The rewards of just seeking for God’s approval

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The rewards of just seeking for God’s approval

If you pay attention, you will notice that most people try to win the approval, likeness, and love of each other throughout their lives—of friends, bosses, co-workers, neighbours, followers, children… In the life of a person with this kind of mentality, there is always someone he aims to please, in his way of life, from his style of dressing and his manner of speech to the music he listens to, basically, in everything.

This, from many different perspectives, is a very difficult, boring, tiring, and wearisome life. Above all else, one who seeks other people’s approval will always have to suppress his conscience. For example, he will hesitate to point out the wrongful actions of a group of friends he has recently made, in order not to be an outcast and to be accepted by others.

All his life he will make concessions in what his conscience tells him out of fear of being alone and losing the people around him. This behaviour will make him very uncomfortable in the beginning, but with time his conscience will become completely rusty and he will become unable to differentiate between right and wrong, good and bad, and beauty and ugliness.

Another difficulty likely to arise for one who tries to please many people is the possibility of angering one person while pleasing another. While a person is trying to please his friends he can anger his family and lose them, and vice versa. Or, when he is trying to make a good impression in his boss’ eyes, he may win the contempt of his co-workers. As a consequence to all these, obviously it is predictable that there will be discomfort, tension, and discontent in this person’s life.

A sincere Muslim on the other hand seeks only God’s approval. It is not what other people will say about him that is important, but rather what God commands. Seeking God’s consent and acting accordingly are always the most righteous way.

In one of His verses God tells us of the difference between the situation of a person who seeks God’s consent and the situation of a person who is “owned” by several disagreeing partners:

God has made a metaphor for them of a man belonging to several partners in dispute with one another and another man belonging wholly to a single man. Are they the same? Praise be to God! The fact is that most of them have no knowledge. (Qur’an, 39:29)

As the verse clarifies, the only suitable course for a person’s life to take is along a path leading to God’s approval. Bediuzzaman also declares that striving to achieve God’s approval will always bring a very easy life:

You should seek Divine pleasure in your actions. If Almighty God is pleased, it is of no importance even should the whole world be displeased. If He accepts an action and everyone else rejects it, it has no effect. Once His pleasure has been gained and He has accepted an action, even if you do not ask it of Him, should He wish it and His wisdom requires it, He will make others accept it. He will make them consent to it too. (Bediuzzaman Said Nursi, The Risale-i Nur Collection, The Flashes Collection, The 21st Flash)

This reflection of Bediuzzaman, is extremely important; it is the key to real sincerity and earnestness. A person can be a truly sincere and devout Muslim only by seeking God’s approval. If one leans towards gaining other people’s approval in the things he does, then there is definitely hypocrisy involved in this issue. And hypocrisy leads to ruin both in this world and the Hereafter.

First of all, those who seek other people’s approval will never be able to receive the reaction they expect. They will keep trying to please the other person as if fawning on him, but he will not be able to appreciate their hard work. And even if he does recognize their labour, he is probably a helpless and a pitiful person himself.

The only Judge and Owner of everything, God, gives the good news of infinite Heaven for those who seek His approval, and Heaven is a place where everything a person can desire is present. God has declared that only those who obey His wishes will be saved:

God guides those

who follow what pleases Him

to the ways of Peace.

He will bring them

from the darkness to the light

by His will,and guide them

to a straight path.

(Qur’an, 5:16)

Obeying only God’s commands will bring everyone the easiest, the best, and most joy-filled life both in this world and the Hereafter.

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How perfect You are O Allah, and I praise You. I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped except You. I seek Your forgiveness and turn to You in repentance.

'Our Lord, give us good in this world, and good in the hereafter, and safeguard us from the punishment of the Fire.' (Aameen)
(Qur'an, 2:200-201)