Understanding life
By: Syed Mustafa Ahmad
Whatever the circumstances, it is a grave sin to take one’s life. Our life is a precious gift from God and it can’t be ended by committing a suicide. It is a fact life is all about unexpected twists. And that is why it is called life.
If life had been on the expected lines, then its motive would have been wasted. God gives us bounties. It is up to us to utilize them in the best possible way. Moreover, it is a fact that God has made us thinking human beings, but it doesn’t mean that a man is going to trespass all the limitations set by Him.
Life becomes a burden, when people go against the divine rules and begin to live in their own-made illusionary worlds. In this way, like in case of Robert Lee Frost, who found himself at the two crossroads, however, we find ourselves at many crossroads, that make our life gloomy and there seems no light at the end of the tunnel.
Since time immemorial, the main aim of the mortal life has been comfort. For the sake of comfort, many other essentials are sacrificed. Reaching the present situation and its demands, materialistic love has become the necessary aim of life. Politics, economics, society, morality, religion, etc., are subordinate to money.
One who fails in earning or getting this, by hook or crook, is considered as a failure. Being a failure, he or she has no option but to end his or life because for living, he has no money or wealth. In the following lines, we will try to understand how a person can abstain from taking his or her life.
The first is to understand ourselves. Our marvellous bodies don’t only have the need for material things. Instead, it needs something best and long lasting. If we look closely at ourselves, there are cent per cent chances that we will come across the reality that makes material things the secondary priority, while contentment and peace occupy the top most position. This is the first way to abstain from taking one’s life.
The second is the nature of lifetime. It is temporary in nature. Those things that are temporary in nature should not be loved at the cost of permanent things. When the world is for a lesser time, why should a person go on loving it forever? It is the silliest thing to be done. A sane person never does these things, but ponder over things and never think of taking his or her life, for the sake of little comfort. However, it does not mean that there should be no comfort at all.
The third is imitation. Stop imitating those who believe that this world is the only place to live. After death, whether a person is cremated or buried, it means nothing. They indulge in every kind of merrymaking and don’t think of anything else. However, in our case, we are under a scrutiny. We can never escape from the watchful eyes. So, ours case is totally different. If we follow them, we will surely fall in the depths of despair and taking our lives, will remain the only solution for us.
The fourth and last is relationships. We are the product of relationships. It is God, who is above all these things, but we have no escape. Almost all human beings and animals descend from one generation to another.
In this scheme of things, every human being and animals are related to each other in their own domains. Moreover, we all have emotions. Suicide hurts families and in the long run society becomes the scapegoat.
In short, as said by Socrates, contentment is the biggest wealth. A man must try his best to remain content. Earn money that is enough for him and his family’s needs. Craving for more and more, will make his life hellish and at the end of the day, there will be only path that is the path of hurting himself. Let common sense and sagacity prevail!
