The Quran encourages believers to help others both publicly and privately. Neither method is condemned; both can be acts of worship when done sincerely for Allah.

Allah says:

(Surah Al-Baqarah 2:271)

اِنۡ تُبۡدُوۡا الصَّدَقٰتِ فَنِعِمَّا هِىَ‌ۚ وَاِنۡ تُخۡفُوۡهَا وَتُؤۡتُوۡهَا الۡفُقَرَآءَ فَهُوَ خَيۡرٌ لَّكُمۡ‌ؕ

"If you disclose your charities, it is good; but if you conceal them and give them to the poor, it is better for you."

This verse reveals an important balance. Public charity is good, yet hidden charity carries a special virtue.

When Charity Is Seen

There are times when giving openly serves a greater purpose.

A generous act can inspire others to be generous. A person who witnesses someone feeding the hungry, supporting an orphan, or helping a struggling family may feel encouraged to do the same. In this way, one act of charity can become the beginning of many others.

This is why the Quran does not discourage public charity. Goodness, when displayed with sincere intentions, can spread goodness.

However, public acts also carry a subtle danger. The heart may begin seeking recognition from people instead of Winning the pleasure of Allah. What begins as worship can gradually become a search for praise, admiration, or social approval.

For this reason, sincerity remains the true measure of every charitable act.

The Protection Found in Secret Charity

Hidden charity offers a unique protection.

It protects the giver from seeking attention and protects the recipient from embarrassment.

Many people endure hardship while trying to preserve their dignity. They may need help, yet they do not wish to be known as those who ask. Their poverty is hidden behind patience, self-respect, and silence.

When assistance reaches such a person discreetly, their need is relieved without exposing their struggle. The help benefits them, but their honor remains untouched.

In this way, secret charity does more than provide financial support—it preserves human dignity.

The Highest Form of Giving

Yet there is a level of charity even more beautiful.

Not only is the donation hidden, but the donor is hidden as well.

Islamic tradition relates that Imam Ali A.S would carry provisions during the night and deliver them to vulnerable families without revealing his identity. Many of those receiving the aid did not know who was helping them.

Whether one focuses on the historical details or the lesson itself, the message is profound.

The family receives food, but they do not become attached to a benefactor. They are not burdened by feelings of indebtedness toward a particular person. Instead, their hearts remain directed toward the One who ultimately provided for them.

The Hidden Hand That Points to Allah

When people know exactly who helped them, gratitude naturally turns toward that person.

But when assistance arrives through an unknown hand, the mind begins searching beyond human beings.

The recipient reflects upon the fact that Allah knew their need, Allah created a way for relief to reach them, and Allah sent provision from a source they never expected.

The less visible the human hand becomes, the more visible the care of Allah becomes.

Allah says:

(Surah An-Nahl 16:53)

وَمَا بِكُمۡ مِّنۡ نّـِعۡمَةٍ فَمِنَ اللّٰهِ‌

"Whatever blessing you have is from Allah."

And when a giver hides their identity while helping others, they diminish the prominence of their own self and affirm Allah’s greatness within their heart. This protects them from showing off and nurtures humility within them.

Because every blessing they possess ultimately comes from Allah alone.

Charity by Night and by Day

Allah praises both forms of giving:

(Surah Al-Baqarah 2:274)

الَّذِيۡنَ يُنۡفِقُوۡنَ اَمۡوَالَهُمۡ بِالَّيۡلِ وَالنَّهَارِ سِرًّا وَّعَلَانِيَةً فَلَهُمۡ اَجۡرُهُمۡ عِنۡدَ رَبِّهِمۡ‌ۚ 

"Those who spend their wealth by night and by day, secretly and publicly, will have their reward with their Lord."

The Quran recognizes that different situations call for different forms of charity. Sometimes goodness should be seen so that it inspires others. At other times, goodness should be hidden so that sincerity, dignity, and reliance upon Allah are preserved.

