What’s on your mind?

Our lives are usually so preoccupied with materialism today that we hardly find time to think about the eternal life to come. Our quest to conquer every desirable thing in this temporary world has left little energy in us to work for eternal happiness. ‘Aaidh Bin Abdullah Al-Qarni mentions in his book ‘Don’t Be Sad’ some telling narrations of people who lived otherwise.




A RIGHTEOUS person was once thrown into a lion’s cage, and Allah then saved him from its claws. He was later asked, “What were you thinking about at the time.” He said, “I was considering the saliva of a lion – whether it is considered by scholars to be pure or impure (i.e. whether, when I die, I will be in a state of purity or not).”





Allah described those who were with the Prophet (peace be upon him) according to their intentions:?“Among you are some that desire this world and some that desire the Hereafter.” (Qur’an, 3:152)





Ibn Al-Qayyim mentioned that a person’s value is measured according to his determination and his goals. A wise person once said words to the same effect: “Inform me of a man’s determination and I will tell you what kind of man he is.”





A vessel capsized at sea. A pious man among others was hurled into the water. He began to make ablution, one limb at a time. Later, he managed to get to shore and was saved. He was asked about why he made the ablution. The man replied, “I wanted to make ablution so that I would die in a state of purity.”





Imam Ahmad, during the pangs of death, was pointing to his beard while others were making his ablution for him, reminding them not to miss a spot.





“So Allah gave them the reward of this world, and the excellent reward of the Hereafter.” (Qur’an 3:148)