When I went from Geneva to Boston in 1982 to work at the Ear, Nose, and Throat Clinic of Harvard Medical School, I used to meet different people outside working hours, attend visits, and engage in conversations.
One day, together with my African American friend Abdulhamid, we visited a mutual friend. During the conversation, Abdulhamid gave the following example:
“If you saw a whale in a house pool, you would say, ‘This fish does not belong in this pool.’ Even if you saw it in a sea, you might still think, ‘This fish does not belong to this sea.’ Because a whale is a creature of the oceans. The only place that suits its size, needs, and freedom of movement is the ocean.”
This example beautifully describes the human condition in this world. Just as it is unnatural for a whale to struggle in a pool, it is equally unnatural for a human being to live focusing solely on worldly life. As people become accustomed to the world, they actually become alienated from themselves. Because what they adapt to is temporary, while their true destination is eternal.
Human beings are like whales confined to a pool. When you consider their emotions, dreams, desires, and capabilities, this narrow worldly life cannot satisfy them. Human expectations are limitless, yet worldly life is limited. That is why people often feel an indescribable sense of incompleteness.
People are often deceived by the apparent permanence of the world they live in. Yet reality holds a depth beyond what is visible. This world is a guesthouse, and human beings are travelers hosted here for a short time. The real homeland, the real life, is the eternal Hereafter. Realizing this truth opens a door of consciousness that can transform a person’s life entirely.
Human beings are the only creatures who are never satisfied with what they possess. They always want more, seek better. This endless search is one of the clearest signs that humans are created for eternity. Therefore, humans do not belong to this world; it is merely a temporary stop. Their true home, like the whale’s ocean, is the vast and boundless realm of the Hereafter.
This world is not a place to expect results, but a place of preparation. The script written here will be performed in the real realm. Indeed, through divine scriptures—foremost among them the Qur’an—and through prophets, God has informed humanity that this world is where the Hereafter is earned. The Qur’an, other holy books, and prophetic messages constantly remind us of one truth: “This world is a place of testing.” People will be evaluated in the next life based on what they did here, rewarded for their good deeds and held accountable for their mistakes. Like seeds planted by a farmer—whatever is sown here will be reaped in the Hereafter.
Imagine a student who spends the entire year having fun without studying, yet expects success on exam day. How realistic would that be? Of course, it is impossible. Because the result is a consequence of preparation. Worldly life is just such a preparation process; the Hereafter is where the results of the great test are revealed.
Think of someone preparing for a long journey. They research the conditions of their destination, gather what they need, and prepare provisions. If they fail to do so, they struggle during the journey. Similarly, if a person does not prepare for the eternal journey that begins with death, they may face regret. Because death is not an end—it is a door. Beyond that door begins a life from which there is no return.
The most important issue is not just knowing this truth, but internalizing it. Knowledge remains incomplete unless it transforms into behavior. If someone says, “I am temporary in this world,” yet lives as if they will never die, that is a contradiction. What matters is embedding this truth in the heart and shaping life accordingly.
What does this awareness bring? First, it leads a person to a more careful and responsible life. One avoids violating others’ rights, upholds justice, and strives to increase goodness. Because they know that even the smallest good deed will not go unrewarded, and even the smallest ظلم will not go unaccounted for.
Second, it gives balance. A person does not become arrogant in the face of worldly blessings nor collapse under hardship. Because they know that neither blessings nor hardships are permanent; all are temporary, and the real recompense lies in the Hereafter.
Third, it brings deep inner peace. Knowing that life has meaning, that everything is created with wisdom, and that justice will ultimately prevail illuminates the human soul.
What remains for a person is to recognize this truth, correct themselves, and organize their life according to divine principles. Because life in this world is preparation for eternal life. If this world were the final stop, the apparent equality between good and evil would be a great injustice. Therefore, the true reckoning will not take place on this stage, but behind the curtain.
At this point, an important question arises: How should one prepare? Preparation is through faith, worship, good character, and being beneficial to others. Not breaking a heart, bringing joy to an orphan, helping someone in need, guiding someone to the right path… each of these is provision for the journey of the Hereafter. Likewise, sincere repentance, heartfelt prayer, and deeds performed with sincerity are essential parts of this preparation.
It should not be forgotten that no matter how long a person lives, this life will pass in the blink of an eye. What truly matters is how we use this short life. Eternal life will be a reflection of it.
In conclusion, humans should not forget the eternal Hereafter while living this temporary worldly life. Every step, every word, and every action should be shaped with this awareness. Because one day, everyone will leave this world and face what they have done.
A wise person is one who prepares before that day comes. It is also extremely important that this truth be shared with everyone—especially in educational institutions—through appropriate methods and language, without offending or hurting anyone, and with sensitivity to differences such as religion, nationality, and ethnicity. Through the metaphor of the whale, people should be reminded of where they are, where they belong, who created them, and the need to prepare seriously for their true destination.
With the will given to them, humans either live a life worthy of Paradise or, God forbid, choose a path leading to Hell. This is not a fantasy—it is the most certain reality of life. No human has ever been born and not died.
People fear death because they think it is an end. But death is not an ending—it is a gateway from a narrow place to a vast realm.
The greatest trust given to humans is free will. Paradise is the result of using it correctly, and Hell is the result of misusing it. Before questioning others, a person should ask themselves: “Why did I come to this world, and where am I going?” We are responsible not only to people but also to the world we live in. Because the trust is not just life itself, but the ground on which that life unfolds.
One day, everyone will realize how temporary the things they valued most in this world truly were. What matters is realizing this before it is too late. Either we spend our lives thinking we belong to this narrow pool, or we prepare for the infinite ocean to which we truly belong.
Moreover, humans can grasp this truth through reason. Their own creation, the perfect order in nature, the changing seasons, the harmony of living beings… none of these are random or self-created.
Allah is the Creator of all this order. Therefore, the duty of human beings is clear: to know Him, to live as He has prescribed, and to shape their lives accordingly.
Let us reflect on ourselves once more.
Let us see ourselves like a whale in a pool—preserving our direction and well-being—and prepare for the great journey that will one day carry us to eternal realms. So that we may reach that infinite ocean as those who have passed the test.
What do you think?
