Understanding the World as Profit, and the Hereafter as Capital
The relationship a believer should have with the world is like that of an intelligent merchant conducting trade. A person should invest their limited lifespan and opportunities in the place that yields the most lasting (eternal) benefit. Abdülkadir Geylani (q.s.) summarizes this unique spiritual commerce with the following principle: “Consider the Hereafter as your capital, and the world as its profit! Spend your time primarily on cultivating your Hereafter; then spend a portion of your remaining time to secure your livelihood in this world.”. If a person considers the world as their primary capital, and the Hereafter as something to occupy their free time with, they will be doomed to exhaustion in this world and bankrupt their eternal life.
Like Two Opposing Ladies
The desires for the world and the Hereafter cannot simultaneously hold absolute dominance in a person’s heart. “The world and the Hereafter are like two ladies. If one is pleased with you, the other will be offended.” When a person’s heart becomes engrossed in the world, accumulating wealth, and seeking positions of power, the thought of the Hereafter flees from it. However, when a servant lives with detachment and contentment while in this world, connecting their ultimate purpose to Allah’s pleasure and the abode of the Hereafter, then they gain the Hereafter and the world becomes their servant. To one who intends for the world, only worldly gains are given; but to one who intends for the Hereafter, Allah bestows both the Hereafter and the lawful blessings of this world.
Investing in the Transient Towards What Remains Eternal
A believer who makes the Hereafter their capital does not consume what they acquire – their wealth, health, or time – for themselves; rather, they send it to the abode of eternity. Geylani (q.s.) draws attention to the fact that life and wealth are quickly consumed, offering the advice: “You must work to build a structure… you will find abundance there.” 39, 40. Worldly possessions remaining at the time of death are a burden and a source of regret. A person with true wisdom knows that they are travelers in this world; they accumulate provisions through worship, charity, and piety, set aside transient desires, and surrender all their being to the boundless treasure of the Eternal Creator.