LIFE OF THIS WORLD IS A MIRAGE

The root word of “Dunya” is “Adn” which means “Low”. It is related to the word “Adna” meaning “Low place”. The feminine is “Dunya”. So “Dunya” is inferior compared to Hereafter. In the Glorious Qur’an, at many places Dunya has been referred to as temporary, short-lived, game or playful and it is compared to the Hereafter which is superior and permanent. Hereafter is full of happiness and comforts if man had a pious life fulfilling all responsibilities prescribed by Allah (s.w.t.) and practically demonstrated by the Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.) and his Infallible Ahlul Bayt (a.s.).

The life of this world is a spring board and bridge for the Hereafter.

In the Glorious Qur’an, the concept of the worldly life as game or playful has been described at many places e.g. Surah al-An’am Ayah 32: “The worldly life is but useless amusement and sport (compared to) the life hereafter, which is far greater and is only for the pious. Will you not then understand?”

Also Surah Ale-Imran Ayah 185: “Every soul is destined to experience the agony of death. You (Muslims) will receive the recompense for your deeds on the Day of Judgment. To be saved from the fire and admitted to the Paradise is certainly a great triumph. The worldly life is no more than a deceitful possession.”

Similarly, Surah al-Nisa Ayah 77: “…..(Muhammad),Tell them, “The pleasures of the worldly life are trivial. The life hereafter is the best for the pious ones. You will not be treated the slightest bit unjustly.”

Surah al-Hadid Ayah 20 refers to it as: E’lamu Annamal Hayatad Dunya Laebun wa Lahwun wa Zeenatun wa Tafakhuru Bainakum wa Takasuru fil Amwale wal Aulad…” “You must know that the worldly life is only a game, a temporary attraction, a means of boastfulness among yourselves and a place for multiplying your wealth and children.”

It is an excellent way to describe the various stages of human life from the birth to the death. One scenario to elaborate and exemplify the Ayah may be described as; first stage is the “Laebun” or playfulness. A child is always involved in playing and nothing more. Next stage of “Lahwun” is that of a teen-ager who wants hero-worshipping and extreme sentiments of loving or hating. Next stage is puberty when the youth, boy or girl, is interested in beatification involving appearance or dressing, represented by the word “Zeenatun”. The stage of “Tafakhur” is the time-span between 25 to 45 years, when men or women having attained their objectives of life and financially stabilized now boast and brag about their achievements and status. The last phase of “Takasur” as mentioned in the Ayah represent the period when people are interested in multiplying their savings and increasing their race and arranging the marriages of their children or grand children. This phase may stretch from 45 to 60 or 65 years in varying environments and different cultures.

Another scenario may be exemplified as the life-span represented by a day; starting from dawn to dusk. The first stage of “Laebun” may be attributed to the childhood. Second stage of “Lahwun” may be similar to the mid-morning. The next stage of “Zeenatun” may be attributed to the time of “Zuhr”. The period between Zuhr and Asr may be similar to “Tafakhur”. The last stage of “Takasur” starts from the time of Asr to the time of Maghrib or dusk. Hence the time of a man’s sunset of his life is imminent which may come at any time thereafter in accordance with the Will of Allah (s.w.t.).

Sources used:

The Glorious Qur’an (English translation) by Ayatollah Agha H.M.M. Pooya Yazdi

The Glorious Qur’an (Urdu translation) – Tafseer-e-Namoona by Ayatollah Nasir Makarem Shirazi

The Glorious Qur’an (English translation) by Muhammad Sarwar

Hujjatul Islam Maulana Mukhtar Faezi (lecture)