Illusions

Cont'd from page 3

creation. So whatever provisions we are enjoying today were planned billions of years ago. Of course, God controls the provisions and may increase or reduce them as He wills (13:26, 29:62, 39:52).

If we look back at our lives do we see we have always been running after material things? Do we keep ourselves so busy that we are not fulfilling the sole purpose of our creation (51:56)? God says that He created the human being to work hard in order to redeem our souls (90:4).

The Purpose of Our Existence

[51:56] I did not create the jinns and the humans except to worship Me alone.

This worldly life is just an illusion. Let us not be chasing new targets every day and not be content with what God has blessed us with. The things that we are chasing may be of no significance in the Hereafter. Just imagine in the Hereafter what will we answer to God when He asks what did we do with our lives? You can’t say I was busy chasing material success.

[6:27] If only you could see them when they face the hellfire! They would say then, “Woe to us. Oh, we wish if we could go back, and never reject our Lord’s revelations, and join the believers.”

[6:28] As a matter of fact, (they only say this because) their secrets have been exposed. If they go back, they will commit exactly the same crimes. They are liars.

The success and happiness we desire, God controls it all. And even if we achieve all the things we desire, we cannot change our fate unless we believe and do the things prescribed by God.

God has perfectly placed us all wherever we are. Everything has been precisely measured and customized for us. Irrespective of the amount of wealth we all have, we may still find more that we want to do in this world. But eventually we will all be evaluated based only on our soul growth.

Hence, aiming and working towards the right success is the key. Success is not achieving a lot of money and fame; it is the right deployment of all the resources God has bestowed upon us in the manner required by God.

Real success is making it back to the heaven, but in order to achieve the real success we need to understand the purpose of our life. God does not need anything from us. It is for our own sake that we need to submit totally to God alone. We need to know that God controls everything. We must work to be thankful for everything He has blessed us with. And repent to Him for our transgressions.

[66:8] O you who believe, you shall repent to GOD a firm repentance. Your Lord will then remit your sins and admit you into gardens with flowing streams.

On that day, GOD will not disappoint the prophet and those who believed with him. Their light will radiate in front of them and to their right. They will say, “Our Lord, perfect our light for us, and forgive us; You are Omnipotent.”

[4:17] Repentance is acceptable by GOD from those who fall in sin out of ignorance, then repent immediately thereafter. GOD redeems them. GOD is Omniscient, Most Wise.

[4:146] Only those who repent, reform, hold fast to GOD, and devote their religion absolutely to GOD alone, will be counted with the believers. GOD will bless the believers with a great recompense.

Repentance must be followed by reformation in order to be forgiven. Look at those who devote themselves to God.

[2:207] Then there are those who dedicate their lives to serving GOD; GOD is compassionate towards such worshipers. [2:208] O you who believe, you shall embrace total submission; do not follow the steps of Satan, for he is your most ardent enemy.

God says that He is compassionate towards such worshippers! How many of us are ready to dedicate our lives to serving God? Dedicate can be defined as: devote (time or effort) to a particular task or purpose; to commit, surrender and sacrifice. Devote ourselves to God, not to the illusions of this worldly life.

Ubaid