An Example of Noble Character

To remember death is to understand that this worldly life is temporary, while the life to come is eternal. It means living with a sense of direction, not being absorbed in distractions, but focusing on what truly matters. And who could be wiser than the one who seriously reflects on eternal success and failure—and reshapes their life accordingly? Such remembrance naturally leads to greater self-awareness and vigilance in one’s actions. It strips away false pride, injustice, deceit, exploitation, and vanity. When these hollow emotions are removed from a person’s heart, every step they take moves in the right direction. They gain a kind of strength that no external power can provide: they become truly powerful from within. HIGH-MINDEDNESS Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi (1863–1943), an Indian Muslim scholar, jurist, and thinker, narrated an incident about Sir Syed Ahmad Khan (1817–1898), the renowned Muslim reformer and educationist of nineteenth-century India. The incident is recorded in Al-Ifadat al-Yawmiyyah (Vol. 1): An English-educated man, struggling to find employment, once approached a senior British officer and falsely claimed to be the son-in-law of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan. The officer received him with great courtesy and said, “Please wait here.” He then secretly sent a telegram to Sir Syed to verify the claim.