Page 114 - The Debased Culture of Superficiality

112 THE DEBASED CULTURE OF SUPERFICIALITY

infinite blessings of Paradise, he desires the transient and
decaying benefits of this world. Because his lower self is full
of avarice, he cannot see the future, only the present
moment. As revealed in the Qur’an, he puts the next world
out of his mind:

These people love this fleeting world and have put the
thought of a Momentous Day behind their backs. (Surat
al-Insan: 27)
Wealth, possessions, ambition and desire for gain drive
this person into superficiality and always degrade him. But
ambition and greedy desire for worldly possessions is a
deception. In order not to fall into this state, a person must
not pursue his passions and the desires of his lower self.
In the Qur’an, Allah reveals:
. . . You desire the goods of this world, whereas Allah
desires the Hereafter . . . (Surat al-Anfal: 67)
In another verse, He describes that, compared to the
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becomes ambitious, he is open to making mistakes and
behaving wrongly; soon he is far removed from many truths
and beautiful things. He compromises values he believes in
to have a bit more to eat or more things to wear, a higher
standard of living or a higher position. However, these
things are all transient, all unimportant. A person can be
filled with a single meal; he can wear the same shirt for
years. No matter how big his house is, he can only be in one
room at a time. No matter what the circumstances of his life,