Tag: dunya

What is Zuhd? Sh. Uthaymeen

Shaykh ibnu Uthaymeen said:
The people of knowledge said that zuhd (asceticism) is leaving off that which does not benefit a persons’ hereafter, in the sense that a person abstains from things that are allowed (permissible) if it is not going to benefit them in the hereafter.
And from the things that aids upon this Zuhd is that a person contemplates about this worldly life and realises that it is a temporary dwelling and not a permanent dwelling; it has not remained for anyone before you so if it did not remain for anyone who preceded you then it will not stay for you.
Allah says: {And We granted not to any human being immortality before you, then if you die, would they live forever?} [Al-Anbiyaa #34]
Meaning; no one has ever lived forever in this world. By this a person comes to know that this world is a dwelling where there is disorder, in that what makes a person happy today may sadden him tomorrow. So when a person comes to know the reality of this world, with his intelligence and eemaan he will abstain from indulging in it and he will not prefer it over the Hereafter.
Allah says: {But, you prefer the life of this world-Although the Hereafter is better and more lasting-Verily! This is in the former Scriptures-The Scriptures of Ibrahim (Abraham) and Musa (Moses)} [Al-Alaa # 16-19]
Fataawaa Noor Alaa Ad-Darb #14

Cultivate good deeds for your Hereafter

Shaykh ibnu Uthaymeen said:

“The Worldly life (Dunya) is a place for cultivating (good deeds) for the Hereafter, and whosoever does not cultivate for his Hereafter has ruined it (i.e his dunya) and has ruined his Hereafter.”

Source: الضياء اللامع ٦٥/١

Translators Note: The one who ruins his worldly life is the one who fails to make use of it, by failing to do good deeds and having sound belief in accordance to the Qur’aan and Sunnah.

The way of our salaf (pious predecessors)

Al-Hasan Al-Basri (Died 110 Hijri) said:
“By Allah, I did not meet those from the early part of this ummah except that what they said with their tongues was in their hearts. By Allah, they were in agreement with the book of their lord and the sunnah of their Prophet (sallaaAllahu alahyi wa sallam). When the night covered them, they would stand on their feet and their faces on the floor (in prayer), their tears flowing down their cheeks, they were desiring for their lord to free them. If they were to earn something from the dunya they would take from it what they needed and place the remainder for their hereafter and they would be thankful to Allah for it and if they didn’t they would be pleased and say: “this is from Allah as a test for us from him”. If they did something good, it would make them happy and they would call upon Allah that he accepts it from them and if they did something wrong, it would displease them and they would seek forgiveness from Allah.

Source: Tadheem Qadr as-salaah (2/675-677)