By Allah, this world (is so insigni- ficant in comparison) to the Hereafter that if one of you should dip his finger- (and wnile saying this Yahyg pointed with his forefinger) -in the ocean and then he should see as to what has stuck to it. This hadith has been narrated through another chain of transmitters also but with a slight variation of wording.
The Book of Paradise, its Description, its Bounties and its Inhabitants
Sahih Muslim 2858 - Commentary by Imam An-Nawawi
The Insignificance of This World
This profound hadith illustrates the utter insignificance of the temporal world (dunya) compared to the eternal Hereafter. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ employed this tangible analogy so that even the simplest believer could comprehend the vast disparity between these two realms.
The dipping of one's finger in the vast ocean represents the entirety of worldly pursuits, pleasures, and possessions. The minuscule amount of water that adheres to the fingertip symbolizes the actual worth of this world in the divine scale. Just as a drop is negligible against the ocean's immensity, so too is this world compared to the everlasting bounties of Paradise.
Spiritual Implications
This teaching serves to reorient the believer's heart away from worldly attachments and toward eternal realities. The wise person is he who invests in what remains (the Hereafter) rather than what perishes (this world).
The gesture of using the forefinger emphasizes the precision of this comparison and invites deep contemplation. Scholars note that this hadith should awaken us from our negligence and remind us that our ultimate success lies in prioritizing the eternal over the temporary.
Practical Application
Let this teaching moderate your engagement with worldly matters. Utilize the world as a bridge to the Hereafter, not as a final destination. Every permissible worldly action can be transformed into worship through proper intention.
Remember that the true value of this world lies only in its capacity to serve as a means to attain Allah's pleasure and the eternal gardens of Paradise, whose delights no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no human heart has ever conceived.