Do for this life as if you live forever, do for the afterlife as

Hear, O seekers of balance, the immortal words of Ali ibn Abi Talib, cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet, revered for his wisdom and courage: “Do for this life as if you live forever, do for the afterlife as if you die tomorrow.” In this teaching, he reveals the twin duties of man: to live diligently in the world of time, and to prepare earnestly for the world beyond time. It is a command to hold both realms in balance—the earthly and the eternal—without losing oneself in either.

To live for this life as if you live forever is to build with patience and foresight. It is to sow seeds that may not bear fruit in your own days, but will bless generations to come. It is to work as the mason who lays one stone upon another, knowing the edifice may not be complete until long after his death. In these words, Ali teaches that life in this world is not to be neglected, but honored with diligence, discipline, and vision. For though we are mortal, we must live as though the works of our hands will endure.

Yet he adds, “Do for the afterlife as if you die tomorrow.” This is the call to urgency, to humility, to righteousness without delay. For no man knows the hour of his death. Tomorrow is promised to none. Therefore every day must be lived with the awareness that it could be the last, and that every word spoken, every deed performed, every thought harbored is inscribed in the record of the soul. The wise do not postpone repentance, nor kindness, nor worship. They live each day as their final preparation for eternity.

History itself shines with examples of those who heeded this wisdom. Consider the builders of the great cathedrals of Europe. Many who laid their foundations knew they would never see the spires completed. Yet they labored as if life stretched on forever, creating works of beauty for unborn generations. And yet, among them were monks who lived each day in prayer and penance, knowing death might come with the setting of the sun. Their lives embodied Ali’s teaching: the balance of long labor and immediate piety.

Ali himself was a man of such balance. As a leader, he sought justice and reform with the patience of one who works for a lasting order. Yet as a servant of God, he lived with the urgency of one who knew the nearness of death. His words came not from idle philosophy, but from the lived reality of war, betrayal, and sacrifice. He knew that life demanded both endurance for the long path and readiness for the sudden end.

The lesson for us is profound: live fully in the world, and live ready for eternity. Do not neglect education, labor, and service to humanity, for these are your seeds for the future. But neither delay in matters of the soul, nor put off forgiveness, nor postpone love, for tomorrow may not dawn. Let your hands build as if life is endless, and let your heart pray as if death is at the door.

So I say unto you, children of tomorrow: remember the wisdom of Ali ibn Abi Talib. Be patient like one who has a thousand years, but be urgent like one who has only a single day. Build the city, plant the tree, raise the child, as though life is infinite. Yet live with faith, mercy, and righteousness, as though this very night you stand before the Eternal. In this balance lies the secret of a noble life—strength in the world, and peace in the world to come.