Theological Instructions

LESSON FIFTY-ONE: A COMPARISON BETWEEN THIS WORLD AND THE HEREAFTER

Introduction

It is possible to employ our knowledge acquired through wisdom and tradition and compare and evaluate this world and the Hereafter in different ways. Fortunately, such a comparison has been made in the Holy Qur’an, and it is possible to use Qur’anic assumptions for a true evaluation of life in this world and in the Hereafter and explore the priority of life in the Hereafter.

The finiteness of this World and infiniteness of the Hereafter

The first remarkable difference between this world and the Hereafter is the finite life of this world and the endless life in the world following it. Anyone’s life in this world will sooner or later come to its end. Even though a person may live in this world for hundreds or thousands of years, his life will eventually come to its end at the time of nature’s final evolution and when the first trumpet is blown, as explained in the previous lessons. On the other hand, about eighty verses of the Holy Qur’an express the eternity of life in the Hereafter (refer to verses cited in previous lesson re:

the eternity of Paradise and Hell), and it is obvious that any finite life, no matter how long it is, will not be comparable to an infinite life.

Therefore, the Hereafter due to its infinity has great priority over this world; this has been a matter of concern in a number of verses. Words like infinite - ‘Abqaa’ (al- Kahf: 46, Maryam:76, Tāha:73,131, al-Qasas:60, Ghāfir:39, al-A’la: 17), and finite - qalīl (Āl-‘Imrān:197, al-Nisā’:77, al-Tawbah:38, al-Nahl:117), have been employed to explain the Hereafter and this world respectively. In some other verses, such concepts have been expressed by making a simulation between worldly life and a plant, which is green for a few days, then changes to yellow, and later fades and dies (Yūnus:24, Kahf:45-46, Hadīd:2). Finally, in one verse, it is stated that, “what is with Allah shall last” (al-Nahl:96).

Isolation of Blessing from Punishment

Another fundamental difference between the worldly life and the Hereafter is that this world’s pleasure and life is mixed with suffering and hardship. It is unlikely that a group of people will always live in happiness and tranquility while another group live in sadness and anxiety. Rather, all people are involved, more or less, in happiness, pleasure and peace together with suffering, sadness and anxiety. However, the Hereafter comprises of two separate sections (Paradise and Hell). In one section, there is no sign of punishment, suffering, panic or sadness; while in the other, there is nothing but fire, pain, regret and sadness. All the joys and sufferings are obviously of this world’s nature.

Similar comparisons have also been made in the Holy Qur’an, and the priority of the blessings of the other world, and living close to God has been emphasised over this world’s blessings (Āl-‘Imrān 15, al-Nisā’:77, al

An’ām:32, al-A’rāf:32, Yūsuf:109, al-Nahl:30, al-Kahf 46). Similarly, it has been maintained in the Holy Qur’an that punishment in the Hereafter is much harder than suffering and hardship in this world (al-Ra’d:34, Tāha:127, al-Sajjdah:21, al-Zumar:36, al-Qalam:33).

The nobility of the Hereafter

Another vital difference between this world and the Hereafter is that life in this world is an introduction to the other world and is a means for reaching eternal prosperity; life in the other world is the main objective. Even though, the life of man with all its material and spiritual blessing is merely a means to test man and cannot be considered as the aim of this life. The real value of what man attains in this life can only truly be seen in the Hereafter (al-Qasas:77).

Therefore, one who ignores the other world and focuses on the bounties of this world and selects the worldly pleasures as his ultimate objective has not recognised the real value of this world. He has, nevertheless, considered some imaginary value for it and has mistakenly chosen the means instead of the goal. This will be nothing more than ‘entertainment’ and ‘deception’; and this is why the Holy Qur’an refers to worldly life as ‘play’ and ‘entertainment’ and a means of ‘deception’ (Āl-‘Imrān:185, al-‘Ankabūt:64, Muhammad:36, al-Hadīd:20); whereas, the Hereafter is claimed to be the true life (al-‘Ankabūt:64, al-Fajr:24). However it is the intention behind and way by which the blessings of this life are used that will be judged, as the true believer can take advantage of worldly blessings in order to aim towards eternal bliss.

Due to the privileges of the Hereafter and the blessings bestowed upon man by choosing a life close to God over worldly desires, it would certainly seem unwise to choose the path of this life over that of the next (al-A’lā:16, al-Fajr:24). Choosing the wrong path would result only in regret and remorse. However, the disgracefulness of such a selection is more vivid when we realise that choosing this world over the Hereafter is not only the cause of one’s deprivation from eternal prosperity but it is also a vital factor affecting his/her adversity. Note:

If man could select the finite pleasures of this world over the eternal prosperity of the Hereafter without facing any evil outcome, such a decision due to the priority of the Hereafter would still be idiotic.

However, no one can avoid his faith in the Hereafter; therefore, the one who spends his life in favor of worldly desires and ignores or totally rejects the Hereafter, will not only be deprived from Paradise but also will be tied up in Hell’s torture forever and meet a double loss (Hūd:22, al-Kahf:104-105, al-Naml:4-5).

This is why the Holy Qur’an, on one hand, refers to the blessings of the Hereafter and warns against being deceived by worldly desires (al-Baqarah:102,200, al- Tawbah:38, al-Rūm:33, Fātir:5, al-Zukhruf:34-35) and, on the other, counts the losses of falling in love with this world and forgetting or rejecting the Hereafter or casting doubt on it. Such points as the Holy Qur’an emphasises will cause one’s adversity and eternal misfortune (al-Isrā’:10, al-Baqarah:86, al-An’ām:130, Yūnus:7-8, Hūd:15-16, Ibrāhīm:3, al-Nahl:22, Luqmān:4). Therefore, it is unlikely that one who

chooses this world over the other will only be deprived from the other world’s rewards; rather in addition to that, such a person will be sentenced to eternal punishment.

The secret behind the above point is that the lover of this world has wasted the talents provided for him by God and has destroyed or changed them for a fruitless tree for example, which could have given the fruit of eternal prosperity. Such a person has not thanked (worshiped) the real provider of such gifts and has wasted His blessings in a way, which has failed to cause His satisfaction. Thus, when he finds the evil results of his choice, he would wish to be mere dust (al-Naba’:40).

Questions

1- Discuss the differences between this world and the Hereafter.

2- Explain the reason why this world is at loss.

3- Describe the failings of falling in love with the material world.

4- Why will disbelief in the Hereafter cause eternal punishment?