Listen to the Explanation by Dr. Saleh as-Saleh
(Based on the explanation of Shaykh Uthaymeen):
Hadeeth – Al-Bukhari Book of Ar-Riqaaq
The sermon begins by explaining Surah Al-Hadid, verse 20, which describes the life of this world as mere play, amusement, and rivalry, like vegetation that flourishes and then withers. It contrasts this with the Hereafter, which holds either severe torment or forgiveness and pleasure from Allah. The sermon then presents a Hadith narrated by Sahl, emphasizing that even a tiny space in Paradise, the size of a whip, is better than the entire world and everything in it. The speaker also highlights that a single morning or evening journey for Allah’s cause outweighs the value of this entire world, reinforcing the theme of prioritizing the everlasting Hereafter over the fleeting, deceptive enjoyment of worldly life.
The Life of This World vs. The Hereafter (Surah Al-Hadid, Verse 20)
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم، الحمد لله رب العالمين وصلى الله على نبينا محمد وعلى آله وصحبه وسلم
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may prayers and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his companions.
Continuing into the book of Ar-Riqaq in Sahih al-Bukhari, the softening of the hearts, or the tendering of the hearts. The chapter is the example of the life of this world compared to that of the hereafter.
Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala, the most high, said in Surah 57, verse 20:
إِنَّمَا ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنْيَا لَعِبٌ وَلَهْوٌ وَزِينَةٌ وَتَفَاخُرٌۢ بَيْنَكُمْ وَتَكَاثُرٌ فِى ٱلْأَمْوَٰلِ وَٱلْأَوْلَٰدِ ۖ كَمَثَلِ غَيْثٍ أَعْجَبَ ٱلْكُفَّارَ نَبَاتُهُۥ ثُمَّ يَهِيجُ فَتَرَىٰهُ مُصْفَرًّا ثُمَّ يَكُونُ حُطَٰمًا ۖ وَفِى ٱلْءَاخِرَةِ عَذَابٌ شَدِيدٌ وَمَغْفِرَةٌ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَرِضْوَٰنٌ ۚ وَمَا ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنْيَآ إِلَّا مَتَٰعُ ٱلْغُرُورِ
Know that the life of this world is only play and amusement, pomp and mutual boasting among you, and rivalry in respect of wealth and children, as the likeness of vegetation after rain, thereof the growth is pleasing to the tiller; afterwards it dries up and you see it turning yellow; then it becomes straw. But in the Hereafter (there is) a severe torment (for the disbelievers, evil-doers), and (there is) Forgiveness from Allah and (His) Good Pleasure (for the believers, good-doers), whereas the life of this world is only a deceiving enjoyment. (57:20)
The explanation of these verses. This is the title which Imam al-Bukhari, rahimahullah, put for this chapter under this book. In these verses, Allah, the most high, makes it clear that the life of this world is only play and amusement, physically and also amusement and play of the heart. And adornment on the apparent. And boastful, pride in in in the tongue, in the saying. Each one boosts and is proud of himself when it comes to others, he thinks himself better and higher in status and in saying, meaning his opinion. Also, regarding wealth and children, rivalry. Like saying, I have more than you in wealth and in children and stronger in respect of men.
The example of this world, as Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala described it here as that of the likeness of it is like of vegetation after rain.
أَعْجَبَ ٱلْكُفَّارَ
the growth is pleasing to the tiller. (57:20)
It amused and amazed the Kuffar. Here the term Al-Kuffar, it is said that this refers to the Kuffar, to the disbelievers, those who disbelieved in Allah. Meaning that the only thing which they like of this life is like these appearances and this joy and play and amusement. On the other hand, it is said that this refers to the tiller. The growth is pleasing to the tiller. Then afterwards, it, after it was moist and active and, it dries up. And then it turns yellow. And we see this in front of our eyes. Then it becomes straw, broken by hands and by feet. This is the likeness of this life. It goes up and then it goes away. And it is either that it will entirely leave us or we leave it. There is no other alternative.
