The Voice of Youth

Contributed By Sister Calisha Bennett, Western Australia

A Moment of Realization

How many of us actually take the time to take a step back from the world and all it’s distractions to reflect and ponder of life? How many of us stop to gather our thoughts, recollect ourselves, analyze our situations, to think deeply over the point of our existence or to simply ask ourselves, “Why am I alive?”

“Do they not then think deeply in the Quran, or are their hearts locked up (from understanding it)?” (Quran: Chapter 47 Muhammad; Verse 24)

We all need to take the time to look at where we are in life and figure out where we want to go.

Imagine yourself in comparison to the Universe. You are one tiny, little insignificant speck wandering around on this planet, busy with life. Kind of like ants, as small and unimportant as they may seem, we too are such in comparison to the universe. But even the smallest ant knows it’s purpose. It is born knowing what it has to do. It knows that it has to collect food, bring it back to the nest, protect the Queen etc. From the moment they are born they submit to their purpose and fulfill all their duties – no questions asked.

As humans, we have a higher purpose. We aren’t just here to work, work, work until we die. Nor are we here to spend all of our time having fun, talking and laughing our lives away. There is more to life than that. There HAS to be.

Almighty God says in the Quran:

“We created not the heavens and the Earth and all that is in between them for a (mere) play.”

(Quran: Chapter 21 Al Anbiyaa; Verse 16)

If we can search deeply, we too can discover and appreciate our purpose.

Almighty God says in the Quran:

“And verily it (Quran) is an absolute truth with certainty.”

(Quran Chapter 69 Al Haqqah; Verse 51)

Once we do find it however, it is up to us as to whether or not we fulfill it.

Almighty God says in the Quran:

“Verily, this (verses of the Quran) is an admonition, so whosoever wills, let Him take a path to his Lord (Allah).” (Quran Chapter 76 Al Insan; Verse 29)

We humans have been blessed with free will so whether we choose to fulfill our purpose in life or not is up to us. If animals are able to fulfill their purpose then surely we as human beings, the higher species, should recognize our purpose and try to fulfill it.

My main point is to bring into focus the importance of people getting in touch with their souls. The importance for us is to withdraw from the shallow, vain and materialistic world today in order to get to know oneself (and one’s Creator). And to think deeply enough to reach a moment of realization. We need to be able to find resolution to the questions that we face in life.

As I was growing up I used to think a lot before I went to sleep at night. Being on the verge of reaching my teenage years you could imagine all the things going through my head; school life, family life, ideas, life dreams, frustrations - the lot! Every now and then the thought of death would pop into my mind.

I would remember how my grandmother had died a few years before and felt sad for my mum having lost her mother. Then commonsense directed my thoughts to realize that one day my mother too would die. Fear and sadness would set in at the thought of my mum leaving me (and my dad for that matter!).

My thoughts again traveled and the next realization struck panic in my heart. I realized that I was going to die one day too!

Most of the time we shrug off these thoughts but for me at those times there was no escape or distraction. I would think to myself, “I am going to die. I am going to die.” It was really scary for me because my time was going to come one day too. This was my moment of realization.

Still being young, I didn’t really know very much about Islam. I did know and believe however that when you die, you go to either heaven or hell. Heaven if you are good and hell if you are bad (a 2 year old can understand such a concept!). So obviously I wanted to be good. I asked myself, what would God want from me? The answer was simple. Prayer. And so I started to pray to my Creator because I wanted to go to heaven. This was the only sense of relief that I could get from the anxieties of the thought of death. This simple equation is what Islam is all about. Don’t ever underestimate the power of prayer.

Almighty God says in the Quran:

“He is the One Who gives life and causes death, and to Him you shall all return.”

(Quran: Chapter 10 Yunus; Verse 56)

Death is inevitable isn’t it? We are all going to experience it, no one comes back from it and it is really the only guarantee in life. We are all going to die. It’s real. No escape. No denial. We don’t know when, we don’t know how.

But we have to be ready.

Almighty God says in the Quran:

“To Him is the return of all of you. The Promise of Allah (God) is true. It is He Who begins the creation and then will repeat it, that He may reward with justice those who believed (in the Oneness of God) and did deeds of righteousness.” (Quran: Chapter 10 Yunus; Verse 4)

We have to be equipped with knowledge so that when the time comes, we can say, I did what was commanded of me in this life and I am ready for what is to come. We have to make it our objective to learn what is required from us in order to achieve success or a sense of fulfillment – not only in this life but for what is to come after death.

We also have to know what comes after death. Is it just like sleep, are we in darkness? Or is there more to it than that?

Almighty God says in the Quran:

“Every soul is bound to have the taste of death. We are putting all of you to a test by passing you through bad and good conditions, and finally you shall return to Us.”

(Quran Chapter 21 Al Anbiyaa; Verse 35)

If there is nothing after death, then what are we alive for? Surely this life is not our paradise. All the pollution, destruction, poverty, misery, and war – surely not descriptions of a place of bliss? Sounds more like a place of tests and trials.

Search for your moment of realization. Search for your purpose in life. Become fully aware of your purpose as a fact, understand it clearly. Don’t let it wait until a traumatic situation or a near death experience befalls you. Ever noticed that when someone is on the verge of death that they call out for God’s help – even if they have been an Atheist their entire life? In critical moments our souls reach out for God’s help because deep down we know there is no other help but His.

Search for the truth, the truth which is undeniable, crystal clear, non contradictory.

Start with the Quran.

May you find the answers to all your questions.

May you find a source of peace and contentment in your life.

May you find your moment of realization.

May you find Islam.

“Verily, in the creation of the heavens and the Earth, and in the alternation of night and day, and the ships which sail through the sea with that which is of use to mankind, and the water (rain) which Almighty God sends down from the sky and makes the earth alive therewith after it’s death, and the moving (living creatures) creatures of all kinds that He has scattered therein, and in the veering of winds and clouds which are held between the sky and he earth, are indeed signs for people of understanding.” (Quran: Chapter 2 Al Baqarah; Verse 164)

Think deep, reflect, REALIZE.

Oxford Dictionary: Realize (also realise)- verb, become fully aware of as a fact; understand clearly.

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