Section 9: The Materialistic View of Life and Its Inherent Evils

There are two views to life: the materialistic view of life and the correct view. Each of the two has its effects: [A] The Materialistic view of life: This is that the thoughts of a person be limited to achieving his immediate pleasures; so, his actions are limited to that sphere. His thoughts never transcend this, he never thinks of the repercussions of his actions. He does not work for such nor does he care about it, and He does not know that Allah has made this life a sowing field for the Hereafter; that He has made this life the abode of work and made the Hereafter the abode of recompense. Whoever utilizes his earthly life in performing good deeds profits in both worlds, but he who wastes his earthly life, his Hereafter is also wasted: “...H e loses both this tvorld and the Hereafter. That is the evident Allah has not created this life for the mere fun of it. Rather, He created it for a momentous reason. He - the Most High - said: “Who created death and life, that He may test you which of you is best in deeds. ” (Qur’an 67: 2) He - the Most High - also said: “Verily! We have made that which is on earth as an adornment for it, in order that We may test them (mankind) - as to which of them are best in deeds [i.e. those who do deeds in the most perfect manner, that means to do them (deeds) totally for Allah’s sake and in accordance to the legal ways of the Prophet,]. ’’(Qur’an 18: 7) Allah has provided in this life such immediate pleasures and apparent adornments such as wealth, children, fame, authority, and all other pleasures which are known to none but Allah. There is amongst mankind - and they are the majority - he who limits his view to the apparent things of this life and its fascinations. He enjoys himself therein, and does not contemplate about its secrets, nor work for that which is after it. He busies himself with acquiring and gathering them, and enjoying its pleasures instead of working for that which comes after it. He may even deny that there should be another life other than it as Allah has mentioned: “And they said: ‘There is no (other life) but our (present) life of this world, and never shall we be resurrected (on the Day of Allah has promised punishment for those with this view of life. Allah - the Most High - said: “Verily, those who hope not for the meeting with Us, but are pleased and satisfied with the life of the present world, and those who are heedless of Our Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc). Those, their abode will be the Fire, because of what they used to earn. ” (Qur’an 10: 7-8) He - the Most High - also said: “Whosoever desires the life of the world and its glitter; to them We shall pay in full (the wages of) their deeds therein, and they will have no diminution therein. They are those for whom there is nothing in the Hereafter but Fire; and vain are the deeds they did therein. And of no effect is that which they used to do. ” (Qur’an 11: This threat encompasses the adherents of this view (materialistic view), whether they are from those who perform deeds of the Hereafter, desiring thereby the life of this world, such as the hypocrites and those who show-off with their deeds, or they are disbelievers, who believe neither in resurrection nor reckoning, such as the adherents of the destructive ideologies of Jahiliyyah; Capitalism, Communism and Secularism. These people do not appreciate the value of life, nor is their view of it better than that of animals. Rather, they are more astray (than animals) as they have made a fool of their intellects and made a mockery of their reasoning faculties. They have wasted their times in things that will not remain with them forever, nor will they remain therein forever, and they have not worked for their destination, one which is unavoidable. Animals do not have a destination which they await, nor do they possess intellects to contemplate, contrary to these people. This is why Allah - the Most High - said “Or do you think that most of them hear or understand? They are only like cattle - nay, they are even farther away from the Path. (i.e. even worse than cattle). ” (Qur’an 25: 44) Allah has described the adherents of this view with a lack of knowledge. He - the Most High - said: “(7 « Promise of Allah (i.e. Allah will give victory to the Romans against the Persians), and Allah fails not at His Promise, but most of men know not They know only the outside appearance of the life of this world (i.e. the matters of their livelihood, like irrigation or sowing or reaping, etc.), and they are heedless of the Hereafter.” Although they are skilled at innovating and in manufacturing, they are ignorant people who do not deserve to be described with knowledge. This is because their knowledge does not extend beyond the apparent things of this life. This is deficient knowledge for which their possessors do not qualify to be described with this lofty trait, knowledge, and thus they be referred to as Scholars. This appellation can only be used strictly speaking for those who have knowledge of Allah and fear Him as He - the Most High - has mentioned: “...It is only those who have knowledge among His slaves that fear Allah...” (Qur’an 35: 28) Also, part of the Materialistic view of life, is what Allah mentioned in the story of Qarun and what Allah had granted him of treasures: “So he went forth before his people in his pomp. Those who were desirous of the life of this world, said: ‘Ah, would that we had the like of what Qarun (Korah) has been given? Verily! He is the Owner of a great fortune. ” (Qur’an 28: 79) So, they desired its like and were envious of him, and they described him as one possessing a great fortune based upon their materialistic view (of life). This is the same situation today with the states of disbelievers and what they possess of advancement in manufacturing and business. Those with weak Faith amongst the Muslims, look to them with fascination without considering their disbelief and without considering the evil destination, which awaits them (i.e. Hell). This errant view leads them to the glorification of the disbelievers, esteeming them in their hearts and imitating them in their vile manners and customs, but they are not able to imitate them in innovation, amassing of military strength or in any beneficial invention and production as Allah - the Most High - has said: “And make ready against them all you can of power... ” (Qur ’an 8: 60) [B] The Correct View: That one should consider the material things in this life such as wealth, authority and strength, as useful aids for working for the Hereafter. In reality, the pleasures of this world are not reprehensible, that which can be praiseworthy or reprehensible is what the slave does therein. It is only a bridge and passageway to the Hereafter, and from it, is the provision for the Hereafter. The good life, which the inmates of Paradise enjoy therein, only comes to them as a result of what they sowed in the life of this world. It (this life) is the abode of Jihad, Prayer, Fasting, spending in the Path of Allah and covetingly competing in good deeds. Allah - the Most High - says to the inmates of Paradise: “Eat and drink at ease for that which you have sent on before you in the dayspast!”(Qur’an 69: 24) That is, in the life of the world.