Are We Aware of the Significance of the Hereafter? Is This World More Important to Us—Or the Hereafter?
Have we ever honestly asked ourselves: how much are we willing to invest in our Hereafter? Where does the Hereafter actually stand in our lives?
If our answer is negative, then perhaps the significance of the Hereafter has not yet truly unfolded its importance for us. The Hereafter is of such immensity that even if we come to realize only a portion of its importance, our life priorities—as well as our decisions and choices—will likely change, and we will begin to align them with this profound truth.
It is simply impossible to be of sound mind and remain indifferent toward an event of such grandeur that lies ahead of us. It would be like knowing a flood is only minutes away from sweeping away our home, yet continuing to calmly watch television or cook in the kitchen as though nothing were happening. Of course, understanding the significance of the matter is only the beginning. The next step is usually action and planning, which is no less important than the first step.
Understanding the significance of the Hereafter—as the major part of our life—plays a vital role in our ultimate bliss. And accordingly, we must value it in proportion to the extent of that impact. In truth, someone who is knowledgeable about this world but ignorant of the Hereafter [1] lacks balance. Such a person has wronged themselves by giving equal importance to two things that actually carry different weights and will have different consequences for their future. It is like someone giving the same level of importance to choosing their field of study as they do to selecting a dish from a restaurant menu. With this in mind, it becomes clear that the significance of the Hereafter and the world are fundamentally different in terms of their significance and position—and accordingly, they each require different forms of action and preparation.
We Have Taken This World Far Too Seriously!
There is a general principle: the more time and attention we dedicate to something, the more skilled we become in it. For instance, most experienced women are excellent cooks; this is because they have spent years engaging in daily cooking, mastering its techniques. Or consider someone who regularly drives and deals with cars and roads; they can detect the slightest change in their engine’s sound and immediately identify the problem. In the same way, we have so thoroughly immersed ourselves in the concerns of this world that we have become intimately familiar with its formulas and rules. We know what suits our tastes and what does not. We know the appropriate dress code for various occasions and how to follow social etiquette. We understand how to balance our temperament and how to respond to each behavior. When it comes to worldly affairs, we act with deliberation and precision. Before making major decisions, we consider every angle. In short, we bring our full intelligence and capability not to fall behind in life.
Yet, when it comes to nourishing our souls, we remain utterly ignorant! We do not know what paves the way toward the Hereafter, nor do we understand what obstructs us to move on the right path. We are unfamiliar with the questions that will be asked in the Hereafter, nor do we know how we should align ourselves with them. We do not know what we will be allowed to carry into the Hereafter, and what will lose all its worth there. Simply put, when it comes to our eternal life, we behave like one lacking the most basic discernment—like someone devoid of understanding, unable to grasp even the simplest of matters. This reveals that we have given far greater weight to the affairs of this world, while failing to take the significance of the Hereafter seriously. Whereas, considering the exalted importance of the Hereafter, it is only fitting that our Hereafter intelligence surpasses our worldly intelligence.
An Opportunity for Having a Healthy Birth
As we discussed in previous articles, the relationship between the world and the Hereafter is like the relationship between the mother’s womb and the world [2]. In essence, both the mother’s womb and the world provide us with opportunities for a healthy birth—the mother’s womb allows us to enter this world under the world’s living conditions, while the world offers us a chance for a healthy birth into the Barzakh and the Hereafter. In order to succeed—both in this world and in the Hereafter—we must align ourselves with the truth (ḥaqq). In this context, the truth refers to the fixed living conditions of the environment into which we are to be born. In fact, it serves as the criterion against which the health of our birth is measured. For example, the eye with which we are born into this world must be able to perceive within a specific range of frequencies—between ultraviolet and infrared—in order to function properly. If it meets these requirements, it is in alignment with the truth, and thus, it is healthy. Likewise, in our journey toward the hereafter, there are specific formulas and rules that our souls are measured against as soon as we enter that realm. These standards and criteria are essential to understand, as we cannot truly prepare for the hereafter without knowing them. In truth, all our worldly affairs—marriage, professional career, social, political, or cultural engagement—will only be of benefit if they ultimately contribute to a healthy birth into the Hereafter.
With this in mind, it becomes essential to ask: do we currently live in alignment with the truth? In other words, do our actions and behaviors conform to the truth and will they lead to a healthy birth into the Hereafter?
Just as we are deeply concerned with the healthy development of a fetus and regularly monitor its growth and compatibility with the physical conditions of the world, it is only natural that we seek ways to examine our own compatibility with the living conditions of the Hereafter. We must assess whether we are treading the path correctly. Because of the immense significance of the Hereafter, Allah has provided us, through the Quran, with various criteria by which we may evaluate ourselves. One such measure is the presence of joy and inner peace in our lives. That is, if we are in alignment with the truth and truly receive it, then we will inevitably experience tranquility, elevation, and joy. The world will no longer be able to easily disturb our sense of peace. Aligning with the truth prepares our inward state for entering the Barzakh and for being born into the Hereafter in a healthy condition.
In this article, we came to understand the significance of the Hereafter and its position in relation to the world. We learned that a healthy birth into the Hereafter only takes place when the soul is equipped with the fixed living conditions of the hereafter and align itself to the laws and formulas governing the Hereafter. Finally, we discovered that a clear sign of our alignment with the truth and harmony with the living conditions of the hereafter is to have happiness and peace in this world. Now that we have, to some extent, grasped the significance of the Hereafter, you may be wondering how this position can be developed. The article “Greatness of the Hereafter | Impact on Our Behavior in This World” may offer valuable insight in this regard.
What are your thoughts on the matter? Do you find that your intelligence is more active in worldly matters—or in matters of the Hereafter? Share your perspective with us.
References
[1]. “Allah, the most Blessed, the most Exalted One, holds in contempt anyone who knows about this life but does not know about the Hereafter,” Selected Sayings of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), accessed April 9, 2025.
[2]. Bihar al-Anwar. Vol. 30, Hube Ali, 2023, pp. 56.