Page 19 - Faith: The Way to Happiness

The Unhappiness of the Society of the Ignorant

question, because ignorant people do not take Allah's pleasure as
their main aim, all the effort they make is to no avail. Allah describes
this situation in a verse of the Qur'an:
People whose efforts in the life of this world are misguided
while they suppose that they are doing good. (Surat al-
Kahf: 104)
They waste the opportunities given to them by Allah on empty
and harmful things, since they are not motivated by the desire to
earn Allah's good pleasure. People who are bound to their worldly
goods live in constant fear of losing what they possess. Knowing
that at any moment a completely unexpected occurrence may make
them suffer loss and deprive them of what they possess makes them
e x t remely uncomfortable. Consequently, no matter what good
things they do or what benefits they gain for themselves, the fear of
loss within them makes them continually unhappy and troubled.
Unbelievers are not aware of the real value of what they own or
of the purpose for which it has been given to them. So, instead of
using their opportunities for good works which will earn Allah's ap-
p roval, they simply waste themselves thoughtlessly by taking the
life of this world as their yardstick. For instance, by gambling they
may in a single instant lose all their pro p e r t y, even their honor. Or,
they may try to enrich themselves further by immoral means.
However, they should not forget that the result of every mistaken or
immoral act will ultimately be disappointment. By such means as
these Allah shows people that those who do not meet with His ap-
p roval will suffer harm and that for them everything in the life of
this world may be a source of trouble and sorrow. The reason people
who do not believe in the Hereafter experience such trouble and
stress is that they set their faces against the religion of Allah and at-
tach themselves passionately to the life of this world.

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