Airport of
the Hereafter

When life’s aeroplane lands at the airport of the Hereafter some will be stopped for questioning, while others will be welcomed by the angels and be led into Paradise. One should seriously reflect on this, and strive to be held deserving of eternal Paradise.

Once when leaving an airport along with a number of other passengers after completing the necessary procedures, I saw that some of the passengers had been prevented from leaving. They were told to wait for special checking. The Airport authorities had received some confidential information about them and that is why they had to treat them with suspicion. This scene at the airport reminded me of a verse of the Quran: ‘Stop them there for questioning.’ (37:24) On reflection we find that the course of life is also similar. The earth, which man inhabits, is travelling in its orbit at the speed of 1000 miles per hour. It is as if we are aboard an aeroplane which is heading towards an airport at a great speed. This is the airport of the hereafter. A time will come when all human beings will land at the airport of the hereafter. Here some people will be stopped for questioning. On the other hand, there will be some blessed, fortunate souls who will be welcomed by the angles saying: ‘Peace be upon you. You have done well, enter Paradise and dwell in it forever.’ (39:73)

This state of affairs is going to be faced by all human beings. The timings of worldly journeys are known but the timing of the journey of the hereafter is not known. It can come upon one at any moment, and when life’s aeroplane lands at the airport of the hereafter some will be stopped for questioning but others will be welcomed by the angels and will be led into Paradise. This is undoubtedly the greatest thing on which every man and woman should seriously reflect, and they should lead their lives accordingly. This time will come without any announcement and then no one will have any opportunity to go back to the world he has left behind.