we do now. Hence we can see the manner in which our ignorance diminishes as we race towards our death.
Now the question is, has what is to transpire in the future already occured? Or has it yet to occur? However, can we really say our future has yet to occur simply because we are ignorant of the future? Since when does ignorance determine what is reality? Is reality only determined by what we are currently aware of? If that is so then the future is not a reality for we are not aware of the future. Yet such a proposition is ofcourse absurd for the future is as inescapable as our death and so the future is as real as our death. How then for instance can we say our death has yet to occur? Especially since the time of our death is the point at which we are no longer ignorant. But it is only because we are ignorant now that makes us unaware of the fact that we are already dead.
The Islamic perspective is a confirmation of this fact. We as Muslims understand Allah is All Knowing, thus He is simultaneously aware of the past present and future. Who then are we to say our death has yet to occur when Allah is at this very moment a Witness to our death?
said...
Assalamu alaikum akhi
We are told to remember death everyday; each day passes, every breath we take in is closer to death. Yes we are aware of it, surely we are aware of it but most of us don't want to talk about it because of our attachment to this world.
There is a need to balance life in this world and the hereafter. One cannot be extreme in abandoning this world totally or vice versa. As scary as it is, death is an unavoidable reality.
Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi rajioon. May we are constantly guided towards the right path.
Revolutionary said...
ws
Thanks for your comments sis.
Your right, death puts things in perspective in that it makes us think about the hereafter.
Its also interesting that regardless of how old one is, looking back over one's life will always be a flash, a fleeting memory, a blink of an eye.
Its so quick that we would most likely love another chance, a chance to come back to our lives after our death to make better use of the short time we had.
But the beautiful thing is, because we are aware of the fact we are already dead, we are given that second chance already.
said...
nice one man! profound one dude.