Be in this world as though you were a stranger or a traveler.
“Be in this world as though you were a stranger or a traveler.”
Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) mentioned that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) took him by the shoulder—the part that joins the arm with the shoulder—and said to him, Be in this world as if you are a stranger who arrived at a country where he has no house to shelter him and no one to keep his accompany.
The plain meaning, from HadeethEnc
عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا قَالَ: أَخَذَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِمَنْكِبِي، فَقَالَ: «كُنْ فِي الدُّنْيَا كَأَنَّكَ غَرِيبٌ أَوْ عَابِرُ سَبِيلٍ»، وَكَانَ ابْنُ عُمَرَ، يَقُولُ: إِذَا أَمْسَيْتَ فَلاَ تَنْتَظِرِ الصَّبَاحَ، وَإِذَا أَصْبَحْتَ فَلاَ تَنْتَظِرِ المَسَاءَ، وَخُذْ مِنْ صِحَّتِكَ لِمَرَضِكَ، وَمِنْ حَيَاتِكَ لِمَوْتِكَ.
‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) took me by the shoulder and said: "Be in this world as if you are a stranger or a wayfarer." Ibn ‘Umar used to say: If you reach the evening, do not wait for the morning, and if you reach the morning, do not wait for the evening. Take from your health for your sickness and from your life for your death.
What does Sahih al-Bukhari 6416 mean?
Narrated by Ibn ‘Umar, who reports that the Prophet (peace be upon him) took him by the shoulder as he said it. Ibn ‘Umar used to add his own conclusion to it: if you reach the evening do not wait for the morning, and if you reach the morning do not wait for the evening; take from your health for your illness, and from your life for your death. The commentators note the escalation — a stranger may settle somewhere, but a traveller is only passing through.
Written from HadeethEnc