Work for This Life and the Eternal Life

Bismi Llāhi r-Raḥmāni r-Raḥīm

Maulana Sheikh Nazimق’s Suhbah

6 April 1985

“If you cannot be here without working, how can you say He will give you Eternal Life without working for it?” Our Prophet ṣallá Llāhu ‘alayhi wa-sallam advised his ummah, that since we are living in this world, we must work for this life to acquire our lawful provision (rizq halal).

We must work, because the most tasteful food for people is what they earn through their own effort — what they work for, buy, and eat. That is most beloved to Allah Almighty. It is also a means of physical health. So, anyone who has the ability to work, must work. Don’t say, “There is no work for me.” Those words are not true. As long as this world exists and life continues, you can always find some work to do.

Prophet Solomon alayhi as-salām was both a king and a prophet. He was given all the treasures under the earth. He ruled over human beings and jinn. The jinn, who guard the treasures of the earth, were also under his command. If Prophet Solomon (as) had ordered them, they would have brought up all those treasures. He was such a magnificent king. Yet, O believers, he ate from the work of his own hands. He never took from those treasures.

Sultan Abdul Hamid, one of the last caliphs of the Ottoman Empire, carried the whole Empire on his own. One person. Sermons (khutbah) were given in his name throughout the Muslim world. He held the trust (amanah) of the Prophet ﷺ. And he worked with his own hands. He sold his own work and ate from its earnings. He found time for that, even while managing the affairs of a great empire.

He never sat on his throne until he had completed his daily Naqshbandi awrad, recited the Qur’an, read from the Dalā’il al-Khayrāt, and performed both the post-sunrise (ishrāq) and mid-morning (dhuhā) prayers. Only then would he come. He was such a person.

There were blessings (barakah) in his rule, and more mercy. For thirty-three years, he carried the whole Ottoman Empire — the Islamic Empire — because he was the caliph, holding the flag of the Prophet ﷺ. The entire Christian world feared him, and Queen Victoria was a friend of his.

So what are we saying? We are saying that in this world, as long as it exists, there is always work to do. Don’t be unemployed. If you can take this from here and put it there, you can earn money in this huge country.

At the same time, you must think about your afterlife, your Eternal Life. You must remember that perhaps tomorrow, you may die. You may be transferred to your Eternal Home.

Even a single square foot in Paradise is more valuable than this whole world and all its treasures. Why? Because the world and its treasures are temporary, but that one square foot in Paradise is eternal. The world may seem greater, but it will vanish.

That place in Paradise is forever, so you must also work for your Eternal Life.

Our Prophet ṣallá Llāhu ‘alayhi wa-sallam said,

“O people, consider how long you will stay in this life, and work for it accordingly. Then consider how long you will remain in the Eternal Life, and work for that as well. Keep a balance.”

But, if you truly try to make that balance, you’ll find there’s hardly any time left for this world. In reality, all your time should be spent working for the Eternal Life — because the time you spend here is so short.

Yet, we do the opposite. We give all our energy to this temporary life, and when it comes to the Eternal Life, we say, “Never mind. It doesn’t matter. The One who provides for us here will provide for us there too.” But think about it, how can you expect to be given in the Eternal Life, without having worked for it here?

And this is important. We must take care. We must give more attention to the Eternal Life. We must give it more time. During Ramadhan, we are giving a little more. But after Ramadhan, too, we must continue the balance: for prayer, for worship, for everything that makes our Eternal Life more beautiful, more honorable, so that we may be honored in the Divine Presence.

May Allah forgive us.

Al-Fatiha.

• Mawlana Shaykh Muhammad Nazim Adil al-Haqqaniق

6 April 1985 / 15 Rajab 1405 AH

Originally taken from ‘2,000+ Sohbats of Maulana Sheikh Nazim’ by Sufimus Online.

With love and intention, parts of this Sohbah have been carefully revised by SufiHub.com for clarity and contextual relevance.

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Wassalam.