The Reality of this World

Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:

…If the world makes you laugh a little, it will make you weep much; if it gives happiness for one day, it will cause sorrow for a year; if it gives little enjoyment, it will deny it for a long period. No house will be filled with fortune without it being filled with tears; and if it gives someone happiness for a day, it will conceal joy from him for a day.

Ibn Mas‘ood (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “For every moment of joy, there is a moment of sorrow, and no house is filled with joy except that it will be filled with sadness.” Ibn Seereen (may Allaah have mercy on him) also said: “No laughter comes except that weeping follows it.” Hind bint Nu‘maan (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: “I remember when we were the most powerful people and strongest in kingdom; then it was not long before we became the most insignificant of people. It is the promise of Allah the exalted that He will not fill up a house with blessing except that He fills it with tears.”

Then a man asked her to inform him about her condition, so she said: “We woke up one morning and there was none among the Arabs except that they admired us. Then in the evening, there was none among the Arabs who did not feel sorry for us.” Her sister Hurqah bint Nu‘maan cried while she was in her glorious days. She was asked: “Why are you crying? Perhaps, someone hurt you?” She replied: “No, but I saw affluence in my family; and hardly is a house filled with happiness without its being filled with sadness.”

Ishaaq bin Talhah said: “One day I entered upon her (that is, Hurqah bin Nu‘maan) and said to her: “How do you see the tears of kings?” She answered: “Our condition today is better than our situation yesterday. We find in the books that no household lives in affluence except that it will be followed with tears thereafter. And time will not display to a people a day they love without concealing for them a day they will dislike!”  Then she said:“When we ruled the people and the authority was ours, all of a sudden we became among the subjects demanding justice. Horrible is the world whose bliss is not permanent; it changes and fluctuates many times with us.”

Source: Zaad al-Ma‘aad fee Hady Khayr al-‘Ibaad by Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah