THE LIFE OF THIS WORLD IS A TRANSIENT SHADE
The All-Mighty Allah `The Exalted,’ says describing this world:…Truly, the life of this world is nothing but a [quick passing] enjoyment, and verily, the Hereafter that is the home that will remain forever.)(Qur’an 40:39)
He has also warned mankind of the trial that children and possessions represent, saying: (And know that your possessions and your children are but a trial and that surely with Allah is a mighty reward.) (Qur’an 8:28)
The All-Mighty Allah also forbids us to long for what he has bestowed on others: (And strain not your eyes in longing for the things We have given for enjoyment to various groups of them [polytheists and disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah], the splendor of the life of this world, that We may test them thereby…) (Qur’an 20:131)
There are many Qur’anic Verses, which dispraise the life of this world and invite mankind to exploit their efforts for the Hereafter. Allah’s Messenger (saw) `Blessings and Peace be upon him’ said: “My similitude and that of the life of this world is that of a traveler who took a rest at mid-clay under a shade of a tree and then left it.” (Narrated by Ahmad, At-Tirmidhi Ibn Majah and Al-Haakim)
The Prophet (saw) also urged the Muslims to prepare for death and to take provisions for the Hereafter, He said: “Be in this world like a stranger, or a wayfarer.” (Narrated by Bukhari)
Whenever we see the people pouncing for worldly legal and illegal benefits, we remember what the Prophet (saw) said: “When the All-Mighty Allah gives a person whatever he loves of the worldly benefits despite his disobedience, then that is a gradual enticement.” (Narrated by Ahmad and Al-Bayhaqi)
Those who hold on to the false life of the world, yearning for material benefits may be distracted from obedience, worship and performing their religious duties on time and in a perfect manner.
The Prophet (saw) said: The Hour (of Resurrection) has drawn near, whereas the people have become more greedy for the life of the world and more remote from Allah. [Narrated by al-Haakim]
Collecting worldly benefits by legal means and spending them for legal ends is worship that brings a person close to Allah. But collecting them by illegal means or spending them for illegal ends leads only to Hell. Yahya Ibn Mu’adh (ra) `May Allah be pleased with him’ said: “I don’t order you to abandon life but to abandon sins. Abandoning life is a virtue and abandoning sins is a duty, so your need for this latter is greater than your need for the former.”
Dear brother/sister, This life is full of benefits and fortunes: The land on which man constructs his dwelling, and grows his food, drinks, dress …etc., all represents the nourishment for man’s body and soul proceeding towards Allah. Man, of course, cannot do without these vital necessities. The one who takes from these necessities only according to his real need as commanded by Allah is saved and praised. But whoever takes more than necessary for himself falls into covetousness which will lead him into harm instead of benefit, and consequently divert him from the right path towards Allah and the Hereafter. Likewise, taking less than required of the worldly benefits is harmful because the human body needs to satisfy certain basic needs, and that will increase its capability to worship Allah perfectly.
Amr Ibn Abdullah (ra) said: “The life of this world and the Hereafter, in the heart of a person, are like the two scales of a balance, when the one becomes heavier the other becomes lighter.”
Al-Hasan Al-Basri was asked: “Who is going to cry more than the others on the Day of Resurrection?” He answered: “A man on whom Allah has bestowed His Grace and who uses that for Allah’s disobedience.”
No doubt, the one who uses his money in this life in Allah’s obedience: giving charity, contributing to the spread of Islamic knowledge, constructing mosques, is successful in directing this grace of Allah towards the right deeds that will definitely benefit him in the Hereafter.
Man, by nature, loves collecting money, gold and silver, running, for that purpose, here and there from birth to death, but what will he attain? And where is he going to finish? Life will never continue on one pattern and is always changing, from richness to poverty, and from happiness to sorrow. This is Allah’s Way with His Creation, but the people are running after a mirage each for a known number of days and years that will expire.
A poet made an image about the life of this world saying that it is like a dead animal encircled by a number of dogs pulling, its parts each in a direction. If you avoid it, then you are safe, but if you decide to pull a part for yourself, the dogs will be your rivals.
`Umar Ibn Al-Khattab (ra) said: “Renouncing the worldly pleasures is a comfort for both the human heart and body.” Al-Hasan (ra) said: “I know some people who do neither feel happy for obtaining any of the worldly pleasures, nor feel sorry for missing any of them.”
A believer should not regard the life of this world as a home and a dwelling, but should consider himself as a traveler in it. This is the good understanding and the fruitful knowledge. Yahya Ibn Mu’adh (ra) said: “How can’t I love this life? A sustenance is decreed for me in it which keeps me alive and helps me to perform the deeds of obedience that will lead me to Paradise.” Such are the people who should be happy because of the way they regard life, but not those who live in luxurious palaces, neglect worship and reject every deed of obedience.
`Abdullah Ibn `Umar (ra) said: “The life of this world is Paradise for a disbeliever and a prison for a believer. When a believer dies and departs from this world he feels himself like a prisoner who was released to go freely on the spacious earth.”
O people! The arrows of death are pointed towards your chests, so keep your eyes on them. The trap of hope is set in front of you, so beware of it. The trials of the life of this world have encircled you, so avoid failure in them. Don’t be misled by your good condition because it will vanish.
Whoever thinks well of the outcome of this life, takes the precautions, and whoever is certain about the long way he has to travel, makes the preparation for that.
O people! We have spent a long time in the amusements of this life, and our sins have accumulated on each other.
Dear brother/sister, where is our place in comparison to these people? Narrated Anas Ibn `Ayyad (ra): I saw Safwan Ibn Salim, and had it been said to him: “Tomorrow is the Day of Resurrection, he would have not needed to perform an additional act of worship.” How amazing our situation is… This life is leaving us and the Hereafter is coming towards us, but we keep ourselves busy with the one that is leaving and turn away from that which is coming, as if we are not going to arrive and settle therein.
`Umar Ibn Abdul `Aziz said in a sermon: “The life of this world is not your permanent dwelling because Allah has decreed that it should perish and that all its dwellers should leave it. How many a populated area that will soon come to ruins and how many a happy resident who will soon leave his residence. You should therefore leave this world in the best way you can, and the best of provisions is piety. Since the life of this world is neither a home nor an abode for the believer, he should be in it, either a stranger whose objective is to take the required provisions and return home, or a traveler who is residing nowhere and who is proceeding day and night to reach a country of residence. The people are wrestling for the worldly pleasures, some loose their religion, others forget their children, hatred becomes common and rancor is sown between them.
A poet said: “Man should take the minimum possible of the worldly pleasures, because he is leaving for a fixed appointment; turn his eyes away from this life and its ornaments, make all the efforts to keep away from its lusts, because it is a place of temporary pleasures and trials, and all the people in it will perish.”
To remind us of our destination, Bilal Ibn Sa’ad said: “O people! You are not created so as to perish, but you will be shifted from one house to another, as you have been shifted from the backbone to the mother’s womb and from there to life, then to graves, and from graves to Resurrection and in the end to eternity either in Paradise or in Hell.”
Al-Hasan said: “Beware of the diversions of this world, which are many. If a man opens a door for diversions, then that door may open ten others.” Ibn As-Sammak said: “Whoever tastes the sweetness of the life in this world for his inclination towards it, will also taste the bitterness of the Hereafter for turning away from it.”
Dear brother/sister, It is important to know that what Allah wills becomes a reality and what he does not will never take place. Be certain that good deeds are a grace from Allah for which you have to thank Him and invoke Him not to interrupt them, and that evil deeds are of his punishment, so you should pray to Him to protect you from them, and not to abandon you to yourself in respect of performing good deeds and avoiding evil ones.
Ibrahim Ibn Ad-ham was asked: “How are you?” He said: “We patch the life of this world by tearing from our religion, so neither our religion remains nor what we patch. Blessed is he who prefers Allah, his Rabb (Lord) and renounces the life of this world for what he expects as reward in the Hereafter.”
The signs of the love shown for the life of this world are: Love of its people, favoritism, flattery. Sufyan Ath-Thawri said: “Man’s love for the life of this world is shown in the way he greets people.” Look at a chaste poor man… nobody talks to him. People greet him so warily as if fearing that he may pass poverty to them. But see how the people welcome a rich man, even if he does not perform prayer. They stand up with smiling faces, and each one hopes to greet him first. Note the difference between a man who is so great as seen by Allah and another who does not even weigh a mosquito’s wing – but this is life. Abdullah Ibn `Aun said: “Those before us used to consecrate for the life of this world the surplus of their needs for the Hereafter, and you consecrate for the Hereafter the surplus of your needs in the life of this world.”
O brother/sister in Islam, Life is very short, and the richest person therein is poor. You have to wake up from this long sleep and to renounce the love of this life. One day this life will have an end and the Hereafter will come forward. What is once remote will become so close. What you used to see in others, people will see in you, a sudden death – or even in your good health you may be taken from your bed to the grave. These are lessons following one another, but we are heedless and lost in error.
Dear brother/sister, Be of the children of the Hereafter, and not of the children of this world. The child follows the mother, and the life of this world does not deserve moving a foot towards it, so why do you run after it?
Brother/sister, If the people are satisfied with the life of this world, be satisfied with Allah. If they are happy with the life of this world, be happy with Allah. And if they like the company of their lovers and friends, you should like the company of Allah. If they seek the friendship of their kings and leaders to obtain honor and prestige, you must seek the Friendship of Allah to obtain the true honor and prestige.
`Umar Ibn Abdul `Aziz said in a sermon: “Every journey requires provisions, so let piety be your provision in the journey from the life in this world to the Hereafter. Be like the one who saw the torment that Allah has prepared for him, in order that you may desire His reward and fear His torment. Let not the term be prolonged for you and your hearts be hardened, then submit to your enemy. The All-Mighty Allah has not extended hope for a man who (in the morning) is not certain to live till evening, and (in the evening) is not certain to live till morning. May be death is waiting for him between the two. The one who can rest assured is the one who is certain that he is saved from Allah’s torment and the horrors of the Day of Resurrection. I seek refuge in Allah from commanding you to do what I forbid myself to do lest I may lose my deal on a day when truth only avails.”
A poet said: “O you unmindful to death, deceived by vain hopes, you will leave this life within a short time. You desire to join the good people but without taking the required provisions. Don’t trust the life of this world and its decorations, because you will not stay here. Now you wait to see what will come tomorrow and after tomorrow, but hope may betray you. Your youth has gone forever, and you are now an old man with neither amusement nor argument. Why do we distract ourselves with the life of this world whereas it is offering the people many pleasures that hide serious diseases in them.”
