This excerpt is taken from Sheikh Abu Hamza Abdul Khaliq Siddiqi's book Sahih Fazail-e-Amaal.
Allah, the Lord of Glory, created jinn and humans for His worship, and this is the purpose of their coming into this world. The world is a place for preparation for the test. The exam paper has been explained: prepare for it in this world, later there will be a test where pass or fail will be declared.
Now, whoever makes the testing place the ultimate reality, or if a traveler on a journey temporarily stops somewhere and, forgetting his true destination, considers that place his home, no wise person calls him wise; rather, it is said that he has preferred the temporary over the permanent. Similarly, this is the case with the world and the Hereafter. The world is temporary, so temporary that no one knows when they will depart from here, while the Hereafter is eternal and everlasting. Yet, humans fall prey to Satan's tricks and prefer the temporary over the permanent. Therefore, here are some verses and then hadiths related to this topic, from which it becomes clear which is the true permanent place.
﴿وَمَا هَٰذِهِ الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا إِلَّا لَهْوٌ وَلَعِبٌ ۚ وَإِنَّ الدَّارَ الْآخِرَةَ لَهِيَ الْحَيَوَانُ ۚ لَوْ كَانُوا يَعْلَمُونَ﴾
“The life of this world is nothing but play and amusement, and indeed the Hereafter is the real life. Would that they knew!”
Reference: (29-Al-Ankabut:64)
﴿قَدْ أَفْلَحَ مَن تَزَكَّىٰ . وَذَكَرَ اسْمَ رَبِّهِ فَصَلَّىٰ. بَلْ تُؤْثِرُونَ الْحَيَاةَ الدُّنْيَا. وَالْآخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ وَأَبْقَىٰ.﴾
“Indeed, those who have attained success are those who are purified, and who remember the name of their Lord and pray. But you prefer the life of this world, while the Hereafter is better and more lasting.”
Reference: (87-Al-A'la:14 to 17)
﴿مَن كَانَ يُرِيدُ حَرْثَ الْآخِرَةِ نَزِدْ لَهُ فِي حَرْثِهِ ۖ وَمَن كَانَ يُرِيدُ حَرْثَ الدُّنْيَا نُؤْتِهِ مِنْهَا وَمَا لَهُ فِي الْآخِرَةِ مِن نَّصِيبٍ﴾
“Whoever desires the harvest of the Hereafter, We increase for him in his harvest; and whoever desires the harvest of this world, We give him thereof, but there is not for him in the Hereafter any share.”
Reference: (42-Ash-Shura:20)
﴿إِنَّ الَّذِينَ لَا يَرْجُونَ لِقَاءَنَا وَرَضُوا بِالْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَاطْمَأَنُّوا بِهَا وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ عَنْ آيَاتِنَا غَافِلُونَ . أُولَٰئِكَ مَأْوَاهُمُ النَّارُ بِمَا كَانُوا يَكْسِبُونَ.﴾
“Those who do not expect to meet Us and are satisfied with the life of this world and feel secure therein, and those who are heedless of Our signs, their refuge will be the Fire because of what they used to earn.”
Reference: (10-Yunus:7-8)
﴿فَأَمَّا مَن طَغَىٰ. وَآثَرَ الْحَيَاةَ الدُّنْيَا. فَإِنَّ الْجَحِيمَ هِيَ الْمَأْوَىٰ . وَأَمَّا مَنْ خَافَ مَقَامَ رَبِّهِ وَنَهَى النَّفْسَ عَنِ الْهَوَىٰ. فَإِنَّ الْجَنَّةَ هِيَ الْمَأْوَىٰ.﴾
“So whoever transgresses, We will drive him into a severe punishment. But whoever fears the standing before his Lord and restrains himself from desires, his refuge will be Paradise.”
Reference: (79-An-Nazi'at:37 to 41)
وعن عائشه رضي الله عنها قالت: توفي رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وما فى بيتي من شيء يأكله ذو كبد إلا شطر شعير فى رف لي، فأكلت منه حتى طال على ، فكلته ففني.
It is narrated from Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) passed away in a state where there was nothing in my house that any living being could eat except a little barley that I had kept in my shelf. So for a long time, I kept eating from it little by little until one day I measured it and it was finished.
Reference: Sunan Tirmidhi, Book of Zuhd, No: 2377 -
Al-Albani (may Allah have mercy on him) declared it authentic. Those who prefer the life of the Hereafter over the world and become engrossed in building the world, as a result, do not attain the world, and they bid farewell to the Hereafter from the start. Their lives become full of hardships, and they bring their families to the brink of Hell. But those who prefer the Hereafter over the worldly life, Allah, by His grace and mercy, makes both the world and the Hereafter easy for them.
Verse: Wealth and riches, this world, these ties and bonds, are idols of illusion and doubt, La ilaha illallah!
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was sleeping on a mat, and when he woke up, the marks of the mat were on his pure body. We said: “O Messenger of Allah! If you command us, we will prepare a comfortable bed for you.” He (peace be upon him) said:
” مالي وللدنيا ، ما أنا فى الدنيا إلا كراكب استظل تحت شجرة ثم راح وتركها“.
