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I Thought Fortune Would Bring Me Happiness

Yusuf Estes' Spiritual Journey

In the first 50 years or so of my life I had been married, divorced, remarried, had 5 children, 4 grandchildren and lived under some poor and some rich conditions.

I had been able to visit almost every state in the United States and visited 16 other countries around the world, including:

Monaco, the Grand Bahamas, Canada, Mexico, France, Germany, England, Italy, Sweden, Denmark, Holland, Ireland, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Denmark and Austria.

I have enjoyed the company of princes, paupers, rulers and slaves (really). I have been the guest in palaces and been a member of exclusive country clubs and even sat in jails with prisoners. I have made and lost large fortunes of wealth on this earth. I started my own business at 12 years of age. I made my first million before the age of 35. (I lost it by age 40)!

Several times after that I earned other fortunes and wasted them on foolishness. But I never considered I was a ‘looser’. I was only: “In between successes.”

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Now, please allow me to make a few observations about us as human beings.

No human can truly claim the ‘happiness of success’ unless and until he comes to grips with the truth of the purpose of life:

I had to ask some questions:

  1. How did we get here?
  2. Is this all there is?
  3. Is there a plan?
  4. Who am I?
  5. Where am I going?
  6. Is there a God?
  7. Is there life after death?
  8. What is Life Purpose?
  9. Is there Proof?

Unless and until these questions are satisfied within the soul of the human, he can never truly claim a peace within. That ‘peace’ which only comes with the compliance to the purpose of the individual with regard to his Creator can never be achieved and will always be sought for until he comes to the reality of the ‘Purpose of Creation’, ‘Purpose of Life’, and ‘Fulfillment of Purpose’ within.

These can only be developed when the human realizes that he did not create himself, nor did he create neither his environment nor his sustenance. All of this came from outside of his control and creative abilities. He must acknowledge a Creator and Sustainer, Greater than himself.

A Creator who is in fact, absolute and Perfect in every manner and aspect. He (the Creator) has neither beginning nor end. He is not Created nor Sustained. Yet He Creates and Sustains all that there is in existence. He is Unique, unlike that which He has Created.

And there does not exist in His Creation anything like unto Him. His Creation is not a part of Him (otherwise you would have to say; ‘He Made a Part of Himself’). He is not now, nor was He ever in His Creation.

Our very life, which He put us into, is in fact, merely a test to show us our own true nature and characteristics. Although, He has All Knowledge and does not need to put us in this test. But He is going to show us all, ONE DAY, that we were indeed most ungrateful for what He has given us and have not fulfilled the terms and conditions of the ‘Purpose of Life’.

True satisfaction and inner peace can only be achieved by facing this reality and then surrendering to the ‘Almighty’.

This concept of total reality can only be developed when the individual realizes that he or she is not the creator or the sustainer of ‘self’. Nor did he/she create this environment. All of this came from outside of his/her control and abilities.

This life He put us into is then, in fact, merely a test to show us our own true nature and characteristics. Although, He has All Knowledge and does not need to put us in this test to know our nature. But rather, that we would be reconstructed on the Day of Judgment by Him, to be shown our behavior and deeds in this life.

He will then let us see, One Day, that we were indeed most ungrateful for what He has given us and have not fulfilled the terms and conditions of the ‘Purpose of Life’ here in this material world. In a sense, being brought forward as it were, to bear witness against ourselves on this Day of Judgment.

These are the teachings of the True religion: Islam & it’s followers: The Muslims.

You see, my quest had been in vain. I desired the glitter and glamour of this world. But it is fleeting and unreal, like a deception of the mind.

  • My ‘Quest for wealth’ – could never buy what I need the most. 
  • My ‘Search for fame’ – did not bring true satisfaction.

But when my prayers were for ‘Guidance’ in the ‘Total Submission’ of my free will to the Will of the Almighty –

  • I found all the riches and glory and happiness and most of all PEACE -that anyone could ever desire.
  • All of this came only after I understood that the only PURPOSE OF LIFE – is to do “ISLAM”…

And then I completely and wholeheartedly submitted and surrendered my individual free will to the Will of the One Who had Created and Sustained me from the very beginning – ALLAH (Arabic, literally: “The GOD”).

To whom is all thanks and praise and worship due? Only to the One and Only Creator, Designer and Sustainer of the Universe. The One True God – Allah.

This is what “Islam” means – exactly.

And in Arabic you place “MU” before a verb to indicate the one who is doing it, instead of “ER” after the verb as we do in English.

So, a “MU-Islam” (Muslim) is simply one who tries to fulfill this teaching.

The Creator Created Us to Worship Him – Alone!