Love for Dunya

Recently, I’ve been thinking a lot about where my heart and mind are, and I realized something important—my thoughts have been so focused on material things, the things of this world, that I’ve been forgetting Allah. The more I get caught up in my daily routine, the more distant I feel from Him; this realization has been weighing on me.

I wake up early every morning, rushing to get ready for work. I put all my energy into my job and the responsibilities that come with it. But when the weekend comes, I feel lazy and lack the same motivation. Instead of using that time to reconnect with Allah, I treat it like a break from everything—even my faith. 

That’s when I realized that I shouldn’t be waking up just for work or worldly duties (Dunya); I should be waking up for Allah. I need to focus on balancing Dunya and Akhira. This world is temporary, and I’m here to gather good deeds for the next life, but it’s something I’ve been struggling with.

Another thing I’ve noticed is how easily people’s words affect me. Whenever someone criticizes me or says something negative, it ruins my mood for the day. I used to care so much about what others thought of me, but I’m starting to understand that I shouldn’t give so much weight to their opinions. As long as I’m doing my best to be kind and respectful, what others think about me doesn’t really matter. Their perspective shouldn’t control how I feel about myself.

This all became clearer after listening to Yasmin Mogahed talk about the "love of Dunya." I’ve felt disappointment and frustration for years, but I didn’t understand why. I thought the love of Dunya focused on material things. But Yasmin Mogahed explained that the love of Dunya isn’t just about money or possessions. It’s also about being attached to people, moments, and emotions. I realized I was holding onto these things without knowing it—investing too much of myself in how people treated me or how certain events turned out.

This realization opened my eyes. The pain and frustration I’ve been feeling come from this attachment to the world. I wasn’t focusing enough on what truly matters—my relationship with Allah.

Now, I’m starting a new chapter in my life. I’m learning to let go of these attachments and focus more on my faith. It’s not an easy journey, but I’m determined to find balance. I want to live each day with intention, working for both Dunya and Akhira in a way that pleases Allah and helps me grow.