1. This world and the hereafter: Complementary
Allah swt revealed Quran as a Guide book for us on how to act and react in this World, on what to take and what to give up in order to achieve peace, prosperity, harmony and human brotherhood in this world, individually and collectively, at every sphere of life. Quran calls for the success both in this world and in the hereafter. It calls for prioritising the success in the hereafter in every action in this World, without losing the sight of the success in this world. That’s why Allah says:
فَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَن يَقُولُ رَبَّنَا آتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا وَمَا لَهُ فِي الْآخِرَةِ مِنْ خَلَاقٍ ﴿٢٠٠﴾ وَمِنْهُم مَّن يَقُولُ رَبَّنَا آتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ ﴿٢٠١﴾ أُولَـٰئِكَ لَهُمْ نَصِيبٌ مِّمَّا كَسَبُوا ۚ وَاللَّـهُ سَرِيعُ الْحِسَابِ
“And among the people is he who says, "Our Lord, give us in this world," and he will have in the Hereafter no share. But among them is he who says, "Our Lord, give us in this world [that which is] good and in the Hereafter [that which is] good and protect us from the punishment of the Fire." Those will have a share of what they have earned, and Allah is swift in account. (2:200-202)”
Story behind:
During the day of ignorance (before Islam), the nonbelievers and the idolaters used to do tawaf around Ka’ba, naked or half naked, dancing or different body movements, while carrying their individual idols on their shoulders or in their hands, and call upon Allah saying “our Lord, give us in this world”. But after our beloved Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) got the Prophet-hood, he and his followers would make dua saying "Our Lord, give us in this world [that which is] good and in the Hereafter [that which is] good and protect us from the punishment of the Fire." Allah is referring to these people, our early righteous predecessors, and Allah is confirming that He would give us as we want – peace, progress and prosperity with all their goodness in this world and best abode (meaning Jannatul Ferdous) in the hereafter.
Explanation:
In this verse, Allah is referring to two groups of people. The first group only asks for worldly materials such as children, assets, career without “hasanah”. So, Allah says they will get what they ask for. Not only they would be deprived in the hereafter, but also they will be deprived of “hasanah” in whatever they achieve in this world. For example,
A job with job satisfaction is “hasanah”. One may prosper in his career, but he may not achieve the job satisfaction, instead may remain in anxiety all the time.
Being able to be content with one’s own beauty is “hasanah”. Instead of being happy, a beautiful girl may remain anxious of losing her beauty, or be obsessed to become more beautiful while comparing herself with other girls who she might think to be more beautiful than her.
An unruly high achiever child may become a heavy headache for a father. A high achiever child may be so disobedient that it may become unbearable for the father instead of being proud of his child’s achievement. I know a friend of mine who stayed in the UK to give his two sons the best education. Both of his sons went to top Grammar School, studied well, and got good jobs, but they became atheist/agnostic and disobedient. And as a result the father could never taste happiness.
Property with major damage could become a nightmare. One may buy a property with a hope to live there with happiness. But after the purchase he may discover a major fault in the house, and that may become a nightmare.
2. Children and wealth
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تُلْهِكُمْ أَمْوَالُكُمْ وَلَا أَوْلَادُكُمْ عَن ذِكْرِ اللَّـهِ ۚ وَمَن يَفْعَلْ ذَٰلِكَ فَأُولَـٰئِكَ هُمُ الْخَاسِرُونَ
O you who have believed, let not your wealth and your children divert you from remembrance of Allah. And whoever does that - then those are the losers. (63:9)
Here Allah is not discouraging us to have children and wealth, and He is not even limiting them here. Instead He is just warning us that they shouldn’t be the cause of forgetting Him, no matter how little or large number of children or amount of wealth we have.
3. Prayer and engagement with the world: Timing
In another place, Allah is explaining a bit more on when to engage in what – between prayer and trade or transaction.
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِذَا نُودِيَ لِلصَّلَاةِ مِن يَوْمِ الْجُمُعَةِ فَاسْعَوْا إِلَىٰ ذِكْرِ اللَّـهِ وَذَرُوا الْبَيْعَ ۚ ذَٰلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ ﴿٩﴾ فَإِذَا قُضِيَتِ الصَّلَاةُ فَانتَشِرُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَابْتَغُوا مِن فَضْلِ اللَّـهِ وَاذْكُرُوا اللَّـهَ كَثِيرًا لَّعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ ﴿١٠﴾ وَإِذَا رَأَوْا تِجَارَةً أَوْ لَهْوًا انفَضُّوا إِلَيْهَا وَتَرَكُوكَ قَائِمًا ۚ قُلْ مَا عِندَ اللَّـهِ خَيْرٌ مِّنَ اللَّـهْوِ وَمِنَ التِّجَارَةِ ۚ وَاللَّـهُ خَيْرُ الرَّازِقِينَ
O you who have believed, when [the adhan] is called for the prayer on the day of Jumu'ah [Friday], then proceed to the remembrance of Allah and leave trade. That is better for you, if you only knew. (9) And when the prayer has been concluded, disperse within the land and seek from the bounty of Allah, and remember Allah often that you may succeed. (10) But when they saw a transaction or a diversion, [O Muhammad], they rushed to it and left you standing. Say, "What is with Allah is better than diversion and than a transaction, and Allah is the best of providers. (11)" (62:9-11)
Story behind:
At the beginning stage, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) used to give Khutbah after the two raka’ah Jumua prayer. One day, he started giving Khutbah after the prayer. Right at that time, the trading caravan of camels of Dehyah Ibn Khalifa Kalvi, one of the famous merchants, arrived and people (Musallis) started rushing towards them. Everybody wanted to ensure that they buy what they want as per their desire. In essence, they left Khutbah behind. Prophet (pbuh) didn’t like it. Since then he changed the order of Khutbah by bringing it before the prayer. And Allah revealed these verses to give us clear guidance.
Explanation:
The above means that we can continue our trade, business, transaction, or work for earning and living before and after the time of prayers. But we need to stop any of our business activities when the adhan is called for the prayer – though Allah is referring specifically to Jumu’ah prayer here, and proceed for prayer. Then we pray your Salah with full devotion, as has been prescribed below:
الَّذِينَ هُمْ فِي صَلَاتِهِمْ خَاشِعُونَ
They who are during their prayer humbly submissive (fully focused), being fearful (23:2).
Then after our prayer is finished, Allah is encouraging us to disperse within the land and seek from the bounty of Allah, and remember Allah often that we may succeed. Here Allah is reminding with encouragement that how and precisely when to put effort for the achievement in this world and that in the hereafter – when to prioritise what?