Accounting to the creator
The third question, "where am I going from here?" and which has to do with accountability to the Creator after death, has also been addressed adequately by "attawheed" when the Qur'an states categorically:"
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"And fear a Day when you will be returned to Allah. Then every soul will be compensated for what it earned, and they will not be wronged (i.e. treated unjustly)".Qur'an 2:281
It can clearly be discerned from the above that "attawheed" is crucially and critically relevant for man's life. Without it, life becomes "animalistic" (Just eating, drinking, dying, etc.) and as a consequence, meaningless.
It has been observed that life without "attawheed" becomes tortuous for man in times of crisis, adversities and difficulties. But through deep faith in the Creator, tranquility of heart is attained in situations of life difficulties. The believer, after all, is deeply aware that his Creator is in control of affairs and that all adverse occurrences in his life constitute a test.Just reflect on the following Qur'anic texts on trials in life and the strength in heart that the believer has in confronting them:h
"(He) Who created death and life to test you (as to) which of you is best in deed …" Qur'an 67:2
"Do the people think that they will be left to say, "We believe" and they will not be tried?
But we have certainly tried those before them, and Allah will surely make evident those who are truthful, and He will surely make evident the liars," Qur'an 29:2-3.
And, the true believers, calms his nerves and reacts to trials in life in the following manner:
"And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give good tidings to the patient. Who, when disaster strikes them, say, "Indeed, we belong to Allah and indeed to Him we will return".
Those are the ones upon whom are blessings from their Lord and mercy. And it is those who are the (rightly) guided". Quran 2:155-157
Undoubtedly, the expression, "Indeed we belong to Allah and indeed to Him we will return," calms the believers' heart in times of difficulties. Indeed, he/she reposes his/her trust and hope in the Creator, the Almighty.
In summary, "Attawheed" brings hope to the hopeless and perseverance to the afflicted believer.
"Attawheed" calls on man to possess and exhibit self-sacrifice and love in life. These two traits constitute he bedrock of social capital in human life. And I call them the "lubricants of social life." Without them, life becomes bitter for man and cohesive social life is lost. On self-sacrifice, the Qur'an states:
"… They love those who emigrated to them and find not any want in their breast of what they (i.e. The emigrants) were given but give (them) preference over themselves, even though they are in privation. Qur'an 59:9
That is self-sacrifice of the best kind and hue. Simply defined, "self-sacrifice" is the ability and preparedness to give to others what one has even though the person is in need of it. In such a situation, the principle of interdependence becomes real and society, as a whole, becomes the key benefactor.
On love for one another, the Prophet (SAW), in a popular saying of his (SAW) states: "None of you will be a true believer unless he wishes for his brother whatever he wishes for himself."
In totality, therefore, "attawheed" lubricates life in various ways and makes it meaningful
— The writer is a Theologian/ Educationist ([email protected])