A servant has not been afflicted with a punishment more severe than the hardening of the heart and being distant from Allah.

“Among the punishments of sins are that they get rid of blessing and bring about calamities.”

It is benefiting for man to seek assistance with Allāh in every matter, even small matters like, leaving to and from a place, eating, drinking and wearing one’s clothes.

إِذَا كُنْتَ فِي زَمَانٍ يُرْضَى فِيهِ بِالْقَوْلِ دُونَ الْفِعْلِ، وَالْعِلْمِ دُونَ الْعَمَلِ، فَاعْلَمْ بِأَنَّكَ فِي شَرِّ زَمَانٍ بَيْنَ شَرِّ النَّاسِ.

If you live in a time in which people are content with speech without action,

and with knowledge without implementation,

then know that you are in the worst of times among the worst of people.

It is sufficient (motivation) for the one holding on to the Sunnah in the last times that he has the reward of fifty from the Sahābah (radiyAllāhu ’anhum ajma’īn).

“I was married to a student of Islamic knowledge, yet he constantly reminded me of my illness and made me feel like a burden. That experience taught me one lesson: never be deceived by titles, appearances, or reputation. Look at a person's character, for that is what you will live with every day.”

You do not need more than a sensible husband with good character, who establishes the five daily prayers, earns from halal sources, and has a connection with the Qur'an and worship.

Remove from your list the conditions that social media has filled your mind with.

There are homes filled with oppression, abuse, and misery despite an abundance of beards, Islamic texts, certificates, and titles. And there are homes filled with mercy, tranquillity, and kindness among ordinary Muslims who may never have studied advanced Islamic sciences, yet understand what it means to fear Allah and treat others well.

A person's books, certificates, and reputation *do not guarantee a successful marriage if they do not act upon what they know. So look first at their character, manners, and religion before looking at their memorization, status, or popularity.

The title of “Shaykh” will not lessen the pain of oppression. Knowledge alone will not benefit others if it is not accompanied by good character. A long beard will not show mercy if the heart is harsh and the tongue is hurtful.

Shaykh Ibn ʿUthaymīn رحمه الله said:

If the seeker of knowledge does not display virtuous character and good manners, then his pursuit of knowledge is futile.

[شرح حلية طالب العلم، للشيخ محمد بن صالح العثيمين رحمه الله | ص ٨]

A man is not measured by what he knows, but by how he lives. And the real test of a person's religion is often found in the way they treat those under their care when no one is watching.

‎“For the believer, the world is the place of good-doing that brings him nearer to Allāh. The unbeliever, however, makes use of the world in disobeying Allāh and incurring His punishment upon himself.”

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

“Seven are those whom Allah will shade in His shade on the Day when there is no shade except His shade:

1. A just ruler.

2. A young person who grew up in the worship of Allah.

3. A person whose heart is attached to the mosques.

4. Two people who love one another for the sake of Allah; they meet upon that and part upon that.

5. A man who is called by a woman of status and beauty, but he says: ‘Indeed, I fear Allah.’

6. A person who gives charity and conceals it so much that his left hand does not know what his right hand has spent.

7. A person who remembers Allah in private and his eyes overflow with tears.”

No amount of money can buy true happiness. No spouse, no status, no possessions, no worldly achievement can fill the emptiness of a heart that is distant from Allah.

How many people have wealth yet live in anxiety? How many have beauty yet feel broken? How many have families, homes, and everything they once dreamed of, yet still search for peace?

Real happiness is not found in what we own, but in Who we worship.

When Allah is pleased with you, your heart finds a tranquility that no wealth can purchase and no hardship can take away. The sweetness of iman, the comfort of sincere du’a, the peace of tawbah, and the hope of meeting Allah are treasures greater than anything this dunya can offer.

This world was never meant to be our paradise. It is a place of tests, losses, lessons, and temporary joys. The believer’s true goal is not to gain the world, but to gain the pleasure of Allah.

So do not let your heart become attached to what fades. Attach it to the One who never fades. Seek the pleasure of Allah above all else, for whoever finds Allah has found everything, and whoever loses Allah has lost everything, even if they possess the entire world.

May Allah make us among those whose hearts find peace in His remembrance, whose greatest concern is His pleasure, and whose ultimate success is Jannatul-Firdaws. Ameen.

َنْ سَرَّتْهُ حَسَنَتُهُ وَسَاءَتْهُ سَيِّئَتُهُ فَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ

“Whoever is pleased by his good deeds and saddened by his bad deeds is a believer.”

Abu Umamah (رضي الله عنه) reported:

A man asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ:

“What is faith (Iman)?”

He replied:

“If your good deed pleases you and your bad deed saddens you, then you are a believer.”

The man asked:

“O Messenger of Allah, what is sin?”

He replied:

“When something causes doubt or unease within yourself, then leave it.”

So, how (serious) would it be with the flesh of the Prophets?!”

‎صحبت عبد الله ابن عمر – رضي الله عنه – أربعة و ثلاثين شهراً فكثيرا ما كان يُسأل فيقول : لا أدري ، ثم يلتفت إليَّ فيقول : تدري ما يريد هؤلاء ، يريدون أن يجعلوا ظهورنا جسراً لهم إلى جهنم

’Uqbah bin Muslim said: For 34 years I kept Ibn ’Umar’s company and he used to often say ”I don’t know” (when he was asked about anything).

Whereupon he would turn towards me and say: ”Do you know what these people want? They want to make our backs bridges into the Hellfire (by speaking about Islam without knowledge)!

‎The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

‎Indeed, Allah, the Most High, says:

‎O son of Adam, devote yourself to My worship, and I will fill your heart with richness and remove your poverty. But if you do not do so, I will fill your hands

with occupation and I will not remove your poverty.

-Jami’ at-Tirmidhi

Once a woman complained to 'Ā'ishah رضي الله عنها about the hardness of the heart, so 'Ā'ishah said, "Increase in the remembrance of death, it will soften your heart." So the woman [went away and] did that and her heart softened. So she returned to 'Ā'ishah رضي الله عنها to thank her.

• Being patient with it - It's obligatory

• Being pleased with it - It's Sunnah

• Being grateful for it - It's most virtuous/best