It is normal for there to be variables in human life and transitions between its stages, and it is foolish not to understand the aspects of life’s inheritance between its generations.
Therefore, we see the person whose arrogance and false pride in himself leads him to a level of destructive pride that resembles the bird that flies and soars, striking without paying attention to what is happening around it. However, often after its high flight and reassurance, spreading its wings and elevation, it thinks it can conquer everything at the expense of everything, and suddenly, without warning, it falls into the abyss. Just as it happens that a person reaches the peak of their strength, there will surely come a day when they find themselves in their weakest state. Here lies the paradox between the exalted person whom life honors in their old age and gives them strength despite all challenges and obstacles, and the humbled person whom life humiliates in their old age despite all the available resources.
So, it is not surprising to see profound wisdom that is highly expressive and rich in meaning. In a brilliant poetic verse by Imam Al-Shafi'i, there are significant connotations where he said: "My knowledge is sufficient for me if it benefits, humility only exists in greed, whoever is aware of God repents from the evil they have done, no bird has soared high except as it flew, it will fall."
This poetic verse shook my pen amid these challenges and the extremely complicated circumstances we face in our lives, which we are not envious of, and which make us inclined to believe in the triumph of falsehood over truth, which is indeed impossible. Even if it appears to be a matter of time, it will certainly be temporary.
This made me strive to make my thoughts revolt in every direction to script a state of unprecedented written rebellion. How could it be otherwise when we live in a time of boastfulness at the temporary triumph of behavioral indulgence amid wicked ambiguity? It is as if we are in a cinematic film that explains invisible, unheard, and intangible doubts until the viewer becomes lost and eager for events in which the movie stars rise and soar, leading to an invasion of thought. Thus, self-confidence is disrupted between certainty and doubt, believing that the end of evil will always be defeat and collapse, and that often leads to entering the gateway of eternal hell that carries nothing but shame and disgrace, with no return from it. The conclusion of truth always achieves elevation, strength, and dignity, drawing an honorable ending in proportion to patience and sacrifices.
Here comes the talk of how the wicked rejoice at first while dancing in a self-proclaimed victory, as if they have achieved a clear conquest, without realizing that there is a lost dignity and that victory, not accompanied by honor and a dignified ending, is a defeat and a failure.
Then the picture becomes clear and the story begins, making the criminal realize that after the intoxication comes awareness, and that there are accounts that do not obey temporal periods but are intertwined with eternal circumstances and wisdom. Therefore, it is foolish for these evil ones to think they have ascended to the sky because it certainly does not accept the scoundrels. It is always the one with the decision and holds the key to success, granting those deserving the right to soar high and spread their wings, confident that the road is smooth and there are no obstacles hindering their flight. There might even be a decision and surprise that does not cross the mind, recording a reality that solidifies the title of this life, that the state of false pride must ultimately conclude with a horrific fall and humiliation.
The continuity of circumstances is impossible; this famous proverb that people have been repeating holds profound wisdom that we live every day. It is an established saying that applies to anyone in a prominent position or anyone with wealth and honor, who must maintain this status through humility, helping people, and not being arrogant towards those beneath them. They should accept advice and respect the status they have reached, knowing for sure that "if it lasted for others, they would not have reached it, and the treachery of days has no accounts to prevent it." Therefore, this and that should not be deceived by the envy, hatred, and spite in their hearts regarding what they have of prestige, wealth, and positions that might be built on falsehood, as it may suddenly vanish into thin air without warning.
In our contemporary age, we hear many stories, some of which are comprehensible, and some that exceed natural abilities to understand the state. Here, judgment comes in degrees of faith, as history recorded the tale of one of the wealthy Americans. When he was a six-year-old boy, his mother took him to a candy store, and the boy asked his mother for some pistachios. The shopkeeper said to him, "Take what you want, go ahead and fill your hand from the box."
The boy firmly refused despite the man's insistence, and his mother's urging. The man had no choice but to fill his hand with pistachios and put them in the boy's pocket. After they exited, his mother asked him, "Why didn't you take it yourself?" He replied, "Because the seller's hand is bigger than mine, so the pistachios would be more."
Here, it became clear that this innate intelligence is what later qualified him to become a millionaire. However, unfortunately, he exploited his intellect and instincts in greed towards what others had. The years passed, and the child grew up to indeed become one of the millionaires, noted for the size of legitimate and illegitimate business deals he obtained, increasing his wealth.
But in the end, "no bird has soared high except as it flew, it will fall," especially if that flight is suspicious and relies on the premise that "the end justifies the means," regardless of what that means may be.
The greedy man sank to the ground with his greed until the world pressed against him, making him pursued by banks, bankrupt, and banned from traveling, as he became pursued from all directions, too.
This is a story of one facet of flying at the expense of others. However, we have also seen heads of state to whom money, position, and prestige were of no use, and their end was humiliating, painful, and harsh, taking in moments unexpected all they had built over decades, not to mention all that they boasted about, wielding their power to do everything they wanted. But the ending was also, "no bird has soared high except as it flew, it will fall."
There are many stories that ended in the same context. For those who have not learned from past endings similar to these tales, we conclude with this story, that of a failed and criminal young man, a narcissistic wretch, and a sick and dysfunctional father, who opens his house to the violation of all values in the belief that he is paving the way to satisfy himself and trying to keep his sick son. They live on what is forbidden, amidst intellectual chaos and behavioral disorder in a decaying family environment, living in extraordinary and immoral life contradictions. They exist like carcasses, like lifeless bodies, overshadowing their humanity, marking the beginning of a devastating end to a gambling life. Nevertheless, they trample everything, strike everything aside, disregarding the existence of a fate that crafts a roadmap for everything. Whoever charts a wrong beginning to rise and soar at the expense of the dreams, stability, pains, and sufferings of others will surely come a day to descend and crash down, yielding a thundering fall that draws an ending to a false story that began with cheap, deceitful, and misleading chapters!
Therefore, oh wicked ones, do not rejoice too much.... for "no bird has soared high except as it flew, it will fall," and time is capable of drawing the ending befitting criminals like you!