Somehow I still find "The 13th Warrior" amusing, despite the fact that it had made some of my friends think I'm suicidal.
But the movie managed to sneak in some believes I've tried to belly for some times;
why should we not fear death.
The movie tells about the story of an Arab royal who was politically banished to the Northern lands and eventually met the Vikings. The Vikings at the moment were facing one of the most horrible beast of all time; a band of ancient Evil that should not be named. Bulliwyf
(Beowulf) was to lead his tribe's band of twelve warriors to fight the Evil. During the forming of the band, in the end the soothsayer said, that God wanted their last men, to be the Arab...
And so they got involved in the journey to pursuit the Evil. And also we got a glimpse of look at how the Vikings life. It was their view of death that amazed me. Took into notice that it was just a movie, but what was shown and said somehow made sense to me.
During the days of the Islamic government forming, the Moslems are feared for their courage and strong will in the fight, as if they do not fear their own death. I think it's a result from their trust in God and the Holy Prophet, that they're doing the right thing. They're promised Heaven, and so they pursue the promise with full-heart.
As with the Vikings, they have this believe that they're off to a better place when they die. They believe they'll enter the halls of Valhalla, where their father, mother, brothers, sisters, and the early members of their people will bid them to take their place among them. In the halls of Valhalla, where the brave may live forever. Thus
affected are their way of living.
There were sayings in the movie like:
"Hurry to meet Death before your place is taken" - Herger the Joyous
"The Father wove the skein of your life a long time ago. Go and hide in a hole if you wish, but you won't live one instant longer. Your fate is fixed. Fear profits a man nothing". - Herger the Joyous
True? I felt that I am as a moslem share the common believe... In Islam we've been told that our fate is already fixed ever since we're still an embryo inside our mother's womb. That include the amount of wealth
we'll have, and the amount of days we'll have. This has borne some related believes. I.e. that no matter what we'll do, if it not ours then we'll not gonna get it. And no matter how carefull you are, you can never cheat on your own death, or vice versa; no matter what you do, if it's not the time for you yet, then you wont have your death. So there is no need of fear.
But attached with the believes also are the rules. Ijtihad in Ikhtiar: the maximizing of our efforts in pursuing the best result of our actions. Sabar (patience): not rushing things or loosing faith when troubles and obstacles arises, and Tawakal (faith): Believe in God that every result is for the best of ourselves.
And surely, there are also restrictions that apply, which some I believe are also common among other God's descended religion. In example is about the damnation of suicide, or any other attempts at ending your own life. So that we know eventhough we do not know about our fate, it's not up to us either to decide when!
Those views of our fate are the basic believes that based the past glory of the moslems, and should also based our live at present time. In doing our work we should aware that there will not be a thing happen upon us, that is not in God's will, or that is not good for us. But also take into concern that we've done the best that we can do.
Death will visit us when it's the time for us to go. By then, all that matters is what we've left behind, which is how we lived our life. So what's really important now is that we strive to make the best of our life... and not busy fearing how or when we would "go".
So it's true,
fear profits a man nothing...
foto: © 1999 Touchstone Pictures. All rights reserved.
