Muslimah Dilemma: Balancing the Life of this World and Remaining Focused on the Hereafter By Tasnim Nazeer Wed, Jun 22, 2011 For many Muslims it can often be a balancing act juggling family, work commitments and organising our time each day to do good not only for the purpose of this world but for the hereafter. Many people forget that our true purpose in this world is to attain Almighty Allah’s pleasure by working towards our permanent abode and therefore we tend to become increasingly preoccupied with worldly desires. For many Muslims it can often be a balancing act juggling family, work commitments and organising our time each day to do good not only for the purpose of this world but for the hereafter. Many people forget that our true purpose in this world is to attain Almighty Allah’s pleasure by working towards our permanent abode and therefore we tend to become increasingly preoccupied with worldly desires. If we acknowledge as Muslims that this life is temporary and a short lived transition period, then we can truly attain contentment. Many of us get caught up in the hustle and bustle of this life and our days seem to fly by as do the months and years without even realising it. It seems like yesterday that I had my first child and now she is almost 4 years old, which often surprises me as I can’t imagine how time has flown by! Balancing the life of this world and remaining focused on the hereafter is essential in Islam in order to attain a more prosperous life after death. It is difficult to foresee the life we are going to live after we die but it is a reality that death is certain and the earlier we wake up and prepare for it the better. After the death of my grandfather I became more accustomed to waking up to the fact of the reality of death as I always had assumed that he would have many more years before he died and I didn’t expect him to go so soon. This happens with many of us who have lost a loved one and it often provides us with a wakeup call that Allah is watching over us and that this will be our final destination in life. Many people do not want to address, acknowledge or discuss this issue of life after death as it can often spur emotions just at the thought of it, however it is important as a Muslim to acknowledge and be well prepared. Everyday tasks often require some means of preparation such as preparing a meal or preparing for an exam. This life is a test so Almighty Allah has given us the knowledge to those who are rightly guided to prepare for that test because eventually we will have to account for our deeds and only then if we pass with flying colours will we be destined to achieve a place in Paradise. Almighty Allah says in the Holy Quran that, "Every soul shall have a taste of death: And only on the Day of Judgment shall you be paid your full recompense. Only he who is saved far from the Fire and admitted to the Garden will have attained the object (of Life): For the life of this world is but goods and chattels of deception." - (Quran Surah 3:185) Allah has created this world with imperfections and every human has their own individual faults which we all have to recompense for. Asking for forgiveness not only purifies our soul but is something we should all do before it is too late. Allah says in the Quran in regards to forgiveness that, "Be quick in the race for forgiveness from your Lord, and for a Garden whose width is that (of the whole) of the heavens and of the earth, prepared for the righteous." - (Quran Surah 3:133) Maintaining our five times prayers is essential not only so we can harmonise the life we live but also maintain our obligation to Allah as it is commanded to us to maintain Salah. In addition to Salah, giving charity, performing Hajj if we have the means to do so and maintaining good relations with family and friends are just some of the numerous acts we have to work on in order to attain a better place in the permanent life. I always hope to Allah that all Muslims including myself remain focused on the primary objective of this life which is to strive for the hereafter, to please Allah and to nurture Islamic values in our families so that we can have the best possible chance of acquiring the promise of Paradise.
Posted on: Wed, 26 Jun 2013 04:08:23 +0000
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