Sin death and beyond
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SIN, DEATH AND BEYOND: M.M.NINAN<br />
Within the mystical tradition of Islam known as Sufism after <strong>death</strong> the person himself judges<br />
where he ends up - heaven or hell. The Sufi tradition translates Surah 2: 28 as:<br />
"How can you reject faith in God?<br />
Do you not recall that you were once without life,<br />
<strong>and</strong> Allah gave you life;<br />
then God will cause you to die,<br />
<strong>and</strong> will again bring you to life;<br />
<strong>and</strong> finally to Allah will you return."<br />
Sufi poet, Rumi, wrote:<br />
A stone I died <strong>and</strong> rose again a plant.<br />
A plant I died <strong>and</strong> rose an animal;<br />
I died an animal <strong>and</strong> was born a man.<br />
Why should I fear? What have I lost by <strong>death</strong>?<br />
As man, <strong>death</strong> sweeps me from this world of men<br />
That I may wear an angel’s wings in heaven;<br />
Yet e’en as angel may I not abide,<br />
For nought abideth save the face of God.<br />
Thus o’er the angels’ world I wing my way<br />
Onwards <strong>and</strong> upwards, unto boundless lights;<br />
Then let me be as nought, for in my heart<br />
Rings as a harp-song that we must return to Him.<br />
In his Masnavi, Rumi speaks about the "seventy-two forms I have worn".<br />
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