Stop advancing excuses!

Concerning Dunya, we do not content ourselves on the essential. We always look for the best. A simple food suffices to fill our stomach but we are not satisfied until there is no salad, chilli, ketchup, etc. Likewise, a simple fabric suffices to cover the body but we look for high-class and branded fabrics. In all aspects of life, we always look for supplements and do extravagances. Sometimes, these extravagances cost higher than the essential but we do it because we love it. But concerning Deen, we are always reluctant. We always try to look for a way out. We make all kinds of excuses. When we are told to do such and such things, we always make excuses such as: "It is merely Sunnah", "It is not Farz", "what’s in the heart that counts", "Allah does not look at one's clothing" or "Deen is not measured by the length of the beard" etc. All these are pretexts. It is a lack of willingness from one's side to practice Deen. As if Deen is something that must exist merely in the heart. It has nothing to do with appearance! Yet Shariah gave directions regarding our appearance also. A person is absolutely right when he says that a good appearance is not necessarily an indication of a good interior. But it is also a reality that appearance cannot be bad if the interior is good.

When one admires someone, without doubt, one will imitate him. One will want to copy him. Youngsters know this very well. They agree to wear dirty, torn, untidy clothes, pierce the earlobes, apply gel in the hair and make spikes in the hair, all in the aim of imitating those whom they admire. What type of Imaan and love for Nabi (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam) do we have that it does not encourage us to follow and imitate him! We do not have admiration for our Nabi (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam). Otherwise we would not make excuse when it comes to follow him. One should stop making excuses. One must stay in the company of those who have true love and admiration for Nabi (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam). One must stop listening and following those who deliver great speeches but do not follow the Sunnah of Nabi (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam). One must stay away from those who say "Deen is not measured by the length of the beard". Then, we will have true love for Nabi (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam). There is neither Deen nor Imaan without the love of Nabi (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam).

"By the one who holds my soul in His Hand, none of you can become a Mu'min (believer) as long as I do not become dearer to him than his parents, his children and the entire humanity." (Bukhari)

[English version of "Assez tire plan !" – Al Jamiat – Vol.6 No.12]