We all have grand goals (or should!) and we are furiously working towards those. These goals may be short or long term. Most often, however its the short-term goal we work most feverishly toward. These goals are the reasons for our everything. It could be a course we are studying for, a masjid we are helping build, a local project we are pioneering or "hajj" we are saving up for. With all our hard work and lots of dua and above all the will of Allah SWT - our goal is achieved. Its a beautiful moment indeed! And then....
And then Shaytan, who is burning up inside for we have met our objective, is ever ready for revenge. He comes to us almost immediately to instill in us pride and arrogance over our achievement. Suddenly, everybody else seem "less of a muslim". If we beat shaytan from planting this arrogance in us by remembering Allah - he turns to the people around us to make them envious and resentful. Aoozobillah he is a tireless enemy. He is also very strategic. If he cannot overcome us right away - he plays it slow. He makes us think we deserve a "break" - afterall we have been working so hard. A momentary pause is our right! Shaytan keeps us busy with little things, which make us believe we are still doing "our part" whereas he has taken us away from greater good and busied us in the smaller deeds. He makes us forget zikr of Allah, and we start slacking. Slowly and
without us even realizing, we would have abandoned much of the voluntary
acts and we are even being tardy of the compulsory! Next thing we know, we are in a rut - wondering how we fell so deep and how to get out.
How do we get out? Right away, start with the daily duas to protect yourself from shaytan and to plead for Allah's help. Keep yourself pure with wudhu and be mindful of timely salah. Fight against the desires of your nafs, even in the smallest things and Allah will help you overcome bigger desires. Do istighfaar, as it is seeking forgiveness that eases all matters bi'iznillah.
But more importantly, beware the peaking!
I have usually noticed brothers and sisters slipping after they have done something extraordinary. Almost as if they have reached the peak of all good deeds. Perhaps, shaytan whispers to them that their job is done. Perhaps, the praise they received has deluded them.
Whether we like it or not, when we achieve something big - peoples eye are on us. They are looking for guidance and inspiration and although we never took that responsibility - it squarely fall upon our shoulders simply because we were given the opportunity to do something and with Allah's help we did it. So when we slack, either people will think its ok for them to slack or they will form a bad opinion about the deen - which are you willing to take upon yourself?
Beat the peak! Do not limit yourselves to one goal - you were created in
the best manner and are capable of so much more. Just as you are nearing
the end of one project, start thinking what you will do next. Start
planning. Make dua to Allah SWT to never let you stop and never let any
good deed of yours go to waste due to our own mistakes.
May Allah protect you and me from "peaking" - may we never think its enough till our last breath. Ameen
