People and the worldly life

Indeed,
whoever looks at this worldly life by an eye of wisdom will be sure
that its bliss is an affliction, living it is a matter of trouble,
existing in it is toil and sadness. In addition, the people of this
worldly life are overwhelmed by fear. In life, they have a perishing
bliss, an affliction of calamity or inevitable death. Whoever feels
self-sufficient in life will be seduced and whoever is in need therein,
will be dissatisfied and grieved. Moreover, whoever loves it will be
humiliated and whoever looks at it will be blinded by it. People in this
worldly life are categorized into two;

The
first one is a wise category who knew that it is a transient shade, a
vanishing bliss and a mixture of false dreams. They have realized that
it is full of bounties inside which there are calamities. They knew that
this perishing life is just a way to the eternal life. Thus, they
became satisfied with few things, so; their hearts and bodies were
relieved, and their religion was saved from it. In addition, they become
among the praised in the sight of Allah. Their worldly life did not
distract them from obeying their Lord. They have put the last breath and
what follows it before their eyes, and they meditated on their destiny.
They thought how they can depart this worldly life with a sound faith,
what will remain with them in their graves, and what they will pass to
their inheritors in this life. They realized all this, so; they got
themselves ready for death, prepared the answer for their call to
account, and they took provision for the Promised Day (the best
provision is fear of Allah). A good state (in paradise) is theirs. They
feared [in life], so; they became secured [in the Hereafter] and they
practiced righteous deeds, so; they won.

Another
category is that of the ignorant whose sights were blinded. However,
they did not think upon the matters of this worldly life nor did they
find out its bad status and its final destiny. Life appeared for them by
its false adornment and they were seduced by it. They adhered to it,
became satisfied with it and became assured by it until it diverted them
away from Allah Almighty and distracted them from His remembrance and
obedience. Allah says, {And be not like those who forgot Allâh (i.e.
became disobedient to Allâh), and He caused them to forget their
ownselves, (let them to forget to do righteous deeds). Those are the
Fâsiqûn (rebellious, disobedient to Allâh).} [Surat Al-Hashr 59:19]

{وَلَا تَكُونُوا كَالَّذِينَ نَسُوا اللَّـهَ فَأَنسَاهُمْ أَنفُسَهُمْ ۚ أُولَـٰئِكَ هُمُ الْفَاسِقُونَ} الحشر: 19

Transliteration: Wala takoonoo kaallatheena nasoo Allaha faansahum anfusahum olaika humu alfasiqoona


They forgot Allah through neglecting His rights. They did not appraise Him with His due appraisal. In addition,
they did not pay attention to His commands or His forbidden matters
because of their indulgence in life. {and He caused them to forget their
ownselves,} means that due to forgetting Him, he made them forgetful of
themselves. Thus, they do not listen to what benefit them and they do
not do what saves them. Moreover, they will see on the Day of
Resurrection terrors that will make them forget themselves and will made
them confused. Allah says, {The Day you shall see it, every nursing
mother will forget her nursling, and every pregnant one will drop her
load, and you shall see mankind as in a drunken state, yet they will not
be drunken, but severe will be the Torment of Allâh.} [Surat Al-Hajj
22:2]

{يَوْمَ
تَرَوْنَهَا تَذْهَلُ كُلُّ مُرْضِعَةٍ عَمَّا أَرْضَعَتْ وَتَضَعُ كُلُّ
ذَاتِ حَمْلٍ حَمْلَهَا وَتَرَى النَّاسَ سُكَارَىٰ وَمَا هُم بِسُكَارَىٰ
وَلَـٰكِنَّ عَذَابَ اللَّـهِ شَدِيدٌ} الحج: 2

Transliteration: Yawma tarawnaha tathhalu kullu murdiAAatin AAamma ardaAAat watadaAAu kullu thati hamlin hamlahawatara alnnasa sukara wama hum bisukara walakinna AAathaba Allahi shadeedun

Some
of the ancestors said, “Striving for what is assured for you with your
negligence of what is obliged for you is a proof of obliterating your
sight.” They set life up but it destroyed them, they were proud of it
without Allah, so, it humiliated them. They had many extended hopes,
loved to live long and they forgot death and the horrors that come after
it. Therefore, they became disappointed, went astray, lost life and did
not have the [reward of] the Hereafter.

They inclined towards this low life,

And they had the highest positions;

Until they were deluded by them,

And then they were suddenly taken by death.
My
brother for the sake of Allah! Whoever is heedless of himself will
waste his times, then he will have severe regret. There is no regret,
which is greater than having his life as a proof against himself and
having his days leading him to more destruction and wretchedness. Time
and its changes is the best adviser and age with its calamities is the
most eloquent addresser. Therefore, pay attention to its wakening up and
get lessons from its words.

It
was said in traditional sayings, “there are four things that are
included in wretchedness. They are a tearless eye, a hard heart, an
extended hope, and being keen in observing this worldly life.”

Therefore, call yourselves to account before you are called to account.