We live in a time when God is not properly known, and the essence and spirit of religion are misunderstood. Unfortunately, we have succumbed to appearances, formalities, and been deceived by the world. There is a serious need for renewal (tajdid) in our hearts. We need to feel the Divine revelation as if it is descending from the heavens anew. May Allah grant us individuals with sincere voices and breaths who will realize such a renewal! For if the actions done in the name of religion and the words spoken to convey religion are tainted with hypocrisy, self-admiration, pride, or self-promotion, they may seem meaningful to some people on the surface, but in reality, they hold no value for religion and faith. Such words and behaviors cannot benefit either those who utter them or those who listen to them. They cannot serve as a means for people to transcend their animalistic nature, leave behind their corporeal desires and material existence, and rise to a life of heart and soul. People who lack sincerity in their hearts are merely jumping in place; they can hardly move two steps forward, and while trying to ascend, they actually sink deeper.

Those Whose Concern is the World

The Noble Messenger (Prophet Muhammad) foretold that in the end times, some people would recite the Qur’an, yet the verses they recite would not go beyond their throats.[1] You might call these individuals “throat lords” or “vocal artists”. They aim to express themselves and showcase their artistry through the verses they recite, and the naat and supplications they chant. However, none of the words that come from their mouths originate from their hearts. Their hearts and minds are disconnected, and they lead a dualistic life. Unfortunately, we live in such a deprived and lost era. We have lost much of the essence and beauty of religion. To repair the damage that has been done, we need serious and long-term efforts.

Those whose sole goal is the world, worldly life and its comfort and pleasures, will never find true peace. Those whose concern is the world will have as many worries as the world itself. Turn to your conscience, review your life, your surroundings, and the world you live in. You will see how many people obsessed with the world writhe in a thousand troubles. They turn their lives into hell to stay in the world a little longer, to gain more pleasure from it, and to increase their worldly possessions. While trying to make the worldly life prosperous, they unwittingly deplete their provisions for the Hereafter. Sometimes even religious people follow such worldly individuals, listen to their words, and without realizing it, turn their backs on sublime truths and slowly begin to slide down from their positions. If they do not come to their senses and do not gather their wits, God forbid, they may eventually fall to the lowest of the low.

Alongside those whose concern is the world, there are also those whose concern is Allah. The only thing in their eyes and hearts is the desire for Allah’s pleasure, approval, and the longing for meeting Allah. Those who chase after the world, even if they live in palaces and villas, are constantly distressed by worry, fear, and a thousand troubles. Those who live for Allah, on the other hand, even if they are thrown into prisons, nailed to crosses, subjected to unbearable trials and tribulations, or confronted by fifty goblins at fifty different places, continue to breathe and sip peace.

Those Who Are Left Behind and Stranded Halfway

Alongside those who chase after the world, there are also those who have stumbled and fallen while walking in the direction of Allah’s pleasure and approval. They are the ones who have come halfway with hesitation. As mentioned in some verses of the Qur’an, Allah, according to His divine custom, subjects people to various trials from time to time to separate the gem from the ordinary rock, the diamond from the coal, and the gold from the stones and soil. It is during such times that those who practice Islam merely with their lips and tongues, without internalizing it or embedding it in their hearts, fall away. Those who are concerned with the world rather than Allah, those who are infatuated with the allures of the world instead of sublime truths, may fall off the path at some point.

Prophet Muhammad, the Pride of Humanity (peace and blessings be upon him), stated that his noble name and message would reach every place where the sun rises and sets. May Allah enable our generation and the generations to come to fulfill this lofty and sacred duty. This is such a holy and exalted task that if you mix even a tiny bit of worldly gain into it, you will have tainted it. Even if you pray, give alms, and perform all your acts of worship perfectly, if you tie such a sublime matter to personal gains and interests—like seeking power, gaining applause, attaining comfort, or acquiring worldly possessions—and if you oppose the essence and path of the Prophet, you will be left behind and fall off the path.

The Virus of Expectation

Those who constantly focus on themselves, keep their own accounts, try to maintain their own benefits and interests, ignore others, and chase only personal goals cannot genuinely consider others. No matter how beneficial, beautiful, and virtuous the services you provide for humanity are, if you are always thinking about your own personal interests, you will not achieve lasting success. Individuals driven by personal gains, even if they elevate people to the heavens or build ladders to paradise, their services will not promise a lasting future. Such feelings, thoughts, attitudes, and behaviors are contrary to the path of the Prophets. Allah (glorified and exalted be He) has shown the right path to the great Prophets, and they have perfectly embodied it. Therefore, they were credible to their audiences and had a profound impact on their hearts. The works they produced were enduring.

