Death & The Pursuit of Immortality

And when I am ill, then He cures me, [Al-Quran 26:80] 

Disease & Cure - VI

Scientists consider death a disease, and much effort is being put in to cure it. However, according to The Quran, death is decreed for all in this temporal life.  This entire world is made to perish. Consider the following ayaat: 

   وَاضْرِبْ لَهُم مَّثَلَ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا

 كَمَاءٍ أَنزَلْنَاهُ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ فَاخْتَلَطَ بِهِ نَبَاتُ الْأَرْضِ فَأَصْبَحَ هَشِيمًا تَذْرُوهُ الرِّيَاحُ 

وَكَانَ اللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ مُّقْتَدِرًا

And present to them the example (of) the life (of) the world,

like water which We send down from the sky, then mingles with it (the) vegetation (of) the earth then becomes dry stalks, it (is) scattered (by) the winds.

And Allah over every thing (is) All Able.

[Al-Quran 18:45]

   وَمَا جَعَلْنَا لِبَشَرٍ مِّن قَبْلِكَ الْخُلْدَ أَفَإِن مِّتَّ فَهُمُ الْخَالِدُونَ

And not We made for any man before you [the] immortality; so if you die, then (would) they live forever?

[Al-Quran 21:34]

The Quran presents the example of Jacob when he was dying. What is striking is that he or his family are not desperately trying to save his life. Rather, they are all more concerned of who they would worship after him:

أَمْ كُنتُمْ شُهَدَاءَ إِذْ حَضَرَ يَعْقُوبَ الْمَوْتُ إِذْ قَالَ لِبَنِيهِ مَا تَعْبُدُونَ مِن بَعْدِي قَالُوا نَعْبُدُ إِلَٰهَكَ وَإِلَٰهَ آبَائِكَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَإِسْمَاعِيلَ وَإِسْحَاقَ إِلَٰهًا وَاحِدًا وَنَحْنُ لَهُ مُسْلِمُونَ

Or were you witnesses when came to Yaqub [the] death, when he said to his sons, "What will you worship from after me?" They said, "We will worship your God and (the) God (of) your forefathers, Ibrahim and Ismail and Ishaq - God One. And we to Him (are) submissive."

[Al-Quran 2:133]

The Quran exhorts the Believer to embrace death while fulfilling his obligations:

كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذَا حَضَرَ أَحَدَكُمُ الْمَوْتُ إِن تَرَكَ خَيْرًا الْوَصِيَّةُ لِلْوَالِدَيْنِ وَالْأَقْرَبِينَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ حَقًّا عَلَى الْمُتَّقِينَ

Prescribed for you when approaches any of you [the] death, if he leaves good (making) the will for the parents and the near relatives with due fairness a duty on the righteous ones.

[Al-Quran 2:180]

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا شَهَادَةُ بَيْنِكُمْ إِذَا حَضَرَ أَحَدَكُمُ الْمَوْتُ حِينَ الْوَصِيَّةِ اثْنَانِ ذَوَا عَدْلٍ مِّنكُمْ أَوْ آخَرَانِ مِنْ غَيْرِكُمْ إِنْ أَنتُمْ ضَرَبْتُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ فَأَصَابَتْكُم مُّصِيبَةُ الْمَوْتِ تَحْبِسُونَهُمَا مِن بَعْدِ الصَّلَاةِ فَيُقْسِمَانِ بِاللَّهِ إِنِ ارْتَبْتُمْ لَا نَشْتَرِي بِهِ ثَمَنًا وَلَوْ كَانَ ذَا قُرْبَىٰ وَلَا نَكْتُمُ شَهَادَةَ اللَّهِ إِنَّا إِذًا لَّمِنَ الْآثِمِينَ

O you who believe! (Take) testimony among you when approaches one of you [the] death, (at the) time (of making) [the] a will two just men among you, or two others from other than you if you (are) travel(ing) in the earth then befalls you calamity (of) [the] death. Detain both of them after the prayer and let them both swear by Allah if you doubt, "We will not exchange it for a price even if he is a near relative, and not we will conceal testimony (of) Allah. Indeed, we then (will) surely (be) of the sinners."

