Life Here Below: Its Benefits and Its Dangers

Is it praiseworthy or blameworthy to acquire goods here below?

Ibn Qudama said:

"Know that this lower world is a whole made up of certain elements which exist to benefit people.

Take, for example, the earth and all that it contains. It is an abode of residence for humans and contains clothing, food, drink and weddings. All of this assists the human in his journey to Allah.

Therefore, whoever takes a part of these things corresponding to what is useful to him and which has been legislated is praised.

On the other hand, whoever takes a larger share than he needs will fall into the blame, and will go from profit to harm. He will become distracted from the search for the afterlife."

Jesus (peace be upon him) said : “This world is a bridge, so cross it and do not settle there. »

Al-Hassan wrote a long letter to 'Umar Ibn 'Abd Al-'Aziz in which he said:

“Certainly, this lower world is a place of departure and not a place of residence. Adam was only put down there as a punishment. So beware of him, O Commander of the Faithful.

The provisions found there must be left behind, and contentment lies in being poor in them. Those who honor him are humbled. Those who try to hoard it are impoverished, like someone who drinks poison without knowing what it is. So beware of this deceitful, illusory and deceitful abode.

If the Creator had given no information about him and made no parables about him, his reality would still have awakened the sleeping and alarmed the careless. So what about the fact that Allah mentioned it in a context of rebuke?!

This low world has no value with Allah and He has not looked at it since He created it. The keys and treasures of this world were offered to our Prophet (peace be upon him) and he did not accept them. Rather, he hated to love what his Creator hated, or to elevate that whose possessor Allah lowered. Allah has removed it from the righteous and extended it to His deluded enemies. The dupe is the one who considers it an honor to possess it, forgetting what Allah did with the Prophet (peace be upon him) when he (peace be upon him) tied a stone to his belly.

By Allah, no one has received this low world without his intelligence departing and his sight becoming blurred.”

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