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Worldly activities, benefitting from them, and the Hereafter

Friday Khutba by Dr Zahid Aziz, for Lahore Ahmadiyya UK, 9 August 2024

“Say: Who has forbidden the adornment of Allah, which He has brought forth for His servants, and the good pro­vi­sions? Say: These are for the believers in the life of this world, purely (theirs) on the day of Re­surrection. Thus do We make the messages clear for a people who know.” — ch. 7, Al-A‘rāf, v. 32

قُلۡ مَنۡ حَرَّمَ زِیۡنَۃَ اللّٰہِ الَّتِیۡۤ اَخۡرَجَ لِعِبَادِہٖ وَ الطَّیِّبٰتِ مِنَ الرِّزۡقِ ؕ قُلۡ ہِیَ لِلَّذِیۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا فِی الۡحَیٰوۃِ الدُّنۡیَا خَالِصَۃً یَّوۡمَ الۡقِیٰمَۃِ ؕ کَذٰلِکَ نُفَصِّلُ الۡاٰیٰتِ لِقَوۡمٍ یَّعۡلَمُوۡنَ ﴿۳۲﴾

“… And they ask you as to what they should spend. Say: What you can spare. Thus does Allah make clear to you the messages that you may ponder on this world and the Hereafter. …” — ch. 2, al-Baqarah, v. 219–220

…وَ یَسۡـَٔلُوۡنَکَ مَا ذَا یُنۡفِقُوۡنَ ۬ؕ قُلِ الۡعَفۡوَؕ کَذٰلِکَ یُبَیِّنُ اللّٰہُ لَکُمُ الۡاٰیٰتِ لَعَلَّکُمۡ تَتَفَکَّرُوۡنَ ﴿۲۱۹﴾ۙ  فِی الدُّنۡیَا وَ الۡاٰخِرَۃِ ؕ …

I am continuing with the theme of last week’s khutba, which was that a person, male or female, should not become so obsessed with performing his spiritual duties that he neglects his physical, material and social needs and his obligations towards other people. The first verse begins by telling us that it is Allah Who has created for all human beings the things which look beautiful and attractive to them physically, including what they consume bodily. No one can forbid them to you. Of course, our use of them has to be regulated. Then the verse emphasises that these things are meant for believers during their lives on earth. This statement is made because in many reli­gions it is considered that true believers must refrain from worldly things as far as possible, and enjoying them is incompatible with being religious.

The verse then adds that in the life after death these things will be for believers only, not anyone else. The meaning is that believers during their lives don’t consume them as if it was their sole goal and aim in life to enjoy physical and material benefits. They enjoy them within limits and they make sure that others also, who don’t have sufficient means to obtain these things, get a share of them. As a result, not only do their bodies find comfort and sustenance but their souls receive nourishment as well. So they find these beautiful things in the next life as well. Of course, it is not meant that the good food and clothing and comforts which they enjoyed in this life will be provided to them in the next life in the same physical form. It is the sense of enjoyment, pleasure and satisfac­tion they felt on making use of these things which will remain with them in the next life because they didn’t merely consume those things for their own physical pleasure, but by doing their duty towards others their soul tasted enjoyment as well. If you taste a spoonful of a dainty dish, or wear some fine garment, you will get bodily pleasure, but if along with that you remember to take care of the needs of others who can’t get those things, then it will leave a mark of pleasure on your soul and character as well. And only such people will experience that same enjoyment in the next life as well.

In the second passage that I read, which runs from v. 219 of ch. 2 to v. 220, it says that people, i.e. Muslims, ask the Holy Prophet what they should spend, in other words, spend on doing good to others. The answer given is: Spend whatever is surplus to your needs, meaning not at the neglect of your needs. It goes on to say: “Thus does Allah make clear to you the messages that you may ponder on this world and the Hereafter.” We have to keep in consideration both our needs of this world and of the life after death. Usually, religion is thought of as dealing with matters relating to the hereafter, but Islam attaches equal importance to both. Neither can be neglected.

The Quran tells us, as a general principle, that many prophets along with their righteous followers had to fight in wars in self-defence against their persecutors and suffer losses. But they showed patience in distress and as a result:

“Allah gave them the reward of the world and a good reward of the Hereafter. And Allah loves the doers of good (to others).” (3:148)

In another place it says:

“And those who flee for Allah’s sake after they are oppressed, We shall certainly give them a good abode in the world; and the reward of the Hereafter is much greater, if only they knew.” (16:41)

It is not only that they suffered constantly, ceaselessly, in this world, and after dying they received reward in heaven. No doubt this happened to some of them. But the whole community, in the main, was rescued in this world and was granted the wealth and land in this world, even more than what their enemies wanted to deprive them of.

