WHEN RELIGION BECOMES A MATTER OF CONVENIENCE

 

FAJR REMINDER: WHEN RELIGION BECOMES A MATTER OF CONVENIENCE

Jumādā al-‘Ūlā 25, 1448 AH | Thursday, 5th November 2026

Are We Muslims by Commitment or Convenience?

One concerning trend among some Muslims today is the selective practice of Islām. Many accept the teachings that align with their personal interests but struggle to embrace those that demand sacrifice, patience, discipline or a change in lifestyle. Some may be regular in their Ṣalāh yet neglect their responsibilities towards others. Similarly, they may observe religious obligations when convenient but become uncomfortable when those obligations conflict with their personal desires.

Unfortunately, some increasingly view religion as something to adjust to their personal preferences rather than a comprehensive way of life that demands sincere submission to Allāh. Yet, Islām calls for wholehearted commitment, not selective obedience.

Allāh (ﷻ) warns:

“O you who believe! Enter Islām completely and perfectly (by obeying all the rules and regulations of the Islāmic religion) and follow not the footsteps of Shayṭān. Verily! He is to you a plain enemy.”

[Sūrah Al-Baqarah (2): 208]

Why Do We Practise Islām Selectively?

The roots of this problem include weakness in Eemān, excessive attachment to worldly desires and a misunderstanding of what it truly means to be a Muslim.

Some individuals desire the rewards of obedience without accepting the responsibilities that accompany it. Societal pressures, peer influence and fear of criticism can sometimes overshadow their commitment to their faith.

Instead of asking what Allāh expects of them, they begin to consider whether a command is convenient, popular or easy to follow. Gradually, this attitude weakens their willingness to submit to the Commands of Allāh.

The danger is that when personal desires become the standard by which religious obligations are judged, convenience begins to take precedence over obedience.

A Different Understanding of Submission

The Companions of the Messenger of Allāh (ﷺ) understood that Islām required sincere submission to Allāh. A remarkable example is their immediate response to the prohibition of alcohol.

Following the revelation of the prohibition in Sūrah Al-Mā'idah (5): 90–91, they abandoned alcohol without hesitation.

Anas Ibn Mālik (Raḍiyallāhu 'Anhu) narrated that when the prohibition was announced, Abū Ṭalḥah instructed him to pour away the wine he was serving. Anas immediately obeyed, and the wine flowed through the streets of Madīnah.

[Ṣaḥīḥ Al-Bukhārī, 2464 and 4617]

They did not seek arguments, negotiate the prohibition or search for loopholes to preserve a habit that Allāh had forbidden. Once the Command of Allāh became clear, they responded with obedience.

This was the attitude of a generation that understood the meaning of being servants of Allāh.

The Lessons We Have Forgotten

Our pious predecessors understood that being a Muslim meant surrendering to Allāh, even when obedience conflicted with personal inclinations.

They did not measure religious obligations by convenience, nor did they decide which Commands of Allāh deserved their commitment. Their love for Allāh was demonstrated through obedience, not merely expressed through words.

They understood that genuine faith required consistency in private and public, during times of ease and hardship, and in matters that pleased them as well as those that tested them.

Indeed, true submission is not demonstrated only when obedience is easy. It becomes particularly evident when doing what pleases Allāh requires us to sacrifice something we love.

Returning to Genuine Submission

Allāh clearly warns against accepting some aspects of the religion while neglecting others. He condemned the Children of Israel for this very attitude.

He (ﷻ) says:

“…Then do you believe in a part of the Scripture and reject the rest? Then what is the recompense of those who do so among you, except disgrace in the life of this world, and on the Day of Resurrection they shall be consigned to the most grievous torment. And Allah is not unaware of what you do.”

[Sūrah Al-Baqarah (2): 85]

Therefore, we must strive to submit sincerely to the Commands of Allāh rather than treating religious obligations as optional.

We must prioritise His Pleasure over our personal desires, seek beneficial knowledge to understand our responsibilities and strive for consistency in our worship, character, relationships and daily interactions.

When we fall short, we should hasten to repent rather than justify our shortcomings or attempt to reinterpret religious teachings to accommodate our desires.

Remember, making mistakes does not mean we should abandon the struggle to become better Muslims. Rather, we should acknowledge our weaknesses, seek Allāh's forgiveness and continue striving towards righteousness.

A Final Wake-Up Call

Dear brethren, Islām was never intended to be practised only when it suits our convenience. We cannot claim to have surrendered to Allāh while constantly negotiating His Commands.

Our pious predecessors surrendered their desires to their faith; regrettably, many Muslims today want their faith to yield to their desires.

Let us sincerely reflect:

Are we genuinely adhering to the Commands of Allāh, or are we merely selecting the aspects of Islām that align with our personal comfort?

Are we Muslims by commitment or merely by convenience?

Remember, our ultimate success does not lie in how conveniently we practise Islām, but in how sincerely we submit to the One Who created us.

I beseech Allāh (ﷻ) to guide us, strengthen our Eemān and make us among those who listen, obey and wholeheartedly submit to His Commands.

Āmīn Yā Rabbal ‘Ālamīn.