Old Age

Man first experiences childhood, then youth, then middle-age, and then, after that, old age. Old age is the last possible stage for anyone in this present world, because the next stage after it is death.

In this sense, old age is a sort of ‘prior notice’ of one’s impending death. In old age, the organs of the body become weak, and some of them even stop functioning. This is a sign that the moment of death is coming near. It is, one could say, a compulsory reminder of death.

Old age makes one stand at the mouth of one’s grave.

If your mind is alert and awake, when you enter old age you will know that very soon, the moment of your death will arrive and that you will then be brought before God to account for your life on earth. In this way, the experience of old age can truly shake you up. It can remind you of the Hereafter.

Old age tells man that his journey does not stop in this world, and that he will now have to enter the next world and face the Divine Court on the Day of Judgment.

Undoubtedly, that person is the most unfortunate who gets a long life but did not learn from his old age. He remained heedless, so much so that he died in that state.

Old age is not something undesirable. It contains an opportunity—to learn invaluable lessons. In the Quran (35:37) God says:

Did We not make your life long enough to take warning if you were going to?

Man is born into this world for a limited period of time. As soon as he is born here, his countdown begins. Till around the age of 35, his graph moves upwards. Thereafter, it begins to decline, after which there is middle-age, old age, and then death. Along the way, one faces numerous difficulties, such as sickness, accidents, and various other challenges.

In this way, one by one, everything begins to be taken away from man: first, youth, then health, then peace, and so on, till death arrives and everything that man had thought to be his own, even his bodily existence, is taken away from him. After this, all that remains is the soul.

Death is the most serious experience anyone could go through. It signifies that whatever one had earned in his pre-death phase will be taken away from him forever. After this is the post-death phase. In this phase, only the good deeds that a person had done in the pre-death phase will be of any help to him. This reality is described in the Quran in the following words (59:18):

Believers! Fear God, and let every soul look to what it lays up for the future. Fear God: God is aware of what you do.