Iman (Faith) and Lusts

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

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

Our religion leads to a human transformation where your very desires have transformed. Iman (faith) should take us there but if you are not transformed, there is a problem somewhere. There is some sort of hidden hypocrisy, something internal that contradicts with our Iman, a barrier to a blissful life. If that something is not there, this is where Iman takes us to.

Following lusts is the cause of misguidance. Lust makes you turn against your own ideals. Lust-based existence is not a happy one. It is more like the compulsive addict or alcoholic who can't stay away from the addictive substance. He knows what harms him but he uses/consumes it anyway, causing destruction to himself. Smokers know that smoking is bad for them and that the second hand smoke can kill people around them, but they still smoke cigarettes. A man believes in preserving his family but there is a beautiful woman who he cannot resist his lust. Muslims believe riba (interest) is haram but some cannot resist dealing with riba because of their lusts for things. And someone with a basic knowledge of Islam knows that human killing will plunge one into the Hellfire, but you hear people killing and killing succumbing to their lusts for power. Abu Jahl and Abu Lahab knew for a fact that the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, brought the Truth but it only stayed in their minds and not in the hearts. So, in most cases, it is not that people don't know, but they don't have the conviction.

Lust-based existence is founded by ingratitude because one prefers the blessings over the Giver of the blessings, and by ignorance because one prefers what is temporal (life of this world) over permanent (life of the hereafter).

Lusts are gods worship on earth (said Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with father and son) and the lustful one is devoid of guidance from Allah.

أَفَرَأَيْتَ مَنِ اتَّخَذَ إِلَـٰهَهُ هَوَاهُ وَأَضَلَّهُ اللَّـهُ عَلَىٰ عِلْمٍ وَخَتَمَ عَلَىٰ سَمْعِهِ وَقَلْبِهِ وَجَعَلَ عَلَىٰ بَصَرِهِ غِشَاوَةً فَمَن يَهْدِيهِ مِن بَعْدِ اللَّـهِ ۚ أَفَلَا تَذَكَّرُونَ ﴿٢٣﴾ وَقَالُوا مَا هِيَ إِلَّا حَيَاتُنَا الدُّنْيَا نَمُوتُ وَنَحْيَا وَمَا يُهْلِكُنَا إِلَّا الدَّهْرُ ۚ وَمَا لَهُم بِذَٰلِكَ مِنْ عِلْمٍ ۖ إِنْ هُمْ إِلَّا يَظُنُّونَ ﴿٢٤

Have you seen he who has taken as his god his [own] desire, and Allah has sent him astray due to knowledge and has set a seal upon his hearing and his heart and put over his vision a veil? So who will guide him after Allah? Then will you not be reminded? (23) And they say, "There is not but our worldly life; we die and live, and nothing destroys us except time." And they have of that no knowledge; they are only assuming. (24)

[Qur'an Al-Jathiya 45:23-24]

Narrated by 'Abdullah ibn 'Amr ibn 'As that the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "None of you believes until his desires are in accordance with what I have brought."

The real and high belief is not attained until one's desires are in accordance with the religion. If you are following your lusts, this does not mean you give up the religion, but you have to work harder. The hadith is urging us to take a retrospective look into ourselves. Perfection and the bliss of perfection is still in front of us.

إِنَّنِي أَنَا اللَّـهُ لَا إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا أَنَا فَاعْبُدْنِي وَأَقِمِ الصَّلَاةَ لِذِكْرِي ﴿١٤﴾ إِنَّ السَّاعَةَ آتِيَةٌ أَكَادُ أُخْفِيهَا لِتُجْزَىٰ كُلُّ نَفْسٍ بِمَا تَسْعَىٰ ﴿١٥﴾ فَلَا يَصُدَّنَّكَ عَنْهَا مَن لَّا يُؤْمِنُ بِهَا وَاتَّبَعَ هَوَاهُ فَتَرْدَىٰ ﴿١٦

Indeed, I am Allah. There is no deity except Me, so worship Me and establish prayer for My remembrance. (14) Indeed, the Hour is coming - I almost conceal it - so that every soul may be recompensed according to that for which it strives. (15) So do not let one avert you from it who does not believe in it and follows his desire, for you [then] would perish. (16)

[Qur'an Ta-Ha 20:14-16]

فَخَلَفَ مِن بَعْدِهِمْ خَلْفٌ أَضَاعُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَاتَّبَعُوا الشَّهَوَاتِ ۖ فَسَوْفَ يَلْقَوْنَ غَيًّا ﴿٥٩﴾ إِلَّا مَن تَابَ وَآمَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا فَأُولَـٰئِكَ يَدْخُلُونَ الْجَنَّةَ وَلَا يُظْلَمُونَ شَيْئًا ﴿٦٠

But there came after them successors who neglected prayer and pursued desires; so they are going to meet evil - (59) Except those who repent, believe and do righteousness; for those will enter Paradise and will not be wronged at all. (60)

[Qur'an Maryam 19:59-60]

Change does not occur by doing what you want but by doing what Allah wants. You should have the feeling of repulsion of what Allah and His Messenger, Allah bless him and grant him peace, hate, and you should have the desire for what Allah and His Messenger, Allah bless him and grant him peace, love.

Allah is ordering us and making things obligatory means Allah is ordering and obliging us to enter Paradise. The fact that someone is praying 5 times daily for the rest of his life, fasting, doing hajj and paying zakat, he is not going to be the same person after that. All these, if done sincerely for the sake of Allah, restrain unacceptable and outrageous behavior.

اتْلُ مَا أُوحِيَ إِلَيْكَ مِنَ الْكِتَابِ وَأَقِمِ الصَّلَاةَ ۖ إِنَّ الصَّلَاةَ تَنْهَىٰ عَنِ الْفَحْشَاءِ وَالْمُنكَرِ ۗ وَلَذِكْرُ اللَّـهِ أَكْبَرُ ۗ وَاللَّـهُ يَعْلَمُ مَا تَصْنَعُونَ ﴿٤٥

Recite, [O Muhammad], what has been revealed to you of the Book and establish prayer. Indeed, prayer prohibits immorality and wrongdoing, and the remembrance of Allah is greater. And Allah knows that which you do. (45)

[Qur'an Al-Ankabut 29:45]

May Allah make us steadfast in our worship, purify our hearts and nourish our hearts with His remembrance. Ameen

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

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam