this world. They think that if they can acquire enough material
possessions, theywill experience total personal satisfaction and
happiness. According to the most widespread opinion, a person's life
will be perfect after he or she has attained material wealth, gotten
married with this intention in mind, and is respected by society
because of his or her influential and well-established career.
The Qur'an does not support this view, for it states that this present
life will never be perfect and without problems, as it is designed
like that.
The root of dunya (world) has a very important meaning in this sense:
It is a derivative of the adjective "daniy": low, unrefined, basic and
worthless. "World" meansa space characterized by these traits. So, the
Qur'anoften emphasizes this worldly life's worthlessness and
unimportance. It refers to such things as wealth, family, status, and
success,which are thought to make for a good life, as nothing more
than transitory and deceptive. In one verse, Allah says:
Know that the life of the world is merely a game and a diversion and
ostentation, and a cause of boasting among yourselves and trying to
outdo one another in wealth and children, like the plant-growth after
rain, which delights the cultivators. But then it withers, you see it
turningyellow, and then it becomes broken stubble. In the hereafter
there is terrible punishment, but also forgiveness from Allah and His
good pleasure. The life of the world is nothing but the enjoyment of
delusion. (Surat al-Hadid, 20)
Another verse explains how people are blinded by illusion because of
this earthly life:
Yet still you prefer the lifeof the world, when the hereafter is
better and longer lasting. (Surat al-A'la, 16-17)
As this verse says, such people regard the life of this world as
superior to the afterlife. Such a mistaken view causes them to turn
away from faith in Allah and His Book. The Qur'an describes such
people as"those who do not expectto meet Us and are content with the
life of the world and at rest in it,and those who are heedless of Our
Signs" (Surah Yunus, 7) and reveals that they will find themselves in
Hell's eternal agony. Surely, this imperfection does not mean that
this world contains no beautiful things. On the contrary, Allah filled
the world withbeautiful things to remindus of Paradise. But mixed in
with these beautiful things are the imperfection and ugliness of Hell.
The qualities of Paradise and Hell are mixed together here, for this
world is really a place of testing. Thus believers canget an idea of
those two places and, instead of getting caught up in this world's
short and transitory life, can direct themselves toward the real,
perfect, and endless life of the hereafter. As a result, the Qur'an
describes the afterlife as each person's true and eternal land.
But despite this truth, many people think they can make a perfect life
in this world. They view this life's imperfections and deficiencies
(e.g., getting sick, becoming tired, and suffering from pain and
worry) as something totally natural. However, Allah has created all
theseimperfections with many hidden meanings, and people have to think
seriously about these meanings and learn the appropriate lessons.
It could have been possible would never get sick or feel so tired that
they would need to rest or sleep. They could have had so much stamina
and energy that they would not feel fatigued. If Allah had willed, He
could have created us without such flaws and deficiencies. ButHe
created us with them so that we might understand that we are helpless
and weak.
Each individual must come face to face with hisor her helplessness and
weakness at every moment of life. His body, upon which he lays so much
value, constantly reminds him of his situation. When he wakes up every
morning and starts his day, his face is swollen and distorted, his
mouth has a bad taste, and there is an uncomfortable dirty feeling on
his skin, hair, and body. If he does not clean himself carefully, he
cannot leave this unpleasant state. This cleaning must be repeated
several times during the day, because after a few hours have passed,
the dirt returns. After not washing for a few days, his need to wash
himself becomes all the more obvious, comingto a point where he makes
those around him very uncomfortable.
The human body is not as strong or resilient as a stone or a piece of
metal; rather, it is made of an extremely perishable material: flesh.
The body is covered with a thin skinthat could be torn at any moment
by the slightest accident. Structurally speaking, flesh is very
vulnerable...:-> 1a]
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