Assalamu’alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh
Bismillahir- Rahmanir-Rahim
1. Opening
Friends who are blessed by Allah, Sometimes, a person will never be able to appreciate the beauty of a single candle until he is trapped in a pitch-black room. It is the same in social life. We often fail to realize how beautiful the values of piety, humility, justice, and compassion from a believer are, until we are forced by circumstances to interact with—and taste the bitterness of dealing with—people who are harsh, selfish, arrogant, and far from God.That is when we realize that a person’s character is not merely personality, but a reflection of what lies within his chest. The light of a person’s heart springs from deep wisdom and contemplation. Conversely, inner darkness is triggered by material greed and prolonged heedlessness.Psychologically and spiritually, humans are designed to respond to contrast. We know health only after experiencing illness, and we long for peace after growing weary of chaos. In the Islamic view, the pinnacle of all tranquility and light of the heart is _maʿrifatullāh_—knowing the Absolute Truth, Allah SWT, then obeying His guidelines with full love. When the heart is filled with love for Allah, one’s behavior toward fellow humans softens into mercy
.Allah SWT depicts the contrast between the possessor of the light of faith and the darkness of ego in the Qur’an:
أَفَمَن شَرَحَ اللَّهُ صَدْرَهُ لِلْإِسْلَامِ فَهُوَ عَلَىٰ نُورٍ مِّن رَّبِّهِ ۚ فَوَيْلٌ لِّلْقَاسِيَةِ قُلُوبُهُم مِّن ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ
“So is one whose chest Allah has expanded for [acceptance of] Islam, so that he is upon a light from his Lord [like one whose heart rejects it]? Then woe to those whose hearts are hardened against the remembrance of Allah.”[QS. Az-Zumar: 22]
Rasulullah ﷺ also emphasized that the highest faith and wisdom are directly proportional to the beauty of character, not the harshness of one’s tongue or the height of one’s ego:
أَكْمَلُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِيمَانًا أَحْسَنُهُمْ خُلُقًا
“The most perfect of believers in faith is the one best in character.”[HR. Tirmidhī]
2. Lessons and Message
Let us picture a true story that often happens around us. A small trader in a traditional market, living hand-to-mouth, prostrates every dawn seeking Allah’s pleasure. One day, a wealthy buyer driving a luxury car comes and berates him simply for giving the wrong change—and it was not even a large amount. Harsh words and insults pour from the mouth of the rich man whose ego is sky-high. How does the small trader respond? With eyes brimming, holding back sorrow, he lowers his head without returning the insults. He gives a bitter smile, returns the money, and says, “Forgive my negligence, Sir. May Allah bless your journey.”In that second, everyone watching realizes: who is truly “rich” and who is truly “poor.” The arrogant rich man was flaunting his inner darkness, while the poor trader was radiating the shimmering light of piety that soothes the soul. It is saddening to see human arrogance, yet moving to witness the beauty of humility.
So that we do not become people who bring darkness to others, let us use a simple, slightly funny analogy. Have you ever seen a durian and a mangosteen? A person who is selfish, arrogant, and greedy for material things is like a durian in a cramped minibus. Its skin is sharp with thorns that wound when bumped, its smell is so pungent it makes the whole minibus dizzy, and it takes up space as if it owns the place! Everyone is forced to endure its disturbing “presence.”In contrast, a wise believer is like a mangosteen. From the outside it may look ordinary, dark, and inconspicuous. But once opened… its flesh is pure white, its taste is sweet, and it refreshes anyone who tastes it. The irony is, many people on social media today are busy editing their “outer skin” to look like durians—cool, expensive, and feared. Yet, when you interact with them directly, their thorns pierce others’ hearts and their “smell” [read: arrogance] makes people want to get off the minibus of life immediately! Be like the mangosteen: sincere inside and sweet in conduct.
3. Conclusion & Closing
Friends, the final conclusion from our reflection today is profound: The highest wisdom in life is not how much wealth we accumulate, but how well we know Allah SWT, then obey every one of His rules with full love. Do not let worldly greed turn us into harsh and selfish beings.Let us ensure our hearts remain a source of light for those around us through humility, justice, and compassion. Let it not be that others only realize the beauty of piety because they have grown weary of facing our harshness
.May Allah SWT always cleanse our hearts from the disease of arrogance and adorn them with the soothing light of faith.
. والله أعلم بالصواب
الحمد لله رب العالمين
Wassalamu’alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh.
Abu Sultan Al-Qadrie