Narrated Muhammad Ibn Abu `Imran: I heard a man asking Hatim Al-Asamm: “On what you have based your dependence on Allah ()?” He said: “On four points: I knew that my sustenance cannot be eaten by someone else and I am assured, I knew that my duty can-not be done by anyone else, so I kept myself busy with that. I knew that death will come suddenly to me, so I prepared myself for it. I knew that wherever I go I am under Allah’s Eye, so I am always shy of Him.” A poet said: “Those who traveled to many places allege that a stranger is always submissive even if he is honored and respected.” I said to them: “If a stranger is a pious person, then wherever he settles himself he will be sublime.”
Abdullah Ibn Al-Mubarak said: “O man! Prepare yourself for the Hereafter, obey Allah to the extent of your need for Him and anger Him to the extent of your patience in Hell.”
O our Rabb! How far you are from imperfection, we disobey you with our ignorance and you forgive us with Your Mercy.
Al-Fudayl Ibn `Ayyad said about the believer in this world: “His only concern is to prepare as much as he can of the provisions that will benefit him when he returns home. He does neither compete with the people of the country where he is a stranger for prestige nor feels concern about submissiveness in their land.”
A poet said: “The life of this world is not lasting and will perish because it is as weak as the spider’s web.”
Wahib Ibn Al-Ward said: “Don’t insult Satan explicitly whereas you take him clandestinely as a friend.”
Satan, desires, and human self-inclination to evil join their efforts to turn the Muslim away from his religion by making evil deeds seem fair to him.
Dear brother/sister, Life in this world is like a racetrack. People are competing: some of them on horseback, others on donkey back and others on foot, but the dust is too heavy to allow a distinction between them. When the dust settles then it becomes clear who is leading the race.
We are proceeding towards death. Every day our life span decreases and our end comes closer. And we remain unmindful, neither attaching importance nor preparing for the Day of Judgment.
Salamah Ibn Dinar said: “If you are satisfied from the life of this world with what is sufficient for you, then the minimum is sufficient. But if you are not satisfied with what is sufficient, then nothing can satisfy you.”
By Allah, owners of great riches and wealth and poor needy people are equal in what they take from this life at their death: only a shroud. But they differ inside the grave which is either a garden from Paradise or a hole in Hell.
Aba Safwan Ar-Ru’winl was asked: “What is that life dispraised by Allah in the Qur’an and that the sensible man should avoid?” He said: “Whatever you love in this life seeking worldly benefits is dispraised, and whatever you love seeking benefits in the Hereafter is praised.”
`AII Ibn Abi Talib (ra) said, describing the life in this world: “Its legal benefits will be subject to reckoning in the Hereafter and the illegal ones will lead to Hell.”
The All-Mighty Allah has revealed to Dawud [David (as)] `May Peace be upon him,’ “O Dawud (as)! Every day and night I look to the old man and say to him: “O my slave! You became old, of a weak body and soft bones, and you will soon return to Me, so be shy of Me, verily, I am shy of you.”
We race after worldly benefits. – We fear poverty and desire for collecting this life’s ruins as if we are going to have an eternal life in it. We fear poverty, but not the reckoning in the Hereafter. We fear hunger, but not Allah’s reproach and torment.
Yahya Ibn Mu’adh (ra), said: “O how poor is man, if he fears Hell in the same degree of his fearing poverty, then he will enter Paradise.”
Al-Hasan Al-Basri said about our ancestors: “I swear by Him in whose Hand my life is, I lived among people for whom the life in this world was more contemptible than the earth on which they used to walk.”
A poet said: “We dispraise time though it is not guilty, and complain of it but in vain. Time is not to blame, this is what we have committed and we are punished for it. This is Allah’s Decree, and we have to be patient and submit to Him.”
Dear brother/sister in Islam, Day and night are stages through which people pass until they come to their last journey. If, at any stage, you can send forward provisions, then do so, because soon the journey will end and the matter is so urgent. Prepare the provisions for your journey, because death may come suddenly.
A man wrote to a brother: “Brother, you think that you are a permanent resident in this life, whereas you are in a continuing journey in which you are driven rapidly. Death is moving towards you, and life is being rolled up behind you. What has gone of your life-span will never return to you.”
We proceed in the convoy of those who renounce worldly pleasures and see the caravans of the pious pass by, so how do we see the combination between life in this world and the Hereafter, between renunciation and satisfaction? `Ali Ibn Al-Fudayl said: “I heard my father saying to Ibn Al-Mubarak: You order us to renounce the worldly pleasures and to be satisfied with the minimum, whereas you are buying goods, so what is that?” He said: “I do that to protect my face and my honor, and this helps me obey my Rabb.” My father said: “How good is that if realized.”
Dear brother/sister, How good is the life in this world if its benefits are legally gained and legally spent. There are many ways to spend legally: give charity to orphans and widows, help needy people and rescue injured and sick ones. Sufyan said: “Beware of Allah’s wrath in three matters: neglecting His commands, being unsatisfied with what He has decreed to you as sustenance and being angry with Allah (swt) in the event of unfulfilled desire of the worldly benefits.”
Livelihoods in this life are distributed by Allah, so you have to accept that without any objection, whether it is in big or small quantity, whether it remains or passes away. You must accept your share of the life of this world as it is decided by Allah (swt), and compare yourself to none of those who are given better than you.
A poet said: “Whoever desires to live observing his religious duties and enjoying worldly pleasures, has to look to those above him as regards piety and to those below him as regards worldly benefits.”
But the best advice is what the All-Mighty Allah mentions in the Qur’an: (And strain not your eyes in longing for the things, We have given for enjoyment to various groups of them [polytheists and disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah], the splendor of the life of this world, that We may test them thereby…) (Qur’an 20: 131)
Ibrahim Al-Ash’ath said: I heard Al-Fudayl saying: “Man’s fear of Allah is equal to his knowledge of Him, and his renunciation of the life of this world is equal to his desire of the Hereafter.
Whoever acts according to what he knows, Allah will make him successful in what he doesn’t know. And whoever is ill-tempered disgraces his honor, religion and generosity.”
And ascetic said: “I know none who has heard of Paradise and Hell, then spends an hour of his life without praying, remembering Allah or doing a good deed.” A man said: “I weep so much,” He said to him: “To laugh and admit your sins is better than to weep and feel proud of your deeds.” The man said: “I need your advice,” He said: “Abandon the life of this world to its people as they have abandoned the Hereafter to its people.”
Dear brother/sister, Whoever remembers death demeans this life. Whatever you collect of the treasures of this life you will not enjoy, because there is death which destroys pleasures and disperse the groups.
Abu `Ubaidah An-Naji said: “We visited AI-Hasan AlBasri on the day he died. He said: “You are welcome, may Allah’s Peace be upon you, and accommodate us all in the Home of settlement.
This is a good sign if you are true and patient. Your share of this religion should not be to heard with your ears and say what you hear from your mouths. May Allah’s Mercy be upon him who eats cheap bread, wears rags, sits on the ground, works hard in worship, weeps for his sins, avoids Allah’s punishment, and asks His Mercy till death comes to him in this state.”
Narrated Abu Kabshah: The Prophet (saw) said: “The people in the life of this world are four type of men: A man to whom Allah has given money and knowledge, and who fears Allah, visits his relatives and knows Allah’s right in that, and this is the best of positions.” A man to whom Allah has given knowledge but no money, and who says with a sincere intention: “If I have the money of that man (the first), I will do as he does.” With this good intention, his reward will be equal to the first man. The third man is a man to whom Allah had given money but no knowledge, and who spends it randomly without any plan, fearing not his Rabb, visiting no relatives and knowing not Allah’s right in that, and this is the worst position. The fourth man is the one to whom Allah has given neither money nor knowledge, and who says: “If I have money, I will do as (the third man) does, so with his intention alone he will have equal sins to the third man.” (Narrated by Ahmad and At-Tirmidhi)
Dear brother/sister, It suffices of the life of this world that it is a farm that is harvested in the Hereafter, a (season) of worship and a time of obedience, in which we prepare our provisions for the Hereafter.
Al-Fudayl, may Allah have mercy on him, said: “The All-Mighty Allah made all the evils in a house and made the love of the life of this world the key of that house. And He made all the good in a house and made renunciation of the worldly pleasures the key of that house.”
Yahya Ibn Mu’adh said: “The life of this world is a house of deeds and the Hereafter is a house of horrors. Man remains between deeds and horrors until he settles either in Paradise or in Hell.”
Dear brother/sister in Islam, Careful thinking leads man to realise that this life is a journey for which he has to prepare his baggage. He also knows that the journey starts from the backbones of fathers, to the wombs of mothers and to life, then to the grave and Resurrection and finally to the eternal abode. We are captives in this life and we have to do our best to release ourselves from captivity, then proceed rapidly to reach our original home. It should be known that the part of the journey that is during life is very short and passes without being noticed, like someone who is on board a ship and cannot feel how fast it is running.
It is evident that man during any journey needs provisions and the only useful provision for the Hereafter is piety. Man therefore should have patience and tolerate the bitterness of piety lest he may say during the journey: “O my Rabb! Return me back to life,” then the definite answer is “No” Every one who is unmindful should mind his slow pace. The All-Mighty Allah shows man during this journey great signs to make him fear Allah in order that he may not be diverted from the right path and the perfect method. Whoever diverts from the right path should return to Allah in repentance and ask forgiveness of him.
Dear brother/sister, Whoever prepares himself for the meeting with Allah (swt), makes use of his time in what will be of benefit to him in the Hereafter, will be happy when neither wealth nor children will avail, when the written pages of deeds will be laid open, the hearts will shake and people will look as if drunken, though they are not drunk but the Torment of Allah will be severe.
Whoever desires the life of this world for worldly pleasures only, will see it abandoning him at his last critical moments. And whoever desires this life as a means to the Hereafter and to Paradise that is as wide as the heavens and the earth, will be led to the Home of Peace with Allah’s Mercy.
The pious people are human beings like us all, they love the life of this world and its pleasure, but the difference is that they are convinced that this life is a temporary one and preferred the eternal life. For this reason the All-Mighty Allah paved the way for them and removed the obstacles there from. A man said to Al-Fudayl Ibn `Ayyad: “How are you?” And he replied: “If you are asking about the life of this world, it has diverted us from the right path and sent us in many directions.” And if you are asking about the Hereafter, then how is he whose sins multiplied, whose deeds became weak, whose life-span was over, who prepared no provisions for the Hereafter, and did not prepare himself for death. In our days when a man needs any item of the worldly pleasures, however mean it is, he spends great effort and time examining and screening the various famous marks to assure perfect function. But when this man goes into a mosque to perform prayer, it is really a pity: Kneeling and prostrating imperfectly, and with neither solemnity nor submissiveness.
