Dread of Death, Question of Meaning

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Since human consciousness arose, death has been the mystery that relentlessly pursues us. It is not just the stopping of the heart or an incidental event in the natural cycle. Rather, it is the point where all our certainties shatter, and the moment when experience halts and presence fades, leaving behind questions without clear answers.

Why do we die? Is death an end or a transition? Is there something beyond the nothingness that keeps its secrets hidden?

Throughout the ages, death has not merely been an individual experience; it has been the cornerstone of civilizations, religions, and philosophies. From the time of the Pharaonic pyramids to the rituals of primitive 

peoples, and from the meditations of philosophers to the texts 

of sacred books, man has been trying to negotiate mortality, to 

interpret it, to give it meaning, or at least to postpone the moment of confrontation. However, the question remained unanswered, eluding the mind, causing fear, and reshaping man's understanding of life itself. 

In modern Western thought, death is no longer a mere mystery awaiting explanation, but rather an existential dilemma in its own right.

With the decline of religious faith in modern philosophies and the absence of traditional concepts of the afterlife, death has become more severe and present in the consciousness of contemporary man. In modern Western philosophy, death has become an end; everything comes to an irreversible end. 

This transformation did not rid man of fear; rather, it increased his anxiety. If life is endless, and if death is the final destination, what meaning remains? Is anything worth living if death is inevitable at the end?

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Monday 14 April 2025
Monday 14 April 2025
Eitiqad magazine, for theological studies and philosophy of religion, is a peer-reviewed quarterly magazine, issued by the “Baratha Center for Studies and Research” in Beirut and Bagdad. It is concerned with studies related to theology, beliefs, and philosophy of religion. It aims to implement criticism in issues related to these fields, and to establish them from a rational and Islamic standpoint.
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