Desire
I begin in the name of Allah , The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful.
It is a plain fact that when one desires doing any act, the effort and struggle towards accomplishing such an act becomes bearable. One does not have to be supervised and constantly instructed to carry out the task.
Let me give you a simple example: when one feels hungry, the desire of the individual is to satisfy that hunger and therefore food will be sought. Another person does not need to remind the individual to fulfil his hunger.
Similarly, our desire towards obeying Allah (swt) should be likewise. We must feel hunger in fulfiling the commands that Allah (swt) has prescribed for us. Another person should not be needed to constantly remind us about our duties to Allah (swt).
Just as the stomach aches and rumbles upon feeling emptiness, our hearts must also ache when the obedience and remembrance of our Merciful Lord is forsaken. Upon the stomach being filled with food, the body feels satisfaction and strength, similarly, when the heart is filled with devotion and submission to the Lord, a spiritual satisfaction and strength is also felt.
Such a desire can be created by avoiding becoming too attached to this temporary world. By thinking of our actual and eternal place of dwelling in the gardens of Paradise, one begins to feel detached from this false temporary world.
Sadly, our state has become on the contrary. The example of our behaviour in this world is clealy illustrated by Shaikh Rumi in a story. And with this story I shall end:
Shaikh Rumi explains a story about a crocodile who possesses large gaps between his teeth. So, when this reptile eats meat, peices of meat become trapped between these gaps in his teeth.
When the crocodile begins to feel hungry again, he moves near the water, opening his mouth very widely and remaining motionless. Upon seeing such a sight, an ignorant bird comes near and picks a peice of meat from the mouth of the crocodile and flys away. The bird does this several times and falsely assuming that danger is not near, decides to remain near the peices of meat inside the mouth of the crocadile. Other birds see this bird and flock in the same space for food. Now that the crocodile has fulfiled his aim, he conveniently closes his mouth, eating the many birds that had climbed into his large mouth!
The sly, luring crocodile represents the world of temptations that we live in. The foolish bird is an example of the way we behave in this world. We become deeply engrossed in the world, deeply attached and deluded by the temptation of this temporary world, behaving like we will remain in the world forever. When death strikes, we are woken from such a fallacy, but then, the moment of remorse is too late.
It is a plain fact that when one desires doing any act, the effort and struggle towards accomplishing such an act becomes bearable. One does not have to be supervised and constantly instructed to carry out the task.
Let me give you a simple example: when one feels hungry, the desire of the individual is to satisfy that hunger and therefore food will be sought. Another person does not need to remind the individual to fulfil his hunger.
Similarly, our desire towards obeying Allah (swt) should be likewise. We must feel hunger in fulfiling the commands that Allah (swt) has prescribed for us. Another person should not be needed to constantly remind us about our duties to Allah (swt).
Just as the stomach aches and rumbles upon feeling emptiness, our hearts must also ache when the obedience and remembrance of our Merciful Lord is forsaken. Upon the stomach being filled with food, the body feels satisfaction and strength, similarly, when the heart is filled with devotion and submission to the Lord, a spiritual satisfaction and strength is also felt.
Such a desire can be created by avoiding becoming too attached to this temporary world. By thinking of our actual and eternal place of dwelling in the gardens of Paradise, one begins to feel detached from this false temporary world.
Sadly, our state has become on the contrary. The example of our behaviour in this world is clealy illustrated by Shaikh Rumi in a story. And with this story I shall end:
Shaikh Rumi explains a story about a crocodile who possesses large gaps between his teeth. So, when this reptile eats meat, peices of meat become trapped between these gaps in his teeth.
When the crocodile begins to feel hungry again, he moves near the water, opening his mouth very widely and remaining motionless. Upon seeing such a sight, an ignorant bird comes near and picks a peice of meat from the mouth of the crocodile and flys away. The bird does this several times and falsely assuming that danger is not near, decides to remain near the peices of meat inside the mouth of the crocadile. Other birds see this bird and flock in the same space for food. Now that the crocodile has fulfiled his aim, he conveniently closes his mouth, eating the many birds that had climbed into his large mouth!
The sly, luring crocodile represents the world of temptations that we live in. The foolish bird is an example of the way we behave in this world. We become deeply engrossed in the world, deeply attached and deluded by the temptation of this temporary world, behaving like we will remain in the world forever. When death strikes, we are woken from such a fallacy, but then, the moment of remorse is too late.
Oh Allah (swt) create in us a deep desire and yearning to practice Your every Command. Create in us a desperate hatred with every form of sinning. Oh Allah (swt) save us from becoming attached to this temporary world. Oh Allah (swt) make us desire our abode in Paradise, hence easing the task of working towards attaining Paradise. Oh Allah (swt) give us death when we are prepared and when are heart are filled with love for You.
Ameen.
Ameen.
posted by Ummati at
11:10 PM
