Quran Garden

Session 529

Chapter 3

Verses 196 & 197

Do not be deceived by the disbelievers' moving freely about the earth.  (Chapter 3: Verse 196)

When you hear the phrase "moving freely about the earth," know that free movement requires power and influence.  You are usually free to move and do as you wish in your home and perhaps your homeland.  But if you gather more power and wealth, your influence expands as well, and you may have the freedom to move in other lands; then it is said, "So and so has wide reach," meaning that your capabilities now extend far beyond the place where you live.  Don't we see this phenomenon in regional and global superpowers today? 

At the time of the Prophet, the disbelievers of Quraysh used to travel, trade, and have political influence in a wide area far beyond the boundaries of Mecca.  God says,

Do not be deceived by the disbelievers' moving freely about the earth.  (Chapter 3: Verse 196)

In other words, countries that can move freely about the earth result from excess power, influence, and ambitious aspirations.  Why is Allah telling us all of this?  Because He wants you to understand that the adornments of worldly life may come to those who are not believers.  But no matter how much they may gain, it is both temporary and fleeting.  God says,

The present world is nothing but an illusory pleasure (from 3:185)

They are chasing after a passing life with an imminent end.  As for the intelligent people who want to elevate their blessing to unimaginable levels and gain benefits beyond comprehension, they focus their deeds on the never-ending life of the Hereafter.  The disbelievers may take the temporary, but the believers will take the eternal.

When we compare a seeker of this world to the seeker of the hereafter, we find that the former is a fool and the latter is intelligent.  This topic is worth discussing from all angles.  Let's assume that the person chasing the worldly life is successful and becomes wealthy beyond belief.  He owns the best houses and vacation homes in New York, Paris, and Beijing.  He drives premium cars, wears the finest jewelry, and has personal servants, cooks, doctors, and chauffeurs.  How long will all this fun last?  Sixty years?  Eighty?  Then what?  Do you think any person enjoys their wealth when they are ninety-five years old?  God says:

When We grant long life to a person, We cause him to regress in creation.  So, will you not use your intellect?  (36:68)

On the other hand, the Hereafter is eternal.  You will not die, get old, sick, or even have an upset stomach.  Do not say, "Well, the universe is also billions of years old," because it is not billions of years for you.  Your life span is, at most, one hundred years.  More importantly, life is very unpredictable, as death my strike you tonight.  You cannot even guarantee an average lifespan, while in the hereafter, there is certainty and eternity.    

Regardless of how much money and time you have, you are limited by current technology and materials.  Today's average family lives better than royal families from a few centuries ago.  In other words, your wealth is constrained by the current human condition.  On the other hand, the pleasures of Paradise have no constraints because they are the work of the Almighty, who is limitless in power and infinite in resources.  Prophet Muhammad said, narrating the Almighty's words, "I have prepared for My righteous servants such excellent things as no eye has ever seen, nor ear has ever heard, nor any human heart can ever imagine."

How about peace of mind?  With all your riches, are the servants stealing from you?  Is the market about to crash?  Are your accountants giving you good advice?  Or is the government about to raise your taxes?  There is, and will always be, worry in your mind, spoiling the enjoyment of life.  In contrast, God says:

But those who have faith and do righteous deeds and believe in what has been sent down to Muhammad —and it is the truth from their Lord— He shall absolve them of their misdeeds and give them peace of mind and peace of conscience. (47:2)

Lastly, there is never a guarantee that you will succeed in life, even if you do everything right.   But Allah guarantees that your righteous deeds will be immensely profitable.  He says,

I will not let the deeds of any doer among you go to waste, male or female.  You are all one from the other.  (from 3:195)

So the question is, do you want something temporary, of questionable quality, that comes with a lot of headaches and has zero guarantees?  Or something eternal, of unimaginable premium quality, wrapped in blissful peace of mind with a guarantee from the Almighty?  Which is worth chasing after and sacrificing for?  Wouldn't it be incredibly foolish on your part to chase after this world or be enamored by those who move freely in the land?   

That is why Allah gave the worldly life the most insignificant name: Dunia, which literally means 'the lowest.' Those who are deceived by what they can gain by straying from the path of Allah and their movement about the earth must remember that all will perish and be lost.  God says in the next aya of Al Imran,  

This is only a brief enjoyment, after which Hell will be their home- a miserable resting place!  (Chapter 3: Verse 197)

The phrase 'resting place' is translated from the Arabic origin 'Mihad.' It refers to a lined, flattened surface that is comfortable for sitting, walking, and living.  In fact, an infant's crib is called 'Mahd,' which brings the following question to mind: Is the word 'Mihad' appropriate for a place like Hellfire?  Yes it is, because he who lays in a crib, has no strength to leave or move.  When an infant is uncomfortable in a crib, all he or she can do is cry for help.  If no one helps, the infant will remain in the crib forever.  Thus, the person whose resting place is Hellfire has truly ended up in the most dreadful of resting places.  God says,  

Our Lord, those You cast into the Fire, You have indeed disgraced.  The unjust will have no helpers.  (3:192)