#aqlvoy
Beyond Pleasure and Pain: The Path to True SuperiorityMost people live as prisoners—chained either by pleasure or by pain. Some chase comfort, wealth, and status, forgetting their higher purpose. Others are broken by hardship, fear, or despair, losing hope in the process. But in Islam, we are taught that neither extreme defines a believer’s life. The true path lies in rising above both.
Islam and Mastery Over PleasureThe Qur’an repeatedly warns us about the deception of worldly pleasures:
The life of this world is nothing but play and amusement. But the Hereafter is better for those who fear Allah. Will you not then understand? (6:32)
When a man becomes superior to pleasure, he no longer worships his desires. He does not live for status, money, or comfort. He does not waste his time in distractions that add no value to his soul. Instead, he disciplines himself. Fasting in Ramadan, waking up for Fajr, giving in charity—these acts train the soul to resist the temptation of ease and indulgence.
But this is not just about religious rituals. It is about life itself. The greatest minds in history—whether scholars, thinkers, or prophets—were not those who sought pleasure. They sacrificed comfort for knowledge, truth, and purpose. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ could have lived as a king, yet he chose simplicity. His bed was made of palm fibers, and he often tied stones to his stomach to suppress hunger. He was superior to pleasure, and that gave him strength.
Islam and Mastery Over PainJust as Islam warns against indulgence, it also teaches us that pain is not an excuse for weakness. Allah says in the Qur’an:
Do people think that they will be left to say, ‘We believe,’ and they will not be tested? (29:2)
Every great person in history has faced suffering, yet those who endured with patience became stronger. The Prophets were insulted, exiled, tortured—but they never gave up. The scholars of Islam, from Imam Abu Hanifa to Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, were imprisoned and beaten, but they did not surrender. The companions of the Prophet ﷺ, like Bilal (RA), were tortured for their faith, yet they remained steadfast.
Pain is a test, but it is also a purifier. When a man rises above it, he does not complain or break. He does not let fear or suffering stop him from his duty. Instead, he embraces patience (sabr) and continues forward. This is true power.
On a broader level, I see this in society as well. My country faces deep-rooted problems—economic instability, corruption, social injustice. Many leaders are trapped in pleasure, seeking power and wealth at the expense of their people. Others are trapped in pain, too fearful or apathetic to bring change. But a true leader, a true reformer, would rise above both.
The Path to True SuperiorityTo be free, to be truly superior, one must master both pleasure and pain. This is the essence of taqwa—consciousness of Allah. When a person neither craves indulgence nor fears hardship, he becomes unstoppable. He chooses duty over comfort. He chooses faith over despair.
This applies not just to individuals but to nations as well. A society that seeks only pleasure becomes weak. A society that collapses under hardship never progresses. But a society that understands sacrifice, discipline, and perseverance will rise.
This is the path of the great. This is the path of Islam. The man who is superior to pleasure and pain is the man who walks with purpose—unshaken, unwavering, and free.
@something_outoflife