Satisfied heart

 

Everyone of us wants satisfaction in all aspects of our life.The question is what is satisfaction to the body,the mind and the soul? Satisfaction is the state of meeting one's expectations ,needs and desires according to the Oxford dictionary.If asked,I don't think anyone would say they are satisfied with their lives.IMHO,the levels of being satisfied vary from person to person and also varies when one life station moves to the next.

If my goals in life is to meet all the expectations,needs and desires of my body,mind and soul,then I would never ever achieve satisfaction because the goal posts will be shifted as soon as I arrive. What more the nature of the heart is moving up and down like sinusoidal waves.

As a muslim,my goal  in life is to seek the pleasure and the acceptance of Allah swt by being His obedient servant.In the Quran,it is mentioned that we are created to serve only Him.

Looking back over the last three decades of my adult life,my heart will never achieve satisfaction if the criteria of satisfaction is based on meeting all the my expectations, needs and desires as the goals in life. The only way to feel 'satisfied' is to accept whatever is fated for me. I must accept my 'qadha and 'qadar as one of the Rukun Iman.

From my understanding(please correct me if I am wrong), one must achieve the state of As-Saadah,then only one may have a satisfied heart.Below is an extract from a paragraph in the book entitled Prolegomena To The Metaphysics of Islam by Syed Muhammad Naguib Al-Attas:

Happiness(sa'adah) being the exact opposite of misery(shaqawah) and as known in the experience and consiousness of those who truly submissive to God and follow His guidance is not an end in itself because the highest good in life is the love of God. Enduring happiness in life refers not to the physical entity in man,not to the animal soul and body of man,nor it is a state of mind, or feeling that undergoes terminal states,nor pleasure nor amusement. It has to do with certainty(yaqin) of the ultimate Truth and fulfillment of action in conformity with that certainty.And certainty is a permanent state of conciousness natural to what is permanent in man and perceived by his spiritual organ of cognition which is the heart(qalb).It is peace and security and tranquility of the heart;it is knowledge(ma'rifah) and knowledge is true faith(iman).It is knowledge of God as He has described Himself in  genuine Revelation;it is also knowing one's rightful and hence proper place in the realm of creation and one's proper relationship with the Creator accompanied by requisite action('ibadah) in conformity with  that knowledge such that the condition which results is that of justice('adl).It is only through such knowledge that love of God can be attained in earthly life.

Below is a relevant ayat to the above topic:

13:28. "Those who believe, and whose hearts find satisfaction in the remembrance of Allah, for without doubt in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find satisfaction.

For the explaination of the above ayat,please click here.Wallahhu'alam.

Reminder: The month of Rejab begins tomorrow.

Comments

[Israd]

Assalamualaikum Pak Adib

Acceptance with one's destiny is actually liberating! It is easier said than done though. I think to attain that state of the soul, and to maintain it in that state is not easy, unless Allah makes it easy for us.

I agree with you Pak Adib. None of us will attain what we want out of life and be satifsfied with it, if that is our goal.

[Wok]

Assalamu alaikum Abe Dib,
Thanks for the reminder on the entry of Rejab. Marhaban ya Rejab, marhaban ya syahrul barakah.
There is a famous Istighfar Abdullah Nafiq, that is recited in the month of Rejab. May Allah SWT grants us HIS maghfirah.