Page 12 - Quick Grasp of Faith 2

2. How can one turn away from worthless and
useless things? What is the meaning of "worth-
less and useless"?

One can turn away from worthless and useless things if
one acts in order to gain the good pleasure of Allah alone.
Believers know that they need to use the time granted to
them in this world in the most efficient way because what
they do in the world determines their permanent abode.
Therefore, in every deed they perform, they aim to gain a
good deed for the Hereafter. Naturally they talk, have fun,
eat, laugh, think and work just as everyone else does; but in
doing these things they always have good intentions which
are likely to be of benefit to other people and to the religion.
Apart from these things, all believers' acts serve a pur-
pose. They always turn towards good deeds that will gain
them Allah's approval the most. For example, anyone can
talk about automobiles. Yet a believer would not spend
hours in such conversation while there are other urgent
things to do. Likewise, a believer would not chat for a long
time about which team will be the winner in a football
match when talking to someone to whom he can communi-
cate the religion of Allah. That is because the crucial thing at
that moment would be to enlighten that person about the ex-
istence and the greatness of Allah, and about what he has to
do in order to deserve Paradise and to avoid Hell.
In brief, believers neither plunge into long discussions
on topics that are not relevant to the benefit of the religion
and of Muslims, nor spend more than a sufficient and rea-
sonable time on these subjects. They use their time effi-
ciently by properly distinguishing between all worldly
matters. They do this by use of their conscience and reason.

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