Becoming Bored of the Blessings of Allah by Ibn al-Qayyim al Jawziyyah

From the Greatest of Sins:
Becoming Bored of the Blessings of Allah

Translated At Tibyan Publications

"From the greatest of sins which are hidden - and widely practiced - is that the servant is enjoying a blessing that Allah has blessed him with and chosen for him, then that servant becomes bored of it and seeks to exchange it for what he thinks - due to his ignorance - is better for him than it, and His Lord continues to be merciful to him and does not prevent him from this blessing, and He excuses him due to his ignorance and this bad choice that he has chosen for himself. When he reaches the limit in scorning this blessing and his boredom with it overcomes him, Allah removes this blessing from him. So, if he is given what he sought in exchange for that blessing, and he sees the immense difference between what he was previously enjoying and and what he has now been given instead of it, his anxiety and regret increase and he requests a return to what he previously had. So, if Allah desires good and guidance for His servant, He allows him to bear witness that what he had was a blessing from the blessings of Allah upon him, and He causes him to become pleased with that blessing and to give thanks to Allah for it. If his soul then whispers to him to again seek to exchange that blessing for something else, he makes istikharah to His Lord, the istikharah of the one who is ignorant of what is in his best interests and unable to attain them. He turns his affairs to Allah, requesting of Him to help him make the best decision.

And there is nothing more harmful to the servant than to become bored of the blessings of Allah, because he does not see it as a blessing, and he does not thank Allah for it, and does not become happy because of it. Rather, he belittles it, complains about it and considers it to be a disaster - all this while it can well be from the greatest of Allah's blessings upon him.

Most people have a feeling of enmity towards Allah's blessings upon them, and they do not percieve that this opening that Allah has given them is actually a blessing, and they exert the utmost effort in repelling it and pushing it away out of ignorance and oppression. So, how many are those whom Allah's blessings comes to one of them, and they rise to repel and fight against it? And how many are those whom the blessing comes to one of them and he strives to push it away and brush it to the side out of ignorance and oppression?

Allah - the Exalted - says: {"And this is because Allah would not change a blessing that He has blessed a people with unless they change what is within themselves."} [al-Anfal; 53]


The one who is devoid of logic loses his chance * Until the affair passes him by. Then he blames predestination."


Taken from: Ibn al-Qayyim al Jawziyyah, Al-Fawa'id (The Benefits) pg. 248