بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
If there is a will, there is a way. We have heard this before.
Many of us will for many things and we find ways to get those things and we don't give up until we get those things. But the one thing that we lack the will, is to be with Allah. If we pray, we don't rush to pray--we give ourselves many excuses for not rushing to pray. If we fast, we fast when everybody fast--how about Mondays and Thursdays? Answer--it is only sunnah or I have to work. If we give charity, we only give when people ask. How about seeking sacred knowledge or going to the masjid for prayer? Answer--we have "things" to do or its too far! How about praying tahajjud? How about reading some Qur'an everyday? Same story--busy, have to work tomorrow, etc! How about hijab? Answer--I don't wear hijab but I consider myself as good--I pray, I fast. How many people who have hijabs on but they are no good? Are these excuses or ignorance or both?
But ever since you laid your eyes on that one watch, you cannot forget about it. You work, save up your money and after you have enough money, you get in your car, you stop by the gas station and put some gas because you didn't want to run out of gas to get to the other side of the city where the store is. Then you proceed to the store, park your car, walk up to the store, wait in line and buy it. You are so happy, now you are with this beautiful thing on your wrist! (There are more steps than what I mentioned but you get the point--you put all your efforts to be with that new watch.)
Why are we not desiring Allah the way we desire His creations? Because we know those things but we don't know Allah. Even though we know Allah exist, Alhamdulillah, if we don't have the desire to be with Him, we won't take the action to know Him. Without knowledge of a thing, a man does not intend to have that thing. If we don't know Allah, we don't intend to be with Him. If we don't intend to be with Him, we will be stuck with this world. Our prayers, our fast, our dhikr will be simply body movements and nothing more. We will never taste the sweetness of faith and will not see the happiness beyond this world. We will thank His creations except Him for the favors that He blessed us with and we will be angry with the world for our problems.
So knowledge of Allah is the key to success in this world and the next world. But first you must have the desire to be with Him and once you have the desire to be with Him, it will drive you to take the action to be with Him. And you can only be with Him through knowledge of Him. May Allah give you tawfiq.
"Why should Allah punish you if you are thankful and believe (have Iman)? Allah is All-Thankful, All-Knowing." Qur'an Annisa 4:147
May Allah guide us and give us tawfiq. Ameen. Please don't forget all of us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
Wassalaam
