Miss Smilla’s Feeling for Snow- Peter Noeg

During the course of reading the above named novel, i came across several passages  which made me my stagnant brain think a bit, even if just a little. :) For instance consider the following:

“… We brought nothing into this world.”

Now, this is certainly a bit unnerving. Did i really bring nothing into this world upon my birth? Did you really bring nothing at all into this world? So, is true if one says, Einstein brought nothing in this world or that authors and poets which have left gems in literature have made no real contribution or changed any part of human society at all? Or that politicians and philosophers with their brilliant endeavours and illuminating theories did not exactly do anything to benefit mankind even if it was destroying some of it?

Indeed a fetus in the womb is totally dependent on the mother for its wellbeing. It is her intake of food and of course mental peace which will decide whether the fetus will mature and eventually be born. Can the fetus do anything on its own for survival? No! It can not fight for life if the mother decides to abort the child or does not take proper care of herself. How can a helpless child bring anything beneficial into the world, if it does not even possess the minimum control to even fend for itself?

But, i still beg to differ from the author. The new born baby indeed does bring something into this world Life itself. It does not matter whether the birth results in happiness or tears. What is important is that another living, breathing, smiling and crying human life has been brought in this world. We bring with us, God’s miracle of life.

Some of us will grow up and be a source of happiness to other people and others will being a lot of heart ache and pain. :) Some of us will be geniuses and may find a cure for aids and others may well, spread more of it. Some may write immortal poems and others articles and books criticizing other humans and telling imaginative stories and putting forward theories which may alter human society. And some of us have done all that and lie in graves, and are remembered by others reverently or with disgust. We all mean something to someone, don’t we? And that very bond is a valid contribution as well.

I therefore conclude that We do bring a whole lot into this world. It is unfortunate however that once the eyes close finally, nothing can be taken except our deeds which may or may not help us in the hereafter.

written on Aug 27, 2004 Fri 11:29 am

Excerpt from the book: Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam

Art thou in the stage of ‘life.’ ‘death’, or ‘death-in-life.’ Invoke the aid of three witnesses to verify thy ‘Station.’

The first witness is thine own consciousness –
See thyself, then, with thine own light.
The second witness is the consciousness of another ego –
See thyself, then, with the light of an ego other than thee.
The third witness is God’s consciousness –
See thyself, then, with God’s light.
If thou standest unshaken in front of this light,
Consider thyself as living and eternal as He!
That man alone is real who dares –
Dares to see God face to face!
What is ‘Ascension’? Only a search for a witness
Who may finally confirm thy reality –
A witness whose confirmation alone makes thee eternal.
No one can stand unshaken in His Presence;
And he who can, verily, he is pure gold.
Art thou a mere particle of dust?
Tighten the knot of thy ego;
And hold fast to thy tiny being!
How glorious to burnish one’s ego.
And to test its lustre in the presence of the Sun!
Re-chisel, then, thine ancient frame; And build up a new being.
Such being is real being;
Or else thy ego is a mere ring of smoke!

—
Taken from the book “The Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam”

—
by

Allama Muhammad Iqbal