Things in your life

” In life, only take the things you need, not the things you want”.

When I first came across this nice wordings, I started to think of my own life and journey in this world. The first question that boggles my mind until now is 'Do I really have with me all the things that I really need and should have?'.

But of course, that initial question has potentially grown and extended to a list of more complex questions that forced myself to ponder upon all the things that I posses and to contemplate on my own lifestyle. Unfortunately, the list of questions and the sincere answers of them eventually lead me to a very scary and terrifying conclusion: I did bring along with me the unnecessary things in my life...and I did take the unnecessary things that I wanted in my life!!

Ya Rabbi...how could I be so blind all this time? How much had I wasted my time, energy and money on things that I actually don't really need? I never realized then that almost 50% of all the things that I have until now are as a matter of fact don't fall in the category of 'hajiyyaat' and 'dharuriyyaat'. And almost 20% of all my possessions can be categorized as the 'tahsiniyyat'. This striking fact indicates that most of the things that I have are based on 'I want', not 'I need'.

I know that I must do something to stop having the unnecessary things in my life, the things that surely cannot bring any benefit to my iman to Allah. And the solution is undeniably the concept of 'qana'ah', as practiced by Rasulullah and His Companions. However, it's easier to say than to practice it. But this shouldn't be an excuse for not trying to start practicing it gradually in my life, right?