Regarding Abraham, Allah says that he was a model of virtue, upright, grateful to God, and God guided him on the right path. Then Allah says:

“And We gave him good in this world; and in the Hereafter he is surely among the righteous.” (16:122)

A very great prophet here, did not spend his life deprived of the good things of this world, or depriving himself of them. In the story of Moses we read that after his people, during his absence, made a calf of gold and started worshipping it, he returned and was absolutely furious with them and his anger went out of control for a while. The Quran says that when he calmed down, he prayed to God for forgiveness for his people, and the prayer ended with the words:

“You are our Protector, so forgive us and have mercy on us, and You are the Best of those who forgive. And ordain for us good in this world’s life and in the Hereafter, for surely we turn to You.” (7:155–156)

So Moses, another very great and major prophet, prayed to God to decree for his people good fortune in this world and the hereafter.

Among the people of Moses there was an extremely wealthy man whose name is Korah in the Bible and Qārūn in the Quran. It is said that his wealth was so much that just the keys to his treasures required a fleet of mules to carry them. He was proud of his wealth and displayed it very much. His people advised him, says the Quran:

“Do not exult (i.e., gloat or rejoice); surely Allah does not love the exultant. And seek the abode of the Hereafter by means of what Allah has given you, and do not neglect your portion of the world, and do good (to others) as Allah has done good to you, and do not seek to make mischief in the land. Surely Allah does not love the mischief-makers.” (28:76–77)

They advised him to seek a good place in the Hereafter by properly using his wealth, i.e., “by means of what Allah has given you”, by doing good to others in the same way that God had done good to him, and still not to neglect the looking after of his wealth of this world. His wealth had misled him to rebel against Moses, and that is what people meant by telling him: Do not make mischief in the land. What was wrong was pride in having wealth, display of wealth, and rebelling against his leader and guide Moses by thinking of himself as great because of his wealth. The Quran also records that many of his people, seeing his wealth, started wanting the same and to copy his bad example.

We are all aware of that prayer in the Quran which occurs in the following passage:

“…there are some people who say: Our Lord, give us (good) in the world. And for such there is no portion in the Hereafter. And there are some among them who say: Our Lord, grant us good in this world and good in the Hereafter, and save us from the punishment of the Fire.” (2:200–201)

It is possible that while most Muslims are aware of this prayer at the end of this quotation, they are not aware of the other prayer which is mentioned before it. That prayer is of those who ask only for some worldly or material benefit to come to them. Many Muslims only resort to prayer to resolve some worldly problem or for some worldly gain such as success in exams or in getting a job. There is nothing wrong in that. At least they are turning to God. But if their problem gets resolved or they get what they want, that is the end of their praying, till the next time. The Quran says that simultaneously with asking for some good of this world we must ask for good in the hereafter. In other words, that we acquire some good quality. Perhaps by being successful in getting a job, we not only earn money, but do some good to others through it.

So Islam does not teach that you replace the world with the hereafter but that you supplement the world with the hereafter. Even people who have no connection with any religion are recognising this as human beings. Notice that the above verses which mention this prayer say that there are “some people” who pray for worldly things and “other people” who pray to have good in this world and the hereafter. People includes all humans, and their praying doesn’t necessarily mean actually praying in words, but even making an effort is like prayer. In a sense, non-religious people, unconnected with Islam, are asking for good in this world and the hereafter.

For example, businesses exist to make money in this world. But they are also realising a concept often known as social responsibility in business. One of its principles is that a business should not make money in a way that does damage in the world; for example, to make a profit by marketing a product which harms people’s health or the natural environ­ment. You may also have noticed that many businesses have a scheme whereby they will donate a small part of the profit they make from your purchase to a charity of your choice. They are putting off making an immediate profit for doing some good or for some long term benefit of society. That in a sense is the hereafter.

There are scientists who are concerned about the use that their discoveries and inventions will be put to by businesses and by governments. They don’t simply want to get a sense of personal achievement or gain recognition or award in their field for having made some discovery or invention. They worry about the consequences that it will lead to. The scientist credited with making the first atomic bomb in 1945, although of course he did not do it on his own, but he was the project leader, was absolutely horrified when the bomb was first tested in a desert in the USA and he saw its destructive power. He wanted atomic power to be used for good purposes, and not destruction of nations by one another.

Take the example of politicians. They are always expressing high aims. They don’t only promise to solve the country’s economic and wealth problems, but they stress the importance of establishing democracy and human rights in the world. Whether they are sincere or not is a different matter. At least, they claim to have some higher end in view.

So may Allah enable everyone to gain the things of this world from their efforts and at the same time inspire them to use those things not only for their own benefit but also for that of others — Ameen.

Website: www.aaiil.uk