The Reality of This World – In the Light of the Qur’an and Hadith
Written by: Qari Usama bin Abdus Salam
وَمَا ٱلۡحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنۡيَآ إِلَّا مَتَـٰعُ ٱلۡغُرُورِ
“And the life of this world is nothing but the enjoyment of delusion.”
(Surah Aal-‘Imran, 185)
This world is a deception — it shines, it attracts, but it eventually perishes.
أَلۡهَىٰكُمُ ٱلتَّكَاثُرُ حَتَّىٰ زُرۡتُمُ ٱلۡمَقَابِرَ
“The competition for more [wealth and children] distracts you, until you visit the graves.”
(Surah At-Takathur: 1–2)
In the race of this world, man reaches his grave thinking he has succeeded, while in reality, he goes empty-handed.
وَلَقَدۡ جِئۡتُمُونَا فُرَٰدَىٰ كَمَا خَلَقۡنَـٰكُمۡ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٖ
“And indeed, you have come to Us alone as We created you the first time.”
(Surah Al-An‘am: 94)
This verse is a clear declaration:
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When a person comes, he comes alone.
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When he departs, he departs alone.
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No wealth, property, car, women, or children accompany him.
لَوْ كَانَتِ الدُّنْيَا تَعْدِلُ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ جَنَاحَ بَعُوضَةٍ، مَا سَقَى كَافِرًا مِنْهَا شَرْبَةَ مَاءٍ
“If the world was worth as much as the wing of a mosquito in the sight of Allah, He would not give a disbeliever even a sip of water from it.”
(Sahih Tirmidhi: 2320)
This world has no real value in the sight of Allah, yet people sacrifice their life, wealth, time, and religion for it.
مَن جَعَلَ ٱلۡهَمَّ هَمَّ ٱلدُّنۡيَا فَرَّقَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيۡهِ أَمۡرَهُ وَجَعَلَ فَقۡرَهُ بَيۡنَ عَيۡنَيۡهِ وَلَمۡ يَأۡتِهِ مِنَ ٱلدُّنۡيَآ إِلَّا مَا كُتِبَ لَهُ
“Whoever makes the world his goal, Allah will scatter his affairs, place poverty before his eyes, and he will only get from the world what is decreed for him.”
(Ibn Majah: 4105)
وَمَا ٱلۡحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنۡيَآ إِلَّا لَعِبٞ وَلَهۡوٞ وَلَلدَّارُ ٱلۡأٓخِرَةُ خَيۡرٞ لِّلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَۚ أَفَلَا تَعۡقِلُونَ
“The life of this world is nothing but play and amusement. And the home of the Hereafter is better for those who fear Allah. Will you not then understand?”
(Surah Al-An‘am: 32)
يَوْمَ يَفِرُّ ٱلۡمَرۡءُ مِنۡ أَخِيهِ وَأُمِّهِۦ وَأَبِيهِ وَصَٰحِبَتِهِۦ وَبَنِيهِ
“On the Day when a man will flee from his brother, his mother, his father, his wife, and his children.”
(Surah ‘Abasa: 34–36)
The Day of Judgment will be the day when all relationships will be severed, and man will be alone.
فَمَن زُحۡزِحَ عَنِ ٱلنَّارِ وَأُدۡخِلَ ٱلۡجَنَّةَ فَقَدۡ فَازَۗ
“Whoever is kept away from the Fire and admitted to Paradise has indeed succeeded.”
(Surah Aal-‘Imran: 185)
Those who make this world their goal are at loss.
Those who use the world as a means to prepare for the Hereafter are the successful ones.
What should we do?
➊ Keep the world in your hand, not in your heart.
➋ Consider the Hereafter as the real destination.
➌ Good deeds, charity, prayer, character, and supplication — these are the true wealth.
➍ Ask yourself daily: “I came alone — will I leave alone as a success?”
اللَّهُمَّ لَا تَجْعَلِ الدُّنْيَا أَكْبَرَ هَمِّنَا، وَلَا مَبْلَغَ عِلْمِنَا، وَاجْعَلْ الْآخِرَةَ هِيَ دَارَنَا وَمَثْوَانَا
“O Allah, do not make this world our greatest concern or the extent of our knowledge, and make the Hereafter our home and final abode.”
Written by: Qari Usama bin Abdus Salam
1. The Status of This World in the Sight of Allah
وَمَا ٱلۡحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنۡيَآ إِلَّا مَتَـٰعُ ٱلۡغُرُورِ
“And the life of this world is nothing but the enjoyment of delusion.”
