Spirit of Islam, September 2018

Humility is without doubt a result of the discovery of the ultimate reality. Without this discovery of the ultimate reality, the human personality is incomplete. M AN endures various different challenges and issues during the course of life, for example, sickness or illness, accident, loss of wealth or property etc. But, one completely different type of challenge that he must face is old age. Old age is just another name for the beginning of the end of life on this earth. Old age always happens at the point of no return and in every respect poses a serious challenge to every human being. However, old age has a positive aspect to it—a gain that only results with agedness—and that is the discovery of one’s helplessness. Although this discovery can result in a partial manner through other means, in the complete sense it is only the direct result of advancing years. This is because old age is always associated with deterioration and debilitation of the body. By nature, the human body is a wonderful machine that carries out a variety of functions without rest from birth. Some eighty different organs efficiently manage and perform various functions of the body systems that keep the machine running. The main organs of the human body are the heart, lungs, brain, liver and kidney. With advancing age, these organs partially or completely cease function. The skin becomes wrinkled and less elastic. The joints become inflexible, muscles become loose, and bones become weak. At the climax of life, the failure of one or more of the critical organs results in death. Humility is without doubt a result of the discovery of the ultimate reality. Without this discovery of the ultimate reality, the human personality is incomplete. And the human personality reaches its completion only when man reaches the evening of his life. Old age is the age of the greatest of discoveries, that is why it is known as the golden age in a person’s life. Unfortunately, what actually happens is that the elderly know and hold on to only one thing that they are being ignored or neglected and thus live continuously with a feeling of complaint. Further analysis of old age reveals that although from the material aspect the human body is degenerating, the mind continues its THE PERIOD OF OLD AGE Point of No Return