If you want to serve your religion, values, ideals, country, and be beneficial to humanity, you must erase yourself from the very beginning and forget about your personal interests. The most important capital for creating something significant is to tie yourself to selflessness and be committed to it. If you have praiseworthy virtues in terms of your efforts, knowledge, and wisdom, let others acknowledge it. If you believe you are walking on Allah’s path, you should know that your greatest capital is having no expectations in return.

Some expectations and calculations may bring you certain benefits, but these are only worldly and therefore temporary benefits. Moreover, even these are not guaranteed. Many tyrants and despots who have come to power have prioritized their own interests over serving the people and considering their benefits, ultimately bringing misery and regret upon themselves. These egotistic and narcissistic souls, who have been captivated by worldly gains, power, pomp, and splendor, often fail to revive their world while ruining their Hereafter. Indeed, linking everything, including the services that should be done on the path of Allah, to personal gains is a disease more dangerous than, say, fatal tuberculosis or cancer.

Those who tie their duties to wages and expectations cannot succeed. Expectation is like a virus that has no cure and leads a person to death. This virus can infect the body of a theologian as well as a politician. It can afflict an artist as well as a scientist. It can target a commander as well as a judge. Those who are infected by such a virus may seem successful on the surface, but in reality, their work is finished. As stated at the outset, they may temporarily contribute to some good and beauty, but these can never be permanent.

Allah is Sufficient for Us

In many verses, the Qur’an highlights the characteristic of having no expectations as a fundamental trait of Prophets and their sincere followers. For instance, in Surah Ya-Sin, it mentions the messengers sent to a city. While it is generally accepted that these messengers were the apostles of Jesus (peace be upon him), we do not have definitive knowledge about this. They could also be messengers sent by another Prophet or directly by Allah.

Allah sent two messengers to call the people of this city to truth and righteousness. When these two were denied, He reinforced them with a third. The people of the city responded by saying, “You are nothing but human beings like us! The Most Merciful has not revealed anything; you are only lying!”[2]. They accused the messengers of bringing bad luck and threatened to stone and punish them. At this point, a man from the farthest part of the city, who was familiar with the truth and perhaps had already accepted the Divine message, came running and said, “O my people, follow the messengers. Follow those who do not ask of you [any] payment, and they are [rightly] guided.”[3]

Expanding on his words and considering the broad meaning of guidance, we can express it as follows: How can you not follow these messengers? They do not ask for any payment or benefit in return for their guidance and duties. Moreover, they are on the right path, walking straight and guiding you to righteousness. Their goal is clear, their path open, and they tread a safe and secure route. There is nothing in what they say or in the truths they call you to that contradicts human nature, offends reason, or disturbs conscience and feelings. If you approach the matter with its inherent reasonableness, you will see that this path does not frighten, disturb, or provoke you. Shouldn’t such people be followed, and shouldn’t one progress under their guidance?

Looking at this verse from the perspective of its opposite meaning, we can say: Do not follow those who ask for payment in return for what they promise, who tie their services to expectations, and who indulge in luxury and opulence despite starting from humble beginnings. Follow those who, while walking towards Allah, say, as is expressed in an anonymous couplet, “I have given up both worlds; thus, I have no home left!” That is, “I’ve withdrawn from the allurements of the world, and I have no attachments, possessions, or expectations left,” and walk with such conviction.

The sole expectation of a true believer who wholeheartedly turns to Allah is from Allah alone. If Allah is pleased, He is sufficient for them. There is no need for anything else. Someone who is focused on Allah’s pleasure, even if they work tirelessly to realize their ideals, does not expect the people’s admiration, appreciation, or applause in return. If they are to feel grateful to anyone, it is not to those who praise them but to those who criticize them. They believe that praise and admiration can lead to arrogance and pride, while those who point out their faults help them avoid great dangers by showing them the scorpions on their necks.

To illustrate, imagine someone sees a scorpion on your neck and warns you about it. Instead of being angry at them for pointing it out, you would be grateful because they have potentially saved you from a harmful or even deadly situation. Similarly, when someone points out your character flaws or misdeeds, it is for your own good. Rather than taking offense, you should appreciate their concern for your well-being, both physically and spiritually. Refusing to acknowledge one’s faults is a sign of terrifying egotism.

What is important is selflessness and sincerity in serving others and following the path of righteousness. True success and spiritual growth come from having no personal expectations in return and being grateful for constructive criticism, as it helps one avoid pitfalls and elevate socially and spiritually here and in the hereafter.

[1] Bukhari, Fezailu’l-Qur’an 36; Muslim, Zakat 154.

[2]  Surah Ya-Sin, 36:15.

[3]  Surah Ya-Sin, 36:20-21.