Islam considers the world something as undesirable and demands from its followers to practice asceticism

Anyhow, Islam considers the world something as undesirable and demands from its followers to practice asceticism. Here, it would be appropriate to throw some light about the Islamic concept of this world, and why it has been reproached? Does the world consist of worldly existence such as: earth, sun, moon, stars, animals, plants, trees, mines, and human beings? Therefore, the life of this world can be defined as working, eating, drinking, sleeping, marrying and other related acts of living. Does Islam refrain from these things? Do earth, sky, animals, vegetables, and trees are bad things that a human being should avoid them?

Does Islam prohibit earning a living, acquiring of knowledge, business and production, and sexual relationship? Absolutely this is not the case, because God- Almighty has created all of the above things, and in case they were bad, He would not have created them. God-Almighty regards them as His Beautiful Bounties that should be conquered by human beings and should be utilized for their advantages. The wealth and property not only is not reproached but on the contrary has been introduced as blessing in the Holy Qur'an as follows: ان ترك خيرا الوصية للوالدين و الاقربين

"If he leaves wealth, that he bequeath unto parents and near relatives in kindness. - The Holy Qur'an (2:1 80).

Earning a genuine living by lawful means not only has not been reproached, rather has been regarded as one of the best kind of worship. Following is an example:

The Holy Prophet (s.a.w) said: العبادة سبعون جزا افضلها طلب الحلال "Worship consists of seventy acts and the best among them is the act of earning a genuine living through lawful means. - al-Kafi, vol. 5, p-78.

Imam al-Baqir (a.s) has said: من طلب الرزق في الدنيا استعفافا عن الناس و توسيعا على اهله و تعطفا على جاره لقي الله عزوجل يوم القيامة و وجهه مثل القمر ليلة البدر

"Whoever endeavors sincerely for earning a genuine living (through lawful means); becomes self sufficient in taking care of his expenditures; maintains a reasonably comfortable standard of living for his family; shows benevolence to his neighbors - such a person will meet God-Almighty in the Hereafter, while his face will be shining like the full moon. - al-Kafi, vol. 5, p-88.

Imam al-Sadiq (a.s) said: الكاد على عياله كالمجاهد في سبيل الله "Whoever strives for earning a living for his family is tantamount to a warrior engaged in Holy War for the sake of God. - al-Kafi, vol. 5, p-88.

The Islamic traditions emphasize the importance of Work, farming, agriculture, trade, and even marriage. The life styles of Prophet (a.s) and Sinless Imams (a.s) indicate that they too have worked for earning a living. Commander of the Faithful Imam Ali (a.s) the leader of the pious also mode endeavors and worked hard for earning a living in his life. Therefore, what is really meant with this reproached world? In the opinion of some people it is not the world that is reproached rather it is the attachment to world that has been strictly condemned. e.g. the Holy Qur'an said: زين للناس حب الشهوات من النسا و البنين و القناطير المقنطرة من الذهب و الفضة و الخيل المسومة و الانعام و الحرث ذالك متاع الحياة الدنيا و الله عنده حسن المآب

"Beautified for mankind is love of the joys (that come) from women and offspring, and stored-up heaps of gold and silver, and horses branded (with their mark), cattle, and land. That is comfort of the life of the world. God-Almighty! With Him is a more excellent abode. - The Holy Qur'an (3:14).

· The Commander of the Faithful Imam Ali (a.s) said: اياك و حب الدنيا فانها اصل كل خطيئة و معدن كل بليه "Be careful not to attach yourself from this (transient) world, because love of world is the root of all sins and origin of all catastrophes. - Gharar al-Hukm, p-150.

Imam al-Sadiq (a.s) said: راس كل خطيئة حب الدنيا "Attachment to the world is the basis of all sins and transgressions. Bihar al-A nwar, vol. 3, p-7.

