Provision for the Seekers: A Brief Study of Selected Ahadith (5)

Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: “The world is a prison-house for a believer and Paradise for a non-believer.” (Sahih Muslim 2956)

• Just like a prisoner has his eyes set on the day he will be released from prison, a true believer is waiting for the day he will be set free from this world, because a true believer doesn’t consider this world a permanent abode, rather as a bridge to his ultimate destination. 

• A disbeliever on the other hand is focused on amassing more and more, rushing in the race to get further and forward in a life that is only transient. They do so because this is all they have. 

• If you find yourself invested in this life to the point that thoughts of death or afterlife distress you, give in charity abundantly, so that you have something of what you love waiting for you ahead. 

• When you invest in the Afterlife, you will look forward to it

• Reflect over the fickleness of this life, and your true purpose of creation

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "The world, with all that it contains, is accursed except for the remembrance of Allah, that which pleases Allah; and the religious scholars and seekers of knowledge." (Riyad as-Salihin 1384)

• Accursed means totally deprived of anything good, completely outside the folds of Allah’s mercy. And so the world is accursed, except:

• The dhikr of Allah

• Anything done according to the commandments of Allah, like sleeping with good intentions, eating halal because Allah commanded us to, playing with and caring for the kids Allah has given you

• Those things that Allah loves

• Allah loves His creation, therefor caring for Allah’s creations, saying Salaam first, protecting their honor, saying a kind word to them

• Someone who has sacred knowledge, and implements and shares that knowledge

• There is extreme importance of studying and learning the deen of Allah, so much so that it elevates one from being accursed to being full of blessings

Lessons by Alimah Sobia Hasan and Alimah Sana Khan at Maryam Institute