Followers

Monday, December 15, 2008

DEATH


The first death of someone which had a profound effect on me was when my school friend died after finishing his form 5. He was a brilliant student, very intelligent and everyone predicted a bright future for him. He was leaving for US in a few days time. He drove to KL from Penang with the view of gong to the US embassy to finalize his visa – his car got involved in a collision and he died instantly.

I was shocked when I heard this. We were only 17 then. Though I KNEW that people do die at any age, but I never really was AWARE you can die at 17. AT 17, you are not really aware of how to value life. You are also not taught about death in schools or at homes which is odd because death is a certainty. One must be “prepared” for what is certain. My friend’s death made me reflect deeply and read as much as I can on death.

I realized there is no fortress to keep out death. It is natural.

"Wherever you are, death will find you out, even if you are in towers built up strong and high!" If some good befalls them, they say, "This is from God"; but if evil, they say, "This is from you" Say: "All things are from God." But what has come to these people, that they fail to understand a single fact? (Quran 4:78)

But how does one prepare for death? The loss of loved ones may be a difficult experience for many. It may bring about feelings of loss, intense sadness, guilt even, helplessness or even anger. But death is a certainty as it is a natural trait of transience. It reminds us of our inevitable exit from earth as we know it. It reminds us that we are bound to be separated from everything that is known to our senses. It seems as if all that was life was just a dream that went by so fast. It seems that we have been deceived into accumulating things that we now have to leave behind.

“Every soul shall have a taste of death: And only on the Day of Judgment shall you be paid your full recompense. Only he who is saved far from the Fire and admitted to the Garden will have attained the object (of Life): For the life of this world is but goods and chattels of deception” (Quran 3:185)

I know some people who fear death. I know some others who look forward to it as a return to “their maker”. Others have expressed their wish to remain long enough to ensure that those under their care are well provided for. There are many motivations why people want to live as there are for why they want to die. Many too, for a while, float in life letting life’s flow take them where it may without active participation.

But what is death? Some say that it is the ultimate termination of life, full stop. Such people do not believe in an afterlife. They say you are born, then you die.

“And they say: "What is there but our life in this world? We shall die and we live, and nothing but time can destroy us." But of that they have no knowledge: they merely conjecture”. (Quran: 45.024)


I believe that death is the process of going into the next phase of life. I used to marvel at how water changes to steam, goes up, becomes clouds and falls as water again. Death is like evaporation. Water evaporates changing to steam, not dying. It is “raised again” as water – the hydrologic cycle (water cycle). Of course some do not believe this:

“The Unbelievers say: "What! when we become dust,- we and our fathers,-
shall we really be raised (from the dead)?” ( Quran 27:67)

Allow me to share this short poem I wrote in remembrance of my late friend:

The Soul

water in the mug
steaming
releasing vapour into the air,
disappearing
changing form
not dying.

-justme
1985
ukm

7 comments:

romerz said...

Ya I remember Hamid's demise very well. Imagine seeing big ox Seang Lye crying!

By the way Jahamy, you write like you talk ..... long winded :-)

Ah Fook told me about your blog.

Regards,
romerz
(can write but can't think)

Jahamy said...

Mr Saw Teik Lim aka romerz,

What a pleasant surprise visit to this blog and what a shock I received when Ah Chye (DR please!) told me you have started to blog too ...wow!

You find it long winded because consistently you cannot cope with detailed analysis ..:))))

take care bro!

romerz said...

Hey Bird,

I've replied your comment in my blog.

http://romerz.blogspot.com/2008/12/hudud-is-it-possible.html

You take care too. Let me know next time you're back in Penang and maybe we can arrange a meet with Iqbal and hear more of latest sexual escapades.

I call him "empat tak cukup" these days :-)

Jahamy said...

romerz,

Iqbal will not be pleased to hear you describing his marrying a few wifes as "sexual escapades" !

romerz said...

Hey Bird,

I met Iqbal last night with a small get-together with Chee Kong back from LA. (Nai Wei [back from AUS], Kong Hoe, Mathew were there as well)

Needless to say, we had a great time comparing how big our breasts had grown as we approached the big 5-0! (Mathew was giving us advice on testosterone shots!)

FYI, 'empat tak cukup' now has your bog address so be warned if he decides to leave a comment.

By the way, he wasn't pissed off but proud instead of his sexual prowess! Hahahaha

Jahamy said...

romerz,

Again and again, I am reminded of the saying that "all grow old, very few grow up"!

Mu6eb said...

is there really afterlife? Maybe we misunderstood the meaning of 'heaven and hell'?
Have u ever thought maybe 'Heaven and Hell' that mentioned in the holy books (Quran, bible and even in hinduism) actually referring to life on earth?

Part of my job description when i was in blood cancer department was every night to write death certificate. everytime i confirmed a death it killed small part of me because most of these patients are below 30.
Being in this situation constantly had got me thinking as a practising muslim woman.... is there really 'afterlife'?
No matter muslim or not, everyone dies in similar manner and decomposed similarly.

Maybe if we do not have afterlife, we would have make the best of our current life?

Any comment mr. Jahaburdeen?