Easy Living and Holding Firm to Allah’s Religion

Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala wanted to make things easy for us, and His Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) commanded us not to make things difficult. The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said, “Make things easy and do not make them difficult, cheer the people up by conveying glad tidings to them and do not repulse (them).”

Allah never asked us to do evil. All His commands are based upon what is good for His slaves, even what He commanded us to abandon. He is closer to us than [our] jugular vein. He made this life suitable for our living, provided us with all the benefits of life, and surrounded us with His Bounties.

At some points, these aspects of life will come into confrontation with our tendency to please Allah. Souls will be torn between doing things that give them happiness and doing what pleases Allah, and it is not an easy test! For that reason, Allah told us to create a balance between enjoying life’s benefits and holding tight to His religion at all times, especially in times of Fitna (tests).

A solid understanding of our religion and the Commands of Allah will make obtaining this balance easier for us. In this way, we can lead a successful and peaceful life on this earth until we meet Allah. By learning, we understand that we have responsibilities towards Allah first, the One Who created us and provided us with whatever we need to live on this earth.

Balancing the Interests of This Life and the Hereafter

Balancing between the interests of this life and the interests of the hereafter is achieved when Muslims seek to gain the advantages of this life carefully and economically, with no excess or negligence. This journey requires a sharp mind and strong belief, as it must be done without missing any compulsory actions, for example.

It was narrated from Abu Humaid As-Sa’idi that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ”Be moderate in seeking worldly things, for everyone will be facilitated for which he was created.”

This life is riddled with desires and fancy, fake appearances, but it would not be the most accurate decision to abandon it completely. Our bodies have rights over us. Getting enough nutrition, sleep, and exercise is very important, but we should not make our main goal revolve around getting into the best shape without committing to Allah’s commands.

Our families, friends, and loved ones have rights upon us too. We should visit and gather with them, but we must not spend all our time trying to please them. Also, we should not let our gatherings and visits stand as stones in our path to Allah.

For example, in some gatherings, backbiting, irony, and malicious gossip are likely to spread. But if a Muslim makes his goal to attend these gatherings and visits with the intention of pleasing Allah, he should avoid committing what is haram during these visits. The problem occurs when Muslims choose the dunya (this life) over the hereafter, making this life their goal, and losing their religion because of gaining some sort of pleasure.

To live in isolation is not a condition for doing deeds for the hereafter. The clear way of the Prophets and pious people was to maintain contact with others. Ibn ‘Umar (RAA) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “A believer who mixes with people and endures their annoyance is better than the one who does not mix with them and does not endure their annoyance.”

 

How Can We Maintain Balance Between Life and Religion?

The basics of this balance are based on doing compulsory deeds. Allah said in Surah Al-Jumu’ah, Ayah 10: ”Then when the (Jumu’ah) Salat (prayer) is finished, you may disperse through the land, and seek the Bounty of Allah (by working, etc.), and remember Allah much, that you may be successful.” ( فَإِذَا قُضِيَتِ الصَّلَاةُ فَانتَشِرُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَابْتَغُوا مِن فَضْلِ اللَّهِ وَاذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ كَثِيرًا لَّعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ).

Firstly, Allah allowed us to seek what benefits us from this life, and He urged us to do so. Allah is All-Encompassing and Wise, and Allah’s Favors are great upon us. He said that with a sincere intention, your worldly deed can become a deed for the sake of Allah if you intend to do this action to please Allah. Thus, everything can be for the sake of Allah with your intention, and Allah, by His Will, accepts it.

Secondly, good company that guides you towards worshipping Allah, enjoining what is right, forbidding what is wrong, and believing in Allah will help you to enjoy your life and be a good Muslim.

Thirdly, learning and studying are among the most important factors in achieving this balance. It is always said that you cannot obtain something if you do not understand its reality. This journey of learning always starts with the Quran and the Seerah of the Prophet Muhammad. Then, getting deeper into learning Fiqh (Islamic law) and Hadith are also great supports for your belief.

Fourthly, Dua and remembrance of Allah. The Prophet Muhammad said in his Duas: ”O Allah, let not worldly affairs be our principal concern, or the ultimate limit of our knowledge, and let not those rule over us who do not show mercy to us.”

This is the core of the balance between life and religion. May Allah guide us to the best of deeds and make us good Muslims.