Page 34 - Perfected Faith

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PERFECTED FAITH

fined as spending his entire life serving Allah. He lives for Allah
alone, works for Allah alone, and devotes all his resources to the
cause of Allah. He is truly aware that this world is but a place of trial.
In the Qur'an, Allah draws attention to this: "We created man from a
mingled drop to test him, and We endowed him with hearing and
sight." (Surat al-Insan, 2)
Allah, moreover, draws attention to the deceptive nature of this
world and warns people:
Mankind! Allah's promise is true. Do not let the life of the
world delude you and do not let the Deluder delude you about
Allah. (Surah Fatir, 5)
People of perfected faith are those who are not deceived by the
beauties of the life of this world, no matter how enticing they may
seem. This is because the book of Allah has shown them the true face
of the life of this world. As the Qur'an puts it, the life of this world is
"a game", "an amusement", "pomp", "boasting among people" and "a
vying in the multiplication of wealth and children". The following
analogy in the Qur'an makes the nature of this world clear:
Know that the life of this world is merely a game and a diver-
sion, ostentation and a cause of boasting among yourselves and
trying to outdo one another in wealth and children. It is like the
plant-growth after the rain which delights the cultivators, but
then it withers and you see it turning yellow, and then it be-
comes broken stubble. In the hereafter there is terrible punish-
ment but also forgiveness from Allah and His pleasure. The life
of this world is nothing but the enjoyment of delusion. (Surat
al-Hadid, 20)
As this example reveals, nothing in this world can resist the detri-
mental effects of time; neither beautiful mansions, eye-catching cars,
gorgeous landscapes, nor young people with brilliant careers can
save themselves… Everything new wears out, young people grow
old… Time crushes the most precious of good things and makes them