Make it a habit | Ali Reza Panahian

Make it a habit

Our actions are based on our disposition

If we want to do good deeds, it is not just dependent on our faith. The Qur’an says, “Every one acts according to his own disposition.” [17:84] People do many of their deeds based on their disposition. Our dispositions, or in other words characteristics, are formed over time. To put it more simply, skills are very determining for a person to be able to do a good deed.
For example, a tradition says that a bad tempered person’s sins won’t be forgiven. The tradition says, «سوءُ الخُلق ذَنبٌ لا یُغفَر» Why isn’t being bad tempered forgiven? Because each time he abandons a sin, due to his temper he does that sin again because of the bad behavioral habit he has. He cannot control himself. One of the key factors to piety is that a person should be careful of himself. Another important factor is that being careful should be repeated so much that it becomes a skill. When considering behavioral traits, vigilance is hard. When considering habits, it’s easy.
If a person says that having piety is hard, we say that it seems this way in the beginning. It takes time for a person to gain this skill. But this difficulty will not last. A person will get used to it and gain this skill. Some people imagine that their intense belief in God should force them to do good deeds. This is a big mistake. Because intense belief is not formed, unless you do good deeds for a time and abandon sinning for a while. No one should wait for a strong enthusiasm to be formed in him for him to get up for the Midnight Prayer.
Actions affect our fate. Actions affect a person’s affection. Actions bring fear. Actions bring enthusiasm. Therefore, you see that Islam is full of commands. Why is action this important? When you know that actions are very important, you start having piety by observing vigilance. Then, you obtain habits. Or you must confront bad habits to become free. Good behavior is not just dependent on faith. The amount of faith you have can take you forward very much. Our problem is our habits that are based on our carnal desires. Our problem is the skills that we don’t have.
The amount of faith and knowledge we have is enough. We just need to put effort into our actions. This effort is either due to a great amount of love, passion, enthusiasm, fear or compassion, or it is due to a person’s attention to action. This is our big problem. We must increase the value of actions for ourselves so that we start being careful of ourselves. A pious person is one who is vigilant. A pious person is not one who is very religious and has gained piety due to his faith. We can have piety before having faith. We can be a careful person who has gained discipline due to his vigilance. So no one should wait to have faith in order to have piety. The amount of faith that one has is enough. It is possible for a person to be pious and have vigilance even without having faith. Because intense belief is not formed, unless you do good deeds for a time and abandon sinning for a while.
Our problem is our habits that are based on our carnal desires. Our problem is the skills that we don’t have.

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