عَنْ ابْن عُمَرَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا قَالَ: أَخَذَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه و سلم بِمَنْكِبِي، وَقَالَ: "كُنْ فِي الدُّنْيَا كَأَنَّك غَرِيبٌ أَوْ عَابِرُ سَبِيلٍ". وَكَانَ ابْنُ عُمَرَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا يَقُولُ: إذَا أَمْسَيْتَ فَلَا تَنْتَظِرْ الصَّبَاحَ، وَإِذَا أَصْبَحْتَ فَلَا تَنْتَظِرْ الْمَسَاءَ، وَخُذْ مِنْ صِحَّتِك لِمَرَضِك، وَمِنْ حَيَاتِك لِمَوْتِك. [رَوَاهُ الْبُخَارِيُّ].
On the authority of Abdullah ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), who said:
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) took me by the shoulder and said, “Be in this world as though you were a stranger or a wayfarer.” And Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) used to say, “In the evening do not expect [to live until] the morning, and in the morning do not expect [to live until] the evening. Take [advantage of] your health before times of sickness, and [take advantage of] your life before your death.” [Al-Bukhari]
The fortieth hadith of Imam al-Nawawi’s Forty Hadith is a profound reminder of the fleeting nature of this worldly life. It is narrated by ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar (رضي الله عنهما), who reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
كُنْ فِي الدُّنْيَا كَأَنَّكَ غَرِيبٌ أَوْ عَابِرُ سَبِيلٍ
“Be in this world as though you were a stranger or a traveler along a path.” (Bukhari)
This narration encapsulates the essence of detachment from worldly attachments and the cultivation of a heart oriented towards the eternal Hereafter. The Prophet ﷺ, in his timeless wisdom, used a simple analogy that every person can understand. A stranger in a foreign land does not feel settled—his heart is elsewhere, longing to return home. A traveler on a path does not build permanent structures along the road, for he knows his destination lies ahead. Likewise, the believer in this world recognizes that his true home is not here, but with Allah in the Hereafter.
The Qur’an echoes this perspective repeatedly. Allah ﷻ reminds us:
وَمَا الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا إِلَّا مَتَاعُ الْغُرُورِ
“And the life of this world is nothing but the enjoyment of delusion.” (Qur’an 3:185)
This does not mean that the believer must abandon worldly responsibilities or live in isolation. Islam is a religion that affirms the balance of dunya and akhirah. We are commanded to fulfill our roles as spouses, parents, workers, and members of society. What this hadith calls us to is zuhd—a heart that is not deceived by the glitter of this temporary abode, that engages with the world while knowing it is only a means, not the end.
ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar himself embodied this hadith in his advice to others. He used to say: “When you reach the evening, do not expect to see the morning. And when you reach the morning, do not expect to see the evening. Take from your health for your sickness, and from your life for your death.” This attitude instills urgency in the believer to prioritize what truly matters, for tomorrow is never guaranteed.
Living as a stranger or traveler requires cultivating a mindset of purposeful detachment. It means asking oneself: Am I investing in what will outlast me? Am I preparing for the journey beyond the grave? The Prophet ﷺ once lay down on a mat that left marks on his blessed side. When asked why he did not make himself more comfortable, he replied that his relationship with this world is like that of a rider who rests briefly under the shade of a tree, then moves on.
The Qur’an paints a similar image:
اعْلَمُوا أَنَّمَا الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا لَعِبٌ وَلَهْوٌ وَزِينَةٌ وَتَفَاخُرٌ بَيْنَكُمْ وَتَكَاثُرٌ فِي الْأَمْوَالِ وَالْأَوْلَادِ ۖ كَمَثَلِ غَيْثٍ أَعْجَبَ الْكُفَّارَ نَبَاتُهُ ثُمَّ يَهِيجُ فَتَرَاهُ مُصْفَرًّا ثُمَّ يَكُونُ حُطَامًا ۖ وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ عَذَابٌ شَدِيدٌ وَمَغْفِرَةٌ مِّنَ اللَّهِ وَرِضْوَانٌ ۚ وَمَا الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا إِلَّا مَتَاعُ الْغُرُورِ
“Know that the life of this world is but amusement and diversion and adornment and boasting to one another and competition in increase of wealth and children. It is like a rain whose growth pleases the tillers; then it dries and you see it turning yellow; then it becomes debris. And in the Hereafter is severe punishment, but also forgiveness from Allah and His pleasure. And what is the worldly life except the enjoyment of delusion.” (Qur’an 57:20)
This verse captures the cycle of worldly life: birth, growth, flourishing, decline, and eventual return to dust. If the believer anchors his heart in this cycle, he will live in perpetual disappointment. But if he anchors his heart in Allah, he will find peace that transcends the ups and downs of life.
To be a stranger in the dunya is to live with gratitude but without attachment, to enjoy blessings but not to idolize them, to strive in halal work while remembering that true success is meeting Allah with a sound heart. The stranger knows he belongs elsewhere. The traveler knows his destination lies ahead.
Thus, Hadith 40 is a call to adopt a mindset of purposeful living, where the dunya is a bridge, not a home. It challenges us to detach from distractions, prepare for the akhirah, and always live with the consciousness that our time is short. When the believer embraces this perspective, he lives lightly in the dunya yet richly in faith, never deceived by fleeting pleasures, and always longing for his true return to Allah.
Disclaimer:
Instructor: Sheikh Dr. Sajid Umar | STEPS TO JANNAH S4 | Forty Hadith Imam Nawawi
These are notes sharing from the Steps of Jannah classes online taught by Sheikh Dr Sajid Umar focusing on Hadith 40 an-Nawawi. The classes are still ongoing, every Monday 8pm UK time. If you would like to join, please email stepstojannah12@gmail.com
The notes written are from a student’s personal notes transcribed from the sessions. Should there be any error, May Allah forgive us, and do feedback (ain1810@gmail.com) so that it can get amended, and may it be beneficial to all of us and may Allah reward Jannah to Sh Sajid and his team for the beneficial ‘ilm being shared and to all of the students Steps to Jannah, Ameen.