As human beings, we have been created with desires and an urge to fulfill them, particularly in the environment we find ourselves in. However, the choice we are given by Allah ﷻ is of when to fulfill them — in this life or the next life. The Prophet ﷺ clarified how a believer should view this choice when he stated, “The worldly life is a prison for the believer and a paradise for the disbeliever.” In a prison, an individual is restricted from fulfilling their desires, whereas in a paradise a person can do as they wish. The believer, however, must choose where they want their paradise: in this transient world, or the permanent world of the Hereafter. Furthermore, when a prisoner is finally released from prison, his or her primary desire is to be reunited with their loved ones. Similarly, a believer will witness and interact with Allah ﷻ in the Hereafter, and this will be more fulfilling than the fulfillment of any other desire.
