بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
Assalamu Alaikum.
Sadly, we love this worldly life too much but what exactly are we getting here? Let’s compare what we get in both worlds i.e. this world and the Hereafter.
What we get here
What we get there
Yes, that’s basically it. This world, no matter how many luxuries we have in it, will also have countless trials and tribulations. Even if we assume that a person has no problems (which can never be the case), this life will come to an end.
After this, mankind will be divided into two groups: one going to Paradise and one going to Hell.
كُلُّ نَفْسٍ ذَائِقَةُ الْمَوْتِ ۗ وَإِنَّمَا تُوَفَّوْنَ أُجُورَكُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ ۖ فَمَن زُحْزِحَ عَنِ النَّارِ وَأُدْخِلَ الْجَنَّةَ فَقَدْ فَازَ ۗ وَمَا الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا إِلَّا مَتَاعُ الْغُرُورِ
Everyone shall taste death. And only on the Day of Resurrection shall you be paid your wages in full. And whoever is removed away from the Fire and admitted to Paradise, he indeed is successful. The life of this world is only the enjoyment of deception (a deceiving thing). [Surah Aal-Imran (3) : 185]
Unlike this world, Paradise and its delights will never come to an end. And there is something that the people of Paradise experience that is even more joyous than Paradise itself, and that is seeing Allah.
كَلَّا بَلْ تُحِبُّونَ الْعَاجِلَةَ
وَتَذَرُونَ الْآخِرَةَ
وُجُوهٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ نَّاضِرَةٌ
إِلَىٰ رَبِّهَا نَاظِرَةٌ
Not [as you think, that you (mankind) will not be resurrected and recompensed for your deeds], but (you men) love the present life of this world,
And leave (neglect) the Hereafter.
Some faces that Day shall be Nadirah (shining and radiant).
Looking at their Lord (Allah);
[Surah Al-Qiyaamah (75) : 20- 23]
And the People of Paradise also get this:
عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم “ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَقُولُ لأَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ يَا أَهْلَ الْجَنَّةِ. فَيَقُولُونَ لَبَّيْكَ رَبَّنَا وَسَعْدَيْكَ وَالْخَيْرُ فِي يَدَيْكَ. فَيَقُولُ هَلْ رَضِيتُمْ فَيَقُولُونَ وَمَا لَنَا لاَ نَرْضَى يَا رَبِّ وَقَدْ أَعْطَيْتَنَا مَا لَمْ تُعْطِ أَحَدًا مِنْ خَلْقِكَ. فَيَقُولُ أَلاَ أُعْطِيكُمْ أَفْضَلَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ. فَيَقُولُونَ يَا رَبِّ وَأَىُّ شَىْءٍ أَفْضَلُ مِنْ ذَلِكَ فَيَقُولُ أُحِلُّ عَلَيْكُمْ رِضْوَانِي فَلاَ أَسْخَطُ عَلَيْكُمْ بَعْدَهُ أَبَدًا ”
Narrated Abu Saeed Al-Khudri (radiallahu anhu): The Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said, “Allah will say to the people of Paradise, “O the people of Paradise!” They will say, ‘We respond to You, O our Lord,and we are at Your service, and all the good is in Your Hands!’ Allah will say, “Are you satisfied?’ They will say, ‘Why shouldn’t we be satisfied, O our Lord as You have given us what You have not given to any of Your created beings?’ He will say, ‘Shall I not give you something better than that?’ They will say, ‘O our Lord! What else could be better than that?’ He will say, ‘I bestow My Pleasure on you and will never be angry with you after that.’ “ [Sahih Al-Bukhari, Volume 9, Hadeeth No. 609]
That’s right. They get the Pleasure of Allah – for eternity.
So remember, no matter how good things are in this world (or for many others – no matter how bad things are):
- It will come to an end one day for all of us.
- What is waiting after it, for the righteous, is far better and everlasting.
So, let our focus be on the Hereafter, and not on this worldly life.
May Allah make us of the People of Paradise.