Page 34 - The Solution To Secret Sorrows

THE SOLUTION TO SECRET SORROWS

have considered this, such poor moral behavior towards Allah is
one of the principal reasons for their unhappiness. In the verse,
"Remember Me—I will remember you. Give thanks to Me and do
not be ungrateful" (Surat al-Baqara: 152), Allah orders people to
avoid ingratitude. Despite having faith, their failure to appreciate
Allah's mercy and all the fine things He has granted them will natu-
rally grow into a torment for them.
The fundamental reason for these people's showing such poor
moral behavior is that they have not fully grasped the essence of re-
ligion. Their inability to consider the perfect structure of destiny, or
that there is goodness in everything whether it appears good or bad,
causes them to regard events negatively. In every event, there are re-
ally hundreds of details in which a person can find a blessing and
take pleasure. But because of their distorted vision, these people
cannot see the blessings and be grateful as they should. Some see
these beautiful things which have come to them from Allah and
think they own them and hence, do not show the necessary grati-
tude—just as Qarun, who was given so much wealth that he could
not even carry his keys, behaved ungratefully towards Allah.
As we are told, "He [Qarun] said, 'I have only been given it
because of knowledge I have...'" (Surat al-Qasas: 78). Such people
start thinking that they deserve the things they possess. For this rea-
son, they do not regard them as blessings that bring joy and happi-
ness. Because they have not completely purged worldly ambition
from their hearts, what they do possess does not seem enough for
them. They show a contrary character towards their blessings be-
cause they are conceited, yet dissatisfied.
These people also forget that it's Allah Who gives blessings and
takes them away and Who increases or reduces them. For this rea-
son, whenever they suffer a loss, they are plunged into deep disap-

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