This is also the essence of the verse of the Noble Qur`an which states...

This is also the essence of the verse of the Noble Qur`an which states: لِكَيْلاَ تَأْسَوْا عَلى مَا فَاتَكُمْ وَ لاَ تَفْرَحُوا بِمَا آتٌيكُمْ “So that you may not grieve for what has escaped you, nor be exultant at what He has given you.”[^3] We know that the Sun rises every day and sets every night - neither do we show our displeasure at the rising of the Sun in the beginning of the day, nor its setting in the evening.

If a person was to have certainty that the transient world is also something which is not constant (and will set just as the Sun sets), then he would have be able to instill the following two lessons on nurturing of the soul conveyed by the Commander of the Faithful, ‘Ali b. Abi Talib (as) in Nahj al-Balagha.

In one of his sermons, the Imam (as) has summarized the entire meaning of Zuhd (asceticism) in one sentence: أَلزُّهْدُ كُلُّهُ بَيْنَ كَلِمَـتَيْنِ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ قَالَ اللٌّهُ سُبْحانَهُ: لِكَيْلا َتَأْسَوْا عَلى مَا فَاتَكُمْ وَ لاَ تَفْرَحُوا بِمَا آتٌيكُمْ - “The entire essence of Zuhd (asceticism) is contained within two statements from the Qur`an where Allah (SwT) has said, ”(So that you may not grieve for what has escaped you, nor be exultant at what He has given you.)”[^4] Thus, asceticism means deliverance and freedom from the binds and shackles of the material, transient world.

The second point of view in relation to the transient world is contained in the words of the Noble Prophet (S) where he states, “The material word is the place of trails and tribulations.” Thus, the transient world is just like the mother's womb which is the preparation ground for the fetus in which it readies itself to come into the life of its 'next world'.

Just as the fetus grows in its mothers' womb, is fashioned and perfected and is finally ready to come into this world, so too our growth in this world is to prepare ourselves for the next life in the Hereafter. In summary, the transient world is a school of learning and training (for the next world). If the fetal and pre-delivery stages are correctly correctly, then after birth in the next life, we will be able to make the best use of the blessings of that existence!

However, if the fetus is brought into this or the next world with deformities, then there will be great difficulties and trials to go through - and of course there is no way for it to return back to its original home! Without doubt, the transient world is the abode of difficulties.

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