Yahya Ibn Mu’adh said: “O man! You seek this life as an imperious need for you, whereas you seek the Hereafter as if you are in no need of it. However, the All-Mighty Allah has spared you the efforts as regards to your needs in the life of this world, and if you seek the Hereafter, then you will obtain it, so take your decision.”
Dear brother/sister, It is astonishing that a man who believes in the Home of Eternity, turns away from it and seeks this life of trifles. But when Allah loves a man, He protects him from the life of this world. It is narrated that the Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said: “Verily, the All-Mighty Allah has created nothing that is more detestable to Him than to life of this world, and He has never looked at it since its creation.”
Shumait Ibn `Ajlan used to say: “Two persons are tormented in the life of this world: a rich man who is given a great wealth that keeps him so busy with worldly pleasures, and a poor man who is deprived of such pleasures for which he is longing with a heartbreak.”
A man dispraised the life of this world in the presence of ‘Ali Ibn Abi Talib (raa) who said: “The life of this world is a home of truth for the one who is truthful in it, a home of safety for the one who understands it perfectly, and a home of richness for the one who prepares his provisions there from.”
Many people dispraise the life of this world and consider it the main reason of distraction from obedience, however, it is the passage to Paradise and it is the deeds performed during one’s life-time that take one to either Paradise or Hell. Al-Awza’i admonished the people saying: “Make yourselves strong with these graces in which you are in order to escape from Allah’s kindled fire which leaps up over the hearts. You are in a home where your stay is so short. You are the successors of the nations who have lived before you, and who have enjoyed the splendor of life. They were of stronger bodies and lived longer periods than you, heaving rocks for their dwellings and doing many difficult tasks that you are too weak to do, nevertheless, the passing of days and nights rolled up their epoch, their villages were destroyed and their traces were effaced, so you can neither find a single one of them nor hear even a whisper of them.”
Dear brother/sister, Desiring the Hereafter and renouncing the life of this world can be perfected only by:
1- A thorough consideration of the life of this world and how rapidly it decreases and perishes, and to become aware of the pain, distress and vexation suffered in competing for its pleasures which will soon disappear leaving behind regret and heartbreak. The one who seeks worldly pleasures is always concerned when they are out of his reach, and if he obtains them, then he is in sorrow, when they disappear.
2- A thorough consideration of the Hereafter and how inevitable and lasting it is, to be aware of its bliss and happiness and to note the great variation between that and the worldly temporal pleasures. The All-Mighty Allah says: …The Hereafter is better and more lasting.” (Qur’an 87:17)
Everything is false except Allah (), and every bliss will vanish except that of Paradise. May Allah make us of the dwellers of Paradise.
Al-Hasan said: “How good is life in this world for a believer because he uses it to prepare his provisions for Paradise. And how evil it is for a disbeliever who uses it to prepare his provisions for Hell.”
Al-Hasan said: “In the life of this world the believer is like a captive, doing his best to free himself, and not feeling any security until he meets the All-Mighty Allah.”
Ibn Mas’ud said: “In the life of this world, everyone is a guest and his wealth is a loan. The guest will part and the loan will be returned.”
Salamah Ibn Dinar said: “The goods of the Hereafter are a dead stock now, you should buy as much as you can of them because on the day when they are saleable you can’t have anything of them.”
On the Day of Resurrection there is going to be only recompense and reckoning. When the sun of the Hereafter rises there is going to be only reckoning but no deeds, and now here in the life of this world there are only deeds but no reckoning. We should therefore make use of our life-span, before it is over, to perform good deeds and to prepare ourselves for the reckoning before we are asked about it. As regards renunciation of worldly pleasures, our forefathers were far more better than us. They gave no importance to its splendor and pleasures. `Umar Ibn Al-Khattab (radiyallahu anhu) used to ascend the mimbar to deliver a sermon while he was wearing a dress on which there were twelve patches. In our days some people will not go to the mosque if their dresses are torn and so they miss the congregational prayer. Others abandon going to the mosque for very weak excuses and even without any.
Mashriq Ibn Al-Ajda took his cousin by the hand to a garbage dump and said to him: “This is the life of this world. The people ate its food and consumed it, put on dresses and wore them out, shed blood in it, regarded the interdictions as permissible and severed the bonds of kinship.”
A man wrote to a friend of his: “Life in this world is a dream and the Hereafter is wakefulness and in between there is death.”
A poet said: “O you who have enjoyed the splendor of life in this world keeping the eyes always open for its pleasure, you have lost your life-span seeking what you can never attain, SO WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO SAY TO ALLAAH WHEN YOU MEET HIM?”
Dear brother/sister, look to the years that passed away of your life-span and see how rapidly they have gone with their happiness, sorrow, sweetness and bitterness, but reckoning is yet to come.
A poet said: “O you who love the pleasures of this world, don’t feel happy for that, because life is so rapidly changing and that is obvious to all people. How many a man who drank honey that caused his death, and how many a man who girded himself with a sword then killed with it.”
Narrated Dirar Ibn Murrah: Satan (Iblis) said: “If I am successful in persuading man to do three things, then that will be all I need: to make forget his sins. to regard his good deeds as too many and to be proud of his opinion.”
One of our forefathers said: “Beware of the life of this world because its magic is more effective than that of Harut and Marut. The two latter’s separate a man from his wife whereas the life of this world separates a man from his Rabb.”
A poet said: “Life surrenders to the one who seeks it, but the clever one who renounces its pleasures feels more comforts. Every king who possessed and enjoyed its splendor went out of it with a shroud only. Such persons collect wealth then leave it behind which is a trial in both cases.”
Abu Darda’, said: “Everyone has an imperfection of knowledge and wisdom, if his wealth increases, he becomes so happy though day and night are working hard on destroying his life-span. So what is good of a wealth that increases and a life-span that decreases.”
Many people become so depressed and distressed when they miss any of the worldly pleasures, but very few feel the same about their life-time that passes away rapidly.
Al-Hasan said: “The one whose wealth increases, his sins increase likewise, and who talks much, lies much, and the ill-tempered man torments himself.”
Dear brother/sister, We collect money to attain happiness, build palaces to makecordiality reside in our hearts, travel to forget our sorrow and spend all we have for the sake of happiness, but is that happiness?
Many people have attempted all these ways before us and they all agree with us that the real happiness is to obey Allah be close to Him and to make one’s efforts for the happiness that has no distress in it and a bliss that is lasting.
Wahb Ibn Manbah said: “The similitude of the life of this world and the Hereafter is that of two co-wives (of polygamy) whenever you please one, you anger the other.”
Al-Hasan Al-Basri said: “I am astonished about those people who are ordered to prepare their provisions, then the start of the journey is announced, however they remain unmindful in their vain discussions and fruitless deeds.”
Dear brother/sister in Islam, What is the standard in this life? And how are things weighed? ‘Ali Ibn Abi Talib (radiyallahu anhu) said: “Good does not mean to have big wealth and many children, but to have many good-deeds and much clemency. There is no good in the life of this world but for two men: a man who has committed so many evil deeds and who had turned to Allah in repentance and a man who hastens to perform good works.”
A poet said: “I wonder for a man who buys aberration paying guidance as a price, and I wonder more about that man who buys the life of this world paying as a price his religion. But the one who is the most surprising and most unsuccessful is the one who sells his religion receiving as a price the worldly pleasures of others.”
Dear brother/sister, You should know that the life of this world is like a dream or a transient shade. If it causes someone to laugh a little, it will make him weep a lot. If it causes pleasures for days or weeks, it will cause sorrow for months and years. If it allows its pleasures to people for a short time, it will deprive them of that for a long time. Hind, the daughter of Nu’man, said: “We were once the most honourable people with the strongest power and all the Arabs needed our help. Now we are the lowest people and all the Arabs pity us.”
`Umar Ibn Abdul `Aziz said in a sermon: “O people! You are created to last, but you will be moved from one home to another. You are in the home of choking food and drinks, and you will not enjoy a comfort that pleases you unless you abandon others that you hate to abandon. You must, therefore, work hard to prepare your home of eternity.”
A poet said: “If you have obtained the pleasures of the life of this world in addition to a good-looking face and virtue, beware lest you wish on the Day of Resurrection that you were dust.”
Al-Hasan said: “I swear by Him in whose Hands my life is, I know some people for whom the life of this world is lower than the dust they walk on.” May Allah have mercy on Al-Hasan, he said so about his time, but what would have he said if he had witnessed our time? People chasing worldly pleasures, severing the bonds of kinship and wasting their time talking about the wealth of this person and the properties of the other. In their meeting they neither remember Allah nor abstain from back-biting and other illegal conducts. They do not remember the narrow dark grave and the horrors that will come.
Al-Hasan said: “How astonishing is the one who laughs whereas he is sure about Hell, and the one who feels happy whereas he is sure about death.”
A poet said: “Nights and events pass like dreams whereas we are sleeping. But the most astonishing is that every hour the pace is increasing while we are sitting idle (doing nothing that will be of use in the real life.)”
Should we ever work for the sake of this life? The answer to this question is `Yes.’ Islam is a religion that urges people to work – but the following advice must be taken into consideration: A man came to Sufyan Ath-Thawri seeking his advice, and he said to the man: “Work for the sake of this life within the extent of your stay in it, and for the Hereafter within the extent of your stay therein.”
We should therefore compare the period of stay in the life of this world and that in the Hereafter. The life span of the people of the nation of the Prophet Muhammad (saws) ranges between sixty and seventy years (some people may die earlier). But let us see how long will be the day in the Hereafter, the All-Mighty Allah says: (…And verily, a day with your Rabb is as a thousand years of what you reckon.) (Qur’an 22:47)
Dear brother/sister, If a man desires to know how important he is in the eyes of a king, he should look into the work he is doing for the sake of that king.
We should look, dear brother/sister, to our station with Allah and what we are doing for His sake. If we are doing our utmost for His worship and obedience, then that will make us safe, and if otherwise, we should return to Allah in repentance, ask His Forgiveness and be shy of Him, our Sustainer and Creator.
Shaddad Ibn `Amr said: “The Hereafter is a true promise where a powerful king will judge between the people. The life of this world is full of vanities that are available for both the pious and the sinner. There is no plea for him who hears and disobeys, and no plea against him who hears and obeys. Don’t take the life of this world as a valuable thing because it spares none, and don’t reject it because the Hereafter can be obtained only through the life of this world.”
`Ubaid Ibn `Umair said: “Whoever has a great wealth will have a severe reckoning, and whoever has numerous followers will have an equal number of Satans, and whoever is close to a ruler is remote from Allah.”