From these types of traditions it could be inferred that what is condemned is the attachment to these worldly affairs and not the affairs in themselves. Here the question arises whether absolute attachment and love to worldly affairs is condemned and should not a man have any attachment to his wife, children, house, wealth, and food? How could such a thing be expected?

Because, the attachment to these affairs is a natural thing for a human being; God-Almighty has incorporated these attachment within his primordial nature, and that is the way human beings have been created by Him. Is it possible for a man not to love his wife and children?

Is it possible not to love clothing, delicious foods, and other beautiful things of this world? If, love of these things was prohibited, God would not have created human being with these tendencies. A human being in order to keep himself alive requires these things, and accordingly he has been created in such a manner that he should feel a natural inclination towards these affairs. The Commander of the Faithful Imam Ali (a.s) said: الناس ابنا الدنيا ولا يلام الرجل على حب امه "The human beings are the children of this world and they should not be blamed for loving their mother.- Nahjul Balaghah, Qasar-33.

The Islamic traditions recommend that one must love and show affection towards his wife and children. The Holy Prophet (a.s) and Sinless Imams (a.s) too had shown affection towards their wives and children. Some of them liked foods and showed interest in them. Therefore, sky, plants, trees, mines, animals, and similar other God's Bounties are neither bad nor condemned. Similarly, wife, children, wealth and property, affection shown towards these things and life of this world, are not only not condemned, rather in some of the traditions, the world even has been praised. Following is the example:

In reply to a person who has condemned the world, the Commander of the Faithful Imam Ali (a.s) said: ان الدنيا دار صدق لمن صدقها و دار عافية لامن فهم عنها و دار غنى لمن تزود منها و دار موعظة و لمن اتعظ بها مسجد احبا الله و مصلى ملائكة الله و محبط وحى الله و متجر اوليا الله اكتسبوا فيها الرحمة و ربحوا فيها الجنة "Verily this world is a house of truth for those who look into it deeply and carefully, an abode of peace and rest for those who understand its ways and moods, and it is the best working ground for those who want to procure rewards for Hereafter. It is a place of acquiring knowledge and wisdom for those who want to acquire them, a place of worship for friends of God and for angels. It is the place where prophets receive revelations of the Lord. It is the place for virtuous people and saints to do good deeds and to be given rewards for the same; only in this world they could trade with God s favors and blessings and only while living here they could barter their good deeds, with His Blessings, and rewards. - Nahjul Balaghah, Short Saying No. 130.

Imam al-Baqir (a.s) said: نعم العون الدنيا علي الاخرة "The world is the best support for the Hereafter. - Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 73, p42 7.

Imam al-Sadiq (A.S.) said: لا خير في من لا يجب جمع المال من حلال يكف به وجهه و يقضى به دينه و يحصل به رحمه "Any one who does not like earning a living by lawful means to maintain his prestige, to pay his obligations and to take care of his relatives, then - such a person lacks any merit and goodness. - al-Kafi, vol. 5, p.72.

Therefore, what is meant by the condemnation of world and its love and attachment which is the roots of all evils? From the over all collection of these verses and traditions it could be inferred that, what is condemned is the worldliness and becoming infatuated with it, and not the creatures of the world, its life, and genuine liking of worldly affairs in themselves.

Islam, demands people to recognize the world the way it is and then they should appraise its worth accordingly; they should also discover the exalted Divine Goal behind their own creation as well as the world, and should move in that direction. If they acted in this manner - they belong to the Hereafter, otherwise they belong to the worldly group.

World's Reality

In order to explain this matter in the beginning we would discuss the reality and nature of world from Islamic point of view and then a conclusion could be reached. Islam believes in the existence of two worlds:

The first one is the same material world where we live and is called world. The other one is where we will be transferred after death and is called Hereafter and Next World.

Islam believes that the life of a person does not terminate at his demise, rather he will be transferred after death to an eternal abode known as the Next World. Islam regards the world as perishable, transient, and a temporary abode, while considers the Hereafter and Next World as a permanent and eternal abode.

