Setting up rivals to Allah SWT.

Al Qu'ran 39:8 And when adversity touches man, he calls to his Lord, Allah, and turns to Him (for relief) but when Allah bestows the favour which he seeks, he forgets about his pleading and sets up rivals to Allah, causing him to be mislead from the Path and Remembrance of Allah SWT.  

Let us not fall into the category of people mentioned in the above verse. Too often this verse describes our condition.  

Conditions that are common that cause us in to fall in this category:  

Health, Financial Distress, Jobs, New Home, Seeking a husband or wife, Desire for children, Wealth, trappings of modern day living and help with personal and family problems.  

These are the major areas for we are quick and persistent in our pleas to Allah SWT for His Help. We are diligent and sincere in our seeking of the Solutions, Bounties and Blessings of Allah SWT.  

Then Lo and Behold out of His love, Compassion and Mercy for His creation, He heed our pleas, requests and desires. We are granted the help and solutions which we were seeking, Al Hamdulillah.  

What happens after our pleas, requests and desires have fulfilled?  

Quite often a most unfortunate and regrettable condition prevails.  

The objects of our pleas, requests and desires: Children, Job, Home,Wealth, Husband, Wife become the focus of our direction, time, attention and devotion. These take away from our remembrance and duty to Whom we should be now remembering more, serving more and being more grateful.  

We begin giving priority to that which we were seeking over Allah SWT, who granted our desires. 

These are the "rivals" that have been set up.  

We have, therefore, to be very careful and mindful that we don't let the things that Allah SWT have Blessed us with take us away or prevent us from remembering Him or doing the things He have requested of us, In Shah Allah. 

May we love, cherish and value the things we seek from Allah SWT, but keep our priorities in perspective, never forgetting Who is First on our list for Praising, Giving thanks to, Remembering, Acknowledging and Loving.