Maulana Wahiduddin Khan I The Sunday Guardian I 28th April 2013 I Page 12

Eric Morecambe, a famous English television personality and comedian, died on 28 May 1984 from a heart attack. His death occurred just hours after he had told an audience at the Roses Theatre in Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, how grateful he was for a new lease of life.

For years Eric Morecambe had been haunted by heart disease. This had led him to ease the punishing workload, which had previously threatened his health. His daughter, Gail, said after his death: "Dad had made every effort to look after himself, and had vowed to take it easier. He told me he planned to enjoy all the things he worked for and spend more time with his family; we have been cheated" (The Times, London, 29 May 1984).

People think that they are being "cheated" by death, but in fact death is the ultimate and most inevitable certainty of life. Death cheats no one. It is man who cheats himself: the plans that he should be making for the world after death, he makes for this life; only to find that death awaits him, to put paid to all his dreams.

If man were to set his sights on the next eternal world, then he would find there the fulfilment of his heart's desire in full measure. But, instead, he aims for fulfilment in this world, where there can be no fulfilment in the first place, and even if it is achieved, it can only be for a very short time.

Man sees only the world. Death is to him, then, a cruel blow, removing him from the land of his dreams.

But if he were to see the world beyond death, he would realise that it is that eternal world of infinite blessings that should be worked for. Those who seek new life will find it only in the world that lies beyond death.