In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
For animal species to survive on this planet, they need certain essentials -- food, air, water, space, etc. Human beings have an additional need that other species don't need, that is beauty.
If the food look ugly to you, you don't like it, but if the same food is decorated on a plate, you can't wait to eat it. We want things around us beautified, unlike every other species. If you put a piece of chicken on the floor in front of a cat, it eats it. You put hay in front of a horse, it eats it. You throw a banana to a monkey, it catches it and eats it. They don't need the food presented in a certain way like we do: decoration, garnishing, condiments and table setting -- color scheme, floral arrangements or flowers to complement the color scheme, napkins (serviettes) in the same color scheme, table mats that match or complement the color scheme, silverware, tablecloth, certain patterns on the plates, etc.
We want beauty, not just in one aspect of existence, but we want beauty in everything -- we want a beautiful face, a beautiful spouse, beautiful children, beautiful houses, beautiful cars, beautiful ambiance, beautiful places to visit, the list is endless.
The things that people are attracted to are beautiful only on this earth. If somebody wants to limit himself to it, he can, but those things won't go farther than this world.
إِنَّا جَعَلْنَا مَا عَلَى ٱلْأَرْضِ زِينَةً لَّهَا لِنَبْلُوَهُمْ أَيُّهُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلًا ﴿٧[Qur'an, Al-Kahf 18:7]
No doubt, We made whatever on the earth adornment for it that We may test them [as to] which of them is best in deed. (7)
Allah didn't make this world beautiful for no purpose. Allah made this world outwardly beautiful, so He can see who among us will do more beautiful things in terms of our actions -- i.e where we will put our priority in life. Your never quenching thirst for beauty should make you internalize that there is something perfect and timeless, and unless you seek that you will never find satisfaction. We have something higher to work for in this life.
May Allah protect us from heedlessness and enable us to do beautiful things according to His sight. Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wassallam.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
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