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?
When I read the part of verse : “That is the enjoyment of worldly life, ”
I remembered I read RasulAllah’s saying that
“Verily, the Exalted God has likened the (material) world to the excrements of the son of Adam.”
(Nahj al Fasahah; Tradition No. 2611.)
And then found the solution in the last part of verse that : “but Allah has with Him the best return.” 3:14
What a satisfying moment for me!
True happiness can only be achieved by remembering Allah.
A person who becomes slave of his desires, Allah hands over to Devil that person. Will of Allah should dominate in all our deeds
Mashallah
Yeah it’s a biggest problem for life 😞 we need to protect ourselves from dangerous desires sometimes it ruins our life but actually that is why we are humans ………But we need to understand that how to pass this test
All one should do is to be content with what we have and always say Alhamdu Lillah, by so doing you will not be attached to the worldy things.
Alhamdu Lillah always
Allah lists all the things we naturally desire ,love, family, wealth, status, property and says they’ve been beautified for us. In today’s world, that could look like relationships, money, cars, investments, and luxury lifestyles.
But then He reminds us that is the enjoyment of worldly life, but Allah has with Him the best return.
It’s not that these things are haram but they can become distractions. They pull us in, make us forget our purpose, and feed the illusion that success is only in this life.
For me, this verse is a reminder to enjoy the blessings , but not chase them blindly. The real prize is with Allah. And that’s what we should stay focused on.
The worldly life is impermanent and transitionary. The higher good and permanence is with allah
Allah tells us how temporary this world is. It is funny how we humans rely on fulfilment through sources that can be taken away anytime from us. We think that it will last forever. And Allah tests us with those things as well.
It is for us to realise that La Ilaha Illa Allah. We must realize that it is through Allah that we can find fulfilment, contentment, peace. Nothing in this dunya can ever completely satisfy you nomatter how pleasurable that thing is. It can never fill the void.
From time to time in Quranic teachings it is reminded through pointing different personas such as, “did you not see him who has made his desires his Lord/ do not be like them who have only interest in pursuing their worldly desires.” In it’s essence Quran teaches us to not be attached to our desires or any worldly thing because this attachment weakens the Spiritual self of humans. Quran teaches to enjoy the bounties provided by the Lord with grateful mindset and only attaching self to righteous deeds by restraining self from following worldly desires keeping in mind the rewards of afterlife’s.
Alhumdillah
There is a huge problem in Islam where men and women are not allowed to even make eye contact . It leads to all the Muslim men trying to make marriages with kafir women , and the Muslim women in families wind up become 30 or 40 years old and they never meet anyone
The prophet (saw)said:
Hellfire is surrounded by lusts, and paradise is surrounded by adversities.
It says gold and silver, it says fine horses, it says cattle, it says tilled land.
Looks like an attempt to change what’s actually written and give it an unintended meaning. Shame.
Do you read every single word of the Quran literally? He was just trying to adapt the verse to our times.
It was broken down to the understanding of our generation so not a big deal
It was broken down to the understanding of our generation so not a big deal
Assalamualaikum
All is vanity..
…
Man’s days are like grass and he flourisheth for a season..
The Quran says gold and silver. As Allah’s forgiveness. Big coin
And the dollar’s aren’t in the Quran.
To empower the dollar the institution of the
Kalipha had to end!
If you don’t understand what I have explained;
Go back to your teachers and demand your money back!
Take what you will from the tree at rest, for the tree is there with intent for mankind. But remember that one day you too will leave its shade, and that shade will not follow you on your journey thereafter. Neither will you remember its benefit that you once felt from it as the distance between you and it becomes great enough, nor will you regain access to it once you have parted ways.
We are all travellers among a path. For a short period of time the tree (Donya) and all it has to offer will be at our feet. It is how we choose to spend our time under the tree that paves the difficultly or ease of the path thereafter.
Remember that a short period of shade for the present is incomparable to utilisation of the tree towards building a permanent shade for the journey hereafter.
All praise be to Allah, the most merciful, the most kind.
I am craving for Jannat’s food😋 . May Allah grant us all Jannat.
The worldly desires are not haram until they are wished for and worked for, keeping the Àakhirat in mind. So basically, Allah SWT has better rewards, means that turning towards Allah SWT is more desirable because in that way, we will walk on Siratul Mustakeem and attain worldly things in a righteous manner.
I invite you to read the Quran online
Asalaamualaikum
The world that so many love and things including women and treasures ,the one thing I can say having read many Surahs, iyyats
And I am still trying too figure it out ,why do People say it’s okay to be wealthy and have everything you want women and treasures as a Muslim .
But one day it will end you could lose everything, riches ,gold diamonds, The world is yours until you lose it then gone
As salamu Alaikum ,
This night I woke up multiple times, but I couldn’t bring myself to prayer. Eventually it was near fajr and I did not have a continuous sleep or made any prayers or dua.
This holy month of Ramadan I have come to a realisation that this Dunya is temporary and I am trying to better my mindset for the sake of Allah s.w.t
I am a revert Alhamdillulah, but I felt ashamed to even ask Allah swt for anything in my dua as I couldn’t even wake up to pray tahajjud or make other prayers.
Moreover the fact that I couldn’t even make dua for my mother broke me. How could I ask for anything in this life if I couldn’t even ask the creator to ease her hardships as well.
Both of us are going through a rough time but Alhamdillulah at least we have a roof over our heads and food to eat everyday. I have noticed that every dua that I have intended to make was related to this Dunya and minor ones were related to the Akhirah.
Jannah seems like something that is so far out of reach and I can’t say with certainty that I am of the people of Jannah. I am a mere sinner who does repent but repeats my sins at times.
And perhaps I need to see this life as a test and not a place where I will find fulfilment and contentment. It doesn’t help that he is the only true friend that I have in this Dunya and the only one who has never let me down. As everything he has done has led me to where I am, but most importantly where I am not.
May al mu’min give me faith and persistence to continue practicing the Deen and realize the importance of it.
Jazak Allah Khair, for sharing this post with me as it was something that I really needed to read and may Allah SWT bless and forgive you all during this holy month 💗
Asalamalikm brother
Very true this is only materialistic the actual reward and life is in the Akhira so we should start our journey from now onwards to achieve all the rewards Allah Subhanaotala has kept for us there
Good examples, MashaAllah 👏
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 🙂
those desires mentioned can hinder us from submitting to Allah that’s why we
have to always look deep into us to know if we aren’t deviating from the right path.I pray Allah makes it easy for us to completely submit to him commands.
those desires mentioned can hinder us from submitting to Allah that’s why we
have to always look deep into us to know if we aren’t deviating from the right path.
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
Comment *merci pour votre aide
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.
As-salamu alaykum Sheikh. I’m trying to be a better Muslimeen but failing. How can I continuously grow my faith and don’t fall back in the pit of duniya???
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.
Assalammualaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh. Thank you so much for the reminder. What should we do if we don’t have it. Should we chase it?
merci pour votre aide
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.
Assalam alaikum
Then.. according to this verse .. Allah answered in 28:50 … I think Allah classified desires into 2 groups … 1) Nature 2) Nurture … 1) nature desire is mention in the Qur’an … This is about this world 2)nurture desire is … To turn all desires into deed … Tool for hereafter..
Assalam Alaikum
I’m really grateful for receiving such an amazing notification
I learnt what I never knew before
Thank you so much QURANIC
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.