Author: Mufti Nusratullah Esmati
The World in the Mirror of Truth (Part Three)
Preface: In the first part of this study, some important premises about the truth of the world and its place in the system of creation were mentioned. It is clear that the world, with all its deceptive manifestations, is only a short passage for humans, not an eternal home. The world is a place where divine tests are conducted, and during this time, only those who navigate this passage correctly will achieve true happiness.
Now, we will continue to present various anecdotes and examples that beautifully and effectively express the transience of the world, the harms of attachment to it, and the need to be vigilant against its deceptions. These anecdotes are drawn from the words of great religious and wise figures, each of which calls upon humanity to think deeply and reflect on their place and duties in this world.
Our Life is Not Limited to This World
The happiness of the hereafter depends on the happiness of this world. A wise person should understand that this world and the hereafter are interconnected; both are part of a single life, one being obvious and related to today, and the other hidden and related to tomorrow. Some people mistakenly believe that life is limited to this world. As a result, they accumulate wealth and become attached to the fleeting and mortal life here; but suddenly, death comes and takes them to the grave along with their hopes and ambitions.
As Allah Almighty says: «وَلِكُلِّ أُمَّةٍ أَجَلٌ فَإِذَا جَاءَ أَجَلُهُمْ لَا يَسْتَأْخِرُونَ سَاعَةً وَلَا يَسْتَقْدِمُونَ» (And for every nation and every creature there is a deadline; when their time comes, it will not be delayed for an hour, nor will it be advanced for an instant.)
And in another place, He says: «فَإِذَا جَاءَ أَجَلُهُمْ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ بِعِبَادِهِ بَصِيرًا» (So, when their time comes, Allah is certainly aware and sees His servants.)
Ibn Abi Duniya (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates that Hazrat Hasan Basri (may Allah have mercy on him) wrote in a letter to the Caliph of the Muslims, Umar ibn Abdul Aziz (may Allah have mercy on him): “This world is not a place to stay; it is a passage to which Hazrat Adam (peace be upon him) was also sent for a test; therefore, stay away from it! The capital of the world is poverty, and its provision is destruction. The world leads to ruin whoever seeks it; it humiliates the honorable and impoverishes the rich. The world is like poison that a person drinks unknowingly, ultimately leading to death. Live in this world like a sick person who endures bitter medicines to cure his pains, accepting temporary suffering in the hope of escaping longer hardships.”
And in describing the impermanence of the world, it is stated:
[We chase after our needs and desires in the morning and evening, and the needs of the living never end.]
[A person’s needs die with him, but as long as he lives, his needs remain.]
[The repetition of day and night makes the child grow and wears out the adult.]
[When a night ages the day, a young day will come after it.]
These reminders illustrate that the life of this world is fleeting, and one should not become too attached to it. Instead, one should consider the Hereafter and take provisions for it.
The Story and Example of the World
1. A drop of honey fell on the ground. A small ant came and tasted it. When it wanted to leave, the taste of honey was so attractive that it returned for another sip. It decided to leave again, but this time it felt that drinking from the edge of the honey was insufficient and did not provide the full experience. So, it decided to throw itself into the honey to enjoy its sweetness as much as possible. The ant immersed itself in the honey and relished it; but alas, it could not get out. Its feet became stuck, and it could not move. Eventually, it died.
He who drinks a little honey will be saved, but he who drowns in its sweetness will perish. This is the story of the world!
2. One of the righteous narrated that one day, I saw in a dream a man running after a deer, pursued by a lion. Before he reached the deer, the lion caught up to him and killed him. Then I saw another man chasing the deer, but the lion killed him before he reached his destination. This scenario repeated until a hundred people suffered the same fate. Each time a lion claimed a life, the deer stood over the body. I was astonished by this scene and asked: “What is this story?” The lion replied: “I am the king of death, and the deer symbolizes the world. These people were all seeking the world. I shall take their souls one by one.”
3. Allama Ibn Abi al-Dunya, may Allah have mercy on him, quoted from some sages in his book “Al-Zohd” as follows: “Days are like arrows, and people are targets prepared for shooting. Every day, time shoots arrows at man, and with the passage of night and day, it pushes you further into nothingness and destruction. Your days come to an end, and your being is submerged in the sea of destruction. How can you escape while the passage of time affects your body and soul? If you understood how each day affects you, perhaps fear and terror would overwhelm you, and the passing of each hour would feel burdensome; however, Allah Almighty has concealed the troubles of the world so that its pleasures and desires become apparent to man. Yet, to the wise and the physicians, the world is more bitter than colocynth.
The world attracts man with its deceptive appearance, but its reality is nothing but destruction and loss. Take a lesson from this and do not be deceived by its glitter!
4. Imam Ghazali (may Allah have mercy on him) presented a powerful and memorable illustration of the world. He says: A person was walking along a path when a lion suddenly appeared before him. There was no escape; no tree to climb, nor any other shelter. In front of him lay only a well. He was forced to leap into it; but upon peering into its depths, he saw a large snake lying in wait for prey. He could neither escape the lion nor remain in the well because of the snake.
Suddenly, he spotted some plants and twigs along the well’s wall. He thought to himself: I will hold on to this plant tightly so that I will not fall into the well or become prey to the lion. In this state, his gaze fell upon a bee’s nest filled with honey. Tempted, he hung from the plant with one hand and began to lick the honey with the other.
Meanwhile, he noticed two mice—one black and one white—gnawing at the root of the plant from which he hung. Yet he was so absorbed in the pleasure of the honey that he neglected the danger; he did not fear the mice cutting the root and sending him plummeting into the bottom of the well, nor did he fear the lion or the snake.
Imam Ghazali concludes this story: You and I are just like this person. The angel of death is pursuing us like a lion, and the torment of the grave lurks like a snake. The white and black mice represent night and day, constantly gnawing at the root of our life, while the sweet honey symbolizes the fleeting pleasures of the world that have made us oblivious to everything.
O brothers! We have forgotten that the end of this path is death, the torment of the grave, and the destruction of life. We have grown attached to the fleeting pleasures of position and status, love for wealth and possessions, and affection for our spouses and children, yet these attachments have made us forget the Hereafter, which is our true destination.
5. Khaja Ubaidullah Ahrar (may Allah have mercy on him) describes worldly wealth by saying: “Worldly wealth is like a snake adorned with beautiful stripes and spots; if you recognize its charm, it will not harm you; but woe to the one who fails to see its allure and keeps it in his pocket.”
6. Imam Ghazali (may Allah have mercy on him) also describes the ascetic in this world versus the lover of the world: The example of the world is like poisoned halva (sweet). Its exterior is adorned with sugar and sweets, but its interior is deadly. Those who are aware of its poison avoid consuming it; however, those who are oblivious to this truth are lured in by its beautiful and seductive appearance.
I once asked a wise man about the world, and he replied: It is either a memory, a dream, or a legend. Or it is akin to a snowdrift in spring, where no wise man would build a house.
When I inquired further about the person who has set their heart upon it, he said: Such a person is either a giant, a demon, or a madman!
The world is like a deceptive mirage. So, O wise man! Seek your eternal home in the Hereafter.
Continues…
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