In Islam the life of this world is the enjoyment of deception

This temporary world is nothing but lies and deception. Every joyful and painful event we experience now is, in a sense, a brief preview or trailer of life in the Hereafter. If we choose to live a leisurely life in this world, we will live unpleasantly in the Hereafter. This world is for us to struggle seeking Allah's pleasure without expecting any reward, while the Hereafter is the place for us to be pleased by rewards that Allah has promised without struggling.

I remember my teacher once said that we will be tested the moment we are born until the day we die. The same goes for seeking knowledge. If I were to put it into terms, then it would be that knowledge is directly proportional to the test. The more we learn about Allah (faith), the more we will be tested. But, we shouldn't be afraid of it. Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) said, as narrated by Abu Hurairah: 

"If Allah wants to do good to somebody, He afflicts him with trials.". 

But, we must remember, Allah said in Surah Al-Baqarah, verse 286, that Allah does not charge a soul except with that within its capacity. Allahu akbar. 

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ

لَا يُكَلِّفُ ٱللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا ۚ لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتْ وَعَلَيْهَا مَا ٱكْتَسَبَتْ ۗ رَبَّنَا لَا تُؤَاخِذْنَآ إِن نَّسِينَآ أَوْ أَخْطَأْنَا ۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْنَآ إِصْرًۭا كَمَا حَمَلْتَهُۥ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِنَا ۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تُحَمِّلْنَا مَا لَا طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِۦ ۖ وَٱعْفُ عَنَّا وَٱغْفِرْ لَنَا وَٱرْحَمْنَآ ۚ أَنتَ مَوْلَىٰنَا فَٱنصُرْنَا عَلَى ٱلْقَوْمِ ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ ٢٨٦

Allah does not require of any soul more than what it can afford. All good will be for its own benefit, and all evil will be to its own loss. ˹The believers pray,˺ “Our Lord! Do not punish us if we forget or make a mistake. Our Lord! Do not place a burden on us like the one you placed on those before us. Our Lord! Do not burden us with what we cannot bear. Pardon us, forgive us, and have mercy on us. You are our ˹only˺ Guardian. So grant us victory over the disbelieving people.”

— Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran

[Surah Al Baqarah : Ayat 286]

There's always a solution to every problem. He comforted us by saying, It's ok, you can handle that (with Allah's will). The more I read the Al-Quran, the more attached I got. May our hearts remain in the straight path of seeking His Pleasure.

Yes, the Quran describes the life of this world as "the enjoyment of deception" (or "mere delusion"). This concept is found in verses like Surah Al-Imran (3:185) and Surah Al-Hadid (57:20), which emphasize that worldly pleasures and possessions are ultimately temporary and not the true, lasting reality.

Here's a Truth:

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ

كُلُّ نَفْسٍۢ ذَآئِقَةُ ٱلْمَوْتِ ۗ وَإِنَّمَا تُوَفَّوْنَ أُجُورَكُمْ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ ۖ فَمَن زُحْزِحَ عَنِ ٱلنَّارِ وَأُدْخِلَ ٱلْجَنَّةَ فَقَدْ فَازَ ۗ وَمَا ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنْيَآ إِلَّا مَتَـٰعُ ٱلْغُرُورِ ١٨٥

[Every soul will taste death. And you will only receive your full reward on the Day of Judgment. Whoever is spared from the Fire and is admitted into Paradise will ˹indeed˺, triumph, whereas the life of this world is no more than the delusion of enjoyment.] — Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran

[Surah Al-Imran : Ayat 185]

This verse highlights that the life of this world is a temporary enjoyment, a "deceiving thing" or "mere delusion". It contrasts this with the Day of Judgment, where individuals will be judged and rewarded or punished.

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ

ٱعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّمَا ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنْيَا لَعِبٌۭ وَلَهْوٌۭ وَزِينَةٌۭ وَتَفَاخُرٌۢ بَيْنَكُمْ وَتَكَاثُرٌۭ فِى ٱلْأَمْوَٰلِ وَٱلْأَوْلَـٰدِ ۖ كَمَثَلِ غَيْثٍ أَعْجَبَ ٱلْكُفَّارَ نَبَاتُهُۥ ثُمَّ يَهِيجُ فَتَرَىٰهُ مُصْفَرًّۭا ثُمَّ يَكُونُ حُطَـٰمًۭا ۖ وَفِى ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ عَذَابٌۭ شَدِيدٌۭ وَمَغْفِرَةٌۭ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَرِضْوَٰنٌۭ ۚ وَمَا ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنْيَآ إِلَّا مَتَـٰعُ ٱلْغُرُورِ ٢٠

Know that this worldly life is no more than play, amusement, luxury, mutual boasting, and competition in wealth and children. This is like rain that causes plants to grow, to the delight of the planters. But later, the plants dry up and you see them wither, then they are reduced to chaff. And in the Hereafte,r there will be either severe punishment or forgiveness and pleasure of Allah, whereas the life of this world is no more than the delusion of enjoyment. — Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran

[Surah Al-Hadid 57:20]

This verse further elaborates on the nature of worldly life, describing it as play, amusement, adornment, boasting, and competition in wealth and children. It uses the analogy of a rain that nourishes crops, which then wither and dry, to illustrate the fleeting nature of worldly things.

The broader context:

These verses emphasize that true success lies in seeking Allah's pleasure and preparing for the Hereafter, not in accumulating worldly possessions or indulging in fleeting pleasures. The life of this world is seen as a test and a temporary phase, while the Hereafter is the ultimate and eternal reality.

The life of this world is merely the enjoyment of delusion by ...

Essentially, the concept of "enjoyment of deception" serves as a reminder to Muslims not to be overly attached to worldly things and to focus on actions that will benefit them in the Hereafter

The life of this world is merely the enjoyment of delusion

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ

كُلُّ مَنْ عَلَيْهَا فَانٍۢ ٢٦

[Everyone upon the earth will perish]

[The Quran 55:26]

| 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 — like the example of a rain whose [resulting] plant growth pleases the tillers; then it dries and you see it turned yellow; then it becomes [scattered] debris. And in the Hereafter is severe punishment and forgiveness from Allah and approval. And what is the worldly life except the enjoyment of delusion |

{ The Quran 57:20 }

[ Every soul will have a taste of death, and you will receive your reward on the Day of Resurrection. Whoever is swayed from the Fire and admitted to Paradise has won. The life of this world is merely the enjoyment of delusion.

[ The Quran 3:185 ]