Sunday, April 20, 2014

Islam and Old Age Ethics



By Aiman Reyaz, New Age Islam
19 April, 2014
Humans are really foolish, or are they blinded by arrogance? When we are young and energetic, we seldom think, leave aside of the next life, about the end of this life, when we will be old and out, lying in a corner, with no one by the side at night to sooth the nerves, with no one during the day to give food and water and even no one in the morning to clean the toilet. We have become so busy that we are ridiculously oblivious to the fact that there is one more person in the house.
Old age is difficult, really difficult, especially if you are bed ridden and can’t do anything on your own. First of all there is the problem of who will stay in the house- since everyone, from 6 to 60, is busy in their own world. Secondly there is the problem of nagging. The aged person nags his or her son or daughter to gain some attention but actually he or she gets distanced even further. Thirdly, there is the problem of regular doctor visits and the extra money that is (mis)used to keep the elderly alive. Most importantly there is the problem of who or how the toilets will be cleaned up.
There is only one thing that is common in here- wish for death. The old person thinks that he or she has become too much of a burden and since nobody seems to care, it is better to die; and his or her children too think and wish for the same, though they will never acknowledge.
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) as saying: Let him be humbled into dust; let him be humbled into dust. It was said: Allah's Messenger, who is he? He said: He who sees either of his parents during their old age or he sees both of them, but he does not enter Paradise.
 

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