Al-Anbya 54: Indeed, you and your fathers have clearly gone astray.”

We have come to verse 54 of Surah Al-Anbiya. Truly, you and your fathers are in manifest error, said Abraham (peace be upon him) to them. What does he say? You too, like your fathers, are in manifest error. Abraham (peace be upon him) gave his people this answer: Truly, you along with your fathers are in manifest error, he said. Abraham (peace be upon him) told them to be of sound mind, and that the idols they worshipped were not capable of anything. But if a person follows his nafs and Satan, a person who makes no concessions from his nafs — the human nafs. Call yourselves to account a great deal about this.

Is this wish and desire of mine from my nafs, from my need, from the children's need? If my nafs truly likes this, if it will put me in a tight spot, then it is my nafs, by Satan's temptation, making it look good to me. For example, I have a car, it takes me places and brings me back. I long for a more luxurious one. A more luxurious one. I love it, I'm going to buy this car. Buy it, but can you afford it? I'll take out a bank loan. I'll pay so much in installments, I'll do so much, I'll pay this off. Well, fine, he sells his car, buys that car, the bank loan, the home's needs never end, the children's needs never end, his calculation doesn't match the market. Then the bank, from the loan, from interest, adds a bit on top, and he becomes unable to pay.

Reluctantly, some sensible ones sell their car, pay off the bank and swallow the loss. If the others push it more and more, the bailiffs come to their home and hearth, (?). My dear man, you did what your nafs liked, but look, this is how you came to suffer wrong. First, once your livelihood stands on its own feet and you can take the best care of your family, in such a situation, after the money you've saved, then yes, one may desire such things and buy them. Buy it, drive around. Drive around in the finest. Man deserves the best of everything. But drive around according to your means. Our forefathers give a fine example of this too.

Stretch your feet, they say, according to your quilt. Later your feet are left uncovered. Yes.

What does it say? Abraham (peace be upon him) gave his people this answer.

Truly, you and your fathers are in manifest error, he said. Abraham (peace be upon him) told them to be of sound mind, and that the idols they worshipped were not capable of anything. But if a person follows his nafs and Satan, people who make no concessions from their nafs find such hostilities of Satan pleasing, and from directions unknown to them they are dragged little by little to destruction.