14. RESTRAIN YOUR DESIRES
I contemplated an amazing matter where I found an interesting trend. A believer is often trialled and suffers hardships, while worldly passions and pleasures are always presented to him and made within the reach of his hand.
This is more evident in cases where pleasures and desires emerge with ease and without any effort from his part. Example of this being when a person happens to be alone in the company of a woman he loves in a secluded area far from the prying eyes and attention of people. To this effect, I say indeed Allah is free from all defects! Truly, in such situations the impact of Iman manifests itself for by Allah, was it not due to overcoming such a situation, Prophet Yusuf (‘alayhi as-salani) would not have reached such a high rank and received the pleasure of Allah.
O my brothers, can you imagine what his status would be if he submitted to his desires when the woman tried seducing him? Compare the case of Yusuf (‘alayhi as-salani) with the case of Adam (alayhi assalani)— the former suppressed his desires and the latter softened and acted according to what he desired— then measure the outcome of the two cases in the scale of intelligence and make what you conclude the shield you use whenever you desire a (unlawful) worldly pleasure.
Verily worldly pleasures come in front of believers all the time. Therefore if he ever meets these tempting unlawful pleasures in the battlefield (of life), while his soldiers appointed to reflect the consequences of his actions are far from him, he will surely lose the battle. This is why I feel the condition of those who fall in this trap is like saying to them: ‘Hold on where you are! You have to live with whatever you choose for yourself.’
There is nothing he can do afterwards except spend his time in remorse (nadm) and tears (baqa). If he manages to come out of the hole, he will only come out with wounds and scratches. Indeed, many are those whose feet slipped in this hole and could never lift their feet afterwards.
There is no better evidence to reflect on than the humiliation (dhull) of the brothers of Yusuf (‘alayhi as-salam), who plotted against their brother, when they said to him afterwards,
“give charity to us.” [Yusuf (12):88]
to realise the drastic consequences of sins. Then try to compare their case with the case of their brother, Prophet Yusuf (‘alayhi assalam), who never submitted to his whims. Even though his brothers turned to Allah afterwards and Allah accepted their repentance (tawbah). The one whose garment is free of holes is not like the one whose garment has patches covering the holes.
O my brothers, beware of everything your ‘self-desires (shahwa) and ensure to rein in the horses of yours whims (hawa).
Be careful of the piling clouds because then you will need to climb up a hill as the valley in such case will not be safe (from a deluge).
(Source: al-Hafiz Abu’l-Faraj ibn al-jawzl [d. 597AH] “CAPTURED THOUGHTS being” a translation of his masterpiece ‘Sayd al-K hatir)
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John Doe
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