Wisdom lies in knowing which form best serves Allah's pleasure in a given moment.

If you are searching for the answer to "What Does Allah Want From Me?" 

Read this article.

👉  WHAT DOES ALLAH WANT FROM ME? 

QURANIC PSYCHOLOGY OF TRUST, TESTS, AND PURPOSE

Why Is Belief in God Fading?

It seems that belief in God is slowly disappearing from the lives of many people. Why is this happening?

In this article, we will explore some of the reasons behind this trend and how modern distractions, personal pain, and the pursuit of instant gratification can distance a person from faith.

The First Question: 

Why Does a Human Being Need God?

I am not talking about someone who is already a Muslim and follows Islam.

I am talking about a nonbeliever.

Why does a person need God in their life?

The first question they should ask themselves is:

Can they truly control their environment?

A person can work for improvement and make plans, but beyond a certain point, they cannot control everything.

Even if someone denies this question, they must face another:

Can they completely control their own thoughts?

Can they stop death?

Can they guarantee justice for every victim of oppression?

If someone is wronged and dies without receiving justice, where will that justice come from if there is no afterlife and no God who establishes ultimate justice?

These are questions that human beings cannot easily escape.

Then Why Are So Many People Atheists?

There are many reasons.

Some people want a world where everything makes immediate sense.

Some struggle with sacrificing their desires.

Some have experienced religious trauma.

Others have witnessed hypocrisy and false representations of religion and become confused.

Pain can push people toward denial.

When someone suffers deeply and sees no justice, they may begin to believe that God is not there.

The Dopamine Trap

Modern science tells us that dopamine is involved in motivation, reward, and the pursuit of pleasurable experiences.

When a person repeatedly seeks instant gratification, their attention becomes focused on whatever provides immediate pleasure.

Over time, desires can begin to dominate their life.

The pursuit of pleasure becomes the center of their existence.

So the dopamine trap is not merely a scientific phenomenon. It is also a spiritual challenge.

The Quran warns about this reality:

Reference: Surah Al-Jathiyah (45:23)

اَفَرَءَيۡتَ مَنِ اتَّخَذَ اِلٰهَهٗ هٰوٮهُ 

"Have you seen the one who has taken his own desire as his god?"

The Quran identifies a danger that modern psychology also recognizes: when desires become the highest authority in a person's life.

 Science And Atheism

Many people hear that life developed through evolutionary processes and conclude that God is unnecessary.

As a result, they begin questioning faith and religious belief.

These are some of the questions and arguments that many nonbelievers carry with them.

Why Does Allah Allow All of This?

The Quran repeatedly emphasizes that human beings are responsible for their choices.

A Human Being Receives What He Strives For

Reference: Surah An-Najm (53:39)

وَاَنۡ لَّيۡسَ لِلۡاِنۡسَانِ اِلَّا مَا سَعٰىۙ‏ 

"And that there is not for man except that for which he strives."

Allah has given human beings free will.

A person may choose truth or falsehood, faith or denial.

The Journey Toward Allah Is Not Without Trials

Those who sincerely seek Allah often face tests, hardships, and moments of pain.

But for someone who is already suffering, believing in God can become difficult.

Many people step back because they do not want more pain.

They want a life of comfort and immediate rewards.

This is where the attraction of worldly pleasure becomes powerful.

Is Allah Cruel?

The answer is no.

Allah's system is interconnected.

Sometimes the suffering we experience comes through the actions of other human beings who misuse their free will.

The victim may feel that the suffering came directly from God, while in reality another person chose injustice.

Yet Allah continuously gives people opportunities to return to Him.

The Quran reminds us:

Reference: Surah Yunus (10:44)

اِنَّ اللّٰهَ لَا يَظۡلِمُ النَّاسَ شَيْئًا وَّلٰـكِنَّ النَّاسَ اَنۡفُسَهُمۡ يَظۡلِمُوۡنَ‏ 

"Indeed, Allah does not wrong the people at all, but it is the people who wrong themselves."

