Article appeared Friday, December 28th, 2018 in The News Today, Bangladesh

The Revelation (553) yousuf mahbubul Islam, PhD

As we did not have control over our own birth, is it possible to have control over the time of our
death? For those who believe that God has created him/her, the same question can be asked
individually in a different way. As God has created my life, does anything else have the power to
remove me from this life? That is, can anything other than God give death or destroy a human
being?

Why do we need to ask this question about death? Most of us fear death, i.e., we fear that
something may happen that may lead to death. Have we ever thought about this fear? Is it
justified? Before looking at the physical event of death, it may be pertinent to ask another
question. Would it be better to fear that fact that we may die one day rather than fear the actual
event itself?

The physical event of death will come to each of us. What is it that happens physically at the
time? The Science Focus Magazine article How many ways can you die? {1} summarizes the
physical phenomena into four distinct ways if we ignore the circumstances at the time of death.
“In the 18th century, death certificates signed by the clergy listed as many as 41 different
causes of death, including ‘suffocated by wet nurse or mother’. However if you ignore
the circumstances leading up to the death and simply consider the proximal mechanism
itself, there are basically four different ways to cause total and irreversible loss of brain
stem function: oxygen starvation, high temperature, chemical toxin and physical
damage. So if you bleed to death, the thing that actually kills you is the fact that your
brain is starved of oxygen. If you die of meningitis, it’s a combination of the physical
damage to the neurons by the swelling of the brain, plus the direct toxic effect of
bacterial compounds. If you are hit by a car, you might die from the physical damage to
your brain, oxygen starvation as a result of bleeding, or even the toxicity of a subsequent
bacterial infection.” {1}

After having declared dead from such causes, how many people have returned from the dead?
As Medical News Today reports in its article The Lazarus Phenomenon: when the dead come
back to life {2}:
“Her heart had stopped beating and she was no longer breathing. Janina Kolkiewicz
was declared dead. At 91 years old, she had lived a long life. But she was not about to
stop living it. Eleven hours later, she awoke in the hospital mortuary with a craving for
tea and pancakes. As inconceivable as it sounds, Kolkiewicz is just one of many people
said to have "risen from the dead."” {2}

It is seen that after 11 hours of blood circulation having stopped, people have returned from the
event of “death”. So, in fact, the question is, does oxygen deprivation actually have the power to
take life, or how does life on earth actually end? Would God confirm in Holy Scriptures that it is
He who decides when life on earth ends for an individual and not our physical circumstances?
In the Al-Qur’an we find the following Verse:
“He is the Irresistible (watching) from above over his worshippers and He sets guardians
over you. At length when death approaches one of you Our angels take his soul and
they never fail in their duty.” [6.61]

So, not only does God arrange to look after each person, He instructs the angels when to bring
back the individual soul to Him. This is the point at which death finally takes place. Is it important
therefore ask questions like why did God put me on earth in the first place? What would then be
more logical - is it better to fear God rather than death?
23.62 “On no soul do We place a burden greater than it can bear: before Us is a
record which clearly shows the truth: they will never be wronged.”
God tests us by putting us into various situations. Meeting the challenge of the situation is never
beyond our ability or capacity. For each individual all situations, opportunities, challenges, tests
and capacities are clearly documented – could this be similar to a manufacturers’ specification?
To help us understand our dependence on Him, the following Verse elaborates,
“There is no moving creature on earth but its sustenance depends on God: He knows
the time and place of its temporary deposit: all is in a clear Record.” [11.6]

God provides for all. What could temporary deposit mean? Each individual spends a specified
time in the womb, lives at particular locations temporarily and would also lie in a grave for some
time. Every sojourn is arranged and sustenance is also looked after by God.

23.63 “But their hearts are in confused ignorance of this; and there are besides
that deeds of theirs which they will (continue) to do”
Are we confused about all the blessings that God provides and the support that He gives?
However, if we are ungrateful for His blessings and constantly want more and more, God
informs us that it is Satan who incites us to be greedy, jealous, envious, etc.
“The Evil One threatens you with poverty and bids you to conduct unseemly. God
promises you His forgiveness and bounties and God cares for all and He knows all
things.” [2.268]

For example, how many ants are there in the world? How many do we find dying of starvation?
“How many are the creatures that carry not their own sustenance? It is God Who feeds
(both) them and you: for He hears and knows (all things).” [29.60]

23.64 “Until when We seize in Punishment those of them who received the good
things of this world, behold, they will groan in supplication!”
“And on the Day that the Unbelievers will be placed before the Fire (it will be said to
them): "You received your good things in the life of the world and you took your pleasure
out of them: but today you shall be recompensed with a Penalty of humiliation: for that
you were arrogant on earth without just cause and that you (ever) transgressed."”
[46.20]
We are constantly making use of God’s blessings. If we demonstrate ingratitude and are
arrogant, we will get into trouble with Him on the Day of Judgment.

23.65 “It will be said, "Groan not in supplication this day; for you shall certainly
not be helped by Us.”

23.66 “"My Signs used to be rehearsed to you but you used to turn back on your
heels”

23.67 “In arrogance: talking nonsense about the (Qur'an) like one telling fables by
night."”

23.68 “Do they not ponder over the Word (revealed) or has anything (new) come
to them that did not come to their fathers of old?”
------
{Notes}:
{1} https://www.sciencefocus.com/science/how-many-ways-can-you-die/
{2} https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/317645.php