Gems from Juzz 'Amma: "What is this life?"

~ Gems from Juzz 'Amma ~

Surah Inshiqaq, 19: "What is this life?"

لَتَرْكَبُنَّ طَبَقًا عَن   طَبَقٍ
"You shall certainly travel from stage to stage." (84:19)

The mention of 'stage to stage' in this ayah reminds us that our life is simply a journey, a set of experiences and situations that will end one day. The different stages you and I pass in this world are the following...

-- You are first riding in one stage in the womb of your mother, then you are born.
– You then grow little older to walk.
–  Then comes talking
– Soon you are independent
– Some even begin to think they are more powerful than their parents.
– You become old and weak and can't walk
– You will face the journey of death.
– You will return to your Lord.

If we are look at this verse in light of another verse elsewhere in the Qur'an, we get a deeper insight into these stages. The verse is in Surah Hadid, ayah 20, Allah says:

اعْلَمُوا أَنَّمَا الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا لَعِبٌ وَلَهْوٌوَزِينَةٌ وَتَفَاخُرٌ بَيْنَكُمْ وَتَكَاثُرٌ فِي الْأَمْوَالِ وَالْأَوْلَادِ ۖ كَمَثَلِ غَيْثٍ أَعْجَبَ الْكُفَّارَ نَبَاتُهُ ثُمَّ يَهِيجُ فَتَرَاهُ مُصْفَرًّا ثُمَّ يَكُونُ حُطَامًا ۖ وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ عَذَابٌ شَدِيدٌ وَمَغْفِرَةٌ مِّنَ اللَّهِ وَرِضْوَانٌ ۚ وَمَا الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا إِلَّا مَتَاعُ الْغُرُورِ

"Know that the life of this world is only *play* and *amusement*, *pomp/beauty* and *mutual boasting* among you, and *rivalry* in respect of *wealth and children.*" 

This one verse from concisely summarizes and sums up our entire lives. Consider our lives:

1) We start as toddlers. This verse starts with play (la`ibun), which is what toddlers are engrossed in, it’s most important to them.

2) Then when we get a little older we need entertainment to keep us busy – amusement (lahwun).

3) A little later in our teens we are obsessed with pomp, or appearance and how things look (zeenatun).

4) Then as we get independent and make money we deal with urges to show off (boasting – tafaakhur).

5) Then we get married and have kids (rivalry in wealth and children – takaathur fi al-amwaal wa al-aulaad).

In just a few words (around 8 words), Allah has compressed our entire thought process throughout our lives! And the verse finishes – And what is this life except a deceptive enjoyment?