dunya

In Islam, refers to the temporal world and its earthly concerns and possessions. In the Quran, "dunya" is often paired with the word "life" to underscore the temporary and fleeting nature of the life of this world, as opposed to the eternal realm of the afterlife, known as "akhirah". According to the Quran, humans and other communities have a limited time on earth before they pass on to the afterlife. In fact, the Quran teaches that everything that exists is temporary and will ultimately fade away. The pursuit of nearness to God is thus emphasized as the ultimate purpose in life, as only God's Being and Essence endure forever. Prophetic traditions echo the Quranic teaching, emphasizing the importance of the afterlife, or "akhira" over the present world. Etymology "Dunya" is an Arabic word that means "lower or lowest", or "nearer or nearest", which is understood as a reference to the "lower world, this world here below". The term "dunya" is employed to refer to the present world "as it is closest to one’s life as opposed to the life of the Hereafter". In the Quran, it is often used in conjunction with the word "life" to refer to this world, in contrast to the next, meaning the akhirah.