No One Is Beyond the Reach of Death: A Reflection Beyond Karmic Blame

By Ghulam Ghaus Siddiqi, New Age Islam 20 June 2025 Death is the ultimate certainty of life. It does not discriminate. It is not subject to human notions of fairness, morality, or merit. It can come to anyone, at any time, in any place, and in any form. Whether a person is revered or reviled, virtuous or vicious, young or old, powerful or powerless—death is inevitable and inescapable. No wealth, status, intelligence, strength, or even perceived piety can exempt one from the decree of death. It arrives without announcement and often without reason that human minds can fully grasp. In this context, I came across a striking article by Mr. Sumit Paul titled, "The Whole Caboodle of Karmas Is Sheer Garbage." The title alone is eye-opening, holding a mirror to a deeply flawed and insensitive reaction that often arises in the wake of tragedy—blaming the victims' supposed "bad karmas" for their misfortunes, particularly in the case of sudden deaths such as those in a recent plane crash. The very idea that someone’s death was a punishment or consequence of their karmas is not just speculative; it is deeply inhumane. It strips away empathy and replaces it with judgment. Worse still, it allows the living to feel falsely elevated or spiritually superior, as if they somehow earned the privilege of continued life by virtue of "better karma." What needs to be understood with clarity is that death is not a karmic scoreboard for the living to interpret. The deceased have returned to their Creator. Their reckoning—if there is to be one—is in the hands of the Divine, not in the mouths of commentators or critics. We must resist the tendency to oversimplify or explain away death with superficial religious or philosophical labels. Doing so not only dishonours the departed but exposes the spiritual hollowness of the living. The truth is, whether someone has performed deeds we perceive as good or bad, they remain human, and all humans are equally vulnerable to death. The unpredictability and inevitability of death remind us not of others’ pasts, but of our own present and future. If death is to be interpreted at all, it should serve as a mirror for those still living, not a gavel for pronouncing judgment on those who are gone. The Real Lesson Of Death Is For The Living It is a wake-up call for all of us who continue to breathe, who still have time to rethink our actions and reform our behaviour. Death should inspire introspection in the realms of morality, politics, society, family, and individual character. It should jolt us into recognizing the fragility of life and the urgency of righteousness—not just in personal devotion but in our treatment of others. Those alive today must realize that death is not merely an end but a powerful lesson. It teaches us that this life is not for hatred, injustice, discrimination, or oppression. We are not here to break others, to marginalize them, or to push them into despair. The time we are given is an opportunity to live ethically—with honesty, integrity, compassion, and a sincere commitment to peace and justice. We must also understand that no act—good or bad—escapes the knowledge of the Supreme Lord, the Creator of the universe, who sees both the outer appearance and the inner reality. A person may hide their misdeeds from the world, escape legal consequences, or maintain a public image of virtue, but none can escape the gaze of Allāh ﷻ. One day, each soul will stand before Him, and every deed—great or small—will be brought to account. On that day, it will not be public opinion, media headlines, or human assessments that matter, but Divine Justice. Hence, instead of assigning blame to the dead, let us focus on the living. Let death awaken a sense of collective moral responsibility. It should lead us to reject all forms of cruelty—whether personal, social, or systemic. It should compel us to stop judging others based on perceived "karma" or divine punishment, and instead help us cultivate empathy, humility, and spiritual self-awareness. Let us ask ourselves: • Are we fair and just in our dealings with others? • Do we respect human dignity, regardless of religion, caste, nationality, or status? • Are we a source of comfort to others, or are we spreading sorrow and injustice? • Are we using our time on earth to uplift society, or are we wasting it on arrogance and hate? These are the questions that death silently compels us to confront. Every death, especially one that occurs suddenly or tragically, is a chance for us to re-evaluate how we are spending our own borrowed time. Are we preparing ourselves to face the same fate that inevitably awaits us? It is a spiritual tragedy when death becomes an occasion for self-righteous judgment rather than self-reform. Let it not be so. Let us not use death as a reason to speculate about others’ fates, but as a solemn reminder to correct our own. To those who lost their lives in the recent plane crash or any other calamity, our hearts should offer prayers, compassion, and silence, not reckless assumptions about their karmic burden. And to ourselves, we must offer a renewed commitment to justice, mercy, and spiritual growth. In conclusion, let death be what it is meant to be—a powerful equalizer and a profound reminder. Not a tool for blame, but a call to transformation. A reminder that our time is limited, our actions matter, and that we must return one day to the Supreme Judge, the Lord of the worlds, Allāh ﷻ of God Almighty. There, and only there, will our deeds be weighed with perfect justice. Until that day arrives, let us live with humility, serve with compassion, and refrain from passing judgment on the departed. Death is not the end of accountability—nor is it a license for the living to play the role of the Divine Judgment. ------ A regular columnist with NewAgeIslam.com, Ghulam Ghaus Siddiqi Dehlvi is a classical Islamic scholar [Aalim, Faazil and Mutakhassis Fi al-Adab al-Arabi wa al-Ulum al-Shariah] with a Sufi background and an English-Arabic-Urdu Translator. URL: https://www.newageislam.com/spiritual-meditations/death-reflection-karmic-blame/d/135932 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminis