My Lord hastened to you so that you may be pleased

And I hastened to You, my Lord, so that You may be pleased... The greatest and most beautiful love in this worldly life, which endures with its companion for all eternity, is the love of Allah, the Exalted. People’s standing in this love depends on the purity of their hearts and the extent of the light of faith instilled within them (“And those who have believed are stronger in love for Allah”). Among the most beautiful verses of the Holy Quran that express the sincerity of love and longing for Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, is what Moses (peace be upon him) said when his Lord asked him, “And what made you hasten from your people, O Moses?” His response was the most eloquent expression of sincere love for Allah: “He said, ‘They are upon my tracks, and I hastened to You, my Lord, that You may be pleased’” (Surah Ta-Ha, 84).

One might imagine that Moses’ (peace be upon him) heart was consumed with longing for that unparalleled meeting, unmatched by any encounter in the world of people. He translated this longing into hurried steps, his feet rushing to the place of communion in the sacred valley at Mount Tur in Egyptian Sinai, leaving behind his community and companions of his call. The swiftness of obedience is indicated by the word “I hastened,” which signifies eagerness and initiative in obeying Allah, and the absence of procrastination in doing good deeds.

Notice the brilliance of the expression: Moses (peace be upon him) did not say, “So that You may give me” or “So that You may be pleased with me,” but rather, “So that You may be pleased.” The pinnacle of success and prosperity for a servant is to attain the pleasure of Allah, the Exalted, which is the ultimate goal for people of faith. He placed hastening in obedience and striving for it before seeking pleasure, as if saying, “O Lord, I hastened to You with what You love, so that You may be pleased with me.”

This verse contains a profound lesson for every believer: to make the goal of life “the pleasure of Allah” in every word and deed, and to keep the soul perpetually yearning to draw near to its Creator, through all that our Lord loves and is pleased with. He should regard the duties and obligations he performs as beloved acts of the heart, which he pursues with longing and desire, thereby achieving completeness in the tranquility of his heart, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to Bilal regarding prayer: “Give us rest with it, O Bilal.” Moreover, he would perform voluntary prayer units before the obligatory prayer to prepare himself for that great encounter in the prescribed duty. In contrast, there are people whose hearts have become diseased; its symptoms manifest in their approach to prayer with a feeble posture and a disgraceful state: “And when they rise to pray, they rise sluggishly, showing off to people and remembering Allah only a little.”