Live Forever and Die Tomorrow

The Prophet (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “Work for the affairs of the world as if you were going to live forever but work for the Hereafter as though you will die tomorrow.” [Darimi; Mishkat]

Suppose there is a sale going on in your favourite store. You have a busy day. Are you more likely to go check it out if:
A)    Today is the last day, or
B)    The sale will last for a month?

If today were the last day of the sale you would feel the urgency and put other things off till tomorrow so that you could make it to the sale today. This is the urgency we should feel regarding doing the deeds that are valuable for our Akhirah. We should do them as though today were the last day in which we could do them. We should not put them off to tomorrow.

As for the affairs of this world; they have no urgency. If we suppose we are to live for eternity in this life, then there’s all the time in the world to do the things for it.

I should start prioritizing right now. I must work for the Hereafter as if I will die tomorrow and work for the affairs of the world as if I were going to live forever.