Author: Mufti Nasratullah Esmati
The World in the Mirror of Truth (Part Five)
The Philosophy of Comparing Worldly Life to Water
Impermanence and Stability: Like water, worldly life is not stable; it is in a state of constant change and decay.
Impermanence: Just as water flows and leaves no trace behind, the world is also fleeting and perishable.
Vulnerability: Just as no one can be safe from the moisture of water, no one can be immune to the hardships and temptations of the world.
Life in the world is useful and beneficial to the extent of need and sufficiency, but excess and excessive dependence on it can be harmful. This is similar to water: if it exceeds the required amount, it causes harm and loss instead of benefit. In a hadith from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) in Sahih Muslim, it is stated: “Whoever embraces Islam and has sufficient sustenance, and Allah satisfies him with what he has, has truly achieved success.”
This parable illustrates the transience of the world and warns against excessive attachment to it. The world, with all its glamour, is only a temporary means of testing and striving for the eternal reward of the Hereafter.[1]
4. Like the Life of This World in Its Rapid Decline and Destruction: «إِنَّمَا مَثَلُ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا كَمَاءٍ أَنزَلْنَاهُ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ فَاخْتَلَطَ بِهِ نَبَاتُ الْأَرْضِ مِمَّا يَأْكُلُ النَّاسُ وَالْأَنْعَامُ حَتَّىٰ إِذَا أَخَذَتِ الْأَرْضُ زُخْرُفَهَا وَازَّيَّنَتْ وَظَنَّ أَهْلُهَا أَنَّهُمْ قَادِرُونَ عَلَيْهَا أَتَاهَا أَمْرُنَا لَيْلًا أَوْ نَهَارًا فَجَعَلْنَاهَا حَصِيدًا كَأَن لَّمْ تَغْنَ بِالْأَمْسِ كَذَٰلِكَ نُفَصِّلُ الْآيَاتِ لِقَوْمٍ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ»;[2]
Translation: (The life of this world is like the water which We send down from the sky, and with it the plants of the earth, which are eaten by people and livestock, are mixed and grow. Until the earth is adorned and the tillers of the earth think that they have power over it, Our command comes to it by night or day, and We make it dry and withered, as if it had never existed. Thus do We explain the signs for those who reflect.)
This verse presents a vivid example of the life of this world, emphasizing its transience, impermanence, and the fading of its freshness. In this example, the life of this world is likened to plants that sprout from the earth when it rains.
Whenever it rains, the earth is adorned with beautiful and diverse plants. Some of these plants are useful for people, while others serve as food for animals.[3] Seeing this beauty, farmers may think they have control and power over these crops; but suddenly, God’s command comes, and all this beauty is destroyed in one night or day, as if it never existed.
5. The Commodity of Worldly Life: «زُيِّنَ لِلنَّاسِ حُبُّ الشَّهَوَاتِ مِنَ النِّسَاءِ وَالْبَنِينَ وَالْقَنَاطِيرِ الْمُقَنطَرَةِ مِنَ الذَّهَبِ وَالْفِضَّةِ وَالْخَيْلِ الْمُسَوَّمَةِ وَالْأَنْعَامِ وَالْحَرْثِ ذَٰلِكَ مَتَاعُ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَاللَّهُ عِندَهُ حُسْنُ الْمَآبِ»;[4]
Translation: (For people, the love of sensual desires, such as women, children, wealth accumulated in gold and silver, branded horses, cattle, and crops, has been adorned. These are the goods of the life of this world, and the good end is with Allah.)
In this verse, Allah warns people that these worldly blessings and adornments are temporary and fleeting. The love for wealth, children, and other worldly blessings should not lead a person to be heedless of Allah or to jeopardize the eternal life of the Hereafter.[5] These adornments are merely a means to test people, and the good end is only with Allah.
6. The Home of the Hereafter, the True Life: «وَمَا هَٰذِهِ الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا إِلَّا لَهْوٌ وَلَعِبٌ وَإِنَّ الدَّارَ الْآخِرَةَ لَهِيَ الْحَيَوَانُ لَوْ كَانُوا يَعْلَمُونَ»;[6]
Translation: (This worldly life is nothing but amusement and play. Indeed, the home of the Hereafter is the true life, if they only knew.)
In this verse, the life of the world is likened to passing amusement and play, like a toy that children play with. This life has no permanence or stability and passes quickly.
But the home of the Hereafter is the true and eternal life that never decays. That life is permanent and perfect; there is no sorrow, grief, or death in it. If people understood this truth correctly, they would never prefer the mortal life of this world to the Hereafter.[7]
Unfortunately, most people are only aware of the appearance of the material world and are unaware of the reality of the Hereafter.
Continues…
[1] Tafsir al-Munir: 15/311.
[2] Yunus: 24.
[3] Tafsir al-Munir: 11/163.
[4] Al Imran: 14.
[5] Tafsir al-Qurtubi: 4/28, Tafsir al-Bahr al-Muhait: 2/396.
[6] Spider: 64.
[7] Tafsir of Ibn Kathir: 5/69; Tafsir Anwar al-Qur’an: 4/470.