[Al-Quran 5:106]

The Quran informs us that the ancients were far mightier. Each was punished for the crime of wronging the nafs. As regards the King who reigned at the time of Abraham, we are told:

أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِي حَاجَّ إِبْرَاهِيمَ فِي رَبِّهِ أَنْ آتَاهُ اللَّهُ الْمُلْكَ إِذْ قَالَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ رَبِّيَ الَّذِي يُحْيِي وَيُمِيتُ قَالَ أَنَا أُحْيِي وَأُمِيتُ قَالَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْتِي بِالشَّمْسِ مِنَ الْمَشْرِقِ فَأْتِ بِهَا مِنَ الْمَغْرِبِ فَبُهِتَ الَّذِي كَفَرَ

  وَاللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الظَّالِمِينَ

Did not you see [towards] the one who argued (with) Ibrahim concerning his Lord, because gave him Allah the kingdom? When said Ibrahim, "My Lord (is) the One Who grants life and causes death." He said, "I give life and cause death." Said Ibrahim, "[Then] indeed Allah brings up the sun from the east, so you bring it from the west." So became dumbfounded the one who disbelieved,

and Allah (does) not guide the people (who are) [the] wrongdoers. 

[Al-Quran 2:258]

The King claims the ability of being able to give life and death. The same ayat also declares that they were wrongdoers. I think this ayat is informing us of a medically advanced civilisation, who were able to tinker with the genetic code, and thus were under the illusion that they had some control over life and death.  

The next ayat presents the contrasts of the perishable life of this world and the everlasting hereafter all in one example: 

أَوْ كَالَّذِي مَرَّ عَلَىٰ قَرْيَةٍ وَهِيَ خَاوِيَةٌ عَلَىٰ عُرُوشِهَا

 قَالَ أَنَّىٰ يُحْيِي هَٰذِهِ اللَّهُ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهَا

 فَأَمَاتَهُ اللَّهُ مِائَةَ عَامٍ ثُمَّ بَعَثَهُ 

قَالَ كَمْ لَبِثْتَ قَالَ لَبِثْتُ يَوْمًا أَوْ بَعْضَ يَوْمٍ قَالَ بَل لَّبِثْتَ مِائَةَ عَامٍ

 فَانظُرْ إِلَىٰ طَعَامِكَ وَشَرَابِكَ لَمْ يَتَسَنَّهْ وَانظُرْ إِلَىٰ حِمَارِكَ وَلِنَجْعَلَكَ آيَةً لِّلنَّاسِ وَانظُرْ إِلَى الْعِظَامِ كَيْفَ نُنشِزُهَا ثُمَّ نَكْسُوهَا لَحْمًا

 فَلَمَّا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُ قَالَ 

أَعْلَمُ أَنَّ اللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ

Or like the one who passed by a township, and it (had) overturned on its roofs.

He said, "How (will) bring to life this (town) Allah after its death?"

Then he was made to die (by) Allah (for) a hundred year(s), then He raised him.

He said, "How long (have) you remained?" He said, "I remained (for) a day or a part (of) a day." He said, "Nay, you (have) remained one hundred year(s).

Then look at your food and your drink, (they did) not change with time, and look at your donkey, and We will make you a sign for the people. And look at the bones how We raise them, then We cover them (with) flesh."

Then when became clear to him, he said,

"I know that Allah (is) on every thing All-Powerful."

[Al-Quran 2:259]

Surah alKahf relates the story of the people who slept in a cave for more than three centuries.  Though the man in Q2:259 came alive after being dead for a century, the people of the cave were simply sleeping for much longer. Both involve the removal and the return of the Nafs, as mentioned in Surah az-Zumar: 

Excerpt from Rethink Genetic Engineering in the Light of the Quran (a presentation)

Immortality is decreed for the Hereafter. The Quran quotes the people who will be granted eternal immortality: 

أَفَمَا نَحْنُ بِمَيِّتِينَ

 إِلَّا مَوْتَتَنَا الْأُولَىٰ وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمُعَذَّبِينَ

 إِنَّ هَٰذَا لَهُوَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِيمُ

 لِمِثْلِ هَٰذَا فَلْيَعْمَلِ الْعَامِلُونَ

Then are not we (to) die,

Except our death the first, and not we will be punished?"

Indeed, this surely (is) the attainment great.

For (the) like (of) this, let work the workers.

[Al-Quran 37:58-61]

For more on immortality, please read Immortality & A Kingdom that Never Decays

Links to posts in the series Disease and Cure

Last updated on: September 19, 2021