Understanding Salat — Page 31
Qiyam 31 and pastime, and a display, and a subject of boasting among yourselves, and rivalry in multiplying riches and children. (57:21) Whatever it is that we presently feel like we cannot live with- out, after a while, we will become hopelessly bored with it and we will need something more meaningful. No matter how real it feels, that reality disappears. With each disap- pointment, our heart says, ‘I like not those that disappear. ’ (6:77) Our heart feels the sentiments with which Hadrat Ibrāhīm as described the first stage. As we start to recognize this pattern in our lives, those feel- ings of disappointment change to feelings of desperation. Desperation comes when we have a midlife crisis. It comes when we realize that the disappointments in our lives have wasted time we can never have back. For example, a person thinks he’ll be happy when he achieves his career goals. After years of schooling and climbing the ladder, when he finally reaches the position he aspired to, he realizes it doesn’t give him the happiness he was looking for. His coworkers aren’t as happy with their positions as he thought they would be. He realizes he spent half his life trying to get something that isn’t enough, something that he doesn’t really want anymore. When he finally achieves his ambitions, he finds the void is still there, only greater than before. The Holy Prophet sas said, Desperation