Dear brother/sister, The All-Mighty Allah has made the life of this world temporary vanities and passing enjoyment, whereas He made the Hereafter an abode of recompense and reward. The life of this world was encircled with pleasures, the All Mighty Allah says: (Beautified for men is the love of things they covet; women, children, much of gold and silver [wealth], branded beautiful horses, cattle and well-tilled land. This is the pleasure of the present world’s life; but Allah has the excellent return [Paradise with flowing rivers] with Him.) (Qur’an 3:14)
In this Qur’anic Verse the All-Mighty Allah states that the beauties and pleasures of the life of this world are: women, the greatest of life’s pleasures and the most important of its trials; the children who are the perfection of man’s pride and honor; wealth and properties, horses, used by men in their travels and in their fights; and land which produces their food (i.e. vegetable, fruits —etc) Then the All-Mighty Allah adds that all these pleasures are passing and that in the Hereafter there are better and more lasting pleasures, He says: (Say: “Shall I inform you of things far better than those? For Al- Muttaqun [the pious] there are Gardens [Paradise] with their Rabb, underneath which rivers flow. Therein [is their] eternal [home] and Azwajun Mutahhratun [purified mates or wives]. And Allah will be pleased with them. And Allah is All-Seer of [His] slaves.) (Qur’an 3:15)
Then Allah states that category of men for whom these eternal pleasures are reserved, He says: (Those who say: “Our Rabb! We have indeed believed, so forgive us our sins and save us from the punishment of the Fire.” [They are] those who are patient, those who are true [in Faith, words, and deeds], and obedient with sincere devotion in worship to Allah. Those who spend [give the Zakat and alms in the Way of Allah] and those who pray and beg Allah’s Pardon in the last hours of the night.) (Qur’an 3: 16,17)
`Umar Ibn Al-Khattab (radiyallahu anhu) wrote to Abu Musa: “You will never obtain the reward in the Hereafter by a means that is better than abandoning the pleasures of the life of this world.”
Abu Hazim said: “If a man enters Paradise only by abandoning all that he loves of this life, that would have been a low price, however, he can enter Paradise by abandoning only a thousandth of what he loves of the life of this world.”
Al-Fudayl Ibn `Ayyad said: “Man’s fear of Allah is equal to his knowledge of Him and his renunciation of worldly pleasures is equal to his desire in the Hereafter.”
Al-Hasan said: “The people who will have the easiest reckoning on the Day of Resurrection are those who have done the reckoning of themselves in the life of this world, who have considered well their deeds and intentions, completed what is for Allah’s sake and abstained from what is not. And the reckoning will be heavy for those who jeopardise their religious duties in the life of this world and make no reckoning of themselves, because they will discover that the All-Mighty Allah has recorded even the weight of an atom of their deeds, the All-Mighty Allah says: (…They will say: “Woe to us! What sort of Book is this that leaves neither a small thing nor a big thing, but has recorded it with numbers!” And they will find all that they did, placed before them, and your Rabb treats no one with injustice.) (Qur’ an 18:49)
Whoever contemplates the farm of the life of this world and the time of harvest, sees that it is a serious matter and not an amusement. What a man forwards today will find tomorrow, on a Day when every nursing mother will forget her suckling, and every pregnant one will drop her load.
Salman Ibn Dinar said: “What you love to have with you in the Hereafter you should advance today, and what you hate to have with you, you should abandon today.”
Yahya Ibn Mu’adh said: “Night is so long therefore don’t shorten it with sleep, and day is so pure therefore don’t soil it with your sins.”
Shumail Ibn `Ajlan said: “Whoever considers death before his eyes, does not bother whether he lives in luxury or in hardship.”
A poet said: “O you unmindful man! Whereas time is a lesson for you, if you are asleep, remember that time is awake.” Muhammad Ibn Sugah said: “There are two deeds if we are tormented only for them then we will be deserving that torment: a man receives a worldly benefit and becomes so happy and Allah knows that the man has never expressed such happiness for performing an obedience or attaining a religious benefit; and a man loses a worldly benefit and becomes so sorry for that, however Allah knows that he has never expressed such sorrow for committing an evil deed or missing a religious duty.”
Muhammad Ibn Wasi` said: “Is it not astonishing to see someone weeping in Paradise?” The people answered: “Yes” He added: “It is more astonishing to see someone laughing in the life of this world whereas he doesn’t know his destiny.”
A poet said: “Take your provisions from this life because you don’t know when night comes whether you will live till dawn or not. How many young men that was laughing during the day whereas his shroud was being prepared and he knew nothing about it. How many young child whose parents hoped to see an old man but was already sent to the graves. And how many a brides that was beautified for their bride-grooms, but death took them both on the night of their wedding.”
The life of this world is a home of wishes and pride, so you should beware of it. Its wishes are untrue, its hopes are false and its felicity is vexation, so you are in a danger. The life of this world is either a passing bounty, a coming affliction, a painful disaster or an inevitable death. Abu Hurairah (radiyallahu anhu) said: “You are not true to yourselves: you hope for things that you don’t attain, you collect wealth that you don’t spend and you build houses where you will not live.”
A poet said: “Don’t seek anything other than contentment, because therein is the bliss and the comfort of your body. Then consider the case of a person who possesses the whole world, can he take with him in the grave more than cotton and a shroud?”
Abu Muhriz At-Tafawi said: While I was a young man I complained about distress to a slave-woman who said: “O my son! Seek help in the honour of satisfaction and not in the humiliation of pursuits. I see in many cases that few are safe.” He added: “I still benefit from that advice as regards satisfaction.”
Shu’aib Ibn Harb said: “Whoever seeks the life of this world should prepare himself for humiliation.”
And whoever prepares for humiliation sets free his desires, legal and illegal becomes equal for him, he earns for material benefits and worldly pleasures.”
Dear brother/sister, The All-Mighty Allah has made the Hereafter a home of recompense and reward and the life of this world a home of tolerance, trouble and preparation. And preparation in the life of this world is not limited to the Hereafter but includes this life.
A poet said: “How can he live happily, the one who knows that the Rabb of the creation will question him, then punishes him for wronging others and rewards him for the good deeds he had performed.”
Al-Hasan Al-Basri wrote to `Umar Ibn Abdul `Aziz: “The life of this world is a temporary home and not a permanent one. Adam (M) was sent down to this life as a punishment for him, so beware of it. The best provision to take from this life is to renounce it, and the best of its riches is poverty in it. It humiliates the man who honors it and impoverishes the man who collects its benefits. It is like poison eaten by someone who ignores it, then it causes his death. You should therefore be like someone who cures an injury, he has patience in taking medicine lest his injury may take a long time to heal. Beware of this life which is arrogant and deceptive. It appears like a beautiful bride towards whom the eyes turn and the hearts show passionate love, then kills whoever marries her. A man may get what he wants of this life’s pleasures, keeps himself busy with that and forgets the Hereafter till he stumbles off. He will then feel sorrow and regret and leave it without preparing any provision for the Hereafter.
The life of this world was presented to the Prophet Muhammad with all its treasures but he rejected it. He hated to love what his Creator has hated and to honour what Allah humiliated. Allah has taken away the pleasures of this life from the pious men to test them and gave plenty of that to his enemies to mislead them. It is narrated that the All-Mighty Allah said to Moses (alaihis salam): “When you see riches coming towards you, say: This is a hastened punishment for a sin,” and if you see poverty coming towards you say: “Welcome, the motto of the pious.”
Dear brother/sister, Life is being rolled up before you and the sun of the Hereafter is about to rise, so how do you see that?
When Salman was dying, he wept and the people asked: “Why do you weep?” You are the Companion of the Prophet. He replied: “I don’t weep desiring this life or regretting departure therefrom, but Allah’s Messenger has commanded us and we disobeyed him.” He said that: “The man from among us should have provisions in this life just like that of a traveler, only enough for his journey.” When Salman died the people discovered that the value of all the property he left behind, did not exceed thirty Dirhams (coins).
Life is a dark night and an extended mirage, and can be limited only by renunciation, satisfaction and contentment with what Allah has given, and by spending the days and nights in Allah’s obedience.
Malik Ibn Dinar said: “The people who love the life of this world have left it without tasting the best thing therein.” He wasasked: “What is that?” He answered: “Knowledge of the All-Mighty Allah
Abu Darda’ said: “Had it not been for three things, I would have preferred to be under the earth:
1- Brothers and friends visiting me and choosing fruitful speech.
2- To cover my face with dust in prostration to Allah.
3- To go out for Allah’s Sake.”
Dear brother/sister, If you contemplate well the life of this world, you will see that it is three days; a day that has passed and for which you don’t hope, a day that you live and that you should make the utmost benefit thereof, and a day that is yet to come and that you are not sure whether you are going to live or die before it. In this life you should seek the Hereafter, because out of this life you are going to have nothing but what you have sent for yourself beforehand. Therefore, you should not keep your wealth for yourself and follow what you will leave behind.
About the one who seeks the pleasures of the life of this world, al-Hasan said: “I swear by Allah they will not last for him nor will he last in this life. He will not be safe from its evils, burden and reckoning, then he will be taken out of it in a shroud.” Ali Ibn Abi Talib (raa) wrote to Abdullah Ibn ‘Abbas (raa): “Man feels unhappy for missing what he can never have and happy for what he can never miss. So be happy for what you have gained of the benefits of the Hereafter and sorry for what you have missed of that. Don’t feel happy for what you have obtained of the worldly benefit and be concerned about what will come after death.”
A poet said: “A man who seeks the pleasures of the life of this world whatever his life span is, and however great are the pleasures and benefits he has achieved, is like someone who has built a house that collapsed at the moment of completion.”
Dear brother/sister, Man should be worried about the following five points:-
1- The past sins about which he is not sure whether they have been forgiven by Allah or not.
2- The good deeds whether they have been accepted or not.
3- He knows how his life has been spent up to date but should be concerned about the future.
4- He knows that Allah prepared two dwellings in the Hereafter and he is not sure that in which one he is going to be (Paradise or Hell).
5- He does not know whether Allah is pleased or displeased with him.
Whoever is concerned about these five points in his life, has a strong reason not to laugh.
A poet said: “Have you not heard the news of the old generations and what time has done to them. If you don’t know, these are their homes already effaced by the rain and wind. They have all passed through this stage and all the coming generations will do the same till the Day of Resurrection. Therefore, you should wake up from your unmindfulness because that Day is so close now. If you refuse to wake now, then you will wake when your cover is removed (after death); you will remember my advice, but it will be too late.”
Abil Dharr Al-Ghifari stood up near the Ka’bah and said: “O people! Come to a brother who is going to advice you.” When the people came towards him he continued: “If any of you intends to set out for a journey won’t he take the required provisions to assist him to reach his destination?” They answered “Yes” He added: “The Day of resurrection is the most remote destination for your journey, you should therefore, take what will be good for you” They asked: “What will be good for us?” He answered: “Perform Hajj (Pilgrimage) for the horrors of the Hereafter, observe fasting on a very hot day for the long Day of Resurrection, and perform prayer in the darkness of the night for the loneliness of the grave. Say a good word or keep a bad one, give charity to the poor. Make your life, of two sessions; one to perform good deeds seeking the Hereafter and the other to have legal gains to spend on your family and to send beforehand for yourself in the Hereafter.”
