There’s something about this world that keeps pulling you in. One minute, you’re content, focused on your akhirah, and the next, your mind is drowning in thoughts of money, success, people, status, and things that, deep down, you know won’t last. This dunya is like a mirage—it tricks you into thinking it has something valuable to offer, but every time you chase it, you realize it was never what you thought. Allah says:
"Know that the life of this world is only play and amusement, pomp and mutual boasting among you, and rivalry in wealth and children. It is like a rain whose growth pleases the farmers, then it dries up and you see it turning yellow, then it becomes straw..." (Surah Al-Hadid 57:20).
That’s the reality of this life. Everything you stress about, everything you’re chasing—it’s all temporary. The money you lose sleep over, the status you want, the things you envy in others—it’s all fading. Even if you get it, it will eventually slip from your hands. But what you send forward for your akhirah? That’s eternal.
Dunya is a Prison for the Believer
The Prophet ﷺ said:
"The dunya is a prison for the believer and a paradise for the disbeliever." (Sahih Muslim).
Why? Because a believer sees past it. He knows that every hardship, every difficulty, and every moment of patience is nothing compared to what’s waiting in Jannah. But the one who chases the dunya as if it's everything—they’ve already settled for their paradise here.
Every time the dunya pulls you into stress, anxiety, and sadness, remind yourself: this isn’t home. You weren’t created for this place. You’re just passing through. Whatever you don’t have right now, whatever pain you’re feeling—it’s part of that test. Don’t get caught up in the illusion.
Chasing the Dunya Will Only Exhaust You
The Prophet ﷺ warned:
"Whoever makes the dunya his main concern, Allah will make his affairs scattered, and poverty will be placed between his eyes. And nothing of the dunya will come to him except what has been decreed for him. But whoever makes the akhirah his main concern, Allah will gather his affairs for him, place richness in his heart, and the dunya will come to him despite being unwilling." (Sunan Ibn Majah, Hasan).
The more you run after the dunya, the more you lose yourself in the process. No matter how much you get, you’ll always feel empty because the soul wasn’t created to be filled with temporary pleasures. But when you focus on your akhirah, suddenly things start to fall into place. The stress lessens. The anxiety lifts. Because you’re no longer enslaved to what was never meant to last.
Detach & Free Yourself
One of the Salaf said:
"If the dunya were made of gold and the akhirah of clay, a person of intelligence would choose the clay over the gold because what is temporary should never be preferred over what is eternal. So what about when the dunya is actually clay and the akhirah is gold?"
The truth is, the dunya only has power over you if you let it. When you’re chasing it, it owns you. But when you turn away from it, you own it. Don’t let your happiness be tied to something that will betray you in the end. Keep your heart light. Keep your focus on the end goal. Keep your mind on Jannah—because that’s where the real life begins.
May Allah detach our hearts from the dunya and attach them firmly to Him.
