Humans seek satisfaction. We all need food, shelter, clothing, friendship, love, peace, and happiness. We spend our days pursuing things that we hope will make us satisfied.
In our globalized world it’s easier than ever for you to find exactly what you’re looking for. If you want to know something you can search the web and have the answer almost instantly. If you’re craving a certain food, grocery stores that stock items from all over the world will probably be able to provide it to you. We live in a time of instant gratification and instant satisfaction.
Never Feeling Satisfied
Despite having the world at our fingertips, we often feel dissatisfied. The new clothes we purchase lose their novelty. The marriage we thought would fix our problems eventually moves out of the honeymoon phase. The amount of money in our bank accounts, whether it be $100 or $100,000, is never quite enough.
We foolishly continue thinking that just one more thing will satisfy us. In the Quran Allah (swt) reveals to us that this approach will fail: Competition in [worldly] increase diverts you Until you visit the graveyards. [Quran, 102:1-2]
The Secret to Feeling Satisfied
Let’s stop and think. What do we know about satisfaction? Psychologists know that we humans feel satisfied when things go our way. But they also know that things never go our way all the time– pleasure is temporary and discomfort is inevitable.
What a sweet mercy that Allah (swt) made the world like this. Because of His love for you, His servant, He made everything in the world unsatisfying so that you would seek Him. He is enough. That’s why the Prophet Muhammad taught us the dua HasbiAllah (“Allah is Sufficient for me”).
He made your heart so that the only thing that would truly satisfy it is Him. Our Prophet (peace be upon him) related a famous Hadith Qudsi wherein Allah (swt) says: The heavens and the earth cannot contain Me, but the heart of a true believer can. Allah also tells us in the Quran: Unquestionably, by the remembrance of Allah hearts are assured. [from Quran,13:28] Finally, in Surat Al-Fajr Allah calls out to the satisfied soul to enter His Jannah.
Start Today
We all have needs. It’s okay to try to fulfill our worldly wants and needs, but that’s not where satisfaction comes from. Our hearts crave Allah (swt) and His remembrance. One of the best, if not the best, ways to remember Him is through His Word– the Quran.
We must slow down our never-ending pursuit of worldly things and start today to increase the time we read, study, learn, and understand the Quran so that we can know Allah (swt). We should try to do it with as much focus and energy as we put into pursuing our worldly needs. If we do this, inshaa Allah our hearts will fill with Allah (swt) alone, and we’ll finally feel satisfied.
Kelly El-Yacoubi is a convert to Islam and freelance writer.
Jazakumu Laah kheyral jazaa. This is truely satisfying message! May ALLAH (SW) reward your efforts in reminding fellow believers about their Creator!
This is an eye opener. May allah reward you for wonderful article.
I feel, all the wants(wishes) are taken as needs for craving. We forget our soul has needs and it has rights upon us.
Understanding salah seems to be a point of action. The quality time spent talking to Allah during 5 prayers daily would bring difference in our attitude.
Jazakallahu khairan brother, I enjoyed this wonderful contribution. May Allah(SWT) reward you, ameen thumma ameen.
Bissalam brother.
Golden words…
enough said !
Subhanallah this is so true!!! Alhamdulillah for Islam and for making us Muslims.
“The heavens and the earth cannot contain Me, but the heart of a true believer can.”
This hadith is actually fabricated. Scholars like al-Iraqi, al-Ijluni, as-Sakhawi, as-Suyuti all said this hadith has no basis and cannot be found to be from Rasulullah. Ibn Taymiya stated that it may be from the israelite traditions.
So we should be careful.
Jazaka Allahu Khairan for writing this article and or let us know about this, thanks for the reminder!.
jazakallah khair, a nice reminder 🙂
Very nicely written.All I can say that God give you a great reward for this.Ameen
a truly inspiring and satisfying article ,may Allah bless the writer
This is beautiful and very true.
Wonderful post… jazak’Allahu khair for sharing.
Quran 87v16/17 Nay(behold),ye prefer the life of this world;but the Hereafter is better and more enduring . Alhamdulillah,the message is direct and need to pounder upon to attain our primary goal of this world Jazaka Allah Khair.
Its truly make us to think for a while..May allah bless u..
Jazakallah Khairun for the beautiful and inspiring article.May Allah (SWT) fill our hearts with satisfaction.AMEEN and May Allah(SWT) always be with you.AMEEN.
Mashallah. May youre all wishes come true. ALLAH SWT inshallah gives you a beautiful place in Jannah. Believe me when I say because there is not without a reason I wrote this to you.