"Know 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, as the likeness of vegetation after rain, thereof the growth is pleasing to the tiller; afterwards it dries up an dyou see it turning yellow; then it becomes straw. But in the hereafter (there is) a severe torment (for the disbelievers, - evil-doers), and (there is) Forgiveness from Allah and (His) Good Pleasure (for the believers, - good-doers), whereas the life of this world is oly a deceiving enjoyment." (Al-Hadid 57:20)
Other verses also state emphatically that this life is nothing but play, amusement and diversion from what is more important:
Al-An'am 6:32
Al-'Ankabut 29:64
Muhammad 47:36
The Prophet (SAW) was lying on a mat, Ibn Masood (RA) began to wipe the effects of the mat from the Prophet's (SAW) body and suggested that he have something better to sleep on. The Prophet's (SAW) reply was:
"What do I have to do with this worldly life? I and this worldly life are but like a traveler who stopped for a little while under a tree to get some shade and then move on."
Hence, the believer is not interested in gathering too much of this world because such things make it difficult for her to continue her travels and to travel easily. Because this world is so alluring and attractive, it is easy for a Muslimah to forget this. When she becomes attracted and attached to the things of this world, she forgets that she is on a journey. In other words she has lost sight of the fact that she is suppose to be working and traveling towards a destination but now she is accumulating things to help her stay.
Narrated Mujahid (RA): Abdullah bin Umar (RU) said, "Allah's Apostle took hold of my shoulder and said,
'Be in this world as if you were a stranger or a traveler."
The sub-narrator added: Ibn Umar (RU) 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." (Sahih Al-Bukhari)
Allah (SWT) says:
"O mankind! Verily, the Promise of Allah is true. So let not this present life deceive you, and let not the chief deceiver (Satan) deceive you about Allah." (Fatir 35:5)
Allah (SWT) also says:
"Nay, you prefer the life of this world; Although the Hereafter is better and more lasting." (Al-Ghashiyah 87:16-17)
The Prophet (SAW) said:
"The food of the humans strikes a parable of this worldly life: From what comes out of humans [as waste], even after they had seasoned it and added salt to it [and made it very tasty], look at what it ends up as."
In other words, even though humans work very hard to make the food taste excellent, the food finally results in something that is very disgusting and distasteful. The same is true for this world and all its glitter.
IT ENDS UP IN DESTRUCTION AND WASTE. [Bukhari]
Heres a nice du'a to say and reflect on constanly:
"O the One who Turns the Hearts, confirm my heart upon your deen"
Umm Abdur-Raqeeb
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References to "he" or "him" have been changed to "she" or "her" and The Noble Quran used for Quranic text