Material Happiness Is Not Permanent

Maulana Wahiduddin Khan speech,
Muslim Murasu, November 2011

Surah 18, Al Kahf, verse 109 – If you turn ocean into ink and write Allah’s words, ocean will drain out before His words are completed.
One world is intellectual world and another is material world. A very tiny miniscule part of the world has been discovered through science researches. This is called as knowledge explosion. Experts are not having extensive knowledge in any domain. When we learn more, we understand how much more is left to be known. Knowledge in the world is overwhelming and looks never ending.
Intellectual pleasure is much powerful than that from material consumption. Materialistic happiness is meager compared to intellectual joy.
Greek scientist was taking bath. A law about water suddenly struck his mind. He became ecstatic and unconsciously ran naked in the streets.
Gorging on food, drinking, driving vehicles and wearing costly clothes, pleasures from these things are unworthy and insignificant. Spiritual, knowledge-based ecstasy is mightier and loftier. Intellectual world will be revealed in heaven. That will be a super explosion of knowledge and it will give maximum thrill and excitement. What is heaven? It is complete realization of intellectual spirit. It is the utmost spiritual, holistic joy.
Archimedes understood that iron will sink in water but if iron is made in tray form, it will stay afloat. He became euphoric and shouted, ‘Eureka, eureka’, ‘I have found, I have found’ and ran naked, out of control, in the street. He lost his balance for a small discovery. How will one react if the whole world comes under his intellectual grasp. What will be the level of excitement?
Of course, there will be objects that can be consumed in heaven and it will give pleasure. But subtle and more overwhelming pleasure will be out of intellectual experience.
Rich people in this world get bored after some time. Material objects won’t give lasting happiness. They have their limitations.
But there are no limits to intellectual fulfillment. It is limitless and eternal. It won’t cause fatigue or boredom. This is the message from verse 109.
Allah’s wonders and splendors cannot be counted or quantified. Divine wisdom is spread everywhere and in every object.
In science, it is difficult to find an expert who has knowledge in all domains. Scientist in Physics will be ignorant when it comes to Chemistry. Even within Chemistry there will be sub branches. They will be experts only in their sub branches.
This is a small world, and even here knowledge is not complete. Heaven is a much bigger world. How much will it be enjoyable when it is opened up in front of us. Imagine that spiritual journey. That will be the utmost experience.
Now associate with this the capabilities of human brain. Each human brain is made up of billions of particles. A scientist opines that there are as many particles in a human brain as there are in the entire universe. This explains the potential hidden in the brain. There are countless actions and reactions in each tiny part of the brain.
Even the best scientists have not used more than 5% of brain’s capacity. Potential hidden is so huge. This world is not fit for exploiting the potentials of the brain. This world has limits and limitations. But the next world knows no limits.
A person entering heaven will be in a position to exploit his full potential. That will give complete enjoyment. This is indescribable and unbelievable. It is not possible to visualize or realize the enjoyment one will get in heaven.
Allah will convert each man into super man while entering heaven. Only then it will be possible to fully enjoy its merits.
But men aspire unworthy things and are unmindful of heaven. This is a grave error and ignorance. Surah 76, verse 27 - They are after immediate gains and unworthy benefits. They are turning away from the impending Heavy Affair. They forget eternal gains for their lust for temporary profits.
When Kalima is pronounced with proper understanding, one can realize its meaning. If it is uttered without any understanding then it is just a lip service. When Kalima is placed on one side of the balance, it will be heavier than the whole world. This weight is not just for the letters. Kalima is the worthiest of all the discoveries. It is the most significant of all the facts. People are underestimating the value of Kalima. It is the condensed form of whole world. It is the highest meditation and truth. It is the tablet of all the knowledge in the world. It is not a mystic or magic word. It is a symbolic word. First you have to understand and then pronounce it. Kalima should flow in the blood. Turn into real people of Kalima. You will get heaven.