(Surah Aal-‘Imran, 185)
This world is a deception — it shines, it attracts, but it eventually perishes.
2. Man’s Worldliness and Reality
أَلۡهَىٰكُمُ ٱلتَّكَاثُرُ حَتَّىٰ زُرۡتُمُ ٱلۡمَقَابِرَ
“The competition for more [wealth and children] distracts you, until you visit the graves.”
(Surah At-Takathur: 1–2)
In the race of this world, man reaches his grave thinking he has succeeded, while in reality, he goes empty-handed.
3. Coming Alone – Leaving Alone
وَلَقَدۡ جِئۡتُمُونَا فُرَٰدَىٰ كَمَا خَلَقۡنَـٰكُمۡ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٖ
“And indeed, you have come to Us alone as We created you the first time.”
(Surah Al-An‘am: 94)
This verse is a clear declaration:
◈
When a person comes, he comes alone.◈
When he departs, he departs alone.◈
No wealth, property, car, women, or children accompany him.4. The Value of This World – Saying of the Prophet ﷺ
لَوْ كَانَتِ الدُّنْيَا تَعْدِلُ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ جَنَاحَ بَعُوضَةٍ، مَا سَقَى كَافِرًا مِنْهَا شَرْبَةَ مَاءٍ
“If the world was worth as much as the wing of a mosquito in the sight of Allah, He would not give a disbeliever even a sip of water from it.”
(Sahih Tirmidhi: 2320)
This world has no real value in the sight of Allah, yet people sacrifice their life, wealth, time, and religion for it.
5. The End of the One Who Chases the World
مَن جَعَلَ ٱلۡهَمَّ هَمَّ ٱلدُّنۡيَا فَرَّقَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيۡهِ أَمۡرَهُ وَجَعَلَ فَقۡرَهُ بَيۡنَ عَيۡنَيۡهِ وَلَمۡ يَأۡتِهِ مِنَ ٱلدُّنۡيَآ إِلَّا مَا كُتِبَ لَهُ
“Whoever makes the world his goal, Allah will scatter his affairs, place poverty before his eyes, and he will only get from the world what is decreed for him.”
(Ibn Majah: 4105)
6. Who Lives for the Hereafter?
وَمَا ٱلۡحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنۡيَآ إِلَّا لَعِبٞ وَلَهۡوٞ وَلَلدَّارُ ٱلۡأٓخِرَةُ خَيۡرٞ لِّلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَۚ أَفَلَا تَعۡقِلُونَ
“The life of this world is nothing but play and amusement. And the home of the Hereafter is better for those who fear Allah. Will you not then understand?”
(Surah Al-An‘am: 32)
7. Man’s Negligence – A Profound Lesson
يَوْمَ يَفِرُّ ٱلۡمَرۡءُ مِنۡ أَخِيهِ وَأُمِّهِۦ وَأَبِيهِ وَصَٰحِبَتِهِۦ وَبَنِيهِ
“On the Day when a man will flee from his brother, his mother, his father, his wife, and his children.”
(Surah ‘Abasa: 34–36)
The Day of Judgment will be the day when all relationships will be severed, and man will be alone.
8. What is True Success?
فَمَن زُحۡزِحَ عَنِ ٱلنَّارِ وَأُدۡخِلَ ٱلۡجَنَّةَ فَقَدۡ فَازَۗ
“Whoever is kept away from the Fire and admitted to Paradise has indeed succeeded.”
(Surah Aal-‘Imran: 185)
Conclusion and Advice
Those who make this world their goal are at loss.
Those who use the world as a means to prepare for the Hereafter are the successful ones.
What should we do?
➊ Keep the world in your hand, not in your heart.
➋ Consider the Hereafter as the real destination.
➌ Good deeds, charity, prayer, character, and supplication — these are the true wealth.
➍ Ask yourself daily: “I came alone — will I leave alone as a success?”
Final Supplication
اللَّهُمَّ لَا تَجْعَلِ الدُّنْيَا أَكْبَرَ هَمِّنَا، وَلَا مَبْلَغَ عِلْمِنَا، وَاجْعَلْ الْآخِرَةَ هِيَ دَارَنَا وَمَثْوَانَا
“O Allah, do not make this world our greatest concern or the extent of our knowledge, and make the Hereafter our home and final abode.”
