The Other World
\r\nDuty and interest, opposed to each other, are the two moving forces of every human activity. They can in no way be compared; duty is always beyond interest, and interest has no connection with morality. Morality is neither functional nor rational. If one risks one's life by entering a burning house to save a neighbour's child and comes back carrying the dead child in one's arms, can we say that the action was worthless since it was unsuccessful? Morality is what gives value to this apparently useless sacrifice, to this attempt without success, just as "Architecture is what makes the ruins beautiful."
\r\nThe sight of defeated justice, which even if defeated wins our hearts, appears not to be a fact "of this world." After all, what reasons of this world (natural, logical, scientific, intellectual, or otherwise) can justify the action of a hero who falls because he remains on the side of justice and virtue? If this world exists in space and time only, and this nature is indifferent to justice and injustice, then the sacrifice of a hero is senseless. Nevertheless, as we refuse to consider it senseless, it then becomes a revelation of God, tidings of another world with meanings and laws opposite to this world of nature and all its laws and interests. We approve of this "absurd" act with all our heart, without knowing why nor asking for any explanation. The greatness of a heroic deed is not in success, as it is very often fruitless, nor in reason, as it is very often unreasonable. Drama retains the brightest trace of the Divine in this world. Here lies its unsurpassed and universal value and its significance for all people in the world.
\r\nThe existence of other world should appear to us even more possible since we cannot consider tragic heroes defeated but as winners. Winners? Where, in which world have they been winners? Those who lost peace, freedom, or even life - in what way are they the winners? Obviously, they are not winners in this world. Their lives and their sacrifices in particular induce us to always ask the same question: Is there other meaning to human existence, a meaning different from this relative and limited one, or have these great and courageous men only been failures?
\r\nCompiled From:
\r\n\"Islam Between East and West\" - Alija Ali Izetbegovic, pp. 109, 110