Page 37 - Why Do You Deceive Yourself ?

Being Sincerely Religious without Deceiving Yourself 35
instead to the impulse which directs you to gain Allah's approval. In
this world, nothing is more important or urgent than protecting your-
self against the fire of Hell, so do not listen to the suggestive persua-
sions with which Satan encourages you to deceive yourself, because
on the Day of Judgment no excuse will be acceptable. As Allah tells us
in His Book, He will not accept the presentation of excuses.
This is the truth, so beware! Do not under any circumstances fool
yourself by imagining you can offer excuses for not living according to
the religion of Allah.

Diversions and Distractions

Another of Satan's tactics is to divert people into empty and pur-
poseless tasks. He paints activities and tasks that have nothing to do
with the approval of Allah in pretty colors and makes them appear in
an attractive and positive light. A person who falls for this ends up de-
voting himself entirely to worldly plans, rewards and targets.
While he is diverted by these projects, it does not cross his mind
that one day his life in the world will end and that he will be called to
account in the presence of Allah. As we stated at the beginning of this
book, he wastes his entire life on fleeting ideals such as a higher posi-
tion, more money and investments and a brighter future. It is obvious
what a great mistake it is for a person who does not know where and
how he will die and has no guarantee that he will still be alive from
one second to the next, to pursue such fruitless ambitions and calcula-

tions.
However, the great majority of people persuade themselves that
it is necessary for them to live like this. To console themselves, they opt
not to think about any of the things we have said in this book and
would rather continue their lives of self-deception. In line with this,