What does the Quran say about desires?
That was a question I recently discussed with my youth group, and I wanted to share the verse with you all about temptations and desires:
“Beautified for people is the love of that which they desire – of women and children, heaped-up sums of gold and silver, fine branded horses, and cattle and tilled land. That is the enjoyment of worldly life, but Allah has with Him the best return.” [3:14]
Think about these:
- women (relationships)
- children (lineage, legacy, retirement)
- gold and silver (now dollars and bitcoin)
- fine horses (ferraris)
- cattle (stocks and investments)
- tilled land (real estate and property)
That’s pretty much all our desires, isn’t it? And yes they are the enjoyments of this life, it’s not necessarily in a negative light here.
Then Allah reminds us that it will all end one day and we will return to Him.
What do you think? Share your reflections down below!
Want to be able to read and understand the Quran without translations?
Salaam Sheikh I have a question , can I follow the azaan timing according to app if I have no mosque around the place where I live .
As-salamu alaykum. Thank you for your question. It is always best to follow the timing of the azaan according to the local mosque if possible. It is also important to make sure that the app you are using is reliable and follows the correct azaan timing. If you have any doubts, it is best to consult with a local imam or religious authority. May Allah guide us all to the right path. Ameen.
A very important reminder!!
Alhamdulillah, we’re glad you found the article beneficial 🙂
Assalamualaikum everyone,
I’m a Muslim, but am ashamed that I haven’t been practising my faith as I claimed. When I saw this email, I was grateful for it. I’m working towards being a better Muslim as time goes by. I’ve been brought up in a family where they have many expectations of me. They want me to have a good paying job, a good education. I worked hard and to them is never enough. I love my mother, but sometimes, it feels like I need to have a big house, or a lot of money before she deemed me as enough. She looks at my sister as an example. Big house, has her first child, and a lot of money.
It’s really tiring for me to think that this is what I need to be enough. Day by day, I pray and doa to Allah S.W.T that I’ll be better, and do better in life so I can help my parents. And be closer to Allah S.W.T. This is a good reminder.
In this journey of mine, finding myself again.. May I please ask anyone for advise, as to whether there is a balance between finding a successful life and being a devoted to Islam?
Would love to hear some of your thoughts.
Salaam Nur. Thank you for sharing your experience. This is a difficult topic, because there are so many differing views on it. In terms of Islam, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said, “Be in this world as if you were a stranger or a traveler along a path.” This means we should not be so attached to this world, and spend all our time here trying to be this world’s view of successful. It is important to work hard to provide for yourself and be comfortable, but working toward the Hereafter is more important. You can find a balance, yes, but you have to remember why you’re doing things – why do you want a big house? Is it going to help you be a better person or give you the chance to help others? Will it raise you on the Day of Judgement? When you set your intention to be a good Muslim, and to be enough for Allah (swt), and work toward that goal, then Allah will help you. He will help you achieve your goals, but also help you to feel that you are enough. In regards to your family, it is always a good idea to have open and honest conversations with them about your worries. Maybe they don’t realise the pressure they have put upon you. All the best. Keep making dua and praying. May Allah help you in your endeavours.
We look for perfection in an imperfect world
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We have to remind ourselves in this life we are just a traveller, the more you reach out to love Allah and find out more about Islam and how to better ourselves as good muslims, the less we rely on the dunya to feed of our desires.
Problems are a part of this dunya, alhamdulillah for all the calamities big and small Allah gives us as Allah tests those who He loves.
In sha Allah these tests pull us away from the fitnah of this dunya and pulls us closer to the Quran and Sunnah.
It’s not just a matter of doing the basics in Islam, we need to do more.
May Allah instil fear and love for Him equally in our hearts so that we have a balance that pleases Him.
I love and look forward to every mail from Quranic. Alhamdulillah. May Allah continuously protect and bless those involved in the organisation. Aamiin Aamiin Ya Allah.
When it comes to desires, I believe if they are all enjoyed in a way that is pleasing to Allah,
Allah will put peace in our hearts when the time comes for us to leave it or lose it. That we will always end up seeking closeness to Him in all conditions.
We’re so glad you are getting a lot out of our articles 🙂 Thank you for sharing your reflection.
merci pour votre aide
Assalamualaikum.
one trap is that fulfilling a desire doesn’t make it go away; rather it increases (later).
I think, somewhere in the Quran, Allah swt says He tests us, both with good things and trials. Sometimes we see people who win a vast sum then ruining themselves with dissipation etc.
Yes, exactly. Only Allah knows what a true blessing is. If it brings us closer to Allah, then that is the best thing for us.
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As salam alaykum wa ramatullahi wa barakatu
I think that is okay to desire the good things of this life but we should have even a stronger desired for the hereafter because at the end the real happiness will be in Jannah and not on this world I think the main purpose of this life is to be tested with our wealth, family ,friends and our deeds and once you passed the test you will be truly blessed, happy in Jannah ?
Yes absolutely. Both the good things and the bad things are a test in this life. It is what we do with these things that really matters 🙂
Count all of life, as blessings.
As salamu alaikum
My desires are detrimentally deteriorating my existence and the experience I want out of my life and time in dunya. I keep slipping up with the same shameful lustful acts. I don’t even want to do it or be part of it but my addiction to it is destroying My akiraha and any and all my ibadah. Iv been praying for death not for life out of concern with falling in sin again and again. I know there is a way out Allah’s mercy is beyond comprehension and limits and yet I feel drained and exhausted with my who what and why I am. I am not a teenager. I know and understand, yet of feels like this trap I keep getting caught in like a animal I just dont know anymore. How do I keep my mind from wondering I will eventually go back to living a life of complete jahiliya.astagufirullah. I don’t want to i cannot bare to even think like that I have complete tawwakul in Allah but I have not much trust in my self, My past, If I feel and see myself like this what are others going to say and think not to my face but in their hearts and mind. Yeah we shouldnt care what people think ,but we do we can’t help it most of us don’t even know, accept it or even realise it. May Allah have mercy on us all.we all have our tests. I don’t want to go in my grave with these burdens wallahi, the thought is slowly killing me bit by bit.
I pray for you sister.
Assalamualaikum,
Very insightful verse.
I would put it this way: in the present world it needs to be a perfect balance between the two, I mean without overdoing it.
Many won’t agree to this saying it’s akhira which is all we need to concentrate.
But if we be practical and just give a thought, what drives us to success or achieve our objectives in this world ? It is the small goals and target we keep- of course that helps us to do ibaadah and thank Allah for all the blessings.
If we don’t have an ambition how can we live a positive life? It may bring us more failures in this world which may lead to hereafter.
Yes we need family, money and things but all for a decent living not to forget Allah and neither be miser to save everything. That’s the thought I wish to share.
JazakAllahu khair.
Aslam Walekum warahamatulla hi wabarkatuhu. ?
Masha Allah! Thank you so much. Wallahi I needed this!
Truly, in these times, our desires are increasing. The best example was from horses to ferraris
We need to remember the fact that all of us will return to Allah. All this “duniyah” things are nothing in comparison to Jannat. Let’s face difficulties here and get the gifts and rewards in the hereafter ??
Jazak Allah Khair!
May Allah guide us to the straight path
Remember me in dua ??
Ma Sha Allah short and sweet, thought provoking emails.
This is a great and a simple way of making us realize, the limitations of of this, and significance of HEARAFTER.
Indeed which is never ending one
Use duniya for Akhira.