The Dunyā Is Temporary — The Ākhirah Is Forever
We live in a world where people spend their lives striving for wealth, comfort, status, possessions and recognition. We plan for the future, build our homes and work hard to secure our lives. But how often do we stop and ask ourselves: What future are we truly preparing for?
Allah ﷻ reminds us of the reality of this life:
وَمَا ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنْيَآ إِلَّا لَعِبٌۭ وَلَهْوٌۭ ۖ وَلَلدَّارُ ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةُ خَيْرٌۭ لِّلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ ۗ أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ
“The life of this world is nothing but play and amusement. But the Home of the Hereafter is far better for those who have Taqwa. Will you not then understand?”
[Qur’an 6:32]
SubḥānAllāh. Allah ﷻ does not simply tell us that the Ākhirah is better. He ends the Āyah with a question that should make us reflect:
أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ
“Will you not then understand?”
If we know that this Dunyā is temporary, why do we allow it to become the greatest concern of our lives?
Allah ﷻ says:
وَلَلْـَٔاخِرَةُ خَيْرٌۭ لَّكَ مِنَ ٱلْأُولَىٰ
“And the Hereafter is certainly better for you than this life.”
[Qur’an 93:4]
And Allah ﷻ reminds us:
كُلُّ نَفْسٍۢ ذَآئِقَةُ ٱلْمَوْتِ
“Every soul will taste death.”
[Qur’an 3:185]
There is no exception. Every person will leave this world. Our wealth will remain behind. Our homes will remain behind. Our possessions will remain behind. The only thing that accompanies us is our deeds.
Yet Allah ﷻ describes Jannah:
خَٰلِدِينَ فِيهَآ أَبَدًۭا
“They will remain there forever.”
[Qur’an 98:8]
The contrast is clear: the Dunyā ends, but the Ākhirah does not.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ also taught us the true value of this world.
عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ سَعْدٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ، قَالَ
كُنَّا مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ بِذِي الْحُلَيْفَةِ، فَإِذَا هُوَ بِشَاةٍ مَيِّتَةٍ شَائِلَةٍ بِرِجْلِهَا، فَقَالَ
أَتَرَوْنَ هَذِهِ هَيِّنَةً عَلَى صَاحِبِهَا؟ فَوَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ، لَلدُّنْيَا أَهْوَنُ عَلَى اللَّهِ مِنْ هَذِهِ عَلَى صَاحِبِهَا، وَلَوْ كَانَتِ الدُّنْيَا تَزِنُ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ جَنَاحَ بَعُوضَةٍ، مَا سَقَى كَافِرًا مِنْهَا قَطْرَةً أَبَدًا
He ﷺ said that the Dunyā is more worthless to Allah than a dead sheep was to its owner.
[Sunan Ibn Mājah 4110]
عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ سَعْدٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ، قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ
لَوْ كَانَتِ الدُّنْيَا تَعْدِلُ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ جَنَاحَ بَعُوضَةٍ، مَا سَقَى كَافِرًا مِنْهَا شَرْبَةَ مَاءٍ
رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيُّ (٢٣٢٠)، وَقَالَ: هَذَا حَدِيثٌ صَحِيحٌ غَرِيبٌ مِنْ هَذَا الْوَجْهِ
He ﷺ also said that if the Dunyā were worth even the wing of a mosquito to Allah, a disbeliever would not be given even a sip of water from it.
[Jāmiʿ at-Tirmidhī 2320]
So why do we chase it as though it will last forever?
Why do we sacrifice our prayers for it?
Why do we compromise our principles for it?
Why do we become consumed by wealth, status and worldly desires?
Have we forgotten where we are going?
The Prophet ﷺ said:
عَنْ شَدَّادِ بْنِ أَوْسٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ
الْكَيِّسُ مَنْ دَانَ نَفْسَهُ وَعَمِلَ لِمَا بَعْدَ الْمَوْتِ، وَالْعَاجِزُ مَنْ أَتْبَعَ نَفْسَهُ هَوَاهَا وَتَمَنَّى عَلَى اللَّهِ
رواه الترمذي، رقم (2459)، وقال: «هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ»
“The intelligent person is the one who brings himself to account and works for what is after death.”
[Jāmiʿ at-Tirmidhī 2459]
The intelligent person is not the one who simply knows how to succeed in this world. The truly intelligent person is the one who understands that death is coming and therefore prepares for what comes after it.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا قَالَ
أَخَذَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ بِمَنْكِبِي، فَقَالَ «كُنْ فِي الدُّنْيَا كَأَنَّكَ غَرِيبٌ، أَوْ عَابِرُ سَبِيلٍ
وَكَانَ ابْنُ عُمَرَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا يَقُولُ
إِذَا أَمْسَيْتَ فَلَا تَنْتَظِرِ الصَّبَاحَ، وَإِذَا أَصْبَحْتَ فَلَا تَنْتَظِرِ الْمَسَاءَ، وَخُذْ مِنْ صِحَّتِكَ لِمَرَضِكَ، وَمِنْ حَيَاتِكَ لِمَوْتِكَ
“Ibn ʿUmar رضي الله عنهما said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ took hold of my shoulder and said: ‘Be in this world as though you were a stranger or a traveller.’”
Ibn ʿUmar رضي الله عنهما used to say: “When you reach the evening, do not expect to live until the morning; and when you reach the morning, do not expect to live until the evening. Take from your health for your sickness, and from your life for your death.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 6416]
A traveller does not mistake the road for his destination.
Likewise, the believer should use the Dunyā without allowing the Dunyā to take possession of his heart. Earn halal, build, work, marry, provide and enjoy the blessings Allah ﷻ has permitted—but never forget that this is only a temporary abode.
Allah ﷻ has already told us what true success is:
فَمَن زُحْزِحَ عَنِ ٱلنَّارِ وَأُدْخِلَ ٱلْجَنَّةَ فَقَدْ فَازَ
“Whoever is kept away from the Fire and admitted into Paradise has truly succeeded.”
[Qur’an 3:185]
So let us ask ourselves honestly:
What are we really striving for?
Are we building an abode that will eventually disappear, or are we preparing for the abode that will never end?
The Dunyā is temporary.
Death is certain.
Jannah is eternal.
So let us use this temporary life to work for the permanent one.
Do not let the temporary abode make you forget the permanent abode.
Strive for the Ākhirah.
Work for Jannah.
Prepare for the day you will meet Allah ﷻ