Dear brother/sister, in a clear contrast between ourselves and our forefathers AI-Hasan Al-Basri said: “I knew some people and some sects who did not feel happy when they would obtain any of the worldly pleasures, or to follow them when they would turn away. The life of this world has been for them lower than the dust they walk on. They spent their nights praying, weeping and supplicating Allah (). When they would perform a good deed, they used to praise Allah for that and to invoke Him to accept it, and when they would commit an evil deed they used to ask Allah to forgive them. I swear by Allah they were saved from sins only by Allah’s forgiveness, May Allah have mercy on them.”
Dear brother/sister, The poet said: “You accumulate your sins one above the other and covet, inspite of that, to have the reward of a good worshipper and enter Paradise! Don’t you know that Adam (as) was sent out of it because of a single sin he committed.” Abu Darda’ (raa) said: “I love poverty so as to be modest before my Rabb, I love death because I am longing to see the All-Mighty Allah and I love sickness so as to expiate my sins.”
The life of this world, however low and mean it is, remains the passage to one of the dwellings of the Hereafter: Paradise or Hell.
Allah’s Messenger said: “The reckoning was done for a man from the past nations but there were no good deeds in his records.” That man was so rich during his life and used to mix with the people and to order his subordinates to be kind to the needy. The All-Mighty Allah said to the angels: “We are more deserving of that than him, We forgive him.” (Narrated by Bukhari and Muslim)
Dear brother/sister, You are a traveller in the life of this world, but one day your journey will have an end and you will have to step down. A poet said: “If you do not take in your journey in this life the provisions of piety, and if you meet after death someone who has done so; then you will regret for not having been like him and for not having deposited any balance in your account for that day.”
Dear brother/sister, How astonishing is he who knows that death is true, then laughs! Who knows that Hell is true, then feels happy and who knows that preordainment is true then worries about his sustenance. The one who follows the pleasures of this life can never hate it, and the one who seeks the Hereafter does not hate this life because it is the place of work and the farm that is cultivated here but harvested in the Hereafter.
Another wise man said: “How can he feel happy the one whose day demolishes his month (gradually) and whose month demolishes his year and whose year demolishes his life span. How can he feel happy the one whose life-span leads to death.”
Paradise and another will be in the lowest bottom in Hell. Death is the only delay between man and any of the mentioned stations.
The believer’s resolution is attached to the Hereafter and everything in the life of this world reminds him therewith. We see, for instance, when a group of craftsmen enter in a house each of them focuses on the part that constitutes his specialization; a carpenter looks at the doors and windows, a mason looks at the walls and a draper looks at the sheets and cloth. When a believer sees darkness he remembers the darkness of the grave, when he sees a painful sight he remembers Allah’s torment, when he sees sleeping people he remembers dead people in their graves and when he sees pleasures he remembers Paradise.
Abdullah Ibn Mas’ud (raa) said: “O people! You are in the passage of day and night. Your life span is decreasing. Your deeds are kept and death comes suddenly. Everyone will harvest what he has sown. A covetous man cannot get what Allah has not predestined for him. Whoever is given good that is from Allah, and whoever is saved against evil, then Allah is his Protector. The pious people are masters, jurists are leaders and being in the company of such people is a benefit.”
Abu Darda’ (raa) said: “Before Islam I used to be a merchant, and after the advent of Islam I was busy with commerce and worship, but it was so difficult for me to combine the two, that I renounced commerce and turned towards worship.”
This does not mean that man should absolutely abandon working for his sustenance, but that the pleasures of this life should not be his main objective. Islam urges man to work and considers that a holy activity if the intention is sincere and the person is loyal.
Abdullah Ibn Mas’ud (raa) said: “Whoever seeks the life of this world damages his rewards in the Hereafter, and whoever seeks rewards in the Hereafter, damages the pleasures of this life. You should therefore damage this transient life for the sake of the permanent one.”
The life of this world has a big share in ourselves. We talk only about its pleasures and feel sorry for what we miss thereof. Even the social relations are now governed by material benefits. One of my neighbors was a high official who used to have many visitors. One evening I saw that man sitting in the middle of his garden with the door of his house wide-open but there wasn’t even a single person with him. When I asked about the matter, I was told that the man had retired from the service that is why his visitors had disappeared because he could no longer offer his services.
A wise man said: “We seek four ends but we take the wrong ways: We seek riches in money whereas it is in contentment, we seek comfort in plenitude whereas it is in fewness, we seek dignity in the people whereas it is in piety, we seek pleasures in food and dresses whereas it is in Islam.”
Al-Khurassani said: “I don’t advise you to mind your life’s affairs because I know that you are covetous to do so, but I advise you to mind the affairs of the Hereafter. Take from this temporary home to the eternal one. Consider this life as something that you have left, I swear by Allah you will leave it. Consider death as something that you have tasted, I swear by Allah you will taste it. And consider the Hereafter as a home that you have visited, I swear by Allah you will be there.”
Al-Balakhl said: “The people say that they are Allah’s slaves whereas they deal with him as free men, they say that Allah guarantees their sustenance but their hearts are fond of collecting worldly benefits, they say that death is inevitable but they behave as if they are not going to die. So their acts are contradictory to what they say.”
Ibrahim Al-Taymi said: “I imagined myself in Paradise, eating of its fruits, drinking of its beverages and embracing my young beautiful wives. Then I imagined myself in Hell, eating of its poisonous plants, drinking boiling water and wrestling in my chains. I said to myself: “Which of the two do you prefer?” The answer was: “I want to go back to life to perform good deeds,” I said: “You can do so, because that is just an imagination.”
Salamah Ibn Dinar said: “Allah’s Grace in what He has deprived me of is greater than that in what He has given me, because I see that the latter was given to other people and they are destroyed.”
Zunnan Al-Misr said: “The ailment of the body is in sickness and that of the heart is in sins. A delicious meal cannot benefit the body when the person is sick and likewise, the heart cannot taste the sweetness of worship if it is full of sins.”
Salman Al-Farsi said: “Three things astonished me till I laughed and three things caused my sorrow till I wept. The first three are: a man who seeks worldly pleasures whereas death seeks him, a man who is unmindful towards Allah’s duty whereas Allah is not unmindful towards him and a man who laughs loudly whereas he does not know whether Allah is pleased or angry with him. And the second three are: being separated from Muhammad (2ft), being separated from my loved ones and being judged by Allah on the Day of Resurrection and not knowing whether I will be ordered to Paradise or to Hell.” The love of the life of this world became deep in our hearts. Day and night we are busy thinking about its pleasures and how to maximize our profits and multiply our gains. Whenever there is an appointment for a worldly matter the people go there so early and wait happily for the start. But when the call for prayer is made they are too lazy to go to the mosques and some of them do not even answer the call.
Said Ibn ‘Abdul `Aziz said: “Whoever does good can wait for reward and whoever does wrong should not be surprised when tormented. Whoever avails of dignity without right inherits humiliation with right and whoever collects a wealth by wronging others Allah will impoverish him with justice.”
Al-Hasan Al-Basri said: “The jurisprudent is the one who renounces worldly pleasures, seeks the Hereafter, knows well his religion, worships his Rabb regularly, protects the Muslim’s honor, saves their wealth and advises them.”
Collecting worldly pleasures is not an indicator of happiness. Many poor people (only with contentment in their hearts) are happier than very rich people.
Dear brother/sister, The good Muslim should always remember Paradise and Hell, wish for the former and flee from the latter, otherwise his resolution will become weak. The harder the Muslim works seeking Paradise, the stronger becomes his resolution and the more perfect become his deeds.
Abdullah Ibn Khabig said: “Don’t feel sorry except for what will harm you tomorrow and don’t feel happy except for what will please you tomorrow. The best fear is that which makes you abstain from disobedience, feel sorry for the good deeds you have missed and be thoughtful the rest of your life.”
Dear brother/sister, Coming to life and enjoying its pleasures is so easy but to leave it is so painful. The stupor of death is coming to end happiness in this world and what is coming after death is even more horrible.
A poet said: “Nights and days are pregnant, but Allah Alone knows what they are going to bring out at delivery.”
Sufyan Ath-Thawri said: “The following three are those who will be of utmost regret on the Day of Resurrection:
(1) A man who used to have a slave in the life of this world and whose deeds are better than those of the master.
(2) A man who had wealth in this life but did not pay Zakah, after his death his heirs took the wealth and paid Zakah.
(3) A scholar who made no use of his knowledge but taught another who profited a lot from that.”
Dear brother/sister, May Allah make our way in the life of this world lead to the Gardens of Aden, and make us of those who prepare their provisions from this transient abode for the eternal one. I invoke the All-Mighty Allah to assemble me, you, our fathers, mothers and relatives under His Mercy with those on whom there shall be no fear nor shall they grieve Ameen.
The All-Mighty Allah says: (And put forward to them the example of the life of this world: it is like the water [rain] which We send down from the sky, and the vegetation of the earth mingles with it, and becomes fresh and green. But [later] it becomes dry and broken pieces, which the winds scatter. And Allah is Able to do everything.) (Qur’an 18:45)
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FORTY HADITH ON THE ISLAMIC PERSONALITY
By Shaikh Ali Hasan al-Halabi
HADEETH 28: He is not Attached to This World
From Sahl ibn Aa’d (radiyallaahu ‘anhu) who said that Allaah’s Messenger (salallaahu ‘alaihi wa’sallam) said: Jibreel came to me and said: O Muhammad! Live as you will for you must certainly die; love whom you will since you must certainly leave him; act as you will since you shall certainly be given due reward for it; know that the believers eminence is his standing in prayer during the night, and his honour is having sufficiency without dependency upon the people. Reported by al-Haakim (4/324) and others.
