Stimulating the Sane to Choose the Right Lane
We get delighted, when we see any intellectual exploiting his mind to make a right beneficial decision. On the contrary, we get disappointed and sorrowed when the same mind stumbles in distinguishing between delusion and truth.
If we look closely into what stimulates the mind in favoring one decision over another, we find that it leans immensely on the materialistic expected gains, which are acquired in this life such as a decent job, righteous wife or an ample wealth.
Conversely and sadly, the mind tends to neglect any gains which are based on deferred metaphysical promises that stem from believing in Allāh and the hereafter, such as obtaining an eternal bliss in paradise.
The gains which are tangible and reaped in this life –even if the chance of acquiring them is extremely low - drive the one to spare more efforts and strive even harder to obtain them. On the contrary, we utterly observe that the metaphysical deferred gains are not as much appealing; though we are firmly certain of its inevitability. This is why only those whose hearts are full of Imaan care to distinguish between the materialistic and divine gains and hence give precedence to the latter.
To have a better perception of the issue and to make it realistically relevant, let us see how we practically run our lives.
When we look into the past of each one of us from the time we've started kindergarten until we’ve graduated from high school, we see how fervent the parents were; to the point they would wake us up so early and may be even before dawn (Fajr) time; and they would dedicate their entire life for this mission so we would not miss a single day at school.
When we ask the parents: “What holds you to exert all these efforts and bear all that patience throughout these long years?”
Unanimously, every parent answer is: “We are keen to see our kid graduates with an honorable degree so he may enroll in a prestigious college.”
And if we ask them: “After all these exhausting efforts, can you guarantee that your kid will achieve what you have hoped for?"
Their answer is apparently: “Of course, we can never guarantee that?!”
And this poor child continues this tiresome long trip of pursuing education until he graduates from high school. And the struggle persists; then he joins college and works so hard; spends day and night studying; and deprives himself even rest until he graduates.
When we ask him: “Why are you exhausting yourself?”
He answers: “I must graduate with high grades, so that I can acquire a prestigious job with a high pay.”
And when we ask him: “After all this hardship and struggle can you guarantee acquiring that job?
His answer is apparently: “No!”
In fact, he may chase this life dream job his entire life and ends up not finding it!
On the other hand, when it comes to the inevitably metaphysical reward, which is an eternal bliss in paradise, you find us sparing not even a tiny fraction of the efforts we do for attaining the materialistic gains.
These parents, who have exhausted this poor child for long years for something which is unguaranteed, how strange, when it comes to Allāh’s true promise, which is utterly guaranteed, they show less care and desire.
This is practically observable, when it is weekend and there is no school, the parents wouldn’t bother to wake their children up for fajr prayer. Instead, they may even apologize by saying: “let them sleep it’s their rest day!”
Every sane Muslim has been given logical and textual proofs, which unequivocally substantiate that Allāh is true; paradise is true; hell fire is true; and reckoning is true. Hence, why would a sane Muslim give up Allāh’s inevitable true promise for an unguaranteed hope or delusion.
Allāh, the Exalted, said: (What’s the matter with you, how do you judge?) (Al-Qalam 68: 36)
(مَا لَكُمْ كَيْفَ تَحْكُمُونَ )
If we stand back to analyze this case and evaluate the life track of this child from the moment he started studying until he became an employee, we should ask: how much time did he spare in this journey for the cause of pursuing his materialistic goals and how much did he achieve?
On the other hand, if we look at the same child life and ask: How much time did he spare in order to acquire the divine reward?
Allāh, the Exalted, asserted, in many occasions, this promised reward; He said:
("O My servants, no fear will there be concerning you this Day, nor will you grieve, (68) [You] who believed in Our verses and were Muslims.(69) Enter Paradise, you and your kinds, delighted." ( 70 ) Circulated among them will be plates and vessels of gold. And therein is whatever the souls desire and [what] delights the eyes, and you will abide therein eternally. ( 71 ) And that is Paradise which you are made to inherit for what you used to do. ( 72 ) For you therein is much fruit from which you will eat. ( 73 )) (Az-Zukhruf 43: 68-73)
( يَا عِبَادِ لَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْكُمُ الْيَوْمَ وَلَا أَنتُمْ تَحْزَنُونَ(68 ) الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِآيَاتِنَا وَكَانُوا مُسْلِمِينَ(69) ادْخُلُوا الْجَنَّةَ أَنتُمْ وَأَزْوَاجُكُمْ تُحْبَرُونَ(70) يُطَافُ عَلَيْهِم بِصِحَافٍ مِّن ذَهَبٍ وَأَكْوَابٍ ۖ وَفِيهَا مَا تَشْتَهِيهِ الْأَنفُسُ وَتَلَذُّ الْأَعْيُنُ ۖ وَأَنتُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ(71) وَتِلْكَ الْجَنَّةُ الَّتِي أُورِثْتُمُوهَا بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ(72) لَكُمْ فِيهَا فَاكِهَةٌ كَثِيرَةٌ مِّنْهَا تَأْكُلُونَ)
Sadly, the difference would be vast and the distance would be wide between his strive for the worldly matters and his apathy and procrastination toward Allāh’s confirmed promise.
And I’m not trying here to belittle the importance of seeking worldly education, but rather stimulate the sane Muslim to prioritize his points of interest and goals according to importance.
Certainly, the greatest of all interest and goals is to attain our servitude to Allāh, the Exalted, and reap a reward that has no similitude. No matter how precious or important our worldly goals are, they should never conflict nor given priority over the divine injunctions.
Every prudent Muslim should not ignore this fact throughout his life journey until he meets His Rubb (Lord) free from any shortcomings while working hard to attain the utmost divine reward.
Allāh, the Exalted, said: (Then did you think that We created you uselessly and that to Us you would not be returned?) (Al-Mu’minoon 23:115)
(أَفَحَسِبْتُمْ أَنَّمَا خَلَقْنَاكُمْ عَبَثًا وَأَنَّكُمْ إِلَيْنَا لَا تُرْجَعُونَ)
And may be the following statements summarize the entire issue:
Achieving a worldly goal is always probable.
Reaching paradise is true and inevitable.
Set your priorities right and make them obtainable.
Always give precedence to the inevitable over the probable.
And bear in mind! Both are vastly incomparable.
