Al Baqarah
(The Cow)
Chapter 2: Verse 266
 The life of a materialist
"Would any of you desire that he should have a garden of palms and vines with rivers flowing beneath - a garden in which he has every type of fruit - while the old age overtakes him and his offspring are too young or weak to look after themselves- and that it (the garden) should then be struck by a fiery whirlwind and be utterly burnt down? Thus does Allah make His Signs clear to you that you may reflect."
This parable, along with the three parables that immediately precede, opens the eyes of readers to the reality of life, emphasizes the need to spending our wealth in beneficial causes, and warns us against the dangers of greedy attitude of consumer lifestyle.
This is a life of a materialist person, in a nutshell. We see many such examples among our family and community members. It makes us think further: How is it, then, that we can contemplate stepping into the realm of the Hereafter and finding suddenly that we are empty-handed; that we have sown nothing permanent and productive in this World so that we can reap the fruit in the Hereafter? In the Next Life there will be no opportunity to begin earning anew! Whatever we can do towards ensuring our well-being in the Hereafter, must be done now, when we are healthy, wealthy, and young. Charity and righteousness are the only sources of true happiness in both worlds. Otherwise, in the Hereafter, our situation would be as pitiable as that of the age-stricken person whose life's worth of labour is reduced to ashes, too late for him to a produce a new one!
Compiled
From:
"Towards Understanding the Quran" - S. Abul Ala Mawdudi
"The Holy Quran" - Abdullah Yusuf Ali |