Allah the Exalted said,
وَفِى ٱلْءَاخِرَةِ عَذَابٌ شَدِيدٌ وَمَغْفِرَةٌ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَرِضْوَٰنٌ
But in the Hereafter (there is) a severe torment (for the disbelievers, evil-doers), and (there is) Forgiveness from Allah and (His) Good Pleasure (for the believers, good-doers). (57:20)
Severe torment for those who preferred this life which is play and amusement and boosting, et cetera, preferred it over seeking the pleasure of Allah and seeking the hereafter over this life. Seeking the hereafter, they make their concern focused upon this life, preferring it over the hereafter and preferring it over seeking the Ridwan, the pleasure of Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala. As Allah has stated in Surah 87, 16-17.
بَلْ تُؤْثِرُونَ ٱلْحَيَوٰةَ ٱلدُّنْيَا وَٱلْءَاخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ وَأَبْقَىٰٓ
Nay, you prefer the life of this world; Although the Hereafter is better and more lasting. (87:16-17)
Then Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala said,
وَمَا ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنْيَآ إِلَّا مَتَٰعُ ٱلْغُرُورِ
whereas the life of this world is only a deceiving enjoyment. (57:20)
You see this kind of restriction, whereas the life of this world, illa mata’ul ghurur, except or only a deceiving enjoyment. All of this entire life. A person may be deceived by it a certain period of time, then it will go away. And then he does not have anything of it. This is the word of this life. And therefore the firm person is the one who takes from it that which is beneficial for the everlasting one.
The Insignificance of This World Compared to Paradise (Hadith of Sahl)
Then Imam al-Bukhari rahimahullah introduced the first hadith under this chapter and that is the hadith of Sahl, radhiyallahu anhu, who said:
سَمِعْتُ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ “ مَوْضِعُ سَوْطٍ فِي الْجَنَّةِ خَيْرٌ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا وَمَا فِيهَا، وَلَغَدْوَةٌ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ أَوْ رَوْحَةٌ خَيْرٌ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا وَمَا فِيهَا ”
“I heard the Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam saying, ‘a small place equal to an area occupied by a whip in paradise is better than the whole world and whatever is in it. And an undertaking journey in the forenoon or in the afternoon for Allah’s cause is better than the whole world and whatever is in it.'”
This, if the term “as-sawt” with the “seen” which we know of, meaning the whip, is the one which is affirmed in this hadith, then this is like a stick, one meter approximately. So the small place that it occupies in paradise is better than this entire life and whatever is in it. It is not your life which you live, and not the life lived by others during your lifetime, but rather the entire life from its beginning to its end. And whatever it contains from wealth and properties and children and palaces and ways of communications and mounts and cars and planes and you name it. A place equal to the area occupied by a whip in paradise is better than the entire life from its beginning to its end. And what it and whatever is in it.
And at the end of the hadith the Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam said,
وَلَغَدْوَةٌ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ أَوْ رَوْحَةٌ خَيْرٌ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا وَمَا فِيهَا
and a morning’s or an evening’s journey in Allah’s Cause is better than the whole world and whatever is in it.
The ghadwa is the forenoon stay and the rawha is the in the afternoon stay. And here an undertaking journey in the forenoon or in the afternoon for Allah’s cause, meaning in the cause of jihad for the sake of Allah, then it is better than the whole world and whatever is in it as explained earlier. This is the meaning of this hadith.
We ask Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala to make us from those who put their concern and look forward for the hereafter and prepare for it that which is pleasing to Allah the most high.
ونسأله سبحانه وتعالى أن يتقبل ذلك منا وأن يدخلنا الجنة برحمته، أن تؤدمت إلى الجنة برحمته. إنه هو الجواد الكريم، وصلى الله على نبينا محمد وعلى آله وصحبه وسلم
And we ask Him, may He be glorified and exalted, to accept that from us and to admit us to Paradise by His mercy, that You have admitted us to Paradise by Your mercy. Indeed, He is the Most Generous, the Most Noble. And may Allah’s prayers and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his companions.
Source: Hadeeth – Al-Bukhari Book of Ar-Riqaaq
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