Excessive Ambitions in this Worldly Life - II

The Righteous Predecessors Warned Against Excessive Ambition in this World
The righteous predecessors understood the reality of this world and
their hearts became attached to the Hereafter. Therefore, they advised
their successors not to incline towardsthis worldly life and not to
turn away from the Hereafter. 'Ali said, "The things I fear most might
harm you are following whims and having excessive ambitions in this
worldly life, for following whims diverts you from the truth and
having excessive ambitions causes you to forget the Hereafter."
Ibn Mas'ood said, "Do not let extended welfare lure you into laxity,
and do not be diverted by false hope; for whatever will come is near,
and whatever is far will never come."
Salmaan Al-Faarisi said, "Three things make me laugh outof irony: A
person having excessive ambitions in this life while death awaits him,
a personwho is heedless while Allaah is encompassing of everything he
does, and a person who laughs heartedly while not knowing whether
Allaah Is angry or pleased with him."
Once a man entered the house of Abu Tharr Al-Ghifaari and started
looking around his house,then he said, "O Abu Tharr, whereis your
furniture?" Abu Tharr replied, "We have another house that we are
moving to [he meant by that his house in heaven]." Theman said, "As
long as you are here, it is necessary to have furniture." Abu Tharr
replied, "The owner of the house [i.e., Allaah] is not leaving us
here, therefore we are in no need of buying furniture."
It was narrated that 'Eesa (Jesus) said, "How sane is the person who
builds a home on thewaves of the sea? This is the example of this
world, so do not take it as your abode."
'Umar ibn Abdul-'Azeez said in a Khutbah (Sermon), "Do not let
extended welfare harden yourhearts and make you yield to your enemy.
By Allaah, for a person to have excessive ambitions in this worldly
life is a mistake, for he does not know whether he will live until the
morning or not, or whether he will live until the evening or not; and
death may take him at any moment between these."
Abu Muhammad ibn 'Ali Az-Zaahid said,
We followed a funeral processionin Al-Koofah and Abu Daawood At-Taa'i
was among the people. During the burial, Abu Daawood withdrew and sat
to a side. I then went and sat near him. He said, "Those who fear the
punishment of Allaah will gain what they desire, even ifit is
difficult to obtain. Those whostrive for this worldly life are
negligent of the Hereafter; all what is destined is soon to happen.
Know that all the peopleof this world will eventually be ofthe
inhabitants of the graves. Also, know that the inhabitants of graves
regret the time, money and effort that they wasted in persuing the
pleasures of this lifeand are only pleased with the good deeds that
they did during their lifetimes. Sadly, what the inhabitants of graves
regret, the people of this world are competing, fighting over and
disputing in courts over.
Al-Ghazzaali said, "Death has snapped the necks of tyrants, broken the
backs of emperors and cut short the false hopes of Caesars, whose
hearts rejected the remembrance of death until it suddenly struck them
and cast them into the earth. Have any of them found haven or refuge
fromdeath?"
Others said, "Many people start their day and die before it ends and
many wait for the next day but never reach it. If only you realize the
truth of life and how quickly it passes by, you would detest excessive
ambitions in thislife and its delusion."
Yet others said, "How can a person be happy with this life when every
day deducts a month of his age, and every month eliminates a year of
his age, and every year destroys his life, and his life leads him to
his death."
Muhammad ibn Waasi' was asked, "How do you find yourself?" He replied,
"I have a short life, excessive ambitions in this world and many wrong
deeds."
A man wrote a letter to his brother, saying, "Sorrow over what is
missed from the pleasures of this life is endless and death is close
to a person. Every day decreases his lifespan; and illness gradually
increases in his body day after day. So, start performing good deeds
before death comes to you. Peace be upon you."
Consequences of Excessive Ambitions in this Worldly Life
Having excessive ambitions in this worldly life leads to committing
misdeeds and keeps a person away from obeying Allaah. It is also one
of the causesof violating prohibitions, transgression and plundering
others' rights. Therefore, a person must always recall death and show
due reverence towardsAllaah.
The Remedy for this Disease
Ignorance and love of this world are the cause of having excessive
ambitions in this worldly life. Treatment of this disease lies in
being aware of its dangers and harmful consequences, realizing the
importance of performing obligations on their prescribed time and
understanding that procrastination leads a person to failure and loss.
The slave of Allaah has to know that he is required to be where Allaah
The Exalted has commanded him to be, and to avoid acts that Allaah The
Exalted has commanded him to abstain from. One also should make his
motto the same as that raised by Haatim Al-Asamm who said, "I knew
that none would perform my duties for me and therefore I am occupied
in fulfilling them. I saw that people look at my appearance while
Allaah looks at what is concealed inside me, so I realized that it is
worthier and better to be conscious that Allaah is watchingme. I also
knew that death comes suddenly and, therefore, I decided to perform
good deeds before it comes."
There is a great difference between having hopeful expectations and
having extensive ambitions in this worldly life. A person who has
hopeful expectations for something will do his utmost in order to
attain it and a person who fears something will flee from it. On the
other hand, having excessive ambitions in this life leads a person to
neglecting the matters of the Hereafter and preparing for it. One who
seeks remedy for this disease has to understand the truth of this
worldly life and how insignificant and valueless it is, and that it
takes the side of thosewho are mean and cowardly and is their endless
pleasure. Principally, one does not find in this world but what he
dislikes and when he finds something that pleases him, it is but an
exception.
Once, Ibn As-Sammaak went to Haaroon Ar-Rasheed whileHaaroon was
having a drink of water. Then Haaroon Ar-Rasheed asked for his
admonishment. Thereupon, Ibn As-Sammaak said,"O Commander of the
believers, ifyou were prevented this drink of water, would you pay for
it with half of your kingdom?" He replied, "Yes." Then he asked, "O
Commander of the believers, if you drunk this water and then could not
urinate it, would you pay for this [i.e., to be able to do so] with
half of your kingdom?" He replied, "Yes." Then Haaroon said, "A
kingdom does not [even] equal a drink of water or its urination."
Al-Fudhayl ibn 'Iyaadh said, "All goodness was collected in a house,
and the key to this house is asceticism in this worldly life, and all
evil was collected in a house, and the key to this house is the love
for this worldly life."
It was said, "This world is like one's shadow; if you try to catch it,
it will escape from you, and if you leave it, it will follow you."
Therefore, you have to ask yourself: "Where are the former and later
peoples? Where are those who filled the world from east to west with
pride and glory? Where are those who furnished their palaces with
silks and gems? Where are those who caused the earth to tremble out of
veneration and exaltation for them? Do you perceive of them anyone, or
hear from them a sound?" Allaah caused them to perish, as He did with
other nations, and exterminated them like disintegrated ruins. Allaah
also removed them from the spaciousness of their palaces to the
narrowness of graves, under stones and rocks and they became so that
nothing was seenof them except their dwellings. What they accumulated
throughout their lives did not benefit them, and what they earned did
not avail them. Both the living and their beloved left them; both
their brothers and friends abandoned them; both their relatives and
non relatives forgot them. It is as if death is not decreed upon us
and that it will only befall others. When we follow a funeral
procession, it is as if the deceased is just going ona journey and
will soon return, then we consume their inheritance as if we will be
immortal in this world.
O people! Fill your life in this world with obeying Allaah and
following the methodology of your Prophet and let your motto be: {And
I hastened to You,my Lord, that You be pleased.}