Revive Your Heart: Putting Life in Perspective

fa-mā ūtītum min shay’in fa-matāʿ al-
ḥayāt al-dunyā
. We treasure all of our relationships so long as, they are
something that is building us towards the 
ākhirah
.
So I want to leave you with this picture: 
wa-mā ʿind Allāh khayrun wa-abqā
—what Allah has in His possession is better. What we have right now is also in
Allah’s possession—it’s not like this is not in the possession of Allah. But by
using the word 
mā
here it is as though Allah is saying, ‘I don’t want to tell you
what I have yet’. I have a mystery for you. There is something I have in my
possession and it’s better, it’s better. In other words it hasn’t been given to you

---

yet. Now, one would immediately think what Allah has? He must be talking
about 
jannah
. But as a matter of fact because he opened the door by saying 
mā
ʿind Allāh
—not 
wa-l-jannatu
khayrun wa-abqā
. He said, 
mā ʿind Allāh khayrun
wa-abqā
—whatever Allah has. And what Allah has, some of which he gave to
you now, not just in terms of 
dunyā
but He also gave you in terms of that road to
jannah
. That road itself is better. The revelation of Allah is better than
everything else you’ve been given. The word of Allah is better because, if you
and I can live by it, it’ll get us somewhere far better.
So in this 
āyah
there are two comparisons that we constantly have to make, if
we are going to survive this world and not be taken in by the perceptions that are
actually not real—the perceptions of people or the false self-image that we might
develop. What is that reality check?
... But that which is with Allah is better and more enduring for those
who believe ...
(Al-Shūrā 42: 36)
Whatever Allah has is firstly, better and secondly, lasts longer—as far as
those who really have 
īmān
are concerned. So now every experience in life I
compare to something else that Allah has, and what Allah has must be better. It’s
a small reminder; you go into the store to buy yourself some new clothes. The
moment you’re putting those on the cash register, just at that moment, think—
wa-mā ʿind Allāh khayrun wa-abqā li-lladhīn āmanū
—what Allah has, the
clothing Allah will give me is better. Whatever is acceptable with Allah in
jannah
for me is better, for those who believe. We’re about to eat some good
food, you enjoy the food, if you could tell yourself right as you’re eating—
wa-
mā ʿind Allāh khayrun wa-abqā li-lladhīn āmanū
—the 
ākhirah
doesn’t just
become some clichéd thing you bring up; or you only bring up when
somebody’s going through trouble. ‘No, No, 
in shā
’
 Allāh
! Allah will give you
in the 
ākhirah.
’ It becomes a part of your d