In Surah al-Asr, Allah the Exalted has presented an illustration of the lives of both disbelievers and believers. The life of a disbeliever is no different than the life of cattle, who are engrossed in nothing but eating, drinking and carnal desires, as the Holy Quran states:
يَاۡكُلُوۡنَ كَمَا تَاۡكُلُ الۡاَنۡعَامُ
“They eat even as the cattle eat.”
However, if a bullock were to eat fodder and when it came time to plough the land, it sat down, what would be the outcome? The farmer would take the animal to the butcher shop and sell it. Similarly, Allah the Exalted says (with reference to those who do not follow or have regard for the commandments of God Almighty and who live a life of sin and impiety) the following words:
قُلۡ مَا يَعۡبَؤُا بِكُمۡ رَبِّيۡ لَوۡ لَا دُعَآؤُكُمۡ
Meaning, “What does my Lord care for you if you do not worship Him?” One ought to remember wholeheartedly that in order to perform worship, love is needed. There are two forms of love. There is unconditional love and there is love fuelled by motives. The latter type refers to love which is caused by a few temporary factors; and as soon as they cease to exist, the love also turns cold and becomes a source of grief and pain. However, unconditional love brings true pleasure. Man has naturally been created for God, as it is stated:
وَ مَا خَلَقۡتُ الۡجِنَّ وَ الۡاِنۡسَ اِلَّا لِيَعۡبُدُوۡنِ
“I have not created the Jinn and the men but that they may worship Me.”
For this reason, Allah the Exalted has instilled within man’s nature an inclination towards Himself and has created man to be devoted to Him through the most hidden means. From this we learn that the fundamental purpose for which God Almighty has created you is so that you may worship Him. However, as for those who detach themselves from this fundamental and natural purpose of theirs, and live like animals and their only purpose in life is to eat, drink and sleep, they became distant from the grace of God Almighty and He no longer remains concerned for such people. God Almighty takes interest in the life of a person who believes in وَ مَا خَلَقۡتُ الۡجِنَّ وَ الۡاِنۡسَ اِلَّا لِيَعۡبُدُوۡنِ (I have not created the Jinn and the men but that they may worship Me) and then transforms their life. There is no telling when death will arrive. The couplet of Saadi is true:
مكن تكيه بر عمر ناپائيدار
مباش ايمن از بازئ روز گار
“Do not depend on this unreliable life; Do not be negligent of the schemes of time.”
The wise do not put their trust in this unreliable life. Death comes and smothers a man without warning. Now when man is forever in the clutches of death, who then can be in control of his life except for God Almighty?
(Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas, Malfuzat, Vol. 1, pp. 188-189)
