Nafsiya Reflections: The Jannah in our Hearts

We as individuals want a relaxing home, that luxury car, our children to have the best manners, the best grades, to be over-achievers because that brings us joy and pride. A feeling that we have done a good job, to live comfortably in our homes, and drive in our cars effortlessly. Our minds can start to manipulate us; showing us we need more, to be comfortable. That’s true, meaning having a car would help us move around quicker, having an even nicer car would make our ride more enjoyable. We aren’t asking for much. We as Muslims aren’t supposed to be living on the bare minimum. The glory of our Khilafah would never accept such living conditions for its citizens. We aren’t meant to live in a way where we struggle for the basic human necessities. As a state we must be the most “luxurious” in the world. A leading state in all aspects of life. We are meant to feel comfortable in our living.

What are we allowing to creep into our hearts? What is it that is pulling us towards these material things? What is it that convinces us that it is OK? Maybe, it is... It is alright to want and strive for more. The question then arises... When is it enough? When are we letting this Dunya seep into our ambitions, blinding us from what really gives us comfort, what truly brings us contentment... true contentment. No matter where we are, what we are doing?

Ibn al-Qayyim reported: Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy on him, said to me once, “What can my enemies do to me? My paradise and my garden are in my heart wherever I go. They are with me and never leave me. If I am imprisoned, it is seclusion for worship. If I am killed, it is martyrdom. If they expel me from my land, it is tourism.”

How do we reach a glorious Eman? How do we carry our Jannah in our hearts... while our home is “falling apart” or walking a distance because our car let us down, or maybe we don’t even have a car? How do we find Jannah when we live in a society that makes us feel incomplete or that we got the shorthand of the stick in life, 'Astaghfirullah.' How do we bring into our hearts the feeling of Rida when we clearly feel like those material objects will bring us ease? (Because that is what they are...material objects).

The effects of society, and now our world-wide-streaming society are impacting our view on life. Consciously, and mainly sub-consciously. The comparison game is at its highest. It is ruling the hours in our days. The hours of scrolling online, spending our time obsessing, I want to fix this, I was to get that... And then we hear it from the people around us, how they want to get this... and want to buy that.

We are being manipulated to believe that our comfort won’t be in our mediocre car, or home. But are being pulled away from true reality. That everything in our world is temporary and could change in an instance... and then what? Are we going to fall into despair, because we lost the objects that brought us ease? Does our comfort truly rely on these things? That is when the tide turns. That is the missing link. We will never be at ease or live in comfort relying on these materials. We must practice consistently to work on ripping these attachments from our hearts. We must teach this to our children. That yes, we may strive but have true Rida in what we have at the moment, or in what we don’t have. We must emulate this into our society, bringing light into the dark hole we have fallen into after the destruction of the amanah left by Rasool Allah (saw), the Khilafah.

It is only then that our hearts will be clean from the filth of this Dunya, with the Noor, light of Allah. Light of the akhirah. So, no matter what we face in this world, no matter what we perceive we lost, our Jannah will remain in our hearts.

[ٱلْمَالُ وَٱلْبَنُونَ زِينَةُ ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا ۖ وَٱلْبَـٰقِيَـٰتُ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتُ خَيْرٌ عِندَ رَبِّكَ ثَوَابًۭا وَخَيْرٌ أَمَلًۭا]

Wealth and children are the adornment of this worldly life, but the everlasting good deeds are far better with your Lord in reward and in hope. [Surah Al-Kahf: Aya 46]

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