Deeds, death and destination

GCSE Religious Studies (Philosophy & Ethics)

Deeds, death and destination.

It’s universally acknowledged that all beings eventually die, or as some may prefer to say, leave this materialistic world for a spiritual one (Heaven/Jannat). In today’s contemporary society, religion plays a minor part and some may even utter that it is the principal cause for the majority of conflicts. The human mind is an abstract object to define; people approach situations in very diverse ways. But many scholars on the issue of religion are prone to a single conclusion; that the human mind and consciousness can be parted into 3 main ideologies. The first one seeks a destination or more commonly known as the goal in life. The second seeks a path to reach the goal; this path is a way of living and the actions we take in the present materialistic world. The third and last is the mind of the individual seeking reassurance in form of proof that the path will without any doubt lead to the goal (heaven. It’s this last factor that divides individuals in from of those who practice the religion and those who don’t. Zaker Naik once spoke “Knowledge is a sign of doubt, but practice is a sign of faith”.

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The unbelievers question this tertiary factor and ask god for some form of reassurance and proof that an afterlife actually exists. But they don’t rely that the proof is already presented towards them in the form of a holy book. If this answer is not satisfactory, then ask yourself; if we were to say hypothetically that the world beyond this one contacted you and told you the facts straightforward and you were to believe them. Would that be a sign of faith or just reconfirmation of fact? The purpose of religion is to bare faith in it, and without that elementary factor religion would play no significant part in people’s lives. Everybody can recognize the path and the destination by the holy Koran. It’s yet only the true believers who have faith and practice that differentiate themselves amongst the ones who bare the title of a Muslim but yet do not practice the religion at all. It is beyond reason for anybody to expect a person to read the holy Koran and all of sudden start practicing the religion perfectly. I have not yet reached that ideal goal myself, of practicing the religion thoroughly and routinely; that is my personal Jihad. (Quote Jihad text).

Upon the judgment day we will be judged upon our personal struggle and faith. That is the day that people with knowledge but doubt, and the people with faith and practice will divide themselves. Yet again, people will not fall directly in one category or the other; each individual will be assessed on their personal jihad, faith, intentions and actions. We as humans have no right to neither judge other Muslims nor categorize them. That is only achievable by the all knowing allah - subhan atallah. Upon the judgment day; "Every man's actions have we hung around his neck, and on the last day shall be laid before him a wide-open book" (17.13).

Live your life in accordance to the holy Koran, commit deeds which are positive, keep faith in the life after death, and fight your personal jihad for a destination and place in Jannat. I have presented to you my views on religion, practice and death. I wrote this article just to make you perhaps question the purpose of religion and perhaps gain understanding for the importance of the fundamentality of it to bring out faith; all I wish to you is to…

…be informed.

Peace!

Ali Chaudry