[Sahih Muslim, Book 39, Number 6770]

وَالَّذِيۡنَ هُمۡ مِّنۡ عَذَابِ رَبِّهِمۡ مُّشۡفِقُوۡنَ‌ۚ‏  ﴿۲۷

“And those who are fearful of the punishment of their Lord”  ( Qur’an 70:27 ) 

It  is narrated that Ibn Mas’ood رضي الله عنه said : ” Destruction consists in two things , despair and vanity.” And Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه reported that a man praised another man greatly in front of the Prophet  صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم . The Prophet said to him : << ” Woe to you! You have cut off your companion’s neck…” and repeated it many times and then added, ” One of you who cannot help expressing praise for his brother should say, ‘ I think that he is so-and-so  – in case he ( really) found him such – and Allah knows the truth , and I do not confirm anybody’s good conduct before Allah.”>>

Harith ibn Mu’awiyah related that he told ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab ( may Allah be pleased with them): <<” People used to entice me to tell them stories,” to which he replied, ” I am afraid that when you tell them stories you may consider yourself great amongst them: and when you do that often, they may consider that you are in the star constellation above them! Thus Allah, will put you down under their feet on the Day of Resurrection as much as that” >>

Anas  رضي الله عنه related that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم said: <<” If you had not sinned I would have feared for you what is more serious than vanity. ” >>

Be not hasty and rushed for things that have yet to come to pass. Do you think it is wise to pick fruits before they become ripe? Tomorrow is non-existent, having no reality today , so why should you busy yourself with it ? Why should you have apprehensions about duture disasters? Why should you be engrossed by their thoughts, especially since you do not know whether you will even see tomorrow?

The Important thing to know is that tomorrow is from the world of the unseen, a bridge that we do not cross until it comes. Who knows, perhaps we might never reach the bridge , or the bridge might collapse before we reach it, or we may actually reach it and cross safely.

For us to be engrossed in expectations about the future is looked down upon in our religion since it leads to our having a long term attachment to this world, an attachment that the good believer shuns. Many people of this world are unduly fearful of future poverty, hunger, disease and disaster : such thinking is inspired by the devil.

“Satan threatens you with poverty and orders you to commit Fahsha [evil deeds, illegal sexual intercourse, sins etc ], whereas Allah promises you forgiveness from Himself and Bounty” ( Quran 2:268)

Many are those who cry because they see themselves starving tomorrow, falling sick, after a month , or because they fear that the world will come to an end after a year. Someone who has no clue as to when he will die (which is all of us) should not busy himself with such thoughts.

Since you are absorbed in the toils of today , leave tomorrow until it comes. Beware of becoming unduly attached to future prospects in this world.