The Ego Vs Islam - How inner thoughts deceive us
Posted: Thu Nov 20, 2025 4:03 pm
ٱلسَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ
A few days ago, I visited a mosque and stayed there for a long time from Zohar until Maghrib. I had a client meeting nearby that lasted from the morning till Zohar. Even though most of the work was completed by the afternoon, some additional modifications were still pending. Instead of driving back home for an hour and returning again, I chose to sit in the mosque and finish the remaining tasks until Maghrib. The client kept sending updates, so it made sense to continue working from there.
When I left after Maghrib, the mosque caretaker approached me with the expectation of receiving a small personal donation. I didn’t have any cash with me, so I told him I would come back the next day and give it. But the next day, all my work was completed from home, and I didn’t return to the mosque.
Later, I remembered my promise. So, on the third day, I went to the mosque a little early before Zohar. I saw the caretaker sweeping the ground outside. He was some distance away (about 50-60 feet), and my inner voice whispered, “Just wait here until he comes to you. Then you can give him the cash.” But another thought immediately followed: “Why should I wait? I promised him yesterday but didn’t fulfill it. I should go to him myself, give the money, and apologize.”
So I walked up to him, handed him the cash, and sincerely apologized for not coming the previous day as promised. He was so happy, smiled and said, "Allah is the provider of Rizk".
It reminded me of a simple truth: Following Islam is not difficult. We just need to keep our ego aside.
A few days ago, I visited a mosque and stayed there for a long time from Zohar until Maghrib. I had a client meeting nearby that lasted from the morning till Zohar. Even though most of the work was completed by the afternoon, some additional modifications were still pending. Instead of driving back home for an hour and returning again, I chose to sit in the mosque and finish the remaining tasks until Maghrib. The client kept sending updates, so it made sense to continue working from there.
When I left after Maghrib, the mosque caretaker approached me with the expectation of receiving a small personal donation. I didn’t have any cash with me, so I told him I would come back the next day and give it. But the next day, all my work was completed from home, and I didn’t return to the mosque.
Later, I remembered my promise. So, on the third day, I went to the mosque a little early before Zohar. I saw the caretaker sweeping the ground outside. He was some distance away (about 50-60 feet), and my inner voice whispered, “Just wait here until he comes to you. Then you can give him the cash.” But another thought immediately followed: “Why should I wait? I promised him yesterday but didn’t fulfill it. I should go to him myself, give the money, and apologize.”
So I walked up to him, handed him the cash, and sincerely apologized for not coming the previous day as promised. He was so happy, smiled and said, "Allah is the provider of Rizk".
It reminded me of a simple truth: Following Islam is not difficult. We just need to keep our ego aside.