In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
“Content yourself with those who pray to their Lord morning and evening, seeking His approval, and do not let your eyes turn away from them out of desire for the attractions of this worldly life: do not yield to those whose hearts We have made heedless of Our Quran, those who follow their own low desires, those whose ways are unbridled.” (Qur’an 18:28)
Background
Sa’d bin Abi Waqqas said: “There was a group of six of us with the Prophet, peace be upon him. The idolaters said, ‘Tell these people to leave so they will not offend us.’ There was myself, Ibn Mas’ud, a man from Hudayl, Bilal and two other men whose names I have forgotten. Allah’s Messenger thought to himself about whatever Allah willed he should think about, then Allah revealed the verses. (Sahih Muslim)
Reflection
There may be people in our lives who appear to be of high status from the worldly perspective, but their company may not aid us on our journey towards attaining Paradise. Allah reminds us to keep the company of those people who are conscious of Him, who put Him first in everything. The company we keep will rub off on us, and it is our responsibility to ensure we keep good company so that we can emulate good character.
Questions to Ponder On:
How can I strive to be with those who call upon Allah, morning and evening?
- Do you start your day with Fajr and the morning adhkar and do you end it with isha and the night adhkar? Starting your day with Allah at the forefront of your thoughts will only lead to great ripple effects. Allah will not only instil His Barakah in your work, but hopefully each action you perform will be recorded as an act of worship.
- Do you take some time out of your busy life to reflect on the blessings of Allah? Whenever you are on the verge of complaining about something, pause and give thanks to Allah for all the things that are going right in your life.
- Are you conscious of your five daily prayers? Do you prayers take the front seat or are they an afterthought?
How can I avoid following those who follow their desires?
- Think of the people you surround yourself with, those in your inner circle. Are they conscious of Allah? Do they get up to pray upon hearing the adhan or do they carry on with their daily business ignoring the call to success?
- What kind of conversations do you have when you’re in a gathering with your circle? Is it one focused on the remembrance of Allah which will benefit you in this life and the Hereafter, or one void of benefit? We are social beings, and catching up with friends can be act of worship with the right intentions. You can intend for it to be a means of strengthening your ties with your people, a form of generosity with your time, care and affection, as well as a time to fill your cup.
How can I ensure that I don’t follow my desires?
- Our desires can be tempting but one way to ensure we don’t fall into temptation is by ensuring we keep our mouths moist with dhikr. That way, Allah will always be on the forefront of our minds, especially when we decide to undertake any activity.
- Before you do anything, ask yourself: will Allah be pleased with me?
- Remind yourself that though you do not see Allah, He sees you. He is with you wherever you are.
May Allah grant us strength and perseverance to strive against our desires and guide us towards Him. May He protect us from going astray and make the Qur’an a light and guide in our lives. Ameen.
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