understand-quran-what-do-we-know-about-satisfaction
by Kelly El-Yacoubi

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.

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