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Bismillāh.
Imam al-Kāzim (a): Rajab is a great month in which Allah multiplies good deeds and erases sins. Whoever fasts one day in Rajab is kept at a distance from the Fire equal to a year’s journey, and whoever fasts three days, Paradise becomes obligatory for him.
Wasā’il al-Shī’ah, vol. 10, p. 473
وَمَا الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا إِلَّا لَعِبٌ وَلَهْوٌ ۖ وَلَدَارُ الْآخِرَةِ خَيْرٌ لِّلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ ۗ أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ
The life of the world is nothing but play and diversion, and the abode of the Hereafter is surely better for those who are Godwary. Do you not exercise your reason?
Sūrat al-An‘ām, No. 6, Āyat 32
The material, physical lower world is described in this verse and others as an abode of distraction and imagination. A central aspect of this description is that the world is a stage where we humans construct concepts and live our lives around them, despite their lack of any true reality.
In Islamic philosophy, these constructs are referred to as i‘tibārī (non-factual or conventional) matters. An i‘tibārī concept is not something that unveils an external, objective reality; rather, it is something that must be “supposed,” “considered,” or “agreed upon” by human beings for a specific purpose. Unlike the heat of fire or the gravity of the earth—which exist regardless of whether we believe in them—i‘tibārī realities exist only because we have collectively decided they do.
To understand this, consider the example of a play or a theatrical performance. An actor is given the role of a king. For the duration of the play, he is treated with majesty, he wears a crown, and others bow to him. Yet, has his essence changed? No. He is the same human being as the person playing the beggar. The “kingship” is a purely i‘tibārī construct.
Our social lives operate on the same level of imagination. Consider these everyday examples:
- Leadership: What reality is there in one person being appointed as a “leader” or “president”? Is their soul inherently different at the moment of inauguration? They are no different than others, yet we treat the office as a reality.
- Social Rules: What reality exists in a road being deemed “one-way”? Physically, the asphalt is identical to a two-way street. The restriction exists only in the minds of the drivers and the law-books.
- Sporting Allegiances: Look at a soccer match. A group of players is considered “one unit.” Thousands of people become ecstatic or depressed based on whether a leather ball is kicked past a “goalie” and into a net. Outside of the human agreement on the rules of the game, the act itself has no inherent significance.
Of course, to a certain extent, these constructs and assumptions are necessary for us to live together in society. They are tools of order. Having a one-way road is a means of safety and order that is needed for us to live in comfort; having a leader allows a community to move in an organized direction with a clear division of responsibilities.
However, these constructs are only of value when they serve as a means to move toward real goals. If a construct provides no benefit, or worse, leads us away from truth, it becomes a cage. If we spend our precious lives amassing i‘tibārī treasures—such as “fame,” “titles,” or “digital digits in a bank account”—at the expense of our character, we are like an actor who refuses to leave the stage after the play is over, still demanding that people bow to his cardboard crown.
The true reality and the purpose behind our creation is to attain perfections in our soul and proximity to our Lord. This is a real, substantial change in the essence of a human being.
As we mark the eve of the birth of the Commander of the Faithful, Imam Alī ‘alayhis-salām, let us recall his perspective regarding the nature of the world. He, who held the highest worldly position of the Caliphate, is quoted as saying:
“By Allah! This world of yours is more insignificant in my eyes than the bone of a pig in the hand of a leper.” (Nahj al-Balāghah, saying 236)
This is not a wholesale rejection of the world; rather, it is an acknowledgment that pursuing the world for its own sake is futile. The world is meant to serve as a means to attain something higher and greater. Such is the outlook of one whose gaze is fixed upon the Truth, who refuses to be diverted by the world’s fleeting distractions.
On this blessed occasion of the birth of Imam Ali (a), we pray that we may be granted a small portion of his vision. May Allah make us among those who exercise their intellect to realize the true nature of this world. May He grant us something from the detachment from the world that Ali ibn Abi Talib (a) had.
Sources: Allāmah Tabātabā’ī, Al-Mīzān.
ALI 710: Quranic Arabic and knowledge – Level 4
In this online course, specially tailored for serious learners, we will attempt to simplify Quranic Arabic. To make it interesting, we will begin with a brief tafsīr of short surahs or passages.
At this level, we will continue learning grammatical rules on nouns covered in Lesson 13 onwards in Qur’anic Language Made Easy by Hafiza Iffath Hassan.
Eligibility: All Muslims ages 15 and over.
Instructor: Sh Hasanayn Kassamali
Fees: $55.00
Schedule: 6 Wednesdays, January 7 to February 11, 2026.
Timings: 7:30 – 8:30 pm EST.
Registration: www.academyofislam.com/registrations/