Bismillah … We live in a very difficult time right now. Our eyes have been bewitched by the deception of what technology has enabled us to do. On the surface of it, there are some people who devote their time, by making it appear as though their lives are just so amazing. When you see them in-person, though, you start to notice that reality can take on a slightly different appearance. There is a kind of flatness, a dullness; at least, in my experience. There could be a number of different reasons for this kind of a discrepancy. One of them, I think, is that internet technology has caused people to supplant that which is more important, for that which is less important.
When it comes to women, for example: I think that a woman would do much better if she was to focus on cultivating her inner qualities, rather than on accumulating “likes” for her outward beauty, or for her various travels around the world. This is because a woman may have endless potential if she were to focus on developing her soul, and her intellect; whereas, our outer beauty will fade. When we are in our 20s, it seems as though life will go on forever … but the reality is, that we will slowly but surely pass this stage of our development. And the next period of our lives, from age 31 to 40, will eventually come to pass as well.
This does not mean that all indulgence in such pleasures should be avoided. There is certainly some value to be had in sharing pictures of our travels with others, or photographs of ourselves. This is a natural extension of who we are; it is, in some sense, merely a visual reflection of what we are already doing on a regular basis. Rather, the point, I think, is to say that these things can easily be taken to an excess. And if that’s the case, then perhaps some time spent in solitude, or quiet reflection, can serve as an antidote to our sometimes excessive indulgence in sensual pleasure.
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A few months ago, when it was still the fall season, I noticed something interesting when I was going for a walk outside. There are many trees all around us, as they are an inherent part of nature. I happened to notice two trees that were standing right next to each other. They were both quite tall; but one of them had many, many leaves, all green; while the other one, which was standing right next to it, had almost none. It had many, many branches, just like the other tree; but almost no leaves. In other words, it was barren.
I then recalled a verse from the Qur’an: “Say [Prophet]: ‘Truly my Lord expands the provision for whomever He wills, while restricting it for others; but most people do not know.'” I thought about us as individuals, who live in a society. There are so many differences among us; yet, just like in the example of the two trees, some have been given more, while others have been given less. You can try this exercise for yourself, when it is the spring or the summer again.
Would anyone say of the barren tree, that it did not try hard enough? It had all the right conditions — the same amount of sunlight, water, and nutrients, as the tree right next to it! Yet, the Qur’an teaches us that it is not ultimately our own efforts which determine how much fruit we will bear. There is a divine order that regulates these things. And if we want to make up for these differences in our outcomes, then all we have to do is to show gratitude for what we have. This is an Islamic teaching … In Sūrah #34, Verse #37, Allah tells us that He does not care about what we attain of status, or prestige, or material goods. You do not have to have a really expensive car, or travel all around the world, in order to attain Paradise. Rather, what God cares about, is how we use the things that we have already been given.
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Speaking of cars: let’s take a closer look at them, since they are clearly a status symbol for some. And again, there’s nothing wrong with having a nice car. All of our material possessions can be put to great use, by intending them for the benefit and service of others. Life is not about denying ourselves all sensual pleasure. It is simply a matter of understanding what the most important thing is, to keep in mind.
Driving is an interesting phenomenon, especially in a city like Grand Rapids … I drive a lot myself, and I like to observe people’s behavior when they’re on the road. For the most part, people are very tense when they drive. This is why, for me, it does not make sense to a buy a brand-new this or that, if it will not help you to attain peace of mind when you’re on the road. That would be an example of an incorrectly pursued path; and part of gratitude is to handle delicately that which we have been blessed with. So the proper correlation, I think, would be that the more expensive of a car you have, the more relaxed and carefree of a driver you should be. This would be an expression of gratitude to the Creator; and indeed, I do believe that wealth metaphysically contains, as part of its ideal essence, the need to become more noble as one acquires it. Otherwise, what would be the point?
A few days ago, I was driving around the city, doing some work-related errands. I don’t necessarily have the nicest car; but when I drive, it’s like going to a sauna, or something. I am in a state of complete relaxation.
Those who drive behind me, however, do not seem to share this same sense of serenity. They are often furiously trying to pass me; and this is a clear indication, that people have not understood what the point of technology is. The advanced tech that we have can easily become a problem for us, if we do not understand that it comes with certain moral rules and obligations. But, that is all in short supply these days. And the result, as we can see, is all around us.
