for whomever We choose. Then We appoint Hell for him, where he will burn, condemned and banished.”

Whoever does not seek the Hereafter in word and deed, in preference, love, longing and devotion, will have no share in the Hereafter and gain no benefit in this worldly life. Rather, he is an unbeliever, accursed, distracted and tormented. Yet his renunciation of this world may afford him some immediate relief, although such renunciation is not sanctioned by the revealed law. He may also suffer from missing out on worldly pleasures. If he does not renounce them, however, he finds no relief in this regard.

Thus, whether someone renounces this world to find worldly ease or pursues it to obtain its pleasures, neither is engaged in a righteous deed or deserves praise for it according to the revealed law. Nevertheless, one course may sometimes be more advantageous in worldly terms, and the other at other times, just as one craft may be preferable to another, or one trade to another. Worldly pleasures are generally attained only through some effort. At times, the pleasure of foregoing them may outweigh the effort of pursuing them; at other times, the effort of pursuing them may be preferable to the pleasure of foregoing them. There is therefore no praise for abandoning this world unless it is for the sake of working for the Hereafter, just as there is no praise for pursuing it unless it is for the sake of working for the Hereafter.

It is thus established that merely renouncing this world deserves no praise, just as desiring it deserves no praise. Rather, praise is due to seeking Allah and the Hereafter, while blame attaches to the desire for this world that prevents one from seeking them, as explained above and as expressed in the words of Allah Most High:

“If you desire the life of this world and its adornment, then come: I will provide for you and release you graciously.”

“But if you desire Allah and His Messenger and the Hereafter, then Allah has prepared a tremendous reward for those of you who do good.”

For this reason, those with spiritual understanding customarily call such a person a seeker and aspirant;