Question:
I am in high school. Soon the exams will be over and the holidays will commence. Many boys and girls are planning various wrong activities to which I am also being invited. The temptations and the peer pressure are very strong. How do I save myself from falling prey to the temptation? Please advise.
Answer:
You have mentioned something very interesting… that the exams will soon be over. Indeed the exams will very soon be over — precisely at the moment that this short life expires. When the angel of death will suddenly snatch one’s soul out of the body, the alarm would have been sounded that it is time to exit from the examination room. There will be no grace – not even for one second. One will be carried out of the “examination room” on the shoulders of men and buried under tons of sand, six feet deep. Then it will be time either for the most spectacular celebration… or it will be the beginning of the worst sorrow and grief over the greatest failure ever. Therefore, while it is true that the exams will be soon over, it is nevertheless ongoing until the last breath.
The greatest part of the exam of life is “temptation” and “desires”. This is actually the crux of the test of life. The one who manages to curb his desires, does not submit to temptations and remains in the obedience of his Creator, has passed the test. Otherwise he has failed. Therefore Allah Ta‘ala warns us: “Who can be more deviated than the one who follows his desires, without any guidance from Allah Ta‘ala.
In order to pass the very minor examination in this world, people make great sacrifices. Likewise, sacrifices will have to be made to suppress the haraam desires and not to give in to temptations.
Some of the aspects that will insha-Allah help one to be saved are the following:
1. Meditation: If you are serious about staying safe, use your heart and mind to think and meditate. Think about the bounties that Allah Ta‘ala has showered upon you. Can the entire world together give you one eye or a finger? Is it then not the height of ingratitude to use these limbs to disobey the One who blessed you with them?
Ponder deeply about death. Remind yourself that death could come at any moment. Imagine your own death in detail.
Think about the destruction and disgrace you will bring to yourself, your family and others if you follow your haraam desires.
Most importantly, meditate upon the reality that Allah Ta‘ala is All Knowing, He knows where you are going, what you are doing… and what you are thinking! You are certainly ashamed to commit sins in front of your parents or other elders. Should you not be ashamed of committing sins in front of Allah Ta‘ala???
2. Zikr: Daily spend some time in the remembrance of Allah Ta‘ala. With the presence of the heart at least recite istighfaar, the third kalimah and durood shareef 100 times each. Regard this as essential spiritual food. If you have missed out on the zikr for the day, it is as if you have starved. Also recite some portion of the Quraan Majeed daily.
3. Company: It is vitally important that you totally refrain from bad company and adopt pious friends. If you sit in the company of a smoker, the least is that you will breathe the toxic second-hand smoke. It is more likely that you will also end up smoking. The same applies with everything else that the friends do — you will end up doing the same. The company will either make you or break you. Bad company will eventually destroy your deen, health, wealth, respect and everything else. A simple and extremely effective way of remaining in a good environment and avoiding bad company, is to go out in the path of Allah Ta‘ala.
The long term solution is that you link yourself to some pious personality and take his advice on how to avoid the traps of nafs and Shaitaan and remain steadfast on deen. Insha-Allah with his guidance you will be able to progress in deen and dunya.