Understanding Desire and Its Critical Perspective
Desire can be described as the inclination of the soul towards what it loves and finds suitable. It functions as a double-edged sword; when it aligns with Islamic law and moral values, it is considered commendable, and its pursuit is encouraged. Conversely, when it contradicts these principles, it is disdained and leads to ruin and regret for the individual. The prevalence of this negative aspect is often highlighted in religious texts, both in the Quran and the Sunnah. The struggle against one’s whims is deemed a necessary action in Islamic teachings. As the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, “The true warrior is the one who fights against his desires for the sake of Allah.”
Quranic Verses Condemning Following One’s Desires
Below are several verses from the Holy Quran that illustrate the disapproval of following one’s whims:
- Allah Almighty states: {So do not follow your desires, lest you deviate.}.
- Allah Almighty states: {Judge between the people with justice and do not follow your desires, for they will lead you astray from the path of Allah.}.
- Allah Almighty states: {Nor does he speak from his own desire.}.
- Allah Almighty states: {And as for him who fears the position of his Lord and restrains himself from desire.}.
- Allah Almighty states: {Is it that every time a messenger comes to you with what your souls do not desire, you are arrogant?}.
- Allah Almighty states: {And if you follow their desires after the knowledge that has come to you, you will have no protector or savior from Allah.}.
- Allah Almighty states: {And if you follow their desires after the knowledge that has come to you, then indeed you are among the wrongdoers.}.
- Allah Almighty states: {And do not follow their desires away from what has come to you of the truth.}.
- Allah Almighty states: {And judge between them by what Allah has revealed, and do not follow their desires.}.
- Allah Almighty states: {Whenever a messenger comes to them with what their souls do not desire, a group denies while another group kills.}.
- Allah Almighty states: {And do not follow the desires of a people who have gone astray before and have caused many to go astray.}.
- Allah Almighty states: {Say, ‘I will not follow your desires; I would then be misguided, and I am not among the rightly guided.’}.
- Allah Almighty states: {And indeed, many will lead astray by their desires without knowledge.}.
- Allah Almighty states: {And do not follow the desires of those who have denied Our signs.}.
- Allah Almighty states in Surah Al-A’raf: {And if We had wished, We would have raised him by it, but he clung to the earth and followed his desires.}.
- Allah Almighty states: {And do not obey one whose heart We have made heedless of Our remembrance and who follows his desires.}.
- Allah Almighty states: {Let not those who disbelieve in it deter you; whoever follows their desires will indeed be in perdition.}.
- Allah Almighty states: {If truth were to follow their desires, the heavens and the earth and all who dwell in them would have certainly gone to ruin.}.
- Allah Almighty states: {Have you seen him who has taken his god as his desire? Will you then be a guardian over him?}.
- Allah Almighty states: {And if they do not respond to you, know that they are only following their desires.}.
- Allah Almighty states: {And who is more astray than one who follows his desires without guidance from Allah?}.
- Allah Almighty states: {Rather, they followed the desires of those who have wronged them, without knowledge.}.
- Allah Almighty states in Surah Ash-Shura: {So call to Allah and remain steadfast as you have been commanded, and do not follow their desires.}.
- Allah Almighty states: {Follow it and do not follow the desires of those who do not know.}.
- Allah Almighty states: {Have you seen him who has taken his god as his desire and Allah has led him astray due to knowledge?}.
- Allah Almighty states: {Is the one who is guided by clear evidence from his Lord, like one to whom his evil deeds have been made attractive and who follows his desires?}.
- Allah Almighty states: {Those are the ones upon whose hearts Allah has sealed, and they follow their desires.}.
- Allah Almighty states: {They follow nothing but conjecture and what their souls desire.}.
- Allah Almighty states: {And they denied the truth and followed their desires, and every matter will be settled.}.