Work for This World & the Hereafter

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

The following is extracted from Naswihah of Shaykh Ahmad ibn Ahmad az-Zarruq (q.s.). 

We must work for this world as if we will live forever, but work for our next life as if tomorrow we will die.  In other words, we must not neglect the externals of our worldly needs, all the while keeping in mind our end and final resting place.  And we must be extremely vigilant about avoiding positions of leadership, but should we be tried with such matters, we must know our own limitations.  We must be absolutely sincere to Allah (s.w.t.) with the sincerity of one who knows full well the One Who is Placing Demands upon him, and surrender completely to His Decree with the submission of one who knows he can never overcome Him.  Once we have a firm foundation in all of our affairs, and we will be safe from their pitfalls.  Organise our devotional practices, and we will find our time is extended due to the grace that pervades it. 

We should never be fanatical about anything, whether it is the truth or not, and our heart will remain in a state of soundness toward others.  We must never claim anything to which we are entitled, not to mention that to which we are not entitled, and we will be safe from connivance and treachery.  Indeed, anyone claiming a rank above his own will fall, scandalised and humiliated.  Moreover, those who claim a rank they warrant will have it stripped from them. 

Conversely, those who claim a lesser rank than their own will be elevated to an even higher one than they deserve.  We must never reveal to our companions anything of our state other than what his own state warrants.  The reason is that if we go down to his level, he will have contempt for us; whereas if we attempt to raise him up to our level, he will forsake us.