Tariq Road is one of the largest commercial hubs of Karachi. Large Shopping Centers are located here. People come here to shop clothes, jewelry and other items from all across the city. One corner of Tariq Road is located at Shaheed-e-Millat Road and the second is located at Allah-wali Roundabout, while going towards the center of the city. The point of Allah-wali Roundabout at which Tariq Road ends, there is a Society graveyard at the corner. A few days ago, when I reached the Roundabout while going towards Tariq Road, the signal had turned red. I stopped to wait for the signal and meanwhile caught sight of a skyscraper sign board at the beginning of Tariq Road. This was the sign board of a bank which had written a very interesting and meaningful sentence to advertise its credit card.
It is all about Happiness
This is not a simple sentence. This is the whole tale of modern world’s man. It has been the objective and wish of man in every era to achieve happiness and comfort. But all the happiness of today’s man are dependent on the achievement of material things. It has become his objective to gain worldly blessings. He has become such a captive of these material happiness that even if he has no money in his pocket, he wants to get these material things by taking a loan. It was not easy to take loan in the past. Thus, they used to buy refrigerator, TV and other items by saving every penny. But today’s bank easily provides this facility of loan through credit card. So, by having credit card in the pocket, every order and every desire can be instantly satisfied. This was the joy of the immediate fulfillment of the heartfelt desire, meant in this sentence.
But no institution of bank gives loan for the sake of Allah. It charges interest on the loan. This interest is the source of income for the bank. Moreover, not everyone gets this loan. The bank first investigates to make sure that the lender has the power to repay. There is often a guarantee for this. And if you don’t repay loan, legal action will be taken and the loan will be recovered forcefully. Everything guaranteed will be confiscated. And even the failure to pay will result in the imprisonment. All these thoughts passed through my mind in a few moments while standing on the signal. The signal was still off when I caught sight exactly below this sign board where I saw society graveyard. I thought this is another advertisement which Allah Almighty has placed at various places around the World. Coincidentally, this ad has the same slogan mutely as the one in the bank’s ad.
It is all about Happiness
This sight of graveyard reminds man that this world is not eternal, but it has a temporary presence. He has come here with a loan of life from his Lord. On the eternal day, man took this credit card of life so that he may achieve eternal happiness and comforts of Paradise. Man has guaranteed his existence to God for this loan.
“Every soul is held in pledge against its own deeds.” (Quran 74:38)
If a man earns good deeds in this world, not only he would get the happiness of Paradise but he would also save himself from the punishment of Hell. On the other hand, if a man wastes his borrowed life behind the colors of world then putting blissful Paradise aside, his existence would be imprisoned in the hell.
Unfortunately, majority of men use this loan of life span behind the temporary happiness of the world rather than wrapping up eternal joys. Only that person can be safe from this attitude who can exercise patience over his desires. It is not wrong for desire to arise in man, it is wrong for it to be unbridled. Because blindly following the desires does not leave this opportunity for a man to invest in after life. This is the reason Paradise has been declared the reward of patience, in Holy Quran at many places. And today, patience is craving for desires above all.
So, whenever you pass by a graveyard, must see a sign board there with these bold letters written about the eternal life of Paradise.
It is all about Happiness
It is all about Patience
Translated by Muzamil Nazeer