NOTES
The person who lives attached to this world is poor with regard to his Religion and intellect, he does not realise that this worlds, for the one having no Religion is the road to degradation, the path to corruption and the key to evil and foul deeds. Whereas the Muslim who is sincere to his Lord and his own soul and with his brothers should be an excellent example to those who thirst after this world and the few dirhams and deenaars. He should be a lesson for them that there is no good in that, and that good lies only in taking this world as a means of increasing one’s rank with regard to the Religion and seeking to purify one’s heart. However these two will not be achieved except through
HADEETH 29: Disassociation from this World
From Aboo Umaamah Iyaas ibn Tha’labah who said: The Companions of Allaah’s Messenger (salallaahu ‘alaihi wa’sallam) mentioned this world one day in his presence, so Allaah’s Messenger (salallaahu ‘alaihi wa’sallam) said: Will you not listen, will you not listen! Wearing old clothes is part if eemaan, wearing old clothes is part of eemaan! Reported by Aboo Dawood (Eng. Trans. 3/1158/no.4149) and its chain of narration is hasan
NOTES
Zuhd (abstemiousness) is to have little regard for this world, to manifest ones poverty and need before Allaah, to treat the servants of Allaah kindly and gently, to avoid spending lavishly upon clothing, food and drink, and to avoid fame. Zuhd is not the rejection of the favours of Allaah, the One free and far removed from all defects, bestows upon some of His servants, rather it is as Shaykhul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah, rahimahullaah, said: Keep away from that which does not bring benefit, either because it contains no benefit at all, or because something other than it is more beneficial, so that by doing the first he would be missing greater benefit, or because it will produce something whose harm will grow to outweigh its benefit. But as regards things which are purely beneficial or predominantly, then avoidance of them is stupidity.49 Therefore there is to be no abstemiousness with regard to.
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THE WORLD AND THE HEREAFTER
By Shaykh Fadhl Elahi
Translated by Abu Taymiyyah
After Praising Allaah and sending the salutations upon the Messenger the Shaykh starts with the following: “And the life of this world is nothing but play and amusement. But far better is the house in the Hereafter for those who are al-Muttaqoon (the pious). Will you not then understand?” (6:32)
In order for man to become successful than there are certain things that he must comprehend fully, once success has been achieved in their understanding than Allaah will bless him in this world as well as the next. His character will become like those that are on the path of good, he will yearn to do that which has been legislated and avoid that which has been forbidden by Allaah and His Messenger – However if success is not achieved in its understanding, than he will be at a loss both in this world and the next.
The article that must be fully understood for a Muslims survival is that he must comprehend the reality of this world and that of the hereafter. The benefits of this understanding will flow through to his actions and they will conform to what has been legislated by Allaah and His Messenger (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam).
Imaam Muslim narrates in his collection on the authority of Mustaurid (radee Allaahu ‘anhu) that Allaah’s Messenger (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: ”By Allaah, this world (is so insignificant in comparison) to the Hereafter that if one of you should dip his finger (and while saying this he pointed with his forefinger) in the ocean and he should see as to what has stuck to it.”
Look at the parable that the Messenger is bringing here. At one end you have the ocean (in its vastness and depth) and at the other end you have a few droplets. Play close attention to the difference and vastness of these two objects. How can a few droplets compare to the entire ocean? If someone was to focus his entire attention on the few droplets and ignore the ocean, than he would be considered a fool. Then what would a person, who focuses on this world and ignores the hereafter, be considered? The reality of this world compared to that of the hereafter has been articulated by the Messenger (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) on an abundant number of occasions so that it can fuse into the hearts and minds of his Ummah.
Imaam Muslim also narrates in his collection on the authority of Jabir (radee Allaahu ‘anhu) that: Allaah’s Messenger was travelling in the market place when he passed by a carcass of a baby goat. Lifting it up by its ears he asked: “Which one of you would like to purchase this dead animal for one dirham.” We responded: “We wouldn’t like to take it even if it was offered for free.” The Messenger (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “I swear by Allaah the reality of this world compared to the hereafter is the same as of this dead animal.”
Look at the allegory that is being established by the Messenger of Allaah(sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam), that the existence of this world does not even hold as much value as the carcass of a dead animal. Close attention must be paid to the severity of this truth, which has caused the Messenger (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) to swear upon his Lord. The clouds can be set ablaze, the mountains can be uprooted from their positions before a single doubt can be raised about the oath of the Messenger (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam).
In another hadeeth collected by Imaam Ahmad, Imaam at-Tirmidhee, and Imaam ibn Maajah on the authority of Sahl bin Sa’ad (radee Allaahu ‘anhu) that the Messenger of Allaah (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “If the standing of this world in front of Allaah was even equal to the size of the wing of a mosquito, than Allaah would not have given the disbeliever even a sip of water to drink.”
The world with its entire glamour is not even equal to the wingspan of a mosquito. Compared to this, what can the reality of the hereafter be in the Sight of Allaah; the same hereafter that we are quick to sell for the slightest amount of profit. We relinquish the hereafter from our eyes, and focus our sight on this world, on its false fame and glamour, on its dreams and desires neglecting the comparison of this world to the hereafter. May Allaah bless our beloved Messenger (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) who has spared no effort in notifying his Ummah to the truth of this world, and that of the hereafter.
Imaam al-Bukhaaree narrates in his collection on the authority of Sahl bin Sa’d al-Sa’id (radee Allaahu ‘anhu) that the Messenger of Allaah (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “A place in Paradise equal to the size of a lash is better than the whole world and whatever is in it.”
Even with clear warning from the Messenger (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) you will see many selling the hereafter for a small gain in this world. When they are reminded about as to what they are transacting in reality, they will say: “Yes that is true, but what can you do, we have to stay alive in this world don’t we.” What a shameful thing that they will utter, don’t they realise the depth of their transaction? What are they receiving and what are they giving up in return? Even if they were to receive the entire benefits of this world, and be left out of paradise, than will they be successful in that transaction? No, but rather they will be the loser. Do the words of the Messenger (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) have no affect on them, do they not know what they are giving up in order to receive the false fame and glamour of this world.
They take this rule (what is being given up and what is being received) into consideration during all their worldly activities. When they go out to the market place to purchase groceries, or go shopping for other things, close attention will be paid to the value of the object that is going to be acquired. If it were found that what is going to be received is lesser in value compared to the price that is going to be paid for it, than would any sane mind conduct this transaction. What a foolish being man is, he can understand this concept when it comes to his worldly transactions, but when he leaves the hereafter for this world, this concept escapes his mind. Doesn’t he know that what he is leaving, it’s greater in value than what he is receiving. Its place, the size of a lash, is better than the entire world with all its glamour and fame.
In another hadeeth narrated on the authority of Abu Hurayrah (radee Allaahu ‘anhu) that the Messenger of Allaah (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “Allaah will ask the person with the lowest status in paradise to request whatever he wishes. That person will request and request. And than Allaah will say: ‘Are you done with your requests.’ The man will answer: ‘My Lord, I have requested for all that I had thought off.’ Allaah will say: ‘Oh, man whatever you had requested you have been granted, and much more’.”
Whenever we are asked to request something do we leave any thing out? Paradise is such that whatever one requests, than that shall be granted. Here the Messenger (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) tells us off that man, who will have the lowest status among all the inhabitants of paradise. Now if his status is of this calibre and he has received all his desires than what will be the outcome of those, whose status is in a higher degree to this man?
What is to be said about the person, who conducts the transaction of this world in exchange for the hereafter? What will happen to that foolish person, who falls for the false glamour of this world, and lands himself in the fires of hell? What will his status be? The Messenger (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) to his Ummah has conveyed this severity in numerous narrations.
Imaam al-Bukhaaree has collected that Nu’man b. Bashir (radee Allaahu ‘anhu reported that the Messenger of Allaah (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “Verily the least suffering for the inhabitants of Fire would be for him who would have two shoes and two laces of Fire (on his feet). And these would boil his brain as boils the cooking vessel, and he would think that he would not see anyone in a more grievous torment than him, whereas he would be in the least torment.”
Man is in a constant battle between the world (with all its glamour and fame) and the hereafter (with all its beauty and eternity). Should his attention be more on the hereafter or on this world? On normal circumstances, with surety it can be said that more attention is paid to this world than the hereafter. The common theme seems to be to focus all the attention on this world now and think about the hereafter later, preferably in their old age. However this is not how one should live, rather he should constantly focus on what he is trading for the luxuries of this world, then with the grace of Allaah he will constantly scrutinize every transaction that will compromise his hereafter for this world.
And in another hadeeth collected by Imaam Muslim, Anas b. Maalik (radee Allaahu ‘anhu) reported that: Allaah’s Messenger (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said that one amongst the denizens of Hell who had led a life of ease and plenty amongst the people of the world would be made to dip in the Fire only once on the Day of Resurrection. And then it would be said to him: “O, son of Adam, did you find any comfort, did you happen to get any material blessing?” He would say: “By Allaah, no, my Lord.” And then that person from amongst the persons of the world would be brought who had led the most miserable life (in the world) from amongst the inmates of Paradise. And he would be made to dip once in Paradise and it would be said to him: “Oh, son of Adam, did you face, any hardship? Or had any distress fallen to your lot?” And he would say: “By Allaah, no, oh my Lord, never did I face any hardship or experience any distress.”
These men will be those from the time of Adam to the time of the Day of Judgement. How great would the status of the person be in this world that received its greatest blessings, and what would the status be of him who received the greatest hardships? This hadeeth is being mentioned to us by the Messenger (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam), and it is not through his own will, but rather it is guided by his Lord, The Master of the Throne. The first person received the benefits of this world, which made him heir to the hellfire, benefits that would vanish once the fury of the fire is felt. Knowing that the luxuries and comfort of this world will be forgotten once a touch of the fire has been felt, now one who would trade the hereafter for the benefits of this world, wouldn’t he be considered foolish. And on the other end, he who received the least amount of comfort from this world, why, because his attention was focused on the hereafter, will forget all his misery and hardships once he has felt the touch of paradise.
What is the reality of this world, compared to that of the hereafter? This world does not even compare to the carcass of a baby goat in front of Allaah. This world with all its glamour and all its fame doesn’t even hold the value of a mosquito wing to Allaah. The hereafter is of such high calibre that the entire world cannot even compare to a place the size of a lash in Paradise. He, who forsakes the hereafter for this world, will find his abode in the hellfire, where the least severe punishment will be shoes of fire that will make his brain boil. The one who will have received the greatest benefits in the world from all of mankind will forget those benefits once he has been made to feel the fire of Hell. And one who has received the greatest hardship in this world from all off mankind, once entering Paradise will forget all those.
In order to better comprehend the reality of this world and that of the hereafter, a very serious question must be asked. How long will one be staying in this world? If one, and Allaah forgive, decided to focus his attention on this world, than he must pay close attention because how long does he think that he will live to enjoy this world. There is no guarantee on how long one is going to live in this world, however that guarantee does exist for the hereafter.
Imaam Ahmed, Imaam at-Tirmidhee, and Imaam ibn Maajah have narrated in their collections on the authority of ‘Abdullaah ibn Mas’ud (radee Allaahu ‘anhu):
The Messenger of Allaah was taking rest upon a bed that had been made from the leaves from a date tree. When he got up, we could see the marks on his back form the leaves. So I said: “O beloved Messenger of Allaah, if you order us we can go and fetch for you a soft and comfortable bed to rest on.” The Messenger (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) replied: “What have I got to gain from the benefits of this world. My association with this world is like that of a traveller who stops on his journey to take a small rest under a tree.”
