This world is a prison for a believer and paradise for a disbeliever

In this hadith the Prophet compares this life to prison and paradise. To understand the reason why the Prophet chose prison and paradise, it is important to understand the features of the two places.

Firstly, the Prophet said this life is like a Paradise for disbeilever. The reason for this comparison is because in paradise a person is free to enjoy without any burden or tension. Similarly, this world for a disbeliever as they can fulfill their desires without any barriers. Moreover, another factor for this comparison is that paradise is for eternity and a disbeliever also has assumption that this world is for eternity based on the evidence of constant struggle for power and money.

On the other hand, the Prophet compared this life to a prison for a believer. While in  prison a person is restricted in terms of freedom, clothes, food and family. Also, while in prison a person is following the routine of the prison, thus deprived of freedom and luxury. Similarly, a believer's life is a prison, as they cannot wear and eat what they wish. They are on constant watch from Allah and follow the routine of Islam. Same way a person lives in prison for a fix amount of time similarly, this life has a fix amount of time. When the prisoner is free to leave the prison , he anticipates and is eager to meet his love ones, similarly when the believer departs this prison (this life) they will burn out of love to meet the almighty. As a  believer, the aim should be to make this world like a prison and not paradise. #

As Allah mentions in the Quran:

"They rejoice in the life of the dunya. Yet the life of the dunya compared to the hereafter is only a fleeing enjoyment." 27 Surah Rad

Being extremely engrossed in this life will see a person commit sins to acquire this luxury. Just as the Prophet said "Love for the world is the origin for all sin". (bayhaqi).

A person came to the prophet and said O Prophet of Allah, show me a act if I do people will love me so will Allah. Prophet said,   Abstain from the world Allah will love you, abstain from people people will love you (tirmidhi)

A person should aim to become a 'Zahid'. This means abstaining away from worldly material when you have the resources. For example, CaliphUmar ibn Abdul Aziz who shun the luxury of this world even though bit was at his feet.

Finally, as Imam Nawawi has mentioned that "stay in this world as if you are a stranger in a  foreign land".