F r u i t i v e – a c t i v i t y
Generally, in this material world people are engaged in fruitive activity, which is earning money for one’s own sense gratification. Among such people there are two categories:
1) Those who remember Allah and sacrifice part of their money for Allah’s pleasure.
2) Those who neglect Allah and use all their money for their own pleasure.
Those who belong to the first category are pious and they use some fruits of their activity in Allah’s service. If such people are righteous and strictly follow the rules and regulations of Islam, then they will be promoted to the heavens, where they will be able to enjoy the heavenly happiness. The heavens is the destination of those who are righteously engaged in fruitive activity.
Thus we can find the following ayats in the Holy Qur’an:
Minkum-man-yuridud-dunya wa minkum-man-yuridul-’akhirah: “Some of you desired the world and some of you desired the Hereafter.” (3.152)
Zuyina linasi hubush-shahawati minan-nisa-’i wal-banina wal-qanatiril-muqan-tarati minazahabi wal-fizzati wal-khay-lil-musawamati wal-’an-’ami wal-hars / zalika mata-’ul-hayatid-dunya / wallahu ‘indahu husnil-ma’ab
Qul ‘a-’unabi-’ukum-bi-khayrim-min-zalikum / lil-lazinat-taqaw ‘inda Rabbihim jannatun-tajri min-tahtihal-’anharu khalidina fiha wa ‘azwajum-mutah-haratunw-wa rizwanum-minallah / wallahu basirum-bil-’ibad:
“Fair in the eyes of men is love of the joys (that come) from women and offspring, stored-up heaps of gold and silver, horses branded (with their mark), cattle and well-tilled land. Such are the possessions of this world’s life. But with Allah is a more excellent abode.
Say: Shall I inform you of things better than those? For the righteous are Gardens in nearness to their Lord with rivers flowing beneath and pure companions, and contentment from Allah. For Allah is the Seer of His servants.” (3.14-15)
Wa bashi-rillazina ‘amanu wa ‘amilus-sali-hati ‘anna lahum jannatin-tajri min-tahtihal-’anhar: “Give glad tidings (O Muhammad) to those who believe and do good works, that theirs are Gardens beneath which rivers flow.” (2.25)
Lakinillazi-nata-qaw Rabbahum lahum jannatun tajri min tahtihal-’anharu khalidina fiha: “For those who fear their Lord, are Gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein they will dwell.” (3.198)
Tilka hududul-lah / wa man-yuti-’il-laha wa rasulahu yudkhil-hu jannatin-tajri min-tahti-hal-’anharu khalidina fiha: “These are limits set by Allah. Those who obey Allah and His messenger will be admitted to Gardens with rivers flowing beneath, to abide therein.” (4.13)
Wa man-ya-mal minas- salihati min-zakarin ‘aw ‘unsa wa huwa mu’minun fa-’ula-’ika yadkhu-lunal-jannata: “Those who does good works, whether of male or female, and he (or she) is a believer, they will enter paradise.” (4.124)
Some people are trying to enjoy material life by performing pious activities, some strive to attain the heavens. But the Holy Qur’an refutes these by explaining to us that, of all, Allah’s abode is the most desirable and supremely pleasurable. Those who are following the path of religion can be divided into three groups, namely
1) the followers of scriptural rules and regulations who are enjoying material prosperity;
2) those who are trying to find ultimate liberation from material existence and
3) those who are devotees of God.
Those who are following the rules and regulations of the scriptures for material happiness may be further divided into two classes:
1) those who work for fruitive results and
2) those who desire no fruit for sense gratification.
Those who are after fruitive results for sense gratification may be elevated to a higher standard of life – even to the heavenly planets – but still, because they are not free from material existence, they are not following the truly auspicious path. The only auspicious activities are those which lead one to liberation. Any activity which is not aimed at ultimate self-realization or liberation from the material bodily concept of life is not at all auspicious. Activity in Allah consciousness is the only auspicious activity, and anyone who voluntarily accepts all bodily discomforts for the sake of making progress on the path of Allah consciousness can be called a perfect transcendentalist under severe austerity. One should not engage in the different processes of fruitive activity or cultivate knowledge by the mental speculative process. One who is devoted to Allah can attain all the benefits derived from other religious processes. That is the specific benediction of devotional service to God. Therefore any activity other than transcendental loving service to the Lord is more or less a rebellious action against the supreme will. All fruitive activity, empirical philosophy and mysticism are more or less against the sense of subordination to the Lord, and the living entity engaged in such rebellious activity is more or less condemned by the Lord. Material existence consists of pious and impious activities. As long as one is engaged in any kind of activity other than devotional service, it will result in the happiness and distress of this material world. No one can transcend the illusory energy by fruitive activity, speculative philosophy or mysticism. The only means for transcending illusory energy is devotional service. The minds of those who are addicted to fruitive activity are always fulled with unclean desires. Fruitive activities are symptomatic of our polluted desire to dominate material nature. At the present moment almost everyone is engaged in some kind of fruitive activity. Those who strongly desire material gains by working are called fruitive workers. When we speak of fruitive activity, we refer to activities carried out for the purpose of sense gratification. That is, we are earning money in order to gratify our senses. If you go to heaven you will attain a better standard of life. A better standard of eating, sleeping, mating and defending. That is all. So this is called fruitive activity.
