Don’t Seek Fulfilment
of All Your Desires
To succeed in life, one should keep one’s desires in control. One’s attitude should be based on well-considered principles, rather than let it be influenced by selfish thinking and desires.
Addressing the Prophet Dawud, the Quran sets forth a principle in chapter 38: “Do not follow your desires, lest they divert you from God’s path.” (38:26)
God has created a right path for humans and has then inculcated this right path in human nature itself. If a person understands this silent guidance of nature and follows it, he will never go astray; he will never deviate from this straight path; he will continue to follow this thoroughfare of life until he finally reaches his destination.
There can be only one thing which will make a person deviate from this thoroughfare of nature and that is his own desires. These desires tempt a person at every turn in life. Wise is one who does not follow the path of his desires. One who has been overcome by his desires and strayed from this straight path of his nature will fall into disgrace, and one who has digressed from the path of nature will be destined for destruction.
A person’s desires lead him astray in different ways. Sometimes he is embroiled in apparent glitter and is far removed from deeper realities. Sometimes for immediate gain he strays from the path which is going to lead him to permanent benefit. Sometimes some matter is taken up as a prestige issue and the person concerned gets provoked, and not thinking of the consequences, he takes to the path of violence. It is he himself who suffers the most from taking this course of action.
A person’s desires are the greatest enemy of humanity. One who wants to lead a successful life must keep his desires in control rather than allow himself to come under the influence of his desires. Instead of seeking to fulfil all of his desires, a person must stick to higher principles. Instead of becoming the victim of his desires he must adhere to lofty human principles. His attitude at all times should be based on well-considered principles, rather than let it be influence by selfish thinking and desires.
