What did al-Ghazali say about love of the world (dunya)?

"with spiritual insight have observed him as a dog crouching on a corpse, inviting people to it, representing the world. This resembles observing his true form, for the heart must reflect some reality from the face that encounters the world of the unseen, and at that point its effect radiates on the face that encounters the world of seen reality. One side connects to the other, as we have explained that the heart has two aspects, one towards the unseen world, which is the entrance for inspiration and revelation, and one towards the seen world. What manifests from the aspect facing the seen world is only an imagined form, since the world"

"from the aspect facing the seen world is only an imagined form, since the world of seen reality is replete with illusions. Imagination sometimes arises from sensory perception of the outward world, where an individual may appear beautiful, yet harbor an ugly, malicious intent, because the seen world is full of deceit. The imagery that arises from the unseen world within the heart reflects its qualities. This is why the devil might appear as a dog, frog, or pig, embodying vileness, while beautiful forms represent their positive qualities. In dreams, an ape or pig symbolizes a wicked person, while a sheep symbolizes someone"

"If they are transgressors, they might end in righteousness, and you might find yourself in a similar state. Do not revere them for their worldly status, as the world is insignificant in the sight of Allah. No matter how great people of the world seem, magnifying the world leads to falling from Allah's favor. Do not compromise your religion for worldly benefits, as this will diminish your value in their eyes, and you may end up deprived of both their world and your faith."

"Hence is the fear of those with understanding. The Prophet, peace be upon him, said, None of you leave this world until he knows his destination and sees his seat in either Paradise or the fire. A hadith of Abu Hurairah narrates that Dawud was a jealous man. The hadith is recorded by Ahmad with a good chain and by Ibn Abi Dunya in his book on death with wording, the hadith stating, None of you will leave this world until he knows his destiny and sees his place in Paradise or fire, is reported by Ibn Abi Dunya from an unnamed man about Ali, stating, The soul of no human being leaves the world until it knows its destination, whether to Paradise or fire."

"share that amounts to nothing. If they had sought God and the Hereafter they would have obtained that share in abundance, even more so, as narrated in some traditions. O son of Adam, sell the world for the Hereafter, and you will profit both, and do not sell the Hereafter for the world, or you will lose both. One of the early believers said, O son of Adam, you are in need of your share from the most in need. If you start with your worldly share, you lose your share in the Hereafter and remain in danger with worldly possessions. But if you start with your share in the Hereafter, you will also attain your share in the world and achieve harmony."

"You have learned from what has been stated earlier in the elucidation of the world and from the lives of the prophets and saints that the definition of the world is everything beneath the sky and everything on earth, except what is devoted to Allah Almighty. The opposite of the world is the Hereafter, which comprises all that is intended for Allah, taken from the world only as much as is necessary to strengthen obedience to Allah, and that is not of the world. This becomes clear with an example: if a pilgrim vows that on the path to pilgrimage he will not occupy himself with anything other than pilgrimage, devoting himself entirely to it,"

"pleasure of knowing and loving Him Almighty. For this is the paradise and the sublime delight of this world. The transient pleasures of this life are to be compared to it as a drop in the ocean. Indeed, the soul, heart, and body were created for this purpose. The most precious thing in this world is knowing and loving Him, and the most wonderful thing in paradise is seeing and beholding Him. His love and knowledge are the solace of the eyes, the delight of the spirits, the joy of the hearts, and the bliss and happiness of the world. But worldly pleasures that sever this turn into pain and torment, and their owner"

"loving other than God, and thereby sharing his love for God with another. Or he abandons it aspiring for the reward of God in the Hereafter, thus forsaking the pleasures of worldly drinks for the drinks of Paradise, forsaking the enjoyment of maidens in this world for the maidens of Paradise, forsaking the gardens of this world for the gardens and trees of Paradise, forsaking adornment in this world for the adornment of Paradise, and forsaking delicious foods for the fruits of Paradise out of fear of being told, 'You exhausted your pleasures during your worldly life."

"which are not elaborated on in this book except concerning the sciences of practice. Understanding the world and the hereafter can be aided by the Book of the Condemnation of the World and the Book of the Remembrance of Death, which help realize that the world holds no comparison to the hereafter. Once a person knows themselves and their Lord, and understands the world and the hereafter, a love for Allah arises in their heart, along with a strong desire for the hereafter and a detachment from this world."

"and the truthful have the most complete and perfect form of this life, which is an awakening from the sleep of this world. According to the extent of a servant's life in this world, so is his longing for this life, his striving, and his eagerness to attain it. And اللّٰه is the one whose help is sought. Chapter: The Tenth Level of Life The eternal, everlasting life after the end of this world and the departure of its inhabitants is the abode of the living."