Striking a Balance: The Importance of Balancing Spiritual and Worldly Pursuits in Islam

 وَٱبۡتَغِ فِیمَاۤ ءَاتَىٰكَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلدَّارَ ٱلۡـَٔاخِرَةَۖ وَلَا تَنسَ نَصِیبَكَ مِنَ ٱلدُّنۡیَاۖ وَأَحۡسِن كَمَاۤ أَحۡسَنَ ٱللَّهُ إِلَیۡكَۖ وَلَا تَبۡغِ ٱلۡفَسَادَ فِی ٱلۡأَرۡضِۖ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا یُحِبُّ ٱلۡمُفۡسِدِینَ

“And seek the abode of the Hereafter with the wealth that Allah has given you, and do not forget your part in this world, and do favours (to others) the way Allah has favoured you, and do not seek to cause turmoil in the earth; indeed Allah does not like the mischievous.” Quranic verse 28:77

The phrase "do not forget your share of the world" in the Quranic verse 28:77 means that while seeking the hereafter should be the ultimate goal of believers, they should not completely ignore their needs and responsibilities in this world. In other words, believers should strike a balance between their spiritual and material pursuits and fulfill their worldly obligations while also remembering their ultimate purpose in life, which is to please Allah and attain eternal happiness in the hereafter. This verse reminds believers to not become too engrossed in seeking worldly wealth and status and to prioritize their relationship with Allah above all else.

قُلۡ مَنۡ حَرَّمَ زِینَةَ ٱللَّهِ ٱلَّتِیۤ أَخۡرَجَ لِعِبَادِهِۦ وَٱلطَّیِّبَـٰتِ مِنَ ٱلرِّزۡقِۚ قُلۡ هِیَ لِلَّذِینَ ءَامَنُوا۟ فِی ٱلۡحَیَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡیَا خَالِصَةࣰ یَوۡمَ ٱلۡقِیَـٰمَةِۗ كَذَ ٰ⁠لِكَ نُفَصِّلُ ٱلۡـَٔایَـٰتِ لِقَوۡمࣲ یَعۡلَمُونَ

Say, “Who has forbidden the adornment of Allah which He has brought forth for His bondmen, and the good food?” Say, “That is for the believers in this world, and on the Day of Resurrection it will be for them only”; this is how We explain Our verses in detail for people of knowledge. (Quran7:32)

This verse encourages believers to enjoy the lawful blessings and provisions that Allah has bestowed upon them in this world, while also reminding them that these blessings are temporary and should not distract them from their ultimate purpose of seeking Allah's pleasure and preparing for the hereafter. It emphasizes that believers should view the blessings of this world as a means to fulfill their needs and responsibilities, and not as an end in themselves.

Another hadith that emphasizes the importance of balancing our worldly and spiritual pursuits is: The world is sweet and green (alluring) and verily Allah is going to install you as vicegerent in it in order to see how you act. So avoid the allurement of women: verily, the first trial for the people of Isra'il was caused by women.

إِنَّ الدُّنْيَا حُلْوَةٌ خَضِرَةٌ وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ مُسْتَخْلِفُكُمْ فِيهَا فَيَنْظُرُ كَيْفَ تَعْمَلُونَ فَاتَّقُوا الدُّنْيَا وَاتَّقُوا النِّسَاءَ فَإِنَّ أَوَّلَ فِتْنَةِ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ كَانَتْ فِي النِّسَاءِ