A heart that cannot be barred
Khalid AboShadi
Patience in resisting desires is easier than patience in dealing with the consequences that result from going along with desires.
This is the first and the most important condition of our race. The heart that will participate in our race should be free and brave. It also should neither know the meaning of captivity of material life, nor the jails of desire. As for the heart that is imprisoned and stands behind the bars, how can it then get ready while it is shackled? How can it engage in such competition while it is chained? Competition and captivity never come together.
So whoever his heart is captivated by any desire of the worldly life, then it will prevent him to move and to be free to achieve the aim and reach the end, whether the captor is a trade, woman, amusement, or a position. The wise person is the one who looks at the reality and essence of matters and not to be deceived by their outward appearance.
Recite with a pure heart the verse in which Allah The Almighty says: {Beautified for men is the love of things they covet; women, children, much of gold and silver (wealth), branded beautiful horses, cattle and well-tilled land. This is the pleasure of the present world's life; but Allah has the excellent return (Paradise with flowing rivers, etc.) with Him.} [Aal-‘Imraan 3:14]
So whoever his heart is captivated by any desire of the worldly life, then it will prevent him to move and to be free to achieve the aim and reach the end, whether the captor is a trade, woman, amusement, or a position. The wise person is the one who looks at the reality and essence of matters and not to be deceived by their outward appearance.
Recite with a pure heart the verse in which Allah The Almighty says: {Beautified for men is the love of things they covet; women, children, much of gold and silver (wealth), branded beautiful horses, cattle and well-tilled land. This is the pleasure of the present world's life; but Allah has the excellent return (Paradise with flowing rivers, etc.) with Him.} [Aal-‘Imraan 3:14]
{زُيِّنَ لِلنَّاسِ حُبُّ الشَّهَوَاتِ مِنَ النِّسَاء وَالْبَنِينَ وَالْقَنَاطِيرِ الْمُقَنطَرَةِ مِنَ الذَّهَبِ وَالْفِضَّةِ وَالْخَيْلِ الْمُسَوَّمَةِ وَالأَنْعَامِ وَالْحَرْثِ ذَلِكَ مَتَاعُ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَاللّهُ عِندَهُ حُسْنُ الْمَآبِ} آل عمران:14
Transliteration: Zuyyina linnasi hubbu ash-shahawati mina annisaa`i walbaneena wal qanateeri al muqantarati mina ath-thahabi wal fiddati wal khayli al musawwamati wal`an’ami walharthi thalika mata’u al-hayati eddunya wallahu ‘indahu husnual maab.
“Beautified”, surely, the worldly life is an adornment, pleasure and transient enjoyment. Getting nearer will make the matter clearer and affirm that what the soul have thought is real and not imaginary at all. Allah The Almighty says: {But Allah has the excellent return (Paradise with flowing rivers, etc.) with Him.} [Aal-‘Imraan 3:14]
{وَاللّهُ عِندَهُ حُسْنُ الْمَآبِ} آل عمران:14
Transliteration: wallahu ‘indahu husnual maab.
This is the well-established fact that Allah The Almighty has the everlasting pleasure and eternal enjoyment. Loser will be the one who prefers the perishable thing to the everlasting one and the cheap matter to the precious one.
Such desires look like a seed of grain in the trap. The bird sees the seed of grain and does not see the trap for the desire and eagerness to the grain overcomes his heart and that his mind thinks only about it and because of his ignorance of what it is put in. If he does not become careful, he will surely be perished and if he takes care, he will be saved.
So one should be intelligent and clever as the Messenger of Allah, prayers and peace of Allah be upon him, wanted him to be. Beware of the trap or you will be burnt in the Hellfire. Remember the saying of the beloved Prophet, sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam: “Paradise is surrounded with difficulties and Hell is surrounded with desires.” [Reported by Muslim]
«حُفَّت الجنة بالمكاره، وحُفَّت النار بالشهوات» رواه مسلم
‘Uthmaan ibn ‘Afan, may Allah be pleased with him, got rid of such bars and threw them away; rather, he is the one who surrounded his desires with the bars of his generosity and benevolence until they were weakened and then threw themselves at his feet in their shackles. It was narrated that Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, said: ‘Uthmaan purchased paradise from the Prophet, prayers and peace of Allah be upon him, twice: Firstly, When he dug the well of Roomah and secondly, when he fully financed and equipped the Jaish Al-‘Usrah (Army of Hardship). Therefore, the Messenger of Allah, prayers and peace of Allah be upon him, awarded him a decoration saying: “’Uthman will be in Paradise.” [Authenticated by Al-Albani]
«عثمان في الجنة» صححه الألباني
But whoever does not adhere to the way of the third Caliph of Muslims (i.e. ‘Uthmaan ibn ‘Afaan) regarding getting rid of such bars, he will surely suffer from the diseases and aliments which actually include losing the sweetness of worship and even much more than that.
