_Imām Ibn Qudāmah Al-Maqdisi -rahimahullāh-_
Said:
*THE TRUE NATURE OF THE DUNYA.*
Know verily that, many people have knowledge regarding the evils of the dunya and its vices.
However, due to ignorance, they shun away completely from the dunya including their basic needs leaving behind that which will benefit and assist them towards their journey of the Hereafter.
And they claim that by so doing, they are moving closer to Allāh and it is a form of piety. Whereas, in reality, it is ignorance and lack of knowing the rights of their body that led them to that.
Also, this is against the sunnah of the Messenger sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam. For the Messenger sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam and His companions used to take from the dunya that which will assist them towards Allāh. They don’t take more than necessary from it nor shun away from it completely. Rather, they stood at the middle point.
In addition, one should know that, the dunya is a gateway which is there to serve man towards Allāh and not the opposite.
In it, there is his needs. The land is used as temporary settlement for man, and what it contains be it his wears, food, drinks, and the likes are all feeds for him towards his path to Allāh Azzawajal. Therefore, these materials are needed mainly and simply in order to worship Allāh the way He commanded.
Thus, whosoever uses all these needs towards his journey to Allāh in the proper way will prosper in this dunya and Hereafter and he will be praiseworthy thereof. And whosoever pursues more than his needs will surely fall into evil and he will be blameworthy, for that will harm him and it won’t benefit him and certainly, it will occupy and busy him from seeking the Hereafter.
Thus, what is best and required, is for one to balance between laxity and excessiveness, and it is for one to take from the dunya what one needs for one’s journey towards Allāh, and this includes all the basic needs of the body and the heart. For giving what the body needs of desires without passing the limit sets by the sharia assists the body generally in the journey because it is it’s due right.
In this regard, Sufyānu Ath-thawrī used to eat at times from delicious food and during journey, he do go out with falooda( I.e a combination of wheat, arrowroot, cornstarch or sago).
And also, Ibrāhīm Ibn Ad-ham used to eat of good food at times, and he used to say:
If we are blessed with wealth, we eat from good food the way great men do, and if we don’t have, we remain patient the way determined men do.
In summary, there are some basic needs which the body requires. If it is that which will strengthen and assist the body in delivering what is demanded of, then the body should not be prevented from such needs. And if it just an empty desires that doesn’t have any benefit nor assist towards righteousness, then the body should not be put into such needs, for it is harmful to it’s health.
*22th Sha’bān,1438H.*
Allāhu A’alam! Bārakallāhu fīkum!
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