Even older people enjoy watching these children play this game...

Even older people enjoy watching these children play this game, laugh at them and lovingly say to themselves, “What are these young children doing!?” At the same time, other people look at us and what we do and laugh at us! What do they say in regards to us: “What, do these people think they are doing?!

Do they think that they are going to live in this world forever [that they are carrying on in this fashion]?” After this warning, the Noble Prophet (S) presents five commandments, each of which he has mentioned at other occasions.

In reality, each of these sayings forms an independent plan of action for our life: The first part of the tradition tells us, “Do not prefer your lower desires over the obedience to your Lord.” The vigilant and spiritually awake person is one who places the obedience of Allah (SwT) over the obedience of the passions of his soul.

When such a person is at the crossroads of life, it is made clear who is the Muslim and who is not, just as it has been mentioned in verse 20 of Suratul Nisa in which we read: وَ يَقُولُونَ نُؤْمِنُ بِبَعْضٍ وَ نَكْفُرُ بِبَعْضٍ “And they say, we believe in a part of it, and we disbelieve in a part of it…” In regards to these types of people, it is clear that they have not yet become Muslims - those who have truly submitted!

The true believer (Mo`min) and one who has truly submitted (Muslim) do not place their lower desires and wishes above the wishes of Allah (SwT). The true believer (Mo`min) and one who has truly submitted (Muslim) are not the sort of people who would do whatever their lower desires and wishes want them to do, throwing the rulings of Allah (SwT) under their feet and trampling upon them!

Those who follow their lower desires instead of Allah (SwT) state, “Whenever I want something and realize that it is according to what my lower self desires, however at the same time it is also exactly the same as the rulings and commandments of Allah (SwT), I say to myself, 'That which Allah (SwT) wants is contained in this ruling, and thus, I will follow it.

However when it comes to the rulings of Allah (SwT) which go against my own lower desires and passions, then I state, 'This ruling of His is difficult to follow' and this action is a matter of necessity (to perform) and since it is stated that: أَلضَّرُورَاتُ تُبِيحُ الْمَحْذُورَاتِ.

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