Men has not came to this world in order to live for a short while and finally to die and be destroyed, rather he has come to achieve self- perfection through acquiring knowledge, good deeds, and training - and to live happily forever in his eternal abode in the Next World. Therefore, the world is like a form land for cultivation of fruits for Hereafter, place for acquiring knowledge, and a place for making arrangements for provisions of a journey.

However, man for the sake of his survival and in order to live in this world has no other choice except to utilize Divine Bounties which have been created for his consumption. But utilization of these Divine Bounties should be regarded as a mean and not an end in itself.

The aim of creation of human beings and world was not just to have comfortable luxurious life and to take the maximum advantage of worldly pleasures, rather there was an exalted and superior goal behind it e.g. the nourishment of the Jewel of Humanity (Jowhar-e-Insaniyat) through attaining self-perfection and ascending towards God's Nearness. Following are few examples of Islamic narrations in this matter:

The Commander of the Faithful Imam Ali (a.s) said: فان الدنيا لم تخلق لكم دار مقام بل خلقت لكم مجازا لتنزودوا منها الاعمال الى دارالقرار فكونوا منها علي اوفاز و قربوا الظهور للزيال

"Certainly this world has not been made a place of permanent stay for you. But it has been created as a pathway in order that you may take from it the provision of your (good) actions for the permanent house in Paradise). Be ready for departure from here and keep close your mount for setting off" - Nahjul al Balaghah, Sermon-123.

And said: ايها الناس انما الدنيا دار مجاز و الاخرة دار قرار فخدوا من ممركم لمقركم و لتهتكوا استاركم عند من يعلم اسراركم و اخرچوا من الدنيا قلوبكم من قبل ان تخرج منها ابدانكم ففيها اختبرتم و لغيرها خلقتم ان المر اذا هلك قال الناس ما ترك؟ و قالت الملائكة: ما قدم؟ لله آبائكم فقدموا بعضا يكن لم قرضا و لا تخلفوا كلا فيكون فرضا عليكم "Remember that this world is a thoroughfare, a road upon which people are passing night and day, and the Next-World is the abode of permanent stay. While, passing along this road make provision for the next where you will reside forever. Do not go with a burden of sins and vices before the One, Who knows everything about you. Remove vicious ambitions from your mind before death removes you from your surroundings. Remember, that you are being tried in this world, and are created to be given a permanent residence in the Next World. When a man dies people ask what he has left behind as a legacy, and angels want to know what he has sent forward (good deeds and good words). May God have mercy upon you, send something in advance to the place where you will have to follow; it may be a sort of a deposit with God to be repaid to you on your arrival. Do not leave all of your s behind, it will be a drag upon you. - Nahjul Balaghah, Sermon-203.

He further said: الا و ان هذا الدنيا التى اصبحتم تتمنونها و ترغبون فيها و اصبحت تغضبكم و ترضيكم ليست بداركم و لا منزلكم الذى خلقتم له و لا الذى دعيتم اليه الا و انها ليست بباقية لكم و لا تبقون عليها و هى و ان غرتكم منها فقد حذرتكم شرها فدعوا غرورها لتحذيرها و اطماعها لتخويفها و سابقوا فيها الى الدار التى دعيتم اليها و انصرفوا بقولوبكم عنها "Remember, that this world which you covet so ardently and attempt to acquire so earnestly, and which some times annoys you and some times pleases you so much, is neither your home nor a permanent destination. You have not been created for it, nor invited to it as your resting place. It shall neither remain with you for ever nor will you remain in it eternally. If, it has enticed you with its charms, it has also warned and cautioned you of real dangers lurking in its folds. Take account of the warnings it has given you and do not be seduced or deceived by its allurements. These warnings should desist you from being too greedy or too covetous to possess it. Try, to advance towards the place where you are invited for eternal bliss, and turn your face away from the vicious world. - Nahjul Balaghah, Sermon-173.

 Self-building, writings of Ayatullah Ibrahim Amini, translated by Seyyid Hussein Alamdar.