The Result of Carelessness about the Hereafte

Since most of the people, especially women, are more inclined towards worldly matters they become all the more restless and agitated and go to extremes in crying and complaining, thinking as if they were to live in this world forever and imagining that the one who died has been annihilated. Had they thought correctly they would have realized that the departed person was a traveller who has reached his or her destination earlier and that he or she had to go there. Then they will not show such excessive impatience and restlessness. Imam Sadiq (a.s.) once saw a man whose son had died. He was crying and complaining too much. The Imam told him, "How is it that you are crying over this little calamity and have totally forgotten the far more hard and troublesome calamity (of the Hereafter)? If you yourselves would have been properly busy making provision for your travel to the other world, you would not have ever exhibited so much impatience and dislike over the demise of your beloved son. Your not being anxious and careful about your Hereafter is a calamity, which is harder than the calamity of your son's death."[1] Divine Mercies and Bounties Similarly, the condition of a man, regarding death should be like that of the one who had been in the service of a king for a few days. In the meanwhile he gets a word from the king that you will be, at an unfixed time, be made to stand in front of the king so that you may be rewarded and honoured by the king for your good service and loyalty. Surely that man will feel happy due to these good tidings. But at the same time he will also wish that he might be called up somewhat later so that he may perform some more functions liked by the king and get more rewards. Similarly a faithful person, though he [1] Uyoon al Akhbar ar Reza, Vol.2, P.81.

feels happy at his death which is the door to the place of rewards and gifts, also likes and wishes that the said hour may be delayed somewhat so that he may perform more worship and at the same time remain satisfied and happy when God decides to call him up, with the conviction that God is most merciful and kind and with the longing to meet the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) and his Holy Progeny (a.s.) whom he respected and honoured very much during his lifetime.