Ramadan Reflections 1444/2023 Part 7
The Ephemeral Life of This World
"Know that the life of this world is no more than play, amusement, luxurious adornment, mutual boasting, and competition & rivalry in wealth and children. This is like rain that causes plants to grow, to the delight of the planters. But later the plants dry up and you see them wither, then they are reduced to chaff. And in the Hereafter there will be either severe punishment or forgiveness and pleasure of Allah, whereas the life of this world is no more than the delusion of enjoyment." [57:20]
"The life of this world is merely an amusement and a play; the true life is in the Hereafter, if only they knew." [29:64]
Sound familiar? Much, if not most of our lives, outside of the 9th lunar Month of Ramadan is what is so aptly described in these two verses, amongst numerous others.
1. Amusement, Diversion, Play - think technology, sports, entertainment, lavish parties, exotic vacations, during which time, the hearts are heedless of the Remembrance of Allah.
2. Luxurious Adornment - think mansions, vehicles, appliances, devices, branded items, shoes, clothing, jewellery, material consumption.
3. Mutual Boasting - think extravagant weddings/celebrations, over the top beauty standards, ruthless career advancement, status, power, politics, corruption, fraud, cheating, lying, tax evasion, vying for community leadership positions.
4. Competition & Rivalry - think wealth, the quest for more, more, and more, and the destruction of the planet Earth. Nothing is ever enough; the goal posts keep shifting. There's no contentment in the heart. It's a never ending rat race but we're not rats. We are human beings sharing a planet with other creatures.
5. Children - Think marriages, divorces, upgrading to the next model up, extra-marital relationships, secret marriages, identity crisis, offspring and the curation of their lives based and focused predominantly on seeking this material worldly life and material wealth.
In Summary: It's all a momentary delusion of enjoyment but it will all yellow, wither away and turn to chaff - a thing of no substance that will blow away in the wind, as if it never existed in the first place.
Ramadan is the month to revaluate who we are, what our core faith based values and principles are, how we want to live our lives going forward and most importantly, where are we going?
