(5) Thus...

(5) Thus, all human beings seek after eternity but some others think that the world is eternal and do not know that eternity is particular to spirituality. This ignorant way of thinking has taken hold of people from the very beginning. People accumulate wealth to achieve eternity or to destroy death.

On different occasions, the holy Qur’an views this way of thinking to be vain and elucidates the real eternity: “What is with you comes to an end but what is with God abides.” (6) A man reaches the abode of stability It might be imagined that eternity means reaching the abode of stability. However, it must be noted that these two are separate from each other for we can imagine a being to be eternal but he will never reach the destination but wander for all the time to come.

The holy Qur’an uses delicate statements to show that the cosmic order is purposeful. “They will question thee concerning the Hour, when it (world) shall berth.” (7) According to this statement, the cosmic order sails like a ship in the ocean of the Being. It is impossible that this ship may keep sailing but it must someday berth. From this one gathers that the world will stand still somewhere and reach its abode of stability.

Besides, the abode of stability in this world is resurrection when a man comes to meet the Almighty. For the same reason, one of the names for paradise is Eden. Eden means a place of rest. ln resurrection, the man reaches his real place of rest. Man has Genetic Relationship with the Cosmos Man – this eternal incorporeal essence that comes to meet the Almighty has an inseparable relationship with the Cosmos. Hence, nothing happens in man unless it affects his soul.

Any movement, speech and writing issuing from man affect his temperament; it begets either light or darkness. Hence, all the issues including the legal principles are associated with man’s nature. With the acceptance of this principle, it may no longer be concurred that man is free in everything. Eating, dressing and the likes affect man. Lawful (halal) food does not exercise the same effect that unlawful (haram) food does. Truth does not have the same effect that untruth does.

All these have special functions. For example, sin blackens the heart and removes the purity from it: “What they have done has blackened their hearts.” (8) Upon committing a sin, some dust settles upon the heart and if a man does not remove the dust, the heart gradually becomes blocked and real blindness begins.