The destructive effects of the passage of years are observable in one’s own body. As the years go by, the body, the most precious possession a human being has, goes through an irreversible process of destruction. The changes a human being experiences throughout his life are recounted in the Qur’an as follows:

ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَكُم مِّن ضَعْفٍ ثُمَّ جَعَلَ مِنۢ بَعْدِ ضَعْفٍ قُوَّةً ثُمَّ جَعَلَ مِنۢ بَعْدِ قُوَّةٍ ضَعْفًا وَشَيْبَةً ۚ يَخْلُقُ مَا يَشَآءُ ۖ وَهُوَ ٱلْعَلِيمُ ٱلْقَدِيرُ
“It is Allah Who created you in a state of (helpless) weakness, then gave (you) strength after weakness, then, after strength, gave (you) weakness and grey hair in old age: He creates as He wills, and it is He Who has all knowledge and power.” (Ar Rum 30:54)

The later years of life are the times most neglected in the future plans of an adult, except in the anxious process of saving for old-age pensions. Indeed, being too close to death, people usually develop a hesitant approach to this period. When someone tries to talk about old age, others feel concerned and attempt to change this “unpleasant” topic as soon as possible. The routine of daily life is also a good way of escaping from the thought of these potentially miserable years of life. So, it is postponed until the day one inevitably meets it. No doubt, the main reason for such avoidance is the assumption that one has endless time until death comes upon one.

Whether a teenager or an adult, this should prompt man to make an important decision about his life. For instance, if you are 40 and expect to live until your mid-sixties — and of that you have no guarantee — those remaining 25 years will surely pass as quickly as the preceding 40 years. The same holds true even if your life is prolonged a great deal, since the remaining thirty or forty years will, likewise, pass before you even notice. This is, surely, a perpetual reminder of the true nature of this world. One day every living soul on this earth will leave this world and there is no return.

Hence, man should set aside his prejudices and be more realistic about his life. Time passes very quickly and each day brings on further physical weakness and more impaired thinking rather than fresher dynamism and a younger figure. In brief, growing old is a manifestation of man’s inability to control his own body, life and destiny. Time’s adverse effects on the body become visible during this period.

In medicine, advanced old age is also called “the second childhood”. Hence, during this latter stage of life, elderly people just like children need care, since their bodily and mental functions go through certain alterations.

In short, after a certain period, people often regress to a state of childish dependency both physically and mentally. Life both begins and ends in an infant-like state. This is evidently not a random process. It is possible that man could remain young until he dies. Yet Allah reminds man about the temporary nature of this world by making the quality of his life deteriorate at certain stages of life. This process serves as a clear reminder that life is slipping away.

Growing old is unavoidable. Nobody, without exception, can escape it. Yet seeing celebrities becoming older has a deeper influence on us since their physical deterioration is openly observable. Witnessing the ageing of people renowned for their fame, wealth and beauty is surely a reminder of the shortness and insignificance of this life.

Every day it is possible to observe this fact from hundreds of examples around us. An intelligent, healthy and famous person, once a symbol of beauty or success, one day appears in newspapers, magazines and on television with a physical or mental disability. Each one is the clearest evidence that no matter how beautiful, successful or young you are, the inevitable end for human beings is old age.

The way to avoid eternal punishment, win eternal bliss and attain the good pleasure of Allah is apparent: Before it is too late, have true faith in Allah and spend your life doing good deeds to attain His good pleasure.