A friend of mine once told me, when she just got back from india, that no wonder many people there strived so hard for the religion... they have nothing else to look forward to in this world...
They lead such a simple life in this world so that they can strive more for the religion.
Basically they have had enough of this deceiving temporary world. They couldnt imagine how they can have a better life here.. so, with strong believe in the HereAfter, while imagining the rewards promised by Allah- the unimagineable beauty of Jannah and the everlasting comfort therein, they decide to strive, struggle and sacrifice for the religion.
AllahuAkbar!
No wonder during the time of our beloved Prophet Sallahu'alayhiwasallam, we found most of his earlier companions Radiallahu'anhum were among the slaves and the poor. Infact, if we look through the stories of the earlier prophets 'Alayhimussalam, most of their early followers were also among the weak and the poor.
Maybe during those days, the fact that one's social status in the society was something that one inherit from one's parents and it was almost impossible to break through the system, these people, who were at the bottom of the hierarchy chose to strive and give their all to be on top in the next world... where where you'll be will not be determined by from which family you came from, or from the colour of your skin or how much wealth you accumulate, but what matters is how much you manage to please Allah by striving in his course.
These people, they are, in a way, satiated with this world, so they strive in piety.
Unfortunately, on the other hand, most of the time, we would find ourselves feeling complacent with the state of our iman and ever unsatiated with this world.
Somehow, we just want more of this world..and more and more!
When it comes to our cars for example, we may started of desiring a 60k car, then after having that car, we would put our eyes on a 100k car and the cycle continues.
In terms of certificates, for example, we may first wish to have a degree, then, once its achieved, we would found ourselves craving for a masters and a PhD and so on.
Don't get me wrong.. am not saying its wrong to progress in terms of education or wealth etc, but my point is, most of the time because of these neverending worldly wishes we tend to forget the HereAfter. Or maybe, sometimes we remember, but because we need to put some effort to achieve these worldly desires we just cant afford to spend some time or energy for our deen.
From my personal experience, its very difficult if not impossible to strive for your deen without sacrificing your worldly desires/ wishes and vice versa- its very hard to really strive for worldy achievements without having to sacrifice deen ...if not much, a little.
In religion somehow, we tend to be complacent with where we are. Our normal justifications would be:
-well, at least, i pray 5 times a day
-at least i dont go to the clubs
-at least i fast in ramadhan
-at least i know al-fatihah and an-nas
Its always at least, at least, at least!
Astaghfirullah.. guide us ya Allah, protect us from the ever deceiving devils and our own nafs!
But when it comes to our worldy wishes 'at least' would be the last words anyone would think of
Think of it... (reminding myself as well)- If we call ourselves ambitious,intelligent and we think we can achieve anything in this world, wouldnt we feel ashame of ourselves to see, in the next life, someone else who was seemingly weak and helpless in this temporary world enjoying a better life there in the Eternal world? Imagine how upset we would be towards ourselves to see someone enjoying a much greater reward in the HereAfter for deeds that we know we can easily do but yet due to our complacency we chose to ignore it.
Na'udhubillah, if we only realize it by that time, then its too late cause in that world there shall be no more striving and the hierarchy will be set... Not based on your wealth, family or intelligence but based on your piousness.
So now lets check where we are in deen?
Lets progress in deen!
Alhamdulillah, you've done the 5 obligatory salah, now try doing the nafl or supererogatory salah
You know an-naas now try memorizing al-Qaari'ah or some other longer surahs
ok you dont go to the clubs, now try stop going to the cinemas or listening to music!
the point is..complacency should never be our policy when it comes to our deen.
As much as we always want more for this world, we should have a much more eagerness to strive more for the next world. if only we realize how short this life is compared to the everlasting hereAfter, if we really believe that any of our desires that we holdback for the sake of Allah in this world, just for a short while, would bring a significant reward in the Eternal world, then we would sacrifice everything we've got of this temporary world. Only then that we would be amazed at how Bountiful Allah is that for such little sacrifice we did in this world, a great reward awaits us in the hereAfter.
The Day they see it, (it will be) as if they had not tarried (in this world) except an afternoon or a morning.(79:46)
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