Page 17 - The Secret Behind Our Trials

The World Is a Place of Testing
land and eternal abodes of happiness. It is also an invitation to the gar-
dens of Paradise from the dungeon of this world. And it is the time to re-
ceive their wage from the munificence of the Most Compassionate Creator
in return for service rendered to Him. Since the reality of death is this, it
should not be regarded as terrifying, but on the contrary, as the introduc-
tion to mercy and happiness. 4
In other words, it is a big mistake to think that this world is our
true homeland. Compared to eternity, this life does not even last a
minute. In another place, Bediuzzaman gives an example of how
senseless it would be to choose this world instead of the world to
come:

Also, he speaks truly about a future in comparison with which the future
in this world is like a tiny mirage. And he tells most seriously of a happi-
ness in comparison with which all worldly happiness is but a fleeting
flash of lightning in relation to an eternal sun. 5
So, unlike those who are far removed from the Qur'an's moral-
ity, Muslims do not rebel when confronted with death; rather, they
welcome it with eager expectation, hoping to receive in the Afterlife
the rewards for the good they have done in this world. They live in
the joyful hope of entering Paradise, which is filled with fine and
beautiful things.
The following verse reveals the state of those who focus only on
the transitory life of this world:
Those are the ones who have sold guidance for misguidance
and forgiveness for punishment. How steadfastly they will
endure the Fire! (Surat al-Baqara, 175)
These people, described in another verse as having "purchased
disbelief at the price of faith," have fallen into great error. We can
give another example to show how much these people have lost:
Think of two individuals, each of whom is given a lot of money
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