think about the Hereafter and that's the
point I would like us to focus on
now as Muslims we all know that this
life is a
transition the Greater Life the eternal
life is the life to
come this life is only a
test so therefore if that is the case
then the life to come
should be where our Focus
lies that is common sense that is reason
that is
logic but we have to look into our lives
and see where the focus is is it really
on the Hereafter is it really on the
life to come or are we lost in the Dunya
lost in this material
world where our greatest concerns is
about about this material
world
well the prophet may God's peace and
blessings be upon
Him taught us in a Hadith found in sunn
MA the principle
enunciated by that well-known
motivational speaker Steven kovi in his
book SS
of highly effective
people he mentioned among them habit or
principle of first things
first and that's what I'd like us to
reflect on right now first things
first prophet Muhammad sallallahu alaihi
wasallam
said
man
whoever makes this material world his
goal Allah will scatter his
Affairs Allah will scatter his
Affairs and he will place poverty
between his eyes
and he will not get from this
world except what Allah has written for
him whoever makes this world his goal
how do we know when somebody has made
this world his goal when the only thing
he talks about is this world when you
sit down and talk with him he only talks
about his car his house his children his
money his
vacation that's all he talks about
that means this world is his goal he
might say yes there's a and yes we are
supposed to you know come before God and
we will be judged and there is heaven
and hell but that's not what he talks
about so if the only thing he talks
about
is the things of this life that is the
extent of his
conversation then we say this life has
become his
goal so Allah said that he will scatter
his Affairs
meaning he has made this life his goal
so he's only focused on money how I can
get money how I can make money how I can
save money you know how I can spend
money that is his
Focus but what happens is that though
that is his Focus he's not able to deal
with it systemat atically and
consistently what you find he's running
here he's running there he's running
over here he's running over there
he's no
rest his Affairs are
scattered and Allah will put poverty
between his eyes so even though he's
Gathering money he's increasing bank
account is increasing Etc but there will
be poverty between his eyes meaning he's
fear he fears loss of his
wealth anybody who he sees who Smiles at
him he thinks oh he must want something
from
me what is he
after he cannot treat a smile as a
friendly gesture no the person's got
something in the back of his mind he's
planning he's plotting to get some of my
money that's how he's
thinking so so he's suspicious of
everybody around him poverty is between
his eyes it may be so much so that when
the stock market crashes we read about
it in
America a stock broker he's he has a
Fortune of $8 million stock market
crashes he loses $5
million that hits him so hard the loss
is so great he jumps out of the window
he still has 3 million left hey you what
you could do with three no but for him
that loss is so devastating he takes his
life and we see it among the Rich and
Famous how many of them take their
lives they seem to have everything that
we're supposed to have or that people
want and desire but yet they're killing
themselves committing suicide their
lives are in
shambles because we cannot
achieve
happiness peace of heart through the
Dunya we
can't it is a
false story and image which is promoted
through the media through the newspapers
the magazines the television promotes
this beautiful picture which is only a
facade it's fake what is behind it is
corruption
unhappiness
wretchedness because people have made
this world their
goal and even after all of that after
running around Here There and Everywhere
trying to gather whatever we can of this
world we will only get what God Allah wa
ta'ala has already written for us no
more what God already wrote before he
created us is going to be our lot we
will not get any more than
that so then what is the alternative
Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alaihi
wasallam
said
whoever makes the Hereafter his
intention Allah will bring his affair
together how do we know when
somebody's Nia or his intention is is
the you will see how he conducts his
life he or she conducts his life they
are not tied up with all of the
trappings of this
life they are not focused on gaining and
getting and going and taking
and living a high life an enjoyable life
no they take from this world what is
necessary they live simple lives
and when you talk to them about the
things of this world they talk about it
as if it is something temporary yes we
have this but Allah could take it away
any time we have it for a time and so
I'm going to try to use this in a way
that's pleasing to Allah Allah has
blessed me with a car then I will use
that car part of the time to spread his
word
to distribute information about Allah
and about Islam to the
society I will use it to help the needy
I use it sometime for things other than
just
myself and so I will deal with all of
the various properties that I
have I will look at for ways and means
that I can use it to earn blessings for
myself not just to consume
it we shouldn't be consumers yes we
consume but we shouldn't be consumers
meaning that's the sum total of Our
Lives no we should
utilize