Desire and pleasure

There are two things in the life of a person. Either he satisfies his desire or he sacrifices his desire for the pleasure of Allah Ta'ala. If defeat and failure are found in satisfying the desire, real success and victory is found in sacrificing it for the pleasure of Allah Ta'ala. Whoever forsakes something that he loves just for the sake of Allah Ta'ala, then Allah Ta'ala will grant him something better than what he has forsaken.

[English version of "Désir et plaisir" – Al Jamiat – Vol.7 No.7]