The Life of this World
"Know
that the life of this world is only play and amusement, pomp and
mutual boasting among you, and rivalry in respect of wealth and
children, as the likeness of vegetation after rain, thereof the
growth is pleasing to the tiller; afterwards it dries up an dyou
see it turning yellow; then it becomes straw. But in the
hereafter (there is) a severe torment (for the disbelievers, -
evil-doers), and (there is) Forgiveness from Allah and (His) Good
Pleasure (for the believers, - good-doers), whereas the life of
this world is oly a deceiving enjoyment." (Al-Hadid 57:20)
Other
verses also state emphatically that this life is nothing but
play, amusement and diversion from what is more important:
Al-An'am
6:32
Al-'Ankabut
29:64
Muhammad
47:36
A Traveler Along a Path
The
Prophet (SAW) was lying on a mat, Ibn Masood (RA) began to wipe
the effects of the mat from the Prophet's (SAW) body and
suggested that he have something better to sleep on. The
Prophet's (SAW) reply was:
"What do
I have to do with this worldly life? I and this worldly life are
but like a traveler who stopped for a little while under a tree
to get some shade and then move on."
Hence,
the believer is not interested in gathering too much of this
world because such things make it difficult for her to continue
her travels and to travel easily. Because this world is so
alluring and attractive, it is easy for a Muslimah to forget
this. When she becomes attracted and attached to the things of
this world, she forgets that she is on a journey. In other words
she has lost sight of the fact that she is suppose to be working
and traveling towards a destination but now she is accumulating
things to help her stay.
Narrated
Mujahid (RA): Abdullah bin Umar (RU) said, "Allah's Apostle took
hold of my shoulder and said,
'Be in
this world as if you were a stranger or a traveler."
The
sub-narrator added: Ibn Umar (RU) used to say, "If you survive
till the evening, do not expect to be alive in the morning, and
if you survive till the morning, do not expect to be alive in the
evening, and take from your health for your sickness, and (take)
from your life for your death." (Sahih Al-Bukhari)
Allah (SWT)
says:
"O
mankind! Verily, the Promise of Allah is true. So let not this
present life deceive you, and let not the chief deceiver (Satan)
deceive you about Allah." (Fatir 35:5)
Allah (SWT)
also says:
"Nay,
you prefer the life of this world; Although the Hereafter is
better and more lasting." (Al-Ghashiyah 87:16-17)
Food of the Humans
The
Prophet (SAW) said:
"The
food of the humans strikes a parable of this worldly life: From
what comes out of humans [as waste], even after they had seasoned
it and added salt to it [and made it very tasty], look at what it
ends up as."
In other
words, even though humans work very hard to make the food taste
excellent, the food finally results in something that is very
disgusting and distasteful. The same is true for this world and
all its glitter.
IT ENDS UP IN DESTRUCTION AND WASTE. [Bukhari]
Heres a
nice du'a to say and reflect on constanly:
"O the
One who Turns the Hearts, confirm my heart upon your deen"