In our race, we have a skillful doctor who is Bishr ibn Al-Harith, may Allah have mercy upon him. He has diagnosed such illness well, describing both the malady and the remedy: ‘The worshiper will never taste the sweetness of worship unless he builds an iron wall between himself and his desires.’ End quote
The following is a field research conducted by the eminent Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy upon him, who concluded that:
Patience in resisting desires is easier than patience in dealing with the consequences that result from going along with desires, because it either leads to pain and punishment or it prevents a more complete pleasure, or it wastes time and leads to loss and regret, or it is a violation of honor which one is better off not violating, or it is a loss of wealth, keeping which is better than losing it, or it leads to a loss of status and position, keeping which is better than losing it, or it deprives one of a blessing, having which is more pleasurable and better than fulfilling desires, or it gives an ignoble person cause to insult you when he did not have this opportunity before, or it brings distress, sadness and fear that cannot be matched by the pleasure of desire, or causes one to forget knowledge, remembering which is better than fulfilling desires, or it makes an enemy rejoice and makes a friend sad, or it cuts off an oncoming blessing, or it has a negative impact on one’s character that will remain, because deeds have a great impact on one’s character and behavior. End quote.
Contemplate thoughtfully on the words of Ibn Al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy upon him, and brings back the tape of your memories. You will find that no word he has written but it applies to an incident occurred to you when you one day preferred your transient desire, is not it?
So be more patient, persevere, and strive hard.
Whoever refrains from fulfilling his desires in the worldly life will enjoy fulfilling them tomorrow in Paradise.
Whoever refrains from worshiping others than Allah The Almighty will be pleased on the Day of Meeting (i.e. The Day of Resurrection). Allah The Almighty says: {Whoever hopes for the Meeting with Allah, then Allah's Term is surely coming} [Al-‘Ankaboot 29:5]
{مَن كَانَ يَرْجُو لِقَاء اللَّهِ فَإِنَّ أَجَلَ اللَّهِ لَآتٍ} العنكبوت: 5
Transliteration: Man kana yarjoo liqaa` Allahi fa`inna ajala Allahi la `atin.
Certainly, rewards are only given according to the deeds.
Amongst the descriptions of the Paradise is:
Its shade is long-extended only for those who do not transgress the limits.
Its life is everlasting for those who adhere firmly to the enjoinments of Allah The Almighty.
Its gardens are in full bloom for those who stay awake worshiping Allah The Almighty at night.
Its water is flowing constantly for those who keep their hearts alive with the Thikr (Remembrance) of Allah The Almighty.
Its fruits in bunches whereof will be low and near at hand for those whose souls love the righteous people.
Wherein are those maidens restraining their glances in pavilions for those who restrain their glances from seeing prohibited matters.
Wherein two springs running for those who have eyes running down with tears due to fearing Allah The Almighty.
Wherein no one shall hear harmful speech nor falsehood for those who guarded their ears against listening to female singer.
Tuba (every blessing) is for those who went hungry themselves for the day of great satisfaction.
Tuba is for those who went thirsty themselves for the day of complete quenching.
Tuba is for those who refrained from transient desires so that they may be pleased with the blessings of eternal Paradise.
Let us put before your hands the wise quotes that Imam Ibn Al-Jawziy, may Allah have mercy upon him, has expressed. We have written down with a special style so as to be inscribed in your mind: “Pleasure cannot be in any way realized by pleasure. Whoever prefers comfort will miss it. As much as one endures of the horrors and hardships (of worldly life) will receive the happiness and enjoyment (of the Hereafter). No happiness for the one who had no distress, no enjoyment for the one who did not observe patience, no bliss for the one who never experienced hardship, no comfort for the one who never experienced exhaustion. To show patience for an hour is better than remaining eternally in punishment. If the worshiper suffers a little, he will surely rest forever.”
By Dr. Khalid Abu Shadi
Excerpted from a book entitled: Sibaaq Nahw Al-Jinaan (Race to the Paradise)
www.wathakker.info/english