Don’t be a Slave to Your Desires

Don’t be a Slave to Your Desires Don’t be a Slave to Your Desires D esires are an integral part of human nature. All men and women have a strong tilt towards fulfilling their desires and this is their greatest weakness. Pointing out the gravity of this failing, the chapter Al-Jathiyah (Kneeling) of the Quran admonishes us on this subject in alarming terms: Consider the one who has taken his own desire as a deity, whom God allows to stray in the face of knowledge, sealing his ears and heart and covering his eyes—who can guide such a person after God [has abandoned him]? Will you not take heed? (45:23) Desire is an essential part of one’s personality. But it is like grease to an engine and not like the driver of that engine. Desire can serve as a motive force, but mindless yielding to desire will lead to disaster. If you want to be successful, try to steer your life in a rational manner. Don’t give it over to your desires. Remember that where desire is blind, reason has the capacity to discern the true nature of things. It is said that man is a slave to desire. But this saying expresses only half of the truth. It is a fact that the human mind is full of desires but, at the same time, it is also true that man’s mind has the capacity for logical thought. When you find that your mind is overwhelmed by desire, examine that desire in the light of reality. Assess it in terms of its potential results, and find out objectively whether it is feasible or not to fulfil it. Judge it by all the possible effects it can have,