Friday Focus | Proximity to Allah (SwT)

It’s the best of goals

It is ordained that proximity to Allah (SwT) is the best of goals, while worldly pleasures may not last:

   

”Fair in the eyes of men is the love of things they covert: women and sons; heaped up hoards of gold and silver; horses branded (for blood and excellence) and (wealth of) cattle and well-tilled land. Such are the possessions of this world’s life; but in nearness to Allah is the best of the goals (to return to)” (3:14)

Worldly possessions are attractive, such as love of women for physical comfort, sons for  strength in worldly dealings, the pedigree of horses in blood and excellence were in the past and continue to be badges of honour that men wear with pride. In farming communities of yore, cattle—their number, and their breed were taken to a measure of societal standing, it holds in farming communities of modern times, while well-tilled land adds to laurels. However in modern times with industrial revolution, measure of well-being may also be the number of factories owned, possession of best internal combustion engines, spacious houses, the number of motor cars in the garage, the possession of private aircraft, and a lot more.

Possession of heaped-up hoards of gold and silver, particularly of gold continues to be measure of well-being, as gold continues to be standard by which wealth is measured. However, whatever the measure of these worldly possessions, their combined value comes to naught as soon as the worldly life ends. Hence, here in the world full of material possessions and hereafter what ultimately holds is nearness to Allah (SwT). Unto Him, shall we return, big or small, wealthy or poor, and unto Him is entrusted our salvation–the salvation we may earn by proximity to Allah (SwT) and not in the love of material possessions.

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