Final Judgement

Final Judgement

1990 11 November 11 Final Judgement (380) A judge of the Maharashtra High Court once used such language with reference to a lawyer as was considered highly objectionable by the latter. The other lawyers were in complete agreement with him. An emergency meeting of the Maharashtra and Goa Bar Council was, therefore, convened at which a resolution was unanimously passed to the effect that what the judge had said was beyond his jurisdiction and, as such, he was liable to be condemned.

On this occasion, the Times of India (April 28, 1990) published a commentary, meaningfully titled, “Judge Judged”. Having read this, I began thinking that the same is going to happen in the Hereafter, but on a vaster scale, for the Hereafter is a world where the judges are judged, and where those who take decisions will no longer do the decision-making.

In the present world, we are pre-occupied with the offices we hold, with things like popularity and fame, and we attempt to gain control of the printed and electronic media in order to consolidate our positions and to make further gains. Very often this means taking undue advantage of privileges and undermining the positions of the others. One group will attempt to distort the image of another group, simply in order to discredit them publicly and reap all benefits for themselves.

But we do not realize that even if our machinations and our propaganda bear immediate fruit, it can only be of a temporary nature. All the good things of life, all the privileges, all the advantages will be ours only so long as we do not come face to face with our Creator, God Almighty. But that day is bound to come, sooner or later, and then we shall see our maker as the Judge of all Judges, the Giver of all verdicts. When God appears, He will pass sentence on all mankind on the basis of justice and fair play.

The Qur’an tells us that God has declared specifically what is right and what is wrong. And when He appears, He will give His verdict on each and every individual exactly according to what is right and just. On that day, all good people will be amply rewarded for their good deeds, while all bad people will be condemned to eternal perdition.