WHAT DOES DUNYA MEAN?

Dunya (world) is the feminine form of adna, i. e. , ism-i tafdil (adjective in the superlative degree). Its masdar (infinitive) is either dunuwwun or danaatun. When it is derived from the former, it means ‘the nearest’. The word dunya in the ayat [1], “We have adorned the lowest (nearest to the Earth) heaven with stars giving lights like lamps” is so. It has been used with the second meaning in some places. For instance, it bears the second meaning in the hadith [2], “Things that are dani, base, are mal’un.” That is, the world is mal’un. Despicable things are the nahy-i iqtiza’i and nahy-i gayr-i-iqtiza’i of Allahu ta’ala, that is, they are haram [3] and makruh [4]. Property was not spoken ill of because Allahu ta’ala made property a blessing. The evidence for this truth is the property of Ibrahim Khalil-ur-Rahman (’alaihi’s-salam), who is the second most valuable creation of all creatures and humanity. His livestock included half a million heads of cattle that filled plains and valleys.


There are many things which Allahu ta’ala has made mubah [5], which He has permitted. The value in these is more than that in the haram. Allahu ta’ala likes those who use the mubah. He dislikes those who use the haram. Does a wise and reasonable person spurn the love of his Owner and Creator for only a temporary pleasure? Besides, the number of things that are haram is very small. The flavours in the harams exist in the mubahs, too.

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GLOSSARY

[1] ayat: a verse of al-Qur’an al-kerim; al-ayat al-karima.

[2] hadith (sharif): i) a saying of the Prophet (‘alaihi ‘s-salam).; al-Hadith ash-sharif: all the hadiths as a whole; ii) ‘ilm al-hadith; iii) Books of the hadith ash-sharif. iv) Al-hadith al-qudsi, as-sahih, al-hasan: kinds of hadiths (for which, see Endless Bliss, II).

[3] Haram: an action, word or thought prohibited by Allahu ta’ala.

[4] makruh: (act, thing) improper, disliked and abstained by the Prophet (‘alaihi ‘s-salam); makruh tahrima: prohibited with much stress.

[5] mubah: (act, thing) neither ordered nor prohibited; permitted.