I just came across the story of a man who I think is probably one of the most tortured arses around. This man, a country's leader, performs public faux pax-es like a master artist, causing diplomatic chuckles and domestic embarrasment. This man riles up the conservative crowd, because he's a Man of God who Was Sent By God. He ordered a very unpopular attack and subsequent occupation of a middle-east country, which now lies in the ruins of anarchy and bloodshed. (He recently asked the main person behind the orchestration of this occupation to resign.) His popularity is at an all-time low, and his countrymen don't have confidence in him. There are many people out there who want his head, and he's a man who is surrounded by folks who fear that someone might send him to aakhira (the hereafter).
And now, roads are being closed in Singapore, some exams (O Levels, mind you) are being pushed back and everyone in the Singapore security circles is getting a cold sweat because this man is visiting Singapore for two days.
Mr George Bush is a tortured soul, and for that I sympathise with him. But no man should cause, and no authority should allow, the delaying of exams and closure of roads because of that one man's fear of dying.
This may come as a negative, nay-saying, party-pooping, poop-filled, poopy-doopy line, but the truth is we're all going to die someday. It is as inevitable as our birth was. Death is not a punishment or a trial to be scared of. It is a real process/event that requires a lot of practical thinking and preparation.
Which is why I find it very wierd that people find it offensive to say the famous adage, "You go an die lah!". Aren't we all going to? It's just a matter of when and how. It can be today, or it can be next year. It can be painless, or it can be painful. That is why you see advice in books about "chicken soup for souls" to live your life day to day, or to treasure everything in life. All that jazz comes circulated in chain emails only to be forgotten by everyone in 2 seconds.
Allah says in the Holy Qur'an that "Every soul shall have a taste of death..." (3:185) and again says that "Wherever you are, death will find you out, even if you are in towers built up strong and high" (4:78). Our own reason also informs us that death is inevitable, so preparation for it is the wise thing to do.
The bottomline is that we shouldn't take death as something negative, dark and foreboding. It's just a fact. The negative part about death is when we lose someone dear to us. That, I must agree, is where the bulk of the pain and negative associations arise. The very thought of a loved one not being with us hits home quite sharply. But we see people getting over death in time, and we should pray to Allah to strengthen our hearts to this extent.
And so Mr Bush and his security aides should take it easy, and let nature run its course. Even if a person were to close roads and delay exams to save his life, what can prevent him from falling in his toilet and breaking a bone in the middle of the night when everyone's asleep?
And now, roads are being closed in Singapore, some exams (O Levels, mind you) are being pushed back and everyone in the Singapore security circles is getting a cold sweat because this man is visiting Singapore for two days.
Mr George Bush is a tortured soul, and for that I sympathise with him. But no man should cause, and no authority should allow, the delaying of exams and closure of roads because of that one man's fear of dying.
This may come as a negative, nay-saying, party-pooping, poop-filled, poopy-doopy line, but the truth is we're all going to die someday. It is as inevitable as our birth was. Death is not a punishment or a trial to be scared of. It is a real process/event that requires a lot of practical thinking and preparation.
Which is why I find it very wierd that people find it offensive to say the famous adage, "You go an die lah!". Aren't we all going to? It's just a matter of when and how. It can be today, or it can be next year. It can be painless, or it can be painful. That is why you see advice in books about "chicken soup for souls" to live your life day to day, or to treasure everything in life. All that jazz comes circulated in chain emails only to be forgotten by everyone in 2 seconds.
Allah says in the Holy Qur'an that "Every soul shall have a taste of death..." (3:185) and again says that "Wherever you are, death will find you out, even if you are in towers built up strong and high" (4:78). Our own reason also informs us that death is inevitable, so preparation for it is the wise thing to do.
The bottomline is that we shouldn't take death as something negative, dark and foreboding. It's just a fact. The negative part about death is when we lose someone dear to us. That, I must agree, is where the bulk of the pain and negative associations arise. The very thought of a loved one not being with us hits home quite sharply. But we see people getting over death in time, and we should pray to Allah to strengthen our hearts to this extent.
And so Mr Bush and his security aides should take it easy, and let nature run its course. Even if a person were to close roads and delay exams to save his life, what can prevent him from falling in his toilet and breaking a bone in the middle of the night when everyone's asleep?
6 comments:
Whether he dies or not, for certain quite a number of Civil servants will 'die' in preparing for his visit.
i believe he takes the saying "life is god's greatest gift to man" very seriously... actually i do too.. not that i am supporting Bush or the closure of roads that delayed me 2 hrs for my appointment.
i definitely agree with brinjaals that death is inevitable.. all bush has to do is step outside in the real world(without his administration) for a grand total of 2 min before the common man on the street runs his shiny ball point thru bushes chest.(gettin distracted abit)
coming back to the point.. yesh death is inevitable but i believe its each and everyones responsibility to ensure the longevity of the life that God gave us.( without crossin moral boundaries of course.
now really coming to the point.(and again, definitely not in support of Bush). i guess when u are in a status that is beyond the common man, and shouldering responsibilities that are complexed beyond deep blue. its not actually the fear of dying that causes all these protective measures but rather to prevent alot ppl more from dying in case u did. imagine the political mess , the heads rolling, and me stuck in a freaking jam for hours.
i jus read wat i wrote, funny it seems like as tho it doenst make sense and it does make sense. hopefully it does to u...
jalsa
It would be very noble for a political leader to actually think that he has to live so that others won't die bcos of his death. I wonder how many has such selfless thoughts.
I think jalsa has a point. It's just too costly for the government to have him get killed; he's more like a symbol than a person per se, at this point in time. If someone does funny to him, it's not Bush who gets whacked, but AMERICA. America is seen to go down if he were to go down.
Thanks for sharing Jalsa!
just to add to yasmins point.. there is a particular female mp (not sure wats her name or if she even is an mp... but i know she is someone very prominent)..
she makes it a point to leave office exactly at 5.30.. she tries her best not to stay back even a min.. and her reasonin for this habit.. if she stays back, she sets off a chain reaction of all her subordinates stayin back, depriving them of family time, causing them unhappiness... so my point is .. the leader is indeed noble if he or she considers others before herself.
..jalsa
Oh ya. That's one of the malaysian minister. Forgot her name.
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