ultimate goal

[jameelash]

Al-Haadi.org
How would you respond to the following question: What is your ultimate goal in life? Would any of the following responses ever be heard?:
To become super-rich
To keep expanding one’s business
To have the best comforts and luxuries
To acquire the highest qualifications in one’s field
To build one’s dream home or to own the smartest car
Never! … A thousand times never! We are Mu’mineen (Believers). Our ultimate goal can never be such mundane things. A Mu’min’s ultimate goal can only be that which Allah Ta’ala has himself declared: “And the Pleasure of Allah is the greatest” (S9:72). Since the pleasure of Allah Ta’ala is the ultimate goal, whatever is necessary in order to acquire His pleasure must be happily undertaken while anything that becomes an obstacle in the path of obtaining His pleasure must be sacrificed.
The great ibadah of Qurbani (sacrificing an animal on the occasion of Eidul-Adha) teaches us exactly this lesson. The love for one’s child is more than the love for everything in the world. One’s last cent will be spent to save the life of one’s child. Yet when Hazrath Ibrahim (A.S.) was commanded to slaughter his son, he set out to fulfil the command in order to acquire the pleasure of Allah Ta’ala. Qurbani is a commemoration of this great spirit of sacrifice. It is a reminder of the fundamental lesson that the pleasure of Allah Ta’ala is the ultimate goal and nothing must come in the way of attaining it.
FOR ALLAH TA’ALA ALONE
In order to acquire the pleasure of Allah Ta’ala, we must be guided by His commandments and by the noble example of our beloved Rasul (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam). Everything must be for Allah Ta’ala alone, as commanded in the Glorious Qur’an: “Say, verily my salaah, my acts of worship, my living and my dying are for Allah, the Rabb (Nurturer) of the universe” (S6:162).
To understand this fundamental concept, consider the following examples:
BUSINESS: If one engages in business, it must be for the sake of Allah Ta’ala alone – that is to fulfil His command to acquire halaal sustenance and to take care of the needs of one’s family. Hence when the business is for Allah alone, the business must stop for salaah – salaah must not be put on hold for business. Likewise the most lucrative deal must be sacrificed if it entails any haraam element. All the laws of Shariah pertaining to business must be upheld, since the business is for Allah alone.
LEAST EXPENSES
NIKAH: Nikah is a great ibadah. One who gets married has completed half his Imaan. Nikah is also for Allah Ta’ala alone. Therefore it will be done in a manner that earns His pleasure. One of the most fundamental aspects to earn His pleasure in Nikah is adopting simplicity. Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) has declared: “The most blessed Nikah is wherein the least expenses were incurred” (Mishkaat). Thus if a Nikah is for Allah alone it will be a simple affair, not a lavish function. Thousands of rands will not be wasted on “deco.” Intermingling of males and females, music and other haraam activities will never take place. Let alone haraam activities, nothing will be done merely to impress people – since it is for Allah Ta’ala alone.
DRESSING: One’s dressing is also for Allah Ta’ala alone. Thus the choice of clothes must conform to the Qur’an and Sunnah. Tight-fitting, revealing or western-style garments must never be worn, nor must the brand culture be followed. One must never dress to impress people (except the wife dressing for her husband) since Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) has declared: “The one who wears clothing to impress people, Allah Ta’ala will clothe him in garments of disgrace on the day of Qiyamah.”
GONE TO WASTE SERVING DEEN:
The primary objective of our existence on earth is to worship Allah Ta’ala and to serve His Deen. It is obvious that serving Deen must be for Allah Ta’ala alone or else it will be rejected in His court. Therefore, one will ensure that the manner of serving Deen that one has adopted is pleasing to Allah Ta’ala. Hence transgressing the laws of Shariah to “serve” Deen totally contradicts the objective of working for Allah Ta’ala alone. The Qur’an describes such people as “… those whose efforts in the world have gone to waste, whereas they thought they were doing great acts” (S18:103). Thus if our service to Deen is for Allah Ta’ala alone, it must be done in conformance to Deen. These are merely some examples. Every aspect of our life must be scrutinized in the same way. Is it for Allah Ta’ala alone … or is it for my ego, status, position, power, name and fame or for any other ulterior motive.
FULL OF BARAKAH
Whatever is for Allah Ta’ala only is full of barakah and will be accepted in the court of Allah Ta’ala. The benefits of such actions are received in this world and the unimaginable rewards await one in the Hereafter, where Allah Ta’ala will manifest His total pleasure. That is the ultimate goal.

[greenhill]

Salaam,

That is the basic thing, the intentions as to why we are doing whatever we are doing in the first place. I completely agree.

The problem is the distractions we are faced with in this day and age. The strong messages we are bombarded with on 'wordly' things and the changes in society that has lowered the standards in ethics and the acceptance in general that change is good and progress (almost at any expense) should be embraced has laid the foundation for 'blindness' in seeing the pure message that is then categorised as being 'old fashioned and out of date'.

It is becoming increasingly difficult to avoid these distractions. Especially when these very things, our everyday worldly things, like our rent or bills etc are staring at us. And the more responsibilities we have the more the load is in our shoulders or mind or whatever. If we are having relationship problems on top of it, be it with sibling, parent, spouse or friend there is additional burden. These things need to be attended to, too as well as your physical needs of food, sleep and stuff. From one thing to another, then we are struck with health problems, what more?

As we slide from one situation to another, we never consider that other issues may also arise. And then something else crops up, it becomes very easy to forget what we are doing and why. We are so busy trying to settle our worldly matters that we forget Allah.

What is even more of a waste ( I say this to remind myself too) is not to acknowledge the test thrown to us. Then we ask for his blessings as we strive to better our situation without expectation but for His mercy. Hopefully get bonus points. We are His slaves. We get what we are given. Nothing wrong with asking for better, though. But expect nothing but His mercy.

Easy to say, but in this day and age, living it in the city can be very corrupting. And the real message slides off easily from conscious thoughts.

Peace :shade: