Allah said in Surat Al 'Imran, v.185: {"... and the life of this world is only a deceiving enjoyment."}

The way to apply this part of the verse in your daily life is to stop for a second before you enjoy the pleasures you encounter, no matter how minor. Stop and think before you enjoy a warm shower, a cold drink, a delicious meal, a hefty paycheck, a fancy car, a new set of clothes, and so on. Stop and realize that what you have before you is an illusion. While it is real in the sense that it is a created, tangible, physical thing, there is a much deeper, hidden reality attached to what you are about to enjoy, such that you will be living in a state of deception if you are oblivious to this reality. And this reality is the opposite of the deception mentioned in this verse, which we should likewise beware of.

One aspect of the deception to be aware of is that our enjoyments give us a false sense of power. This is particularly the case when it comes to technological innovation. Remember back to 1912, when the Titanic was built, and it was claimed at the time that "not even God can sink this ship." The human being is easily deceived into adopting a false sense of security and invincibility simply on account of a brief period of relative ease and comfort. So, when the builders of the Titanic were able to construct such a seemingly flawless product, they fell into this trap and only realized their blunder when none other than God sank it by way of a frozen piece of the very water it was built to sail on. Look also at the financial & economic woes in which America suddenly found herself after years of irresponsible excess and greed on the part of her banks. This is the result of the false sense of power that material enjoyments instill in the deceived heart, and this varies in accordance with the magnitude of that enjoyment. Let's say two homeless men are sitting outside a 7-11. Both want 99c to go inside and be able to purchase a snack. A customer exits the store, sees them both, but gives only one of them some change. The one with the change will no doubt feel somewhat dominant and powerful relative to his change-less companion. This is just with a handful of change - so how much more would this apply with all of the more meaningful luxuries you enjoy in your life? The reality to counter this deception is that you are a powerless creature, and that there is no might nor power except through Allah.

Another aspect of this deception is the sense that what you are about to enjoy will always be there. In the moment when you're thinking of nothing but the pleasure or relaxation that any given luxury has to offer, it is not likely to cross your mind that this luxury could disappear in the blink of an eye. Hold up that glass of cold water and remember the very last verse of Surat al-Mulk: {"Tell me: if all your water were to sink away, who will supply you with flowing water?"} Sitting with your wives, your husbands, your children, your friends - how do you know they will all be alive tomorrow? Next time you are enjoying some time with any of them, remind yourself of v. 26 of Surat ar-Rahman: {"Whatsoever is on it (the Earth) will perish."} When you pull into your driveway and are about to walk into that large home, stand there for a minute and think of the story of the two men with the gardens in v. 32-43 of Surat al-Kahf, and realize that between one second and the next, all of this could be gone. Anything you currently enjoy - big or small, alive or inanimate - could disappear. The sense of comfort you experience is merely the response to a deceptive illusion put before you by Allah.

A third point of deception is that you lose a sense of what true enjoyment is and what is isn't. Our minds are such that when we spend a long time chasing after a second-rate goal or luxury and finally attain what we seek, we cannot imagine that there is anything better than what we have. Imagine you are lost in a desert, having had nothing to eat or drink for days. Suddenly, you come across a piece of dry bread, a bit of old cheese, and a jug of lukewarm water. It will resemble a feast for you because of your intense hunger, and you will think to yourself as you finally nourish your aching body that this is all you want. You are so happy to finally be able to satisfy your hunger & thirst with this second-rate meal that you're not thinking about having fresh bread, fresh cheese, and clean, cool water.

Likewise is the comparison between the enjoyments of this world and those of the next. This is why the preceding sentence in the verse is: {"... whoever is removed from the Fire and is entered into Paradise is indeed successful..."} This verse puts the concept of enjoyment and pleasure into its proper perspective. The reality the verse is exposing to you is that whatever you could possibly enjoy here is nothing in comparison to the pleasures found in Paradise. But because it is the life of this world which is tangible to us now, and the life in Paradise is known to us only through the Qur'anic verses and the Prophetic statements, you should stop before delving into each luxury and remind yourself that you are about to enjoy a mere illusion of pleasure in comparison with the reality that awaits you in the Hereafter, whether it be the joys of Paradise or the horrors of Hellfire.

Each of these three points of deception vs. reality has a practical effect on your personality once you internalize them :

• As for the first: it teaches you humility;
• As for the second point: it teaches you greater appreciation for what you have at the time;
• As for the last: it develops a greater attachment between your heart and the Hereafter, and detaches you from the frivolties of this temporary life.

طارق مهنا
Tariq Mehanna
Plymouth Correctional Facility
Isolation Unit - Cell #108