Sacrifice Your Desires

Let go of your desires, and know - may Allah guide you - that sacrifices are not just the animals slaughtered on the first days of Eid. They are also the sins you haven't yet rid yourself of, and you've decided to make them your sacrifice this year. Perhaps your sacrifice is your patience in a job that exhausts you seeking the pleasure of your Lord in it.

Maybe your efforts are on a path whose end is known only to Allah, or a deed tainted by hypocrisy and deceit, or a prestigious position you desire but haven't renewed your intention for, seeking it for greatness and fame. Love for status among people has crept into your heart.

Not all sacrifices involve slaughtering livestock upon which the name of Allah is mentioned. Sacrifice your desires instead. Let go of your desires and don't attach yourself to anything or anyone, for everything perishes except the countenance of your Lord.

Have you not seen how Ibrahim clung to his son? Even when fate led them to the altar, he intended to sacrifice only his desires and his attachment to his son.

Sacrifice your desires and you will find redemption. That's the equation: You are only tested in your love for Allah when something other than Him creeps into your heart. So, let your heart have spaces for everyone, but there is a sacred space with a sign on its door that reads, "Know that there is no god but Allah," meaning, only Allah dwells there.

Beware of losing yourself among others and straying from the path. Be with them, from them, in them, to them, and away from them. The connection to your family is a connection to Him. When you fall short, your family will intercede for you, the family of Allah. Perhaps the lost youth will receive the care of Allah by sending people to guide them to His care. These are the ones who light the way, whose hearts see and hear.

You may feel like a stranger among everyone, but among them, you find your homeland and refuge.

So, know that there is no god but Allah... There is no god but Allah.

 

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