Whenever a traveller stops to take a rest on his journey he only stops for a couple of hours at the most, and then moves on to his destination. If the beloved Messenger’s (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam’s) approach to this world was like this, than how should our outlook be. He knows that he is only travelling and will be departing soon, than how can we think that we will be staying here forever, never thinking about our departure, never preparing for it.
Imaam al-Bukhaaree transmitted on the authority of Mujaahid (radee Allaahu ‘anhu) that ‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Umar said:
The Messenger of Allaah took hold of my shoulder and said: “Be in this world as if you were a stranger or a traveller.” The sub-narrator added that ‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Umar 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.”
“Live like strangers”, this concept is understood when going abroad to work, but not when it involves the hereafter. Look at those who go to foreign lands to work. They will live in small quarters, many to a single room, so that they can work and save money and for what? To build a house or a business in their home countries, but when it comes to buying furniture, while abroad, they will buy the cheapest that they can find. Why? Because they know that they are only going to stay there for a while, and when they go back home then they will buy the expense furniture for their new home.
Oh man how foolish you are, this thing you understand, that you are going to go back home one day, so you won’t get involved with the luxuries of the host country, but rather work for those back home. But when it comes to working for the hereafter than this concept escapes your mind. You may have a contract to work this number of years in this country and then you will return, then oh foolish man, how long of a contract do you have with the Lord of the Angel of Death? How long will you live in this world? When and where death will come no souls knows. And how many are those who have not even gotten a chance to step back on the soil of their homeland. Oh evil doers, you will remain in this world but on a temporary basis, and eventually you will have to face what you have not prepared for. There are no guarantees for this life, whether we will be here from one Jumu’ah to the next. However the guarantee of eternal life does exist in the hereafter, for both good and bad.
Look at the advice that they Messenger of Allaah (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) gave to ‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Umar: “Be in this world as if you were a stranger.” And if today we have been blessed with good health, do we have any guarantee that we will stay in that condition forever. Taking one look at all those who are sick, lying in their hospital beds, asking their Lord for death, would discredit that thought. This good health Allaah has blessed us with, we must use it to remember Allaah and work towards the hereafter, before it is too late.
Imaam Muslim has collected another hadeeth transmitted on the authority of Abu Sa’id (radee Allaahu ‘anhu) that he said that the Messenger of Allaah (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “Death would be brought on the Day of Resurrection in the form of a white coloured ram. Then it would be made to stand between the Paradise and the Hell and it would be said to the inmates of Paradise: ‘Do you recognize this?’ They would raise up their necks and look towards it and say: ‘Yes, it is death.’ Then it would be said to the inmates of Hellfire: ‘Do you recognize this?’ And they would raise up their necks and look and say: ‘Yes, it is death.’ Then the command would be given for slaughtering that and then it would be said: ‘Oh inmates of Paradise, there is an everlasting life for you and no death.’ And then (addressing) to the inmates of the Hellfire, it would be said: ‘Oh inmates of Hellfire, there is an everlasting living for you and no death.” Allaah’s Messenger (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) then recited this verse pointing with his hand to this (material) world: “Warn them (O Muhammad), of the Day of grief and regret, when their affairs would be decided while they would be in a state of carelessness and they believe not.” (19:39).
No matter how much wealth is acquired by an individual, it will not award him a guarantee from the aliments of this world, (e.g. sickness), let alone give him the guarantee of eternal life. However, Allaah has established this guarantee for the hereafter.
To better understand the reality of this world and that of the hereafter, two very important points were established. The first being, this world with all its glamour and fame, holds no value in the Sight of Allaah, and that the smallest place in the hereafter is better than the world and all that it contains, even if it be the size of a lash. If this reality is not understood than let him know that his end will be the hellfire, and what an evil and eternal abode that will be.
Translators Note: I came across this tape of the beloved Shaykh Fadil Ilahi who is the brother of the late Shaykh Ehsan Ilahi and is one of the Scholars of Pakistan. I found good benefit in it, and felt that it would be beneficial to translate and transcribe it for others. Any mistakes are from me and the Shaykh is free from my errors. For those who have read the books of the Shaykh, “Kindness & Gentleness” and “The Obligation of Women in commanding good & forbidding evil” then his tapes are in the same format. His lectures are very thorough and to the point and are all set up just like his books, he gives the hadeeth, the narrator and where it is found in the books of hadeeth. This lecture was given by the Shaykh in Saudi Arabia while he was there teaching. He has left Saudi Arabia and is currently giving da’wah in Pakistan. Truly many people have come to the path of Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah through his tapes. I ask Allaah to add the blessing of this to the account of the Shaykh and make it beneficial for the Ummah, ameen!
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FEAR THE DUNYAH – TAKE ACCOUNT OF YOURSELF BEFORE YOU ARE TAKEN ACCOUNT OF
By Da`ee Hasan As-Somaalee
Transcribed by Umm Hasna
Source http://www.al-athariyyah.com/Audio/feardunyaa_hasan.htm
A fiery sermon delivered in Philadelphia, USA pertaining to the danger of attaching oneself to the worldly affairs and falling into sins and disobedience to Allaah.
Allaah (subhana wa ta’ala) said in His Book : Know that this Dunya, this worldly life is nothing but play and amusement and nothing but beauty; and boasting between men and rivalry in wealth and children.
In this Ayah Allaah (subhana wa ta’ala) tells us about the attributes of this world, attributes which many of us fail to recognize.
This world is La’abun, it is play and amusement and beauty which many people chase. And Allaah (subhana wa ta’ala) tells us in another ayah emphasizing this fact: Don’t let this dunya, this worldly life fool you.. and don’t let it fool you is being emphasized. And don’t let the devil fool you about your Lord.. Don’t let the devil fool you about your Lord Yaa Aiyyuhal Mumin for which he strives day and night to make you forget the reality of this world you are living in. Know O’Mumin that the Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said concerning the Hellfire : The Hellfire is surrounded by your desires, surrounded by women, surrounded by wealth, surrounded by pride and Paradise is surrounded by what?? Paradise is surrounded by undesirable things.
Know O’Mumin that this world fools you, if this world fools you know as the Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said : “This world is cursed. If you have wealth or women or you are famous don’t be proud. This world is cursed. Everything in it is cursed – illah zikrullah – except the remembrance of Allaah (subhana wa ta’ala) and that which resembles it and the scholar of one wisdom
Know O’ Mumin that Allaah (subhana wa ta’ala) tells us in His Book: Beauty for men is that which they desire from women, that which they desire from children and from gold and from beautiful animals, horses and wealth. This is the enjoyment of this world, the enjoyment of this world which will end and Allaah (subhana wa ta’ala) has the best above with Him. And Allaah (subhana wa ta’ala) continues : Say O Muhammad, shall I not inform you of that which is better? That which is better than all these worldly things?
For those who fear their Lord, with their Lord is what ?? Jannath, gardens underneath which rivers flow. And purified mates and – wa ridwanum MinaAllaah – the pleasure of Allaah.
Know O’Mumin that Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) that he told us about the worth of this Dunya. He told us about the worthlessness of this Dunya. In a Hadith when the Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said : Whilst he was walking with his companions and they passed by a Mayyith – a dead lamb, the Prophet said ” Would one of you love this?” And obviously the companions said: ‘even if it was alive it wont be something praiseworthy to slaughter it ” and the Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said :
Wallahi, and By Allaah this Duny, this world is more worthless to Allaah (subhana wa ta’ala) , more worthless to Allaah than this dead animal is to you. . This world is deceiving you. This world plays games with the minds of Insan. This world will mock you into believing that it will last forever and as Allaah (subhana wa ta’ala) tells us : This worldly life is nothing but a deceiving enjoyment. It is deceiving because it will end. Deceiving because if you don’t act as you are being commanded and know that the threat of the punishment of Allaah (subhana wa ta’ala) is upon you.
The Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said “This world in which we reside, it is a prison for the believer.” What does this mean? The Believer is restricted by the Book of Allaah & the Sunnah of the Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam).
So that when he sees that which surrounds the fire, from women, from wealth, he will think about his Lord and he will freeze. And the Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said : And this world is the Jannah of the kaafir. Because the kaafir he acts like an animal. He does what he wants. He is not held back by anything. He doesn’t look to His Creator and fulfill His rights.
Know O’Mumin Allaah (subhana wa ta’ala) tells you in many place in the Quran : To beware of this Dunya.. which has fooled many of us even from the Muslims. Many chase after women, many chase after wealth….Allaah (subhana wa ta’ala) advices you : Al Haaqu mutha Kathar… Chasing after this world has beguiled you, beguiled you until when?? Hatha zurthumul Maqabir.. until you reach your grave, until you reach your grave where no one will be there to aid you. Neither your women, your wealth, your reputation, your name, your lineage.
Just as the Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said : “Three things will follow that dead person; Three things all of them, of which none of them will escape. Three things will follow you : his family, his wealth and his action.
The Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) gave an Ishar, a direction and some understanding for the one who is wise – Al Haleem because the one who is stupid will not recognize the importance of this statement. He said : Two of those things will return.. your wife and your wealth. Those women are going to cry for 4 days , 5 days and 6 months later they are going to get married again. Your children will think about you for a few years, if they are righteous Insha-Allah until they die. And your wealth for whoever you leave it will use it the way they please.
And only one thing will stay there with you : Amaluh – His actions.
The Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said : Let us look towards our actions. As Umar (Radiallahu anhu) said : “Bring yourself to account before you are brought to account. And weigh your deeds before your deeds are weighed.” Bring yourself to account sisters, because this is a dangerous thing, a dangerous thing.
For which the Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said : Why were we put on this earth? Why are we put to this earth to which our hearts have become attached to?? The earth which we love, where we turn away from the obedience of Ar-Rahman and we turn to the obedience of the Shaytan. The Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said in an authentic hadith : ‘Verily this world, this world in which we are standing on right now, is green and sweet and Allaah (subhana wa tala) placed you on this earth generation after generation. Why?? So that Allaah (subhana wa tala) will see how you behave, how you act … are you worthy of Jannah? Are you worthy of the Paradise that which He spoke about in His Book Or are you here for the fire ? For the fire ?
Haasibu anfusakum – Bring yourself to account. Think of your deeds this morning and last night? Because the time is coming close. So the Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said : Fear this Dunya. This Duny which is sinful… Fear this Dunya. Fear this Dunya which will come upon us any minute or the Angel of Death can take us any minute here. For Wallahi we don’t know when our time is written. And we will ask when we die ‘O Allaah, can you return me to earth so that we may give Sadaqa and be among the righteous but the answer will be ‘No.’
