Ad-Dunya (This World)

Ad-Dunya
(This World)
The word dunya comes
from danaa (root: dal nun wau).   This root word has two
meanings:  1) near and 2) lowly.  This life has been called al-hayaat
ad-dunya because it is the near (or "nearest"), the apparent and the
current existence which we know and also because it is lesser, despicable
and superficial in comparison to the real life as Allah called it
- the life in the hereafter.

Ad-Dunya is the place
which contains all the objects of desire of the human nafs in this
life.  It is in reality a mere transition or place of passing and
has no permanence or lasting meaning.  The life of this world and
all that is in it is like the beautiful plants or crops which impress those
who look on them but which shortly are turned into dead leaves and dust
blown about by the wind.  The Prophet (sas) said:
"Maa ad-dunya
fiy al-aakhirati illa mithlu maa yaj'alu ahadukum usbu'ahu fiy al-yammi
li yandhura bima yarja'"
"This life in comparison
to the life hereafter is nothing except like that which one of you finds
if he sticks his finger into the ocean and then sees what it brings back
with it."  Muslim
The life of this world has
been made attractive and desireable to mankind.   Unlike some
other religions, Islam does not negate this love nor deem it as inherently
evil.  Rather, they are natural desires which Allah created in us
and only need to be channeled into what Allah has allowed or encouraged
and not allowed to control our actions and beliefs even in disobedience
to Allah Most High.  So this life is a temporary place of testing
which determines our permenant condition in the life hereafter.  
The Prophet (sas) said:
"Inna ad-dunya
hilwatun khadhratun.  Wa inna Allah mustakhlifukum fiha fayandhuru
kaifa ta'maluna.  Fa ittaqqoo ad-dunya wa ittaqqoo an-nisaa."
"Surely, this dunya
is sweet and fresh.  And Allah makes you the heirs of it and then
watches what you do.  So beware of this dunya and beware regarding
women."  Muslim
A Muslim is not ordered to
turn his back on the things of this life like the asceticism which the
Christians and others innovated.  Rather, a Muslim is commanded to
seek, exploit and use these things in obedience to Allah and in furthering
the cause of raising Allah's din in the land.  Allah said:
{Thumma
qaffainaa 'alaa aathaarihim bi rusulinaa wa qaffainaa bi 'isaa ibni maryama
wa aatainaahu al-injeela wa ja'alnaa fiy quloobi alladhina ittaba'oohu
ra'fatan wa rahmatan wa rahbaaniyyatan ibtada'ooha maa katabnaaha 'alaihim
illa ibtighaa'a ridhwaani allahi famaa ra'auhaa haqqa ri'ayatiha fa aatainaa
alladhina aamanoo minhum ajrahum wa katheerun minhum faasiqoon.}
{Then,
we sent after them from our prophets and we sent Isa the son of Maryam
and we gave him the Injeel and we placed in the hearts of those who followed
him compassion and mercy but asceticism they innovated we did not prescribe
it for them except for seeking the pleasure of Allah which they did not
maintain as it should have been maintained.  So we granted those who
believed among them their reward and most of them are corrupt.}  Al-Hadeed:26
So, a Muslim should SEEK his
portion of the things of this life and seek to use them in obedience to
Allah Most High.  There is not order to turn away form such things
simply because the are "wordly".  Allah said:
{Wa
abtaghi fimaa aataaka Allahu ad-daara al-aakhirata wa laa tansa naseebaka
min ad-dunya wa ahsin kamaa ahsana Allahu ilaika.  Wa laa tabghi al-fasaada
fiy al-ardha inna Allahu laa yuhibbu al-mufsideen.}
{And seek
with that which Allah has given you the realm of the hereafter and do not
neglect your portion in this life.  And be gracious as Allah has been
gracious to you.  And do not seek corruption in the land for Allah
does not love the corrupters.}  Al-Qasas:77
Nevertheless, as we indulge
in the pleasures of this world - within the bounds established by Allah
Most High - we must never forget its "lowliness" in comparison with the
provision of Allah in the hereafter to those of His slaves who were obedient
in this "place of passing".  Allah said:
{Zuyyina
li an-naasi hubbu ash-shahawaati min an-nisaa'i wa al-baneena wa al-qanaateeri
al-muqantarati min adh-dhahabi wa al-fidha wa al-khaili al-musawwamati
wa al-an'aami wa al-harthi dhaalika mataa'u al-hayaati ad-dunya wa allahu
'indahu husnu ma'aabi.}
{This
has been made beautiful to people: the love of the desires such as women,
sons, piled up heaps of gold and silver, branded horses, cattle and land.  
That is the provision of this life but with Allah is the best place of
return.}   Aal-'Imraan:14
Allah did not negate the love
of mankind for these things nor is it regarded as an innate evil - the
test is in what we do with them.  Will we indulge in them in obedience
to Allah and thereby transform mere pleasures and indulgences into worship
of our Lord?  Or will we become slaves to the objects of our desires
turning all of our pleasures in this world into disobedience and rebellion
against Allah Most High?  The Prophet (sas) knew that this nation
would experience plenty and riches after him and feared for us with regard
to this test more than he feared for us from the test of poverty and deprivation. 
He (sas) said:
"Inna mimma
akhaafu 'alaikum baadiy maa yuftahu 'alaikum min zahrati ad-dunya wa zeenatiha."
"One of the things from
which I fear for you after me is that which will be given to you from the
flowers of this dunya and its ornaments."  Muslim
& Bukhari
Allah also warned us in the
Qur'an about allowing the dunya to lead us instead of us using it
in obedience to Him:
{Yaa
ayyuha an-naasu inna wa'da Allahi haqqun falaa taghurrannakum al-hayaati
ad-dunya wa laa yaghurranakum bi Allahi al-gharoor.}
{O people! 
The promise of Allah is surely true so do not let the life of this world
deceive you nor be deceived by the Deceiver.}  Faatir:5
The meaning of not letting
the life of this world deceive you is to not allow it to distract you and
draw you away from worship and obedience to Allah Most High.  The
meaning of being deceived by the Deceiver (Shaitaan and his forces) is
explained by Ash-Shawkaani like this:
"...let not Shaitaan
deceive you with regard to Allah by saying to you: "Allah will overlook
this for you and will forgive you because you are a good person or because
of His great mercy upon you [and so you no longer hesitate in disobeying
Allah]."  Zubdatu At-Tafseer p. 572

