5. PATIENT FROM COMMITTING SINS HAS PRAISEWORTHY OUTCOMES IN THIS WORLD AND THE HEREAFTER
I read Surah Yusuf and I was amazed at Allah’s praise of Yusuf (‘alayhi as-salam) over his patience (sabr), His elucidation of Yusuf’s story to the masses, and His elevation of his status because of him giving up sinful lust. I pondered over the secret, and found the essence to be one’s opposition to the undesirable lust.
I said to myself, ‘Amazing! Had he followed his lustful desire (haira), he would be like anyone else; however, since he opposed it, he became a very prominent person now exemplified by the masses for his patience, and seen as an object of pride for his enduring hardship.
All this happened because of patience he observed for a little while. What a major honour and pride— if you could control yourself for a while, on behalf of a beloved (Allah) who is very close to you!”
On the other hand, there is Adam’s (‘alayhias-salani) state in fulfilling his desire, which became a defect on his behalf for forever had there been no reparation to it,
“And He accepted his repentance!” [al-Baqarah (2): 37]
Observe for a while, may Allah have mercy on you, the outcome of patience and the end result of a sinful desire.
An intelligent person is he who can distinguish between the two matters, between both sweet ones and sour ones. As for the one who keeps his scales balanced, and does not incline towards the pan of sinful desire. He will find all the benefits of patience and all loss that comes with agreeing to one’s self in accomplishing sinful desires.
This should suffice as an admonition for the intelligent in opposing their accomplishment of sinful desires!
(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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