Allah the Exalted degrades the significance of this life and belittles it by
saying,
[أَنَّمَا الْحَيَوةُ
الدُّنْيَا لَعِبٌ وَلَهْوٌ وَزِينَةٌ وَتَفَاخُرٌ بَيْنَكُمْ وَتَكَاثُرٌ فِى
الاٌّمْوَلِ وَالاٌّوْلْـدِ]
(that the life of this world is only play and amusement, pomp and mutual
boasting among you, and rivalry in respect of wealth and children.) meaning,
this is the significance of this life to its people, just as He said in another
Ayah,
[زُيِّنَ لِلنَّاسِ
حُبُّ الشَّهَوَتِ مِنَ النِّسَآءِ وَالْبَنِينَ وَالْقَنَـطِيرِ الْمُقَنطَرَةِ
مِنَ الذَّهَبِ وَالْفِضَّةِ وَالْخَيْلِ الْمُسَوَّمَةِ وَالأَنْعَـمِ وَالْحَرْثِ
ذَلِكَ مَتَـعُ الْحَيَوةِ الدُّنْيَا وَاللَّهُ عِندَهُ حُسْنُ الْمَأَبِ ]
(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 with Him.)(3:14) Allah the Exalted also sets a parable for this
life, declaring that its joys are fading and its delights are perishable, saying
that life is,
[كَمَثَلِ
غَيْثٍ]
(Like a rain (Ghayth),) which is the rain that comes down to mankind, after
they had felt despair. Allah the Exalted said in another Ayah,
[وَهُوَ الَّذِى
يُنَزِّلُ الْغَيْثَ مِن بَعْدِ مَا قَنَطُواْ]
(And He it is Who sends down the Ghayth (rain) after they have
despaired.)(42:28) Allah's statement,
[أَعْجَبَ
الْكُفَّارَ نَبَاتُهُ]
(thereof the growth is pleasing to the tiller;) meaning that farmers admire
the vegetation that grows in the aftermath of rain. And just as farmers admire
vegetation, the disbelievers admire this life; they are the most eager to
acquire the traits of life, and life is most dear to them,
[ثُمَّ يَهِيجُ
فَتَرَاهُ مُصْفَرّاً ثُمَّ يَكُونُ حُطَاماً]
(afterwards it dries up and you see it turning yellow; then it becomes
straw.) meaning, that vegetation soon turns yellow in color, after being fresh
and green. After that, the green fades away and becomes scattered pieces of
dust. This is the parable of this worldly life, it starts young, then matures
and then turns old and feeble. This is also the parable of mankind in this life;
they are young and strong in the beginning. In this stage of life, they look
youthful and handsome. Slowly, they begin growing older, their mannerism changes
and their strength weakens. They then grow old and feeble; moving becomes
difficult for them, while doing easy things becomes beyond their ability. Allah
the Exalted said,
[اللَّهُ الَّذِى
خَلَقَكُمْ مِّن ضَعْفٍ ثُمَّ جَعَلَ مِن بَعْدِ ضَعْفٍ قُوَّةٍ ثُمَّ جَعَلَ مِن
بَعْدِ قُوَّةٍ ضَعْفاً وَشَيْبَةً يَخْلُقُ مَا يَشَآءُ وَهُوَ الْعَلِيمُ
الْقَدِيرُ ]
(Allah is He Who created you in (a state of) weakness, then gave you strength
after weakness, then after strength gave (you) weakness and grey hair. He
creates what He wills. And He is the All-Knowing, the All-Powerful.)(30:54) This
parable indicates the near demise of this life and the imminent end of it, while
in contrast, the Hereafter is surely coming. Those who hear this parable should,
therefore, be aware of the significance of the Hereafter and feel eagerness in
the goodness that it contains,
[وَفِى الاٌّخِرَةِ
عَذَابٌ شَدِيدٌ وَمَغْفِرَةٌ مِّنَ اللَّهِ وَرِضْوَنٌ وَمَا الْحَيَوةُ
الدُّنْيَآ إِلاَّ مَتَـعُ الْغُرُورِ]
(But in the Hereafter (there is) a severe torment, and (there is) forgiveness
from Allah and (His) pleasure. And the life of this world is only a deceiving
enjoyment.) meaning, surely, the Hereafter that will certainly come contains two
things either severe punishment or forgiveness from Allah and His good pleasure.
