The absoluteness and eventuality of death, particularly in the way it, sometimes shockingly, ends life, putting the flame of power, success, or beauty, or youthfulness into a deafening silent halt is enough to send shivers down our spines and lead us to ask ourselves, why are we here?

This night, I heard of a young man I knew back in New York, a gentleman, a new husband, who just started enjoying life, nice job, house… And his light just got put out by the eventuality that will get us all. Now, nothing matters, except for his response to the question, why are we here.

We may get distracted by the basic, animalistic questions: what will I eat? Where will I sleep? Whom will I sleep with? But if we’re indeed the pinnacle of God’s creation, the thinking being, we must transcend these and ask the right questions: Why are we here? Who created us?

God created us. We’re here to serve Him, through obedience to Him which means pure worship and service to His creation. Qur’an will guide you to the best answers.

There’s this ayah in Surah Al-An’am I’ve been reciting a lot these days, so when I heard of the death of this brother, it comes to mind. May Allah accept his return and grant his parents patience and fortitude.

وَهُوَ ٱلۡقَاهِرُ فَوۡقَ عِبَادِهِۦۖ وَيُرۡسِلُ عَلَيۡكُمۡ حَفَظَةً حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا جَآءَ أَحَدَكُمُ ٱلۡمَوۡتُ تَوَفَّتۡهُ رُسُلُنَا وَهُمۡ لَا يُفَرِّطُونَ

He reigns supreme over all of His creation, and sends recording-angels, watching over you. When death comes to any of you, Our angels take their soul, never neglecting this duty.

-Surah Al-An’am, Ayah 61

“…olowo aye aatan o, oloshi aa tan, oba ilu atan o, ijoye atan, onimimo aatan o, ogberi aatan, talika atan o, oloro atan, ile aiye fun rara re atan, oba oluwa Allah ni ko ni tan..”

Everything is ephemeral.

Even that young man, if he had more time, the beauty, youthfulness, power and nice job will eventually finish before his eyes.

Have you seen a stupendously rich person grow old? I’ve seen one. Even though she had a chef who cooks intercontinental dishes, she only ate eko, beans, apple….all of the intercontinental dishes are made when their business partners who are expatriates come visiting.

She only used her room in her big mansion. Dust had settled on most part of the house and she can’t even complain because where is the strength? She’s wheeled down the stairs to come for outdoor air only about 3x a week.

When she died, the mansion had to be restructured into an hotel to let you know how big her estate was but her life finished while she still had life, before her very eyes.

The only important thing is the purpose why we are created. May Allah keep us steadfast on the straight path. Aameen