Each person’s life journey is unique to him or her as is their core reason for embracing Islam.
God guides us during this journey and once the Shahadah, or declaration of faith, has been publicly confirmed, some may be left wondering what do you do next?
Many reverts are left stranded after reciting the Shahadah and thinking what have I done?
Did I jump in hastily into something where I will fail miserably?
Be Cool and Live the Easy Way
Rest assured you’re not alone.
Be placated with the notion that Islam is basically a way of life. A life God had planned for us to be easy if we simply follow His instructions.
After all, He created us and just as a manufacturer of any product writes up a catalogue with instructions on how to work it; God who created us knows exactly how we work.
We must be comforted by the fact that God alone will judge us and He is the All-Knowing, the All-Forgiving.
One of the terms used by the Quran during the early Makkan period to describe Islam was Al-Yusr, or ‘The Easy Way’. This simply means Islam was, is, and will continue to be the natural way of life.
Indeed, whatever is natural for human beings should be easy for them in every way. This in turn causes them to naturally drift towards it easily, in turn bringing peace, tranquility and harmony to their lives.
Still in doubt?
Islam is Easy
Take heart by realizing that Islam is easy to understand and practice.
In the Quran, God comforts us by continuously reassuring us that He desires for us ease not hardship, despite the seemingly formidable trials and tribulations that we may sometimes face.
God says:
{Allah intends for you ease, and does not want to make things difficult for you.} (Quran 2: 185)
{Allah does not want to place you in difficulty} (5: 6)
Another example where such easiness is explained is in the hadith reported by Abu Hurairah, that Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
“Religion is easy…” (Al-Bukhari)
And:
“The best of your religion is the easiest.” (Ahmad)
Islam imposes no hardships on anyone. It is repeated often enough in the Quran that no person shall bear a burden more than they can handle.
This can be illustrated in the beautiful hadith where the Prophet says:
“(Islam) is spacious (and has room for relaxation), and I have been sent with an easy and straightforward religion.” (Ahmad)
Some may be left wondering after coming from a non-Muslim background where life seemed free and easy, where they were permitted to drink alcohol, gamble, eat what they like, do what they like, date people of the opposite sex, cohabitate with them outside marriage and so on… Where exactly is this easy and simple life Muslims preach?
Some Examples
Consider alcohol for instance: we know how its excessive consumption destroys lives.
Observe around you: the whole non-Muslim culture and society is almost pivoting around alcohol; it is everywhere. Contemplate the action of “binge-drinking”, a phenomenon of downing as much alcohol in as little time as possible to take advantage of the so called “happy hour.”
Picture painted?
Enough said.
Another example of something banned for your own well-being is gambling, where only hardship, regret and pain are the outcome of this habit.
Giving up alcohol and gambling should not need an in-depth explanation. It’s not chemistry or physics. In short, excessive alcohol is bad for you (the whole medical community will agree with this statement regardless of religious or ideological beliefs), and in turn gambling is equally bad for you. God says:
{God desires to lighten things for you, for the human being has been created weak.} (4: 28)
The easiness of Islam was further put into practice by the best of humanity, the Prophet Muhammad. God says:
{Verily there has come unto you a Messenger from amongst yourselves, it grieves him that you should suffer any difficulty, he is anxious for you, for the believers he is full of pity and merciful.} (10: 128)
God, out of His mercy, did not send the Prophet to be harsh, or cause harm, but sent him to teach and make things ‘easy’. This is further implemented in the hadith reported by the Prophet’s noble and pure wife, Aisha who said:
“Whenever the Prophet had a choice between two matters, he would choose the easiest, unless it is sinful.” (Al-Bukhari)
Both the Quran and the Hadith literature are replete with references urging us to adopt a balanced and simple approach to life.
Prophet Muhammad has repeatedly advised us:
“This Deen (or way of life) is easy, but if anyone overdoes it, it gets the better of him. So keep to the right course, approximate to perfection, rejoice, and ask for help in the mornings, the evenings, and some of the latter part of the night.” (Al-Bukhari)
He also says:
“They are the losers, those who make the religion hard and tough.
They imperil themselves who enforce tough practices of Islam.
They destroy themselves those who are extremists.” (Muslim)
He has also praised those who adopt a moderate approach to worship with freshness of heart, not an exhausting routine carried out in spite of fatigue; again, demonstrating the simplicity and ease in adopting an Islamic way of life.
Has any religion been as simple?
For sure, Islam is a recipe for complete and guaranteed success in this life and the hereafter.
(From Discovering Islam archive)