﴿ وَءَاثَرَ ٱلْحَيَوٰةَ ٱلدُّنْيَا ﴾

“and preferred the life of this world [to the good of his soul],”

Man is between two domains. One is the present world, which is before him, and the second is the world of the Hereafter, which is hidden from view. The real test of man is that he should prefer the Hereafter to the present world. But this can be done only by one who has the courage to exercise control over the base desires of the self and not behave arrogantly.