Let’s learn to control our passions from the experience of Usman bin Affan’s friend
Disobedience committed by a person is always related to lust. If lust is not directed at positive things it will make a person fall into the valley of disobedience. Because lust in essence has the nature of always commanding evil. This is based on Allah SWT saying in the Qur’an Surah Yusuf verse 53 “Verily, lust always commands / orders evil, except for lust which is given mercy by my Lord. Verily, my Lord is Forgiving, Most Merciful.”
Man must be careful with lust because once he indulges in his lust, he will continue to fall into disobedience. He will be addicted to doing disobedience like a child who can not be separated from breastfeeding. Al-Busyiri once said, “Lust is like a child. If you let it continue to suckle, you will be addicted to breastfeeding until you grow up. But if you wean him, he will stop.”
The nature of lust is always contrary to the command of Allah SWT, but in line with the prohibition of Allah. Because indeed everything that is forbidden by Allah basically contains pleasure for the lust itself. It is not wrong if the prophet Muhammad SAW once said, “Paradise is always surrounded by things that are not pleasing to the lust and hell is surrounded by things that are pleasant to lust.” (HR. Muslim).
If lust is accustomed to disobedience, it will be difficult to do good. It is better if the lust is directed to do good then it will stop doing disobedience. That is why the Prophet likened those who fight against their passions like a mujahid who is in the way of Allah as he said, “A mujahid is a person who struggles to subdue his passions in the way of Allah SWT”, (Hadith narrated by Imam Ahmad).
Maybe someone will say, “Ah, let me do as much disobedience as I want, later I will repent.” Well, thank God, if we are still given 1 or 2 months to repent but the question is who guarantees that today or tomorrow we are still alive? Are we sure we can still have time to repent? Do we have to wait until the soul is in the throat before repenting like Pharaoh?
So that immoral desires can be curbed properly, there is nothing wrong if we learn from one of the companions of the Prophet Muhammad who is famous for being generous and nicknamed dzunnurain (owner of two lights), namely Usman bin Affanra. Usman bin Affan’s way of fighting his lust was very simple. Namely remembering death and the torment of the grave. When talking about death, he always cries. Especially if it is in front of the grave. One day he was asked by a friend, “O Usman, why do you cry when you are in front of the grave when we talk about heaven and hell you don’t seem to cry?”
Usman replied, “Because I once heard the Messenger of Allah say, “Indeed, the grave is the beginning of the journey of the hereafter. If one survives the torment of the grave then the next journey will be easier. But if he does not survive the torment of the grave then the next torment will be even more cruel.” (History of Tirmidhi Hadith).
The grave will determine how much torment we will get in hell and how big our chances are to reach heaven. If in the world of wealth, family and relatives can help us, but not in the grave. The only person who can save us from the torment of the grave is good deeds. Remember death, remember the grave!
May we always follow the example of the Prophet’s companions, namely Usman bin Affan in controlling lust.
Wallohu’alambisshowab.
