Abu Umaamah narrated: A certain young man came to the Prophet and said "Oh Messenger of Allah permit zinaa(adultery) for me." The companions were annoyed at this arrogant attitude of his and with no attempt to conceal their feelings, berated him, and demonstrated open disgust for his insolent request. The Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) asked the young man to come closer and he did so then he asked him to take a seat and he obeyed. The Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) then started to ask him: "Would you like such (i.e zinaa) for your mother?" He (the man) replied, "No, by Allah. May Allah sacrifice me for you". He said, "Other people do not like it either for their mothers. Would you then like it for your daughter (i.e. zinaa)?" He replied, "No by Allah. May I be sacrificed for you " He said, "Others too do not like it for their daughters. Would you like if for your sister He replied, "No by Allah. May I be sacrificed for you " He said, "Other people do not like it for their sisters. Would you like it for your paternal aunt?" He replied, "No by Allah. May I be sacrificed for you " He said, "Other people dislike it for their paternal aunts. Would you like it for your maternal aunt?" He replied, "No by Allah. May I be sacrificed for you " He said, "Others too do not like it for their maternal aunts." He (the narrator) then said, He (sallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) then put his hand on the man’s chest and said, "Oh Allah forgive his sin, cleanse his heart, and make chaste his private parts." Thereafter the young man never even looked to anything (i.e. zinaa). [Ahmed]
Notice how the Prophet (SAWS) changed the thinking of this young man in half a minute. The man imagined consecutive pictures in his mind and realized that he did not like what he saw. Therefore, he refused the whole idea and forever changed his mind about it. Hence, if you were to imagine a bad picture of yourself smoking in your mind, for example, you would quit smoking altogether. There are examples that occur among our people. The idea of having an ambition and imagining its details is not theoretical. I will prove it. We have here living examples of people who had an ambition and were successful in achieving it. We will meet them now.
A young man, who, since he was a small child, had an objective in life. Now, at 31 years old, he has achieved it. He is a great example of an Islamic revival. His name is Ahmad Moharam. He says, “I used to always hear the typical question for a young boy, what do you want to be when you grow up? I used to love to read about computers. This was in the 80s, and you know, people used to tell me that all this talk about computers is worthless. I attended Mansoora University, in the Faculty of Commerce. However, the Faculty of Engineering used to be just opposite to the Faculty in which I was enrolled. I used to attend lectures in the Faculty of Engineering which I thought would be beneficial for me later on. Then, I started to help engineering students in plans related to programming. Later, I was asked to fix some programs that were in textile factories imported from overseas because I was living close to where they were. Next, I thought about making new and improved programs and of course I faced rejection because a great deal of money and a large number of people were needed. However, what I did was stay at home for six months to come up with a program to replace those imported from abroad. I made the new program and the factory owner asked me to try it out in his factory. After numerous errors, the program was successful. It was one of the most popular imported programs with the endorsement of international companies who creates such programs. Then, we won first prize in textiles from the Arabic Industrial Association from among many candidates, which included university professors. It also awarded us a second prize for ‘document security’ and the 3rd award was an international one for the best website in private programs to control industrial machines. My aim now, is to finish my Masters Degree in the field of ‘control’ and to employ a research group having their own goals in advances, for example, to have a common goal that after 10 years we will have a water purification system in the whole of the Arab World.
Therefore there are three ideas that must occupy our minds: the revival, your goal in life (helping to create this revival) and paradise. The Prophet (SAWS) taught us Dua’a (supplicaiton) to recite three times a day. It is one of the Dua’a we should recite every morning and evening. This Dua’a is to keep you on track in your thinking, “O Allah, I take refuge in you from sorrow and anxiety, weakness and laziness, miserliness and cowardice, the burden of debts and from being overpowered by men.”
Source: www.amrkhaled.net/articles/articles310.html
