Page 50 - Why Do You Deceive Yourself ?

48 WHY DO YOU DECEIVE YOURSELF?

but I'm in a very stressful environment."
In reality these people are not approaching the religion of Allah
with sincerity because, as we have said before, they are capable of ig-
noring the time and their circumstances and coming up with all kinds
of solutions when they stand to make a material gain, but when the
matter in question is the need for them to fulfil their responsibility to
Allah, Who created them, they start complaining about difficulties
right away.
Let us give a more concrete example to make this easier to under-

stand. If someone receives an offer to set aside one hour a day for a job
that pays a lot of money (let us say ten times his monthly salary), then
whatever circumstances he is in, he accepts immediately. This person
may be preparing for his university examinations or he may have an-
other very important job to do at the same time. Whatever he may be
doing, if necessary he sacrifices his sleep or cuts down on his leisure
time but he does not put forward lack of time as a problem. Right away
he rearranges his entire schedule to fit in with the well-paid work
which has to be done. This is an undeniable truth that applies to most
people.
If the person does not show the same determination in earning
Allah's approval, this is insincerity and lack of conscience. Above all,
the return a person will receive for his prayers is Paradise and the eter-
nal mercy of Allah, a reward that cannot be compared with a few extra

dollars received for a job of work.
However, most people are bewitched by the property and money
they are striving to acquire, the credit cards they carry, the dollars they
save and the houses, cars and fine clothes they enjoy, and they direct
themselves to worldly pursuits, setting their religion aside and forget-
ting about the Hereafter. They deceive themselves by saying, "I don't