Obsession with this Life
Sayed Moustafa Al-Qazwini
كُلاًّ نُّمِدُّ هَؤُلآءِ وَهَؤُلآءِ مِنْ عَطَآءِ رَبّـِكَ وَمَا كَانَ عَطَآءُ رَبّـِكَ مَحْظُوراً
All We succour, these and those, from the bounty of your Lord; and the bounty of your Lord is not closed (to anyone).
[Surah Isra’ 17; Verse 20]
Falling in love and becoming obsessed with this transient world is a dangerous disease. Love itself isn’t the issue, as it is within one’s rights to have love for others and even the things they own, however it should comply with the boundaries of religion and not lead one astray and cause them to forget about their true purpose in this world. When one begins to form an attachment and obsession with what they love, this can be detrimental.
بَلْ تُؤْثِرُونَ الْحَيَاةَ الدُّنْيَا
وَالْآخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ وَأَبْقَىٰ
إِنَّ هَٰذَا لَفِي الصُّحُفِ الْأُولَىٰ
صُحُفِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَمُوسَىٰ
16. Nay, you prefer the life of this world,
17. While the world to come is better and more lasting,
18. Surely this is in the earlier Scriptures,
19. The Scriptures of Abraham and Moses.
[Surah A’la 87; Verse 16-19]
We get so attached, obsessed and infatuated with this life even though we are aware it is temporary, and we often forget about the next world which awaits.
In a hadith:
“The love for this world is the principle for every sin.”
This life is nothing but an examination for the next life. It is a plantation ground for the next world. One must pass through it to progress to the next world.
Some examples of obsessions and attachments to this lower life:
To food – some people are so infatuated with food it controls their thoughts and their actions. These people live to eat, rather than eat to live.
To work – someone who has neglected the many priorities in life, such as their family and occasions, to focus on work.
To studies – someone who studies so intensely they may neglect their priorities in life. There needs to be a balance, as this issue can potentially impact on one’s involvement in religious obligations such as prayer.
To music – haram music is detrimental and provocative to one’s self in many ways. Just like bad food, the negative effects may not manifest immediately, but they eventually will.
وَابْتَغِ فِيمَآ ءَاتَاكَ اللَّهُ الدَّارَ الاَخِرَةَ وَلا تَنسَ نَصِيبَكَ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا وَأَحْسِن كَمَآ أَحْسَنَ اللَّهُ إِلَيْكَ وَلا تَبْغِ الْفَسَادَ فِي الاَرْضِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لا يُحِبُّ الْمُفْسِدِينَ
And seek by means of what Allah has given you, the abode of the Hereafter, and do not forget your portion in this world, and be good (to others) just as Allah has been good to you, and do not seek to make mischief in the land, verily Allah does not love the mischief-makers.
[Surah Al-Qasas 28; Verse 77]
We must seek in what Allah (swt) has given us and not abuse these grants. They include intelligence, knowledge, wealth, family, good health, safety and security. We have to utilise these rights and grants that God has bestowed us with, towards enhancing ourselves morally, ethically, spiritually and enhancing society around us. In a sense, we should purchase our ticket for a position in the next world—it doesn’t come for free. We have to work towards the best position in the eternal life.
Nothing we have nor own is really ours, but rather for Allah (swt):
قُلْ إِنَّ صَلاَتِي وَنُسُكِي وَمَحْيَايَ وَمَمَاتِي لِلّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ
Say: ‘Verily my prayer and my worship, my life and my death are for Allah, the Lord of the Worlds.
[Surah Al-An’am 6; Verse 162]