Whether it’s that particular shade of blue that brings a glow to our skin or that dusty rose hue that adds a brilliant lustre to our eyes, we often adorn ourselves with colours that bring out the best of our attributes: the best of us.

Let’s take a moment to say a fervent ‘Alhamdulillah’ for the existence of colours, the beauty they tint life with and the emotions they evoke in us! Imagine if the world were only black and white or shades of grey, it would have so much less vibrancy and meaning, SubhanAllah.

We learn in the Qur’an that there is no better colour for us to wear than the Colour of Allah.

“Say: “Take on Allah's colour.”¹³⁷ And whose colour is better than Allah's? It is Him that we serve.”  [Al-Baqarah:138]

From the tafsir of this ayah we learn that this colouring (Sibgha) refers to “the unalloyed worship of Allah and total submission to Him.”

It speaks to us being constantly in a state of uboodiyyah: worshipping Allah alone, and, by extension, consistently benefiting His creation. 

We live in a world that constantly changes its values at whim and dictates technology to (ironically) undermine the value of the human contribution.

How do we deal with these unraveling new realities from a place of being conscious of our purpose as slaves of Allah and preparedness to return to Him?

SubhanAllah, the following ayah answers this question perfectly:

“Have you not considered how Allāh presents an example, [making] a good word [la ilaha illa Allah] like a good tree, whose root is firmly fixed and its branches [high] in the sky? ˹always˺ yielding its fruit in every season by the Will of its Lord. This is how Allah sets forth parables for the people, so perhaps they will be mindful.”  [Ibrahim: 24-25]

The believer is beneficial, generous, and fruitful in every place, time, and circumstance.

We are guided to the best and most upright way of living by Allah through His Messenger ﷺ in every aspect of our existence, from how we eat our food, wear our clothes, and leave or enter our homes to how we treat our spouses, raise our children, and engage in trade.

However, many of us live blinded by our limited intelligence, deceived by unreal images presented on social media, and crippled by our reliance on technologies, trends, and influencers until we lose the power to think and act for ourselves.

Therefore, it isn’t surprising that depression, dissatisfaction, loneliness, broken homes, and broken people result from such a system, one at odds with every other system in the universe because it does not centre around God and His Divine Commands.

“And the parable of an evil word is that of an evil tree, uprooted from the earth, having no stability.”  [Ibrahim: 26]

A godless vision for humanity is a narrow and unstable one indeed, and whatever it produces only leads to excess, oppression, and inequality.

Nowadays, anything that fulfills our wants and desires with ease and convenience is instantly deemed as inherently “good”. In this hedonistic worldview, maximizing happiness, comfort, and materialistic success is the height of progress.

However, this is not the Qur’anic worldview.

“But perhaps you hate a thing and it is good for you; and perhaps you love a thing and it is bad for you. And Allāh knows, while you know not.” [Al Baqarah:216]

And even within ourselves we judge people, things, and circumstances based on how good they make us feel, and at the slightest hint of discomfort or disturbance, we are repulsed and distance ourselves.

Allah tells us to be steadfast upon His guidance, based on His Infinite Knowledge, Wisdom, and Mercy, and not be swayed by all-consuming wants or desires.

There are spiritual diseases that can only be cured through adherence to the Qur’an and Prophetic example and the deeper we get caught in this sinister narrative of maximizing pleasure at the expense of all values and virtues, the more the dunya becomes our downfall.

“You have been destroyed by the pursuit of more.” [At-Takathur: 01]

And this ‘more’ doesn’t just refer to money and material things. It could be wanting more done for you while you barely lift a finger to fulfill your responsibilities.

 It could be seeing more attention or admiration in a particular relationship or platform that makes one abandon what Allah loves.

It could be prioritizing productivity and efficiency in our lives and careers at the cost of personal growth and enriching relationships, leading to emptiness when the sweetness of the fruit has faded away.

That void in all our hearts was created to be fulfilled by one thing and one thing alone, Tawheed; our belief and our service to one God.

In such a relentless marathon, even we as Muslims need to remind ourselves not to take our desires and feelings as our Ilah [One true God].

We need to constantly tune in to the Word of Allah and the reminders that benefit us so that we don’t lose ourselves in these ruthless hunger games.

While we build spiritual resilience by holding on to Allah’s Book, we can proceed to contribute to the world around us in a way that pleases Allah without pandering to the whims and desires of the godless.

The Islamic scholars of old who pioneered so many of the inventions necessary today for a well-rounded life were adept at using their knowledge and expertise in a way that enhanced benefit and removed any harm for the people, knowing that their success was nothing but a ni’amah (blessing) from Allah and infusing their amazing feats of progress with gratitude to Him.

I had the privilege of attending an Islamic class recently, where the children were asked to create a flag or a banner that represented everything meaningful to them.

One child had drawn a plane flying high in the sky and all sorts of vehicles and contraptions, and on them, he had written in Arabic letters, La ilaha illa Allah, SubhanAllah, Alhamdulillah, and more beautiful adkhaar (remembrances of God).

I learned that this little boy wanted to be an engineer when he grew up, but more than that, he wanted to be at the top of his field while being at the top of his Deen, remembering, glorifying, praising, and calling others to His Lord as he brought ease and benefit to humanity.

I was reminded by this pure soul (may Allah preserve him) to wear the colour of my Lord proudly while doing work that uplifts my brothers and sisters, opening their eyes to the beauty of Islam through my example, bi’idhnillah.

May Allah adorn us with the beauty of Imaan and colour our deeds and intentions with sincerity and submission that is exclusive to Him and that will lead us to be admitted into the many shades of His Mercy in this world and the Hereafter. Allahumma Aameen.