The World is Boring
The author describes the world as boring and warns against Muslims being preoccupied with it.
Translated by Qiyas from السياسة — Original source
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“The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) slept on a mat, and when he rose, marks of the mat were visible on his side. We said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, if only we had made a cushion for you.’ He replied, ‘What do I have to do with this world? I am in this world only like a traveler who takes shelter under a tree, then departs and leaves it.’”
Perhaps the most accurate description of this world is that it is a source of baseness, where only baseness, treachery, and betrayal occur. For a mindful Muslim, in today’s turbulent world, disaster—unprecedented in human history—is inevitable. Consequently, this world will appear dull in his eyes, offering nothing new except what is worse than what came before. At least for me, I believe that the world as it stands now is nearing its penultimate stage. A true Muslim’s mind must not be captivated by it. The more he dedicates his remaining capacities and potential to securing the Hereafter, the more he will disdain this tedious world and aspire to what he may be rewarded with in the true life (the Hereafter), turning away from what the worldly drama presents.
Among the factors that can make this world tedious for those with clear minds, we mention the following:
- The penultimate stage: This world was created only to perish. One sign that we are living in the penultimate stage of this tedious world is the intense scramble of many Muslims for worldly gains, coupled with their lack of awareness of what is actually happening around them. At the same time, their enemies are closing in on them. How can a rational person not grow weary of a worldly existence in which he sees nations competing over the Ummah of Muhammad?
- Weariness of the nonsense of some human beings: A person of clear mind grows weary of the repeated, forced exposure to the psychological and intellectual deviations that have increased around him in today’s world. He wishes he could simply devote himself to worshipping his Lord, or depart in peace to a different, otherworldly realm. Repeated human nonsense kills the heart, corrupts the mind, and gnaws at the soul like moths.
- Worldly people are tedious: To one who seeks the Hereafter, the worldly person is tedious. There is nothing in him that increases wisdom, strengthens sound judgment, or enhances faith. How, then, can a person of clear mind not grow weary of someone who cannot offer him anything of value? And Allah knows best.
A Kuwaiti writer
