In mystical terms, human soul is stuck in the skeletal cage of the body. The soul is nurtured by virtue and prayers since it is believed to be a heavenly entity, whereas the body is orientated towards mundane needs. According to Islamic mystics, there is a serious tension between soul and body. The soul is inclined to escape from physical desires. Therefore the soul is forced to nest in the body and is willing to fly the nest. There is a strong conflict of interests between the body and spirit/soul. For instance, body lusts for more enjoyment and comfort and pleasure, but the soul shows distaste in this regard.
Love for the world is condemned in Islam. However, this issue is mostly misconstrued among the godly men and women. For instance, at the time of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) some of his followers quit social life and chose to worship in the mountain. But this issue met Prophet’s strong reaction. He bewared his followers of abandoning social life.
It is said in Holy Qur’an [57:20], “Know that the life of this world is but amusement and diversion and adornment and boasting to one another and competition in increase of wealth and children -like the example of a rain whose [resulting] plant growth pleases the tillers; then it dries and you see it turned yellow; then it becomes [scattered] debris. And in the Hereafter is severe punishment and forgiveness from Allah and approval. And what is the worldly life except the enjoyment of delusion.”
Misinterpretations of such verses went further. Some decided not to work for the comfort of their life. They neither struggled to develop their societies nor showed concern about the cruelties of dictatorial kings. They preferred to live a poor life and to keep silent.
Sufis portray the same types of people. They have traditionally taken vows of poverty and celibacy. They chose to spend time in monastery to pray. Therefore, besides living in solitude, they made efforts to feed their soul through worship.
The fact is that in Islam, comforts and property are not regarded as a curse at all. What Islam criticizes is a life of indulgence and a voracious appetite for material goods. Those who gather wealth, at the cost of trampling upon the rights of others, deserve punishment.
In Islamic ideology, the world is the same as a business shop, and the people are all businessmen who are trading here. Thus, one has to be cautious enough not to sustain loss. It is said in Holy Qur’an, “Those … who have purchased error [in exchange] for guidance…their transaction has brought no profit, nor were they guided.”
Moreover, Holy Qur’an says, “Those men, whom neither any bargain nor any trade distracts from the Remembrance of Allah and from establishing the prayer and from paying the charity – they fear the day when the hearts and the eyes will be overturned.”
According to the verses of Holy Qur’an, whoever embraces the messages of God and practices them will not sustain disadvantages in his business. As it is said in Holy Qur’an, “And they who disbelieve in the verses of Allah – it is those who are the losers.”
Islamic mystics believe that the world is as a pathway or a bridge and human beings are as passersby. Hence, no wise passerby will build a permanent house on the way. We are all travelers waiting to leave. Since human beings are combined with soul and body, the body will live for a short time whereas the soul is immortal. Willy-nilly, the soul will leave the body one day.
It is also said that the world is an arable farm for human. One will reap, in the hereafter, what he sows here. Hence, human beings are supposed to sow productive seeds in this fertile soil so as to gain more advantages. Of course, our deeds are the seeds we plant.
If one focuses time and energy to feed the body, regardless of spiritual needs, he will be alienated. It was mentioned previously that the body and spirit are in direct opposition and have conflicting interests. In such a case, meeting the needs of one will result in disregard for the other.
Satan is introduced as the sworn enemy of the human and God warns us of his evil. It is said in the Holy Qur’an about those who succumb to their lusts for sin as, “Stan has overcome them and made them forget the remembrance of Allah. Those are the party of Satan. Unquestionably, the party of Satan – they will be the losers.”
Maulana Jalaluddin Balkhi, an Islamic mystic, likens wealth and properties to water and human soul to the boat. He says that water is good as far as it is under the boat and you ride on it but if this water enters the boat it will lead to sinking. According to him, if one’s soul is influenced by the worldly luxuries and enslaved by body, its defeat is certain.
Hence, there is nothing wrong with the comforts and properties of life, unless such things cause one to forget the spiritual needs. On the other hand, ignoring the physical needs is also forbidden and both spiritual and physical needs have to be balanced. In short, people are asked to live a life of virtue besides economic comforts.
We are supposed to empty out the evils and immoralities from our soul. In other words, we have to be cautious so that our souls not fall prey to our physical tendencies. Whenever the soul succumbs to the claws of body, then the call of conscience will not be heard at all. Hope it will not be misconstrued, I am not against taking care of body or meeting its needs, but I mean there is unlimited needs for body which should be curbed. Furthermore, the spiritual needs which are seriously ignored, in our world, will have to be attended to.