God Gives and God Takes Away

God Gives and God Takes Away

1985 5 May 20 God Gives and God Takes Away (344) Gifted with unusual capabilities, Professor Mujeeb (1902-1985) was ranked among the top intellectuals of Indian Muslims. Having received his education in Europe he was equally well-versed in English, German and French, besides Urdu. One of his innumerable accomplishments was being able to recite great stretches of Shakespeare by heart. He had held the post of Vice Chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia for a record period of 25 years, from 1948 to 1973.

But fate was against him. In December 1972, he had to undergo a brain operation. This was a success in that it saved his life, but he lost his exceptional memory altogether as a result. A master of five languages, he could not retain even the alphabets – not even that of Urdu. A man of cheerful disposition, who when he had found someone in a dejected mood, would say, “Smile please, and look ahead,” was now himself reduced almost to a vegetable state.

He passed the rest of his life in this terrible state of near insanity in his residence in Okhla, New Delhi. On 20th January 1985, at the age of 82, he breathed his last.

Addressing man in the Qur’an, it is said:

“God created you, and He will cause you to die. Some of you shall have your lives prolonged to abject old age, when all that you once knew you shall know no more. Allah is Knowing, Mighty” (16:70).

Old age following youth serves as a reminder to make man conscious of his reality. It is to make man learn that he has no knowledge of his own, and that everything in his possession is a gift from God. He can give or take away as He pleases. If man’s knowledge or power were innate they could never be taken away. But finding and losing indicates that man is only a recipient: nothing belongs to him.

We frequently come across such incidents. But we seldom take heed. Neither do the ‘old’ ones, who undergo them learn any lesson from them nor do the ‘young’ ones who witness them