Allah the Exalted said,
[وَما الْحَيَوةُ
الدُّنْيَا إِلاَّ مَتَـعُ الْغُرُورِ]
(And the life of this world is only a deceiving enjoyment.) meaning, this
life is only a form of enjoyment that deceives those who incline to it. Surely,
those who recline to this life will admire it and feel that it is dear to them,
so much so, that they might think that this is the only life, no life or
dwelling after it. Yet, in reality, this life is insignificant as compared to
the Hereafter. Imam Ahmad recorded that `Abdullah said that the Messenger of
Allah said,
«لَلْجَنَّةُ
أَقْرَبُ إِلَى أَحَدِكُمْ مِنْ شِرَاكِ نَعْلِهِ، وَالنَّارُ مِثْلُ ذلِك»
(Paradise is nearer to any of you than the strap on his shoe, and so is the
(Hell) Fire.) Al-Bukhari collected this Hadith through the narration of
Ath-Thawri. This Hadith indicates the close proximity of both good and evil in
relation to mankind. If this is the case, then this is the reason Allah the
Exalted encouraged mankind to rush to perform acts of righteousness and
obedience and to avoid the prohibitions. By doing so, their sins and errors will
be forgiven and they will acquire rewards and an exalted status. Allah the
Exalted said,
[سَابِقُواْ إِلَى
مَغْفِرَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَجَنَّةٍ عَرْضُهَا كَعَرْضِ السَّمَآءِ
وَالاٌّرْضِ]
(Race with one another in hastening towards forgiveness from your Lord, and
Paradise the width whereof is as the width of the heaven and the earth,) Allah
the Exalted said in another Ayah,
[وَسَارِعُواْ إِلَى
مَغْفِرَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَجَنَّةٍ عَرْضُهَا السَّمَـوَتُ وَالاٌّرْضُ
أُعِدَّتْ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ ]
(And march forth in the way (to) forgiveness from your Lord, and for Paradise
as wide as the heavens and the earth, prepared for those who have Taqwa.)(3:133)
Allah said here,
[أُعِدَّتْ
لِلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ بِاللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِ ذَلِكَ فَضْلُ اللَّهِ يُؤْتِيهِ مَن
يَشَآءُ وَاللَّهُ ذُو الْفَضْلِ الْعَظِيمِ]
(prepared for those who believe in Allah and His Messengers. That is the
grace of Allah which He bestows on whom He is pleased with. And Allah is the
Owner of great bounty.) meaning, "This, that Allah has qualified them for, is
all a part of His favor, bounty and compassion.'' We mentioned a Hadith
collected in the Sahih in which the poor emigrants said to the Messenger , "O
Allah's Messenger! The wealthy people will get higher grades and permanent
enjoyment.'' He asked,
«وَمَا
ذَاكَ؟»
(Why is that) They said, "They pray like us and fast as we do. However, they
give in charity, whereas we cannot do that, and that free servants, whereas we
cannot afford it.'' The Prophet said,
«أَفَلَا أَدُلُّكُمْ
عَلَى شَيْءٍ إِذَا فَعَلْتُمُوهُ سَبَقْتُمْ مَنْ بَعْدَكُمْ، وَلَا يَكُونُ
أَحَدٌ أَفْضَلَ مِنْكُمْ إِلَّا مَنْ صَنَعَ مِثْلَ مَا صَنَعْتُمْ: تُسَبِّحُونَ
وَتُكَبِّرُونَ وَتُحَمِّدُونَ دُبُرَ كُلِّ صَلَاةٍ ثَلَاثًا وَثَلَاثِين»
n(Shall I tell you of a good deed that, if you acted upon, you would catch up
with those who have surpassed you none would overtake you and be better than
you, except those who might do the same. Say, "Glorious is Allah,'' "Allah is
Most Great,'' and "Praise be to Allah,'' thirty three times each after every
prayer.) They later came back and said, "Our wealthy brethren heard what we did
and they started doing the same.'' Allah's Messenger said,
«ذلِكَ فَضْلُ اللهِ
يُؤْتِيهِ مَنْ يَشَاء»
This is the favor of Allah that He gives to whom He wills.)
[مَآ أَصَابَ مِن
مُّصِيبَةٍ فِى الاٌّرْضِ وَلاَ فِى أَنفُسِكُمْ إِلاَّ فِى كِتَـبٍ مِّن قَبْلِ
أَن نَّبْرَأَهَآ إِنَّ ذَلِكَ عَلَى اللَّهِ يَسِيرٌ - لِّكَيْلاَ تَأْسَوْاْ
عَلَى مَا فَاتَكُمْ وَلاَ تَفْرَحُواْ بِمَآ ءَاتَـكُمْ وَاللَّهُ لاَ يُحِبُّ
كُلَّ مُخْتَالٍ فَخُورٍ - الَّذِينَ يَبْخَلُونَ وَيَأْمُرُونَ النَّاسَ
بِالْبُخْلِ وَمَن يَتَوَلَّ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الْغَنِىُّ الْحَمِيدُ ]
(22. No calamity occurs in the earth nor in yourselves but it is inscribed in
the Book of Decrees before We bring it into existence. Verily, that is easy for
Allah.) (23. In order that you may not grieve at the things over that you fail
to get, nor rejoice over that which has been given to you. And Allah likes not
prideful boasters.) (24. Those who are misers and enjoin miserliness upon
people. And whosoever turns away, then Allah is Rich, Worthy of all praise.)
ICTruth.info