 So, when the desires of
this world are tempting us to neglectd obedience to Allah and to follow
them instead of Allah, we should remember the lowliness of this life and
its insignificance in comparison to the life hereafter except as a testing
ground where Allah watches what we do.  Other than that, this life
is composed mostly of foolishness and wasted time.  Allah said:
{Wa
maa hadhihi al-hayaati ad-dunya illa lahwun wa la'ibun wa inna ad-daara
al-aakhirata layiya al-hayawaanu lau kaanoo ya'lamoon}
{And the
life of this world is nothing but frivolity and playing while the realm
of the hereafter is the true life if they only knew.}  Al-'Ankabut:64
The only good that we can get
out of this life is whatever obedience and worship we can offer to Allah
while we are here.  Of utmost importance in this regard is learning
our din and teaching what we have learned to others along with calling
others to enter into belief, submission and practice of Islam.  The
Prophet (sas) said:
"Alaa inna ad-dunya
mal'oonarun mal'oonatun maa fiha illa dhikru Allahi ta'aala wa maa waalaahu
wa 'aaliman wa muta'alliman."
"Verily this dunya
is cursed and all that is in it is cursed except for the remembrance of
Allah and all that goes with it and a scholar or a student."  At-Tirmidhi
The most important thing to
realize here is that the human heart by nature is a slave to something. 
If that slavery ('uboodiya) is not directed to Allah Most High,
then it will surely find something else to which to attach itself. 
Also, all might and greatness is derived from Allah's might and greatness
so whoever is not attached to Allah will be pathetic and weak even in this
life and especially in the hereafter.   Al-Imam Ash-Shafi'iy
said:
"Man ghalabat
'alaihi shiddatu ash-shahwati li hubbi al-hayaati lazimathu al-'uboodiya
li ahlihaa.  Wa man radhiya bi al-qunoo'i zaala 'anhu al-khudhoo'"
"Whoever is overcome
by the intensity of his desires because of love of this life will of necessity
become enslaved to its people.  And whoever is content by being satisfied
with little, will find the humiliation lifted from him."
 
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