Some people’s only aim in life is to attain happiness and comfort in this world. Most set themselves a goal such as becoming wealthy. They do everything they can to achieve this goal and use all their physical and mental strength to become wealthy. Others consider their purpose in life to be becoming respected and famous. They do everything they can to achieve this as well, but all these are nothing more than empty goals that will disappear with death. Indeed, many of them may be lost even during one’s lifetime.

A believer who aspires to Allah’s approval and Paradise also strives earnestly to attain these goals. He uses his wealth and his life to earn Allah’s approval. This attribute of the believer is described in the Qur’an as follows:

“Allah has bought from the believers their selves and their wealth in return for the Garden. They fight in the Way of Allah and they kill and are killed. It is a promise binding on Him in the Torah, the Gospel and the Qur’an. And who is truer to his contract than Allah? Rejoice then in the bargain you have made. That is the great victory.” (Surat at-Tawba: 111)

A person who has sold his wealth and his life to Allah is unaffected by any difficulty he may encounter for the sake of Allah’s approval. He turns towards nothing other than Allah’s approval. Allah is the Owner of his body and everything he possesses, and he uses all these things as He wills. Therefore, the criterion for being a believer is to feel a heartfelt desire for Allah’s approval and not to refrain from making sacrifices for this cause when necessary.