Espaa_
Ku sali nabiga {scw}
the moment you draw your breath, time begins its countdown. The illusion of permanence that clings to your very existence is nothing but a trap. A trap so subtle that you fail to realise that with every passing second, it pulls you closer to your inevitable end. This world with all its distractions fades away, and you will be left with nothing but your creator. You are merely a fleeting traveller in this life.
Allah says in Surah Hadid,
ٱعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّمَا ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنْيَا لَعِبٌۭ وَلَهْوٌۭ وَزِينَةٌۭ وَتَفَاخُرٌۢ بَيْنَكُمْ وَتَكَاثُرٌۭ فِى ٱلْأَمْوَٰلِ وَٱلْأَوْلَـٰدِ ۖ كَمَثَلِ غَيْثٍ أَعْجَبَ ٱلْكُفَّارَ نَبَاتُهُۥ ثُمَّ يَهِيجُ فَتَرَىٰهُ مُصْفَرًّۭا ثُمَّ يَكُونُ حُطَـٰمًۭا ۖ وَفِى ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ عَذَابٌۭ شَدِيدٌۭ وَمَغْفِرَةٌۭ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَرِضْوَٰنٌۭ ۚ وَمَا ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنْيَآ إِلَّا مَتَـٰعُ ٱلْغُرُورِ
"The life of this world is but play and amusement, and adornment and boasting among you, and rivalry in respect of wealth and children. It is like the example of a rain which causes the plant to grow, then it withers, and you see it turn yellow, and then it becomes scattered. And in the Hereafter is severe punishment and forgiveness from Allah and mercy. And what is the worldly life except the enjoyment of delusion?"
Allah swt condenses human distraction right down to 6 words in order:
لَعِبٌ – play
لَهْوٌ – amusement
زِينَةٌ – adornment
تَفَاخُرٌ – mutual boasting
تَكَاثُرٌ – rivalry in abundance
أَمْوَالٍ وَأَوْلَادٍ – wealth and children
These 6 words completely mirror the 6 stages of human life:
Play (لَعِبٌ) – childhood
Amusement (لَهْوٌ) – youth
Adornment (زِينَةٌ) – early adulthood, seeking beauty/status
Boasting (تَفَاخُرٌ) – pride in achievements, career
Rivalry (تَكَاثُرٌ) – late adulthood, collecting, comparing
Wealth and Children (أَمْوَالٍ وَأَوْلَادٍ) – the anchors that keep one attached to the world until death
Allah then drops the conclusion at the end of the verse:
“…this worldly life is nothing but enjoyment of delusion (وَمَا ٱلۡحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنۡيَآ إِلَّا مَتَٰعُ ٱلۡغُرُورِ).”
focusing on each specific word
وَمَا ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنْيَآ – “And the worldly life”
The wording is dismissive. Allah calls it “al-hayaatu ad-dunya”, “the lower life.” Not just “the world”but the cheap, inferior world.
إِلَّا – “Nothing but”
This is a restrictive negation in af arabi. It basically works like saying: “Don’t be mistaken. Don’t overthink it. Dunya is just this. Nothing more. Nothing less.
(مَتَٰعُ ٱلۡغُرُورِ) – “Enjoyment of delusion”
Matāʿ refers to a tool or a temporary utility. It’s like your toothbrush or your tent on a trip. Its useful, but its not permanent. You don’t fall in love with matāʿ. You use it. Then you leave it.
Al Ghurūr comes from gh-r-r, which means to be tricked, deceived, lulled into comfort.
One word for Shaytaan is “al-Gharūr” which means the master deceiver. It’s also used to describe a mirage in the desert. Mirages look like water but when you run to it, it tricks you as its just more desert and more sand.
You are not from here.
This world is not your destination. It’s the distraction before your reality.
The life you’re holding onto is described by your creator, not in paragraphs - but in six words. And each word matches a stage of your life that you thought was meaningful. But in the end, it’s just a mirage which is something that looks like water until it vanishes when you need it most.
Allah says in Surah Hadid,
ٱعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّمَا ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنْيَا لَعِبٌۭ وَلَهْوٌۭ وَزِينَةٌۭ وَتَفَاخُرٌۢ بَيْنَكُمْ وَتَكَاثُرٌۭ فِى ٱلْأَمْوَٰلِ وَٱلْأَوْلَـٰدِ ۖ كَمَثَلِ غَيْثٍ أَعْجَبَ ٱلْكُفَّارَ نَبَاتُهُۥ ثُمَّ يَهِيجُ فَتَرَىٰهُ مُصْفَرًّۭا ثُمَّ يَكُونُ حُطَـٰمًۭا ۖ وَفِى ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ عَذَابٌۭ شَدِيدٌۭ وَمَغْفِرَةٌۭ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَرِضْوَٰنٌۭ ۚ وَمَا ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنْيَآ إِلَّا مَتَـٰعُ ٱلْغُرُورِ
"The life of this world is but play and amusement, and adornment and boasting among you, and rivalry in respect of wealth and children. It is like the example of a rain which causes the plant to grow, then it withers, and you see it turn yellow, and then it becomes scattered. And in the Hereafter is severe punishment and forgiveness from Allah and mercy. And what is the worldly life except the enjoyment of delusion?"
Allah swt condenses human distraction right down to 6 words in order:
لَعِبٌ – play
لَهْوٌ – amusement
زِينَةٌ – adornment
تَفَاخُرٌ – mutual boasting
تَكَاثُرٌ – rivalry in abundance
أَمْوَالٍ وَأَوْلَادٍ – wealth and children
These 6 words completely mirror the 6 stages of human life:
Play (لَعِبٌ) – childhood
Amusement (لَهْوٌ) – youth
Adornment (زِينَةٌ) – early adulthood, seeking beauty/status
Boasting (تَفَاخُرٌ) – pride in achievements, career
Rivalry (تَكَاثُرٌ) – late adulthood, collecting, comparing
Wealth and Children (أَمْوَالٍ وَأَوْلَادٍ) – the anchors that keep one attached to the world until death
Allah then drops the conclusion at the end of the verse:
“…this worldly life is nothing but enjoyment of delusion (وَمَا ٱلۡحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنۡيَآ إِلَّا مَتَٰعُ ٱلۡغُرُورِ).”
focusing on each specific word
وَمَا ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنْيَآ – “And the worldly life”
The wording is dismissive. Allah calls it “al-hayaatu ad-dunya”, “the lower life.” Not just “the world”but the cheap, inferior world.
إِلَّا – “Nothing but”
This is a restrictive negation in af arabi. It basically works like saying: “Don’t be mistaken. Don’t overthink it. Dunya is just this. Nothing more. Nothing less.
(مَتَٰعُ ٱلۡغُرُورِ) – “Enjoyment of delusion”
Matāʿ refers to a tool or a temporary utility. It’s like your toothbrush or your tent on a trip. Its useful, but its not permanent. You don’t fall in love with matāʿ. You use it. Then you leave it.
Al Ghurūr comes from gh-r-r, which means to be tricked, deceived, lulled into comfort.
One word for Shaytaan is “al-Gharūr” which means the master deceiver. It’s also used to describe a mirage in the desert. Mirages look like water but when you run to it, it tricks you as its just more desert and more sand.
You are not from here.
This world is not your destination. It’s the distraction before your reality.
The life you’re holding onto is described by your creator, not in paragraphs - but in six words. And each word matches a stage of your life that you thought was meaningful. But in the end, it’s just a mirage which is something that looks like water until it vanishes when you need it most.
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