An Unrewarded Success

The present world is only a place for action, not for receiving rewards. The place of final reckoning is in the Hereafter.

On the Atlantic shores of South America, Brazil, one of the continent’s largest countries with a predominantly Catholic population of 119 million, was under military rule from 1964 to 1985. During this period, a democratic movement was launched against the military rule; one of the most distinguished politicians to come to the fore was Tancred Neves. It took twenty-one years of arduous struggle before he managed to rally the people against the military junta, whose leaders were finally forced to call for general elections. These took place in 1985. Mr Neves, who suffered great hardships, was elected President with an overwhelming majority. The media lauded his great victory, and one newspaper said, “His victory capped a political career spanning nearly 50 years.”

The oath-taking ceremony of Mr Neves was to take place on March 15, 1985, in the Presidential palace. Unfortunately, however, hours before the function, he fell ill that day. He was immediately taken to one of the country’s best hospitals, where he was kept for a month under the observation of foreign specialists. He underwent seven operations during this period, but all these efforts to save him were of no avail. Mr Neves died on 21 April 1985 at the age of 75.

How bewildering is man’s ultimate fate! He spares no effort to reach his goals but does not receive the fruits of his labour. A crown of victory is prepared for him, but it never adorns his head, nor will it ever. On the contrary, the completion of his labours signals the beginning of his destruction.

Such instances clarify that the present world is only a place for action. It is not necessarily a place for receiving rewards. That place—the place of final reckoning—is elsewhere, far beyond this mundane world. It is in the world Hereafter.