“What concern do I have with the world? My example and the world’s example is like a rider who rests under a tree to benefit from its shade, then moves on and leaves the tree in its place.”
Reference: Sunan Ibn Majah, No: 4109 - Silsilat al-Sahihah, No: 438.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) often had the companions write these words in gatherings:
”اللهم اقسم لنا من خشيتك ما يحول بيننا وبين معاصيك ومن طاعتك ما تبلغنا به جنتك ، ومن اليقين ما تهون به علينا مصيبات الدنيا ، ومتعنا بأسماعنا وأبصارنا وقوتنا ما أحييتنا ، واجعله الوارث منا ، واجعل ثأرنا على من ظلمنا ، وانصرنا على من عادانا ، ولا تجعل مصيبتنا فى ديننا ، ولا تجعل الدنيا أكبر همنا ولا مبلغ علمنا ، ولا تسلط علينا من لا يرحمنا“ .
“O Allah! Grant us fear of You that prevents us from disobeying You, and grant us the ability to obey You that leads us to Your Paradise, and grant us certainty that makes the hardships of this world easy for us. O Allah! As long as You keep us alive, benefit us with our hearing, sight, and strength, and make these (abilities) our inheritance. Take revenge on whoever oppresses us, help us against whoever is hostile to us, do not place trials in our religion, nor make the world our goal or the limit of our knowledge, and do not impose upon us anyone who shows no mercy to us.”
Reference: Sunan Tirmidhi, Book of Supplications, Chapter: Du’a Allahumma Aqsim Lana Al-Kh..., No: 3502.
Al-Albani (may Allah have mercy on him) graded it Hasan. عن بن عمر رضي الله عنهما ، قال: أخذ رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم بمنكبي، فقال: ” كن فى الدنيا كأنك غريب ، أو عابر سبيل“. وكان ابن عمر يقول : إذا أمسيت فلا تنتظر الصباح، وإذا أصبحت فلا تنتظر المساء . وخذ من صحتك لمرضك، ومن حياتك لموتك.
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with both) that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) took my shoulder and said: “Live in this world as if you are a stranger or a traveler.” And Sayyiduna Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with both) used to say: “When you do the evening prayer, do not await the morning prayer, and when you do the morning prayer, do not await the evening prayer, and take advantage of your health before sickness and your life before death.”
Reference: Sahih Bukhari, Book of Riqaq, Chapter: The Prophet’s Saying: Be in the world as if you are a stranger, No: 6416.
The meaning of Sayyiduna Ibn Umar’s statement is that Allah has blessed you with health, so consider it a blessing and benefit from it, and do as many good deeds as possible. Lest sickness comes and you are unable to perform righteous deeds. Similarly, consider your life a blessing because no one knows when death will come and no respite will be given.
If one’s focus is on the Hereafter, one remains happy in every condition. As narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
” أنظروا إلى من هو أسفل منكم ، ولا تنظروا إلى من هو فوقكم ، فإنه أجدر أن لا تزدروا نعمة الله“.
“Look at the one who is below you (in worldly matters) and do not look at the one who is above you, so that you do not belittle the favors of Allah.”
Reference: Sahih Muslim, Book of Zuhd and Softening of Hearts, No: 2963
He further said:
” من أصبح منكم آمنا فى سربه معافى فى جسده، عنده قوت يومه ، فكأنما حيزت له الدنيا“.
“Whoever wakes up in a state where he is safe in himself and healthy, and has food for the day, it is as if the whole world has been gathered for him.”
Reference: Sunan Tirmidhi, Book of Zuhd, No: 2346 -
Al-Albani graded it Hasan. عن ثوبان رضى الله عنه قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : ” يوشك الأمم أن تداعى عليكم كما تداعى الأكلة إلى قصعتها“. فقال قائل: ومن قلة نحن يومئذ؟ قال: ” بل أنتم يومئذ كثير ، ولكنكم غثاء كغثاء السيل، ولينزعن الله من صدور عدوكم المهابة منكم، وليقذفن الله فى قلوبكم الوهن“. فقال قائل: يا رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : وما الوهن؟ قال: ” حب الدنيا وكراهية الموت“.
Sayyiduna Thawban (may Allah be pleased with him) said that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: “Soon (disbelieving) nations will rush upon you calling one another as people who eat call one another to the dining table.” A man asked: “Will we be few in number then?” He said: “No! You will be many, but your status will be like foam on flowing water. Allah will remove your awe from the hearts of your enemies and will cause weakness in your hearts.” A man asked: “O Messenger of Allah! What is weakness?” He (peace be upon him) said: “Love of the world and hatred of death.”
Reference: Sunan Abu Dawood, Book of Battles, Chapter: On the Gathering of the Enemies Against Islam, No: 4297 - Silsilat al-Sahihah, No: 956.
In summary, the believer prefers his true place, the Hereafter, over the world and strives for it. The reward for this will be the eternal blessings of Paradise.
