One of the most important features of human nature is to “want.” Allah endows human soul an unending desire towards beauties and blessings. There is not a single person in this world who will not be pleased from any blessings or any good being done.
However a great majority of people want their wishes to come true without making any effort, exercising any wisdom or facing any difficulties. They simply want blessings to be ready before them; they want others to show the best of morality to them; they do not want to be afflicted by any trouble, difficulty or poverty; they want to sort out everything easily; they want everything to happen as they wish; they want diseases, weaknesses and any goal that demands any endeavour, patience and will to be distant to them…
The fact is however, while Allah creates a tendency in human soul towards goodness, blessings and beauties, He also demands him to “make effort” to attain them. Allah promises His Garden only to those servants of Him who spend their lives striving to attain goodness and beauty by exercising their wisdom and labouring. In the Qur’an, Allah reminds the importance of showing this incessant serious effort that will last for a lifetime:
But as for anyone who desires the Hereafter, and strives for it with the striving it deserves, being a believer, the striving of such people will be gratefully acknowledged. (Surat all-Isra’, 19)
Wealth and sons are the embellishment of the life of the world. But, in your Lord’s sight, right actions which are lasting bring a better reward and are a better basis for hope. (Surat al-Kahf, 46)
This is a certain fact that a person who wants to enjoy beauties in this life and the Hereafter must never forget. The responsibility of a believer is to make effort until the end of his life, to strive,race to the good and get exhausted in this path:
For truly with hardship comes ease;
truly with hardship comes ease.
So when you have finished, work on,
and make your Lord your goal! (Surat al-Inshirah, 5-8)
Desiring something but merely waiting, doing nothing is not a form of morality that a believer can assume. For instance if he wants the morality of Islam to spread over the world, he must endeavour for it. If he wants goodness to spread among people, he must assume that good morality himself and display an exemplary morality himself. If he wants a tidy and clean environment, he takes the initiative and makes the cleaning himself. If he wants to experience love and respect, then he must adopt a morality himself that deserves respect, love and friendship. If he wants to be treated with good morality, then he must display a morality that can teach people good morality with all its details.
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However sometimes a person makes every effort to attain something but as a requisite of the trial in this world he may not attain his every wish. But Allah commands His servants to pray to Him without despairing, no matter what the conditions may be:
..Call on Him fearfully and eagerly. Allah’s mercy is close to the good-doers. (Surat Al-A‘raf, 56)
“…Do not despair of solace from Allah. No one despairs of solace from Allah except for people who are unbelievers.” (Surah Yusuf, 87)
Consequently out of his trust in Allah and aware of His infinite might, a person of faith continues to strive and pray until the end of his life with no despair. If something he wishes is not fulfilled, he knows that Allah creates this with goodness and wisdom; that our Lord knows the best and the most beneficial for us. Thus with ease of heart He submits to Allah. He experiences the ease of putting his trust in Allah with the hope that his sincere effort that only desires Allah’s consent will be definitely rewarded in the best form at Allah’s Sight.
In the Qur’an Allah mentions the kind of people who patiently desire all through their lives but who immediately lose their faith and hope in the face of any ordeal. This is just the state of those who make effort not for Allah’s consent but merely to attain blessings.
Man never tires of praying for the good and if evil touches him, he despairs and loses hope. But if We let him taste mercy from Us after he has suffered hardship, then he says, ‘This is my due.I do not think that the Hour is going to come. And if am returned to my Lord, I will definitely find the best reward with Him.’ But We will inform those who are unbelievers of what they did and make them suffer a ruthless punishment. (Surah Fussilat, 49-50)
Those who want to attain goodness and blessings must never forget the following important facts:
- Desiring goodness and blessings with sincerity and merely for Allah’s approval…
- Never forgetting that it is not an attitude becoming of a believer to ask for something, but then awaiting for it without making any effort, exercising wisdom and facing difficulties…
- Never daunting in putting in trust to Allah even if one’s wishes are not fulfilled…
- Never despairing; calling on Allah fearfully and eagerly until the end of one’s life…
