A Way To Paradise

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum

Dear Friends,

I pray that you are well.

Most people don't make decisions by what is right or wrong. They are swayed by their desires.

For example, someone who is informed that it is not permissible to smoke, when he examines the fact, there will be something inside him that wants to make the fact seem like it is not unlawful to smoke. Someone who goes to work, and it is difficult for him to get a break to go to Friday prayer, he looks for something to justify to himself that it is not obligatory to perform the Friday prayer.

We do this a lot especially in matters of religion. Why? Because we want comfort and ease. This is our constant struggle against our desires and each time you conquer one desire, there is another one you have to fight against. It is a never ending battle.

The test of Dajjal at the end of time, people will want things to be so true. Even the fact that the Dajjal has one eye staring at them and even when he says he is god, they will find a way to justify that he is god, but not the true believers. A true believer, not a liar, is someone who puts his own desires to the wayside. He asks himself "What does Allah want me to do?" and he says "Whatever Allah wants me to do, that is what I do even if it is difficult."

Religion is difficult. Don't be fooled by people who say religion is easy. Allah did not create us to lie on the beach or beside a swimming pool and sip lemonade and get a sun tan, or to ski and conquer the steep run, or to go on a leisure cruise and watch the dancers or have fine dining, or to watch people running after balls and kicking/throwing balls. This is not a way to Paradise.

Paradise is surrounded by disliked things. In order to get to Paradise you have to do things that are unpleasant. And the Hellfire is surrounded by desires. It is very easy to do the things that lead to the Fire. May Allah keep us away from those things that could take us to the Fire. Ameen.

Please don't forget us in your night prayers. JazakAllahu khairan.

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam