Material Comfort or Spiritual Happiness
Separation from the World
A person with a religious goal cannot brook (tolerate or bear) the standards of worldly life. A worldly lifestyle that consists of seeking pleasure, wealth, fame, and material comforts will inevitably distract one from pursuing any spiritual purpose. Hence the aspirant must separate himself from the world or maintain some detachment from it. Separation from the world can be achieved either by physical isolation in a monastic community (which is forbidden for Muslims) or by living an outwardly ordinary life yet without attachment to its prevailing values.
The scriptures contain numerous admonitions to avoid conforming to the world and its values. The wise man regards the worldly achievement as an illusion; he keeps his mind free of worldly cares. He does not delight in worldly pleasures, but devotes himself to pursuing his spiritual goal. He lives detached from worldly thoughts and sense impressions. He measures achievement by spiritual progress, rather than by the standards of worldly success.
The streams of this world are dirty and its springs are turbid. Its window dressing and its show are beautiful but destructive. It is a quickly ending deception, a speedily fading light, a hurrying shade and a weak and unreliable protection. It is so deceptive that it waits till those who abhor it start taking interest in it, and those who do not know its deception are attracted by it, and are satisfied with it, then it shows scanty regard for them, it snares and captivates them, and tying the rope of death round their necks drags them to their graves. ..Nahajul Balagha, Khutba 86
Be in the world as if you were a stranger or a traveler…Forty Hadith of an-Nawawi 40
A man came to the Prophet and said, "O Messenger of Allah, direct me to an act, which, if I do it, will cause Allah to love me and people to love me." The Prophet (SAW) said, "Renounce the world and Allah will love you; renounce what people possess and people will love you." Forty Hadith of an-Nawawi 31
Imam al-Sadiq (r.a) said: "Attachment to the world is the basis of all sins and transgressions." Bihar al- Anwar, vol. 3, p-7
World's Reality
Islam believes in the existence of two worlds
The first one is the same material world where we live and is called world.
The other one is where we will be transferred after death and is called Aakhirah (Hereafter or the Next World).
Islam believes that the life of a person does not terminate at his demise, rather he will be transferred after death to an eternal abode known as the Next World. Islam regards this world as perishable, transient, and a temporary abode, while considers the Aakhirah (Hereafter or the Next World) as a permanent and eternal abode.
Man has not came to this world in order to live for a short while and finally to die and be destroyed, rather he has come into this world to achieve self- perfection through acquiring knowledge, good deeds, and training - and to live happily forever in his eternal abode in the Next World. Therefore, the world is like a form land for cultivation of fruits for Hereafter, place for acquiring knowledge and a place for making arrangements for provisions of a journey.
