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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