Yaa Ayyihal Mu’min : Know that this issue is serious. And due to us not paying and understanding it the way we are mean to we are being fooled. We have become fooled and we have become attached to it. And we have let the devil deceive us. And the beauty of this world has won many of us. So we chase after beautiful things like cars and horses and wealth and women and status and pride and a reputation because this Dunya is winning. The Duny is winning and that is why the Ahl ul Ilm – the People of knowledge they say :
All Fitnah, every trial and tribulation stems from two things – Ittiba ushShubaha wattiba washShahwa – Following your desires and following doubts which is innovation .
Following your desires, why? Because you love this world. And this world is more beloved to you because you are so attracted and the belief of your Lord is not established in your heart.
Are you in doubt that you will meet your Lord? Are you in doubt that you will sit in that grave? If you say I do not doubt.. where is the actions? Because this life that we abide now is the life of Amal, the life of actions. When we die and we are resurrected then it is too late. You will be rewarded. If you did good you will be rewarded. If you have done evil you will be rewarded with it.
And some of the Salafs they say : Because we see many people, when they are established and they become so strong or in a profitable state they become attached to this world and they start sinning. And we know their Imam will decrease their faith because Iman without the Ahlul Sunnah increases and decreases ; Increases with obedience to Allah and decreases with the obedience of the Shaytan, sinning and disobedience.
Ibn Qayyim Rahimullah said that some of the Salafs said : Sinning leads to disbelief in Allaah (subhana wa tala). When we sin know that this could be a road to Kufr. They said : ‘Likewise the kiss to leads to intercourse and music leads to fornication and the look leads to love and sickness leads to death.’
Pay attention sisters, pay attention to this matter of this Dunya. Pay attention to the many matters people have advised us concerning.
Allaah (subhana wa tala) in many ayahs dedicates .. many verses on this subject of which He warns us about the evils of this world. And I mentioned briefly about the example of the people who became attached to this world. What was that which destroyed the people of Aad? Love of this world and disobedience of Ar-Rahman.
What was it that destroyed Thamud? Nothing but love of this world and disobedience of the Creator.
What was it that destroyed the People of Lut? Yes love of this world and disobedience of the Creator.
What was it that destroyed many nations after them? Love of this world and disobedience of the Creator.
Because love of this world leads to disobedience of Allaah. Let us give some example. Some lessons we can learn about some of the people who have fallen in love with this world. Examples which pertains to us today and not only to the Kuffar, to the Muslims.
When the Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) spoke about some of those people who fell in love with this world, so they prefer this world over the Hereafter and he said in the Hadith: I saw amazing things this night, when he saw the Hellfire. He spoke about the people whom he saw. Let us examine ourselves in the light of this Hadith, of which the threat is over every one of our head. One of the Jews, we don’t claim that we are the chosen people (Meaning we can do as we please), we are binded by the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of the Messenger (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) : Then Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said : ‘As for the first man I passed by, whose head is being crushed by a stone. For verily he is the man who memorizes the Quran, he studies the Quran but he does not act upon it. ‘ How many of us are like this?? How many of us know something and we reject it? Then Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) continued : An he sleeps through the prayers.’
So examine yourself. Are we falling into the trap of this world? Has this world fooled you like it fooled this man? This man whose head was being crushed, his head will come back and his head will be crushed again and it will continue and continue and continue. This is the symbol of this man and the one who resembles him.
As for the second man that I walked passed : Whose mouth, whose eyes and likewise whose cheeks are being torn apart, torn from the front to the back. Who is this man? It is the man who leaves his house, he tells a lie until the lies spreads all around the world. This is the symbol of the one who tells lies. Do you want this punishment? Do you feel comfortable with your mouth being ripped from front to back? Are you happy with that?
The Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) continued : I saw naked men and women who were crying in the pit screaming out from the punishment. Who were they? They were burning. They were the adulterers and the adulteresses. You like to fornicate, wait for the punishment. Because if you don’t get it in this Dunya you have the threat in the Aakhira. You want to be burned until your crying ….with tears of blood? With tears.. where you can no longer act, when your actions have seized and you can do no more good, burn in the fire – the fornicators and the people who indulge in adultery. Why because they love this world and they follow their desires, they follow that which is beautified for them and they forget about Allaah (subhana wa tala). They forgot about their Creator. So this is how they were rewarded.
The Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) continued and he said : As for the man who I passed by and he was made to swallow stones whilst he was swimming in the Hellfire, this is the one who ate Ribah, interest. ‘ You lead in interest, get ready to be punished in the Hereafter. Prepare yourself for swimming and eating stones and where you will be stung like an animal. Why because the one who ate ribah, he loved this world and he forgot about the Hereafter. And Wallahi this matter of loving this world is dangerous… where the people love this world that ethey don’t care about Ar-Rahman. Let us give one example from the Kutub as Sunnen, the Book of Sunnen.
This issue of fornication, an issue of which is one of the major sins in Al-Islam. Even the monkeys know the effect of it. As comes upon Amrun Ibn Maimun Al Awdi Rahimullah who said: ‘I saw a monkey in the time of pre-Islamic ignorance, one fornicated with another monkey, all of the monkeys gathered together and they stoned the fornicators until they died. Monkeys knew it. We have no shame, we are worse than monkeys. We have no shame because some of us love this world and we expose our sins and some of us are happy of that which we do and we say to you : ‘Wailaka, Wailaka’… Woe be to you.. We say to you : Woe be to you..
As the Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said : “All of my Umma will be forgiven except those who openly expose their sins.” Why because Love of this world, it removes shame from the heart. Love of this world removes shame from the heart.
So as I have mentioned, don’t let the love of this world fool you. Some people believe it doesn’t have an effect upon them. People think it is something simple… Oh I sinned. Now you testify against yourself that you are evil.
Ibn Masud said in Sahih al-Bukhari : If the Mumin makes a sin, commits a sin, the believer who sins when he sins he believes or as if he is sitting under a mountain and the mountain is going to fall on him and crush him. The mountain is going to fall on him and crush him. That’s the way he feels. That’s a believer.
As for the evil person, the sinner, he sins, and he sees his sins like a fly that passes his nose. His sins are like a fly going past his nose. Because he loves this world. This world has fooled him. It has won the battle.
And know that every time you sin and again from the effects of loving this world a black dot of the (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) is placed upon the heart and this is the explanation of the Ayah when Allaah says : How many times do we read the Quran? How many times do we read the Quran and not concentrate upon it? Like it is just a story, or just something to read. Allah (subhana wa tala) tells us about those people : Why is it that they don’t concentrate upon the Quran? Or is it that their hearts are sealed with locks? ”
Are our hearts sealed? Have we reached that level? Have we reached that stage, where our hearts are sealed? When we don’t recognize our sins.
Allaah (subhana wa tala) tells us : ‘Kalla bal raana alaa Quloobihim maa Kaanu yaqsiboon’ – Verily a covering has been placed upon their hearts concerning that which they have earned.
What is this covering? What is Ar-Ran? Ar-Raan is what the Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) has told us in an authentic hadith : if the slave sins, a black dot is placed upon his heart, and when he repents from the love of this world and disobeying Allaah (subhana wa tala) and he leaves the sin and seeks forgiveness from Allaah, then his heart will be cleansed. And if he continues to sin, the blackness will increase until the blackness covers all of the heart, until the blackness covers all of his heart. The Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said that this is the covering which Allaah (subhana wa tala) mentioned.
And when they chose to deviate “Azaballahu Khulabahum” – Allaah closed their hearts to deviate. Have we got the covering upon our hearts? Has our covering started? Many of us have blacknesses in our hearts because we don’t care. When we leave here, we go back to doing what we were doing. Many leave here not giving any thought to the words of Allaah (subhana wa tala), but we say to you : Allaah (subhana wa tala) says : ‘a day which all of you will meet, a Day in which even the best of you will never escape, Allaah says that Day of which neither wealth nor children will avail except the one who comes to Allaah with a cleansed heart. What is a cleansed heart? What is a cleansed heart that Allaah (subhana wa tala) has mentioned? Do we know?
Ibn Qayyim Rahimullah mentioned : ‘a pure heart will not be totally pure unless it is free from the following things:
1. Shirk – associating partners with Allaah, which is an opposition to Tawheed.
2. Bida’ah – which is in opposition to the Sunnah.
3. Following one’s whims and one’s passion which is in opposition to the commandment of Allaah. 4. Likewise following one’s desires which contradicts sincerity. So know that until you purify your heart of these things it is not a pure heart. Know that our hearts are dying before our very eyes. Our hearts are dying slowly but surely. Our hearts are asking for help but we are negligent. One of the Salafs used to say – (Just to remind you, the Salafs were the most pious of people) – Not one of them of Ahlul Hadith used to commit fornication, not one of them used to go into the streets and listen to music, meaning when they became a scholar , they were rather the most pious of the people. Because they were salafi in everything. They were a Salafi in their actions, sayings, manhaj, Aqeedah, Tafseer, dealing with other people, the way we live our lives, not just Salafi man . He said sinning would cause your heart to die. And by you being addicted to sin, you will be humiliated. And abandoning sin Insha’Allaah will be light to your heart – it will give life to the heart. And it is better for your nafs : ‘Khairum Min An fusikum’ – that you stay away and you abandon and disobey anything that has to do with disobeying Allaah (subhana wa tala). Because know that this matter of loving the Dunya if for your destruction, and the destruction of those who are around you, loving this Dunay will have an affect upon yourself, it will affect yourself and your family, it may affect your husband, the dogs and cow, if you have one.
One of the Salafs used to say : ‘Verily I used to disobey Allaah and I used to know this and I used to see the signs of it in my wife, in my wife and in my riding beast. Wallahi it is a shame, how many phone calls we get concerning marital discord, wives complaining and husbands complaining whilst the real cause lies in their own souls – from loving of this world and disobeying Allaah (subhana wa tala). How can you expect that tranquility will come upon you when you disobey?
You expect tranquility to come upon you? You expect to have happiness and comfort? And in a life which you have pleasure and you are happy and content?
Allaah (subhana wa tala) tells you: ‘Whoever turns away from my remembrance, turns away from My commands, he would have a life of misery.’ So you brought that upon yourself. If you want Jannah, Paradise , then leave off the sins, recognize and don’t let this Dunya fool you. Because if the Dunya has fooled you, then know surely you have lost. If the Dunya has fooled you, then know that surely you have lost and I finish off by reminding ourselves to seek forgiveness for your sins and follow the footsteps of the Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) – who used to say : By Allaah I seek the forgiveness of Allah and I repent to Him 70 times in one day.’ How many times a day do we seed Tawbah from Allaah (subhana wa tala) in one day? How many times do we ask His forgiveness? And the answer and the reality lies in ourselves alone.
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