A System Built on Mercy and Free Will

Allah allows human beings to choose freely.

He does not force love or faith upon them.

He wants people to come to Him willingly.

Confusion exists.

Doubts exist.

Pain exists.

But Allah responds to people in unique ways throughout their lives.

Sometimes He answers through hardship.

Sometimes through guidance.

Sometimes through questions that force a person to search for deeper meaning.

A Question Many People Ask

"What does Allah want from me?"

We will search for the answer to this question later, but before that, we need to understand the nature of the question itself.

Why Does This Question Arise?

1. Why did this thought arise in the first place?

2. What kind of person is likely to ask such a question?

The answer to both is that this question usually appears when life is not going according to a person's expectations.

A person may be striving to achieve something, yet despite all their efforts, they are unable to reach it. Or they may be sincerely trying to please Allah and walking a spiritual path, yet the trials and difficulties they encounter do not make sense to them.

No clear sign appears. No obvious answer comes. Things do not seem to improve.

At such moments, a person begins to ask:

"What does Allah want from me?"

This question often arises because such a person is emotionally sensitive and deeply concerned about their relationship with Allah.

The Lives of the Prophets

When we look at the lives of the Prophets, we find that they also faced periods of uncertainty and hardship.

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ went through years of difficulty, rejection, and loss, yet he never abandoned his trust in Allah. Then came the honor of Al-Isra and Al-Mi'raj.

Prophet Yusuf (Joseph) عليه السلام spent many years in prison, yet he continued to trust Allah.

Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) عليه السلام was thrown into the fire, left his wife and infant son in a barren desert, and even placed the knife upon his son's neck in obedience to Allah's command.

Why?

Because of trust in Allah.

What Does Allah Want From Us?

The Quran repeatedly points toward a reality that many people overlook:

Allah is not merely looking at what we achieve. He is looking at how we respond to His commands, His decrees, and His tests.

1. Sacrificing What We Love

Surah Aal-e-Imran (3:92)

لَنْ تَنَالُوا الْبِرَّ حَتَّىٰ تُنْفِقُوا مِمَّا تُحِبُّونَ ۚ

"Never will you attain righteousness until you spend from that which you love."

This verse teaches that growth often requires sacrifice. A person cannot reach higher spiritual states without giving up something they deeply value.

2. Accepting Allah's Judgment Wholeheartedly

Surah An-Nisa (4:65)

فَلَا وَرَبِّكَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ حَتّٰى يُحَكِّمُوكَ فِيمَا شَجَرَ بَيْنَهُمْ ثُمَّ لَا يَجِدُوا فِي أَنْفُسِهِمْ حَرَجًا مِمَّا قَضَيْتَ وَيُسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا

"But no, by your Lord, they will not truly believe until they make you judge concerning that over which they dispute among themselves, then find within themselves no discomfort regarding your judgment and submit in full submission."

Allah does not only want outward obedience. He wants people to accept His judgment from the depths of their hearts.

3. Faith Must Be Tested

Surah Al-Ankabut (29:2)

أَحَسِبَ النَّاسُ أَنْ يُتْرَكُوا أَنْ يَقُولُوا آمَنَّا وَهُمْ لَا يُفْتَنُونَ

"Do the people think that they will be left to say, 'We believe,' and they will not be tested?"

This world was never meant to be free from trials. Tests are part of faith itself.

4. Allah Loves Those Who Trust Him

Surah Aal-e-Imran (3:159)

إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُتَوَكِّلِينَ

"Indeed, Allah loves those who rely upon Him."

Trust in Allah is not a passive state. It is a conscious decision to continue moving forward even when the full picture is hidden.

The Psychological Shift

Perhaps the question "What does Allah want from me?" begins to fade when a person willingly chooses to trust Allah.

Once they accept that this life is a test and that Allah's wisdom is greater than their understanding, they stop searching for hidden signs behind every hardship.

Just as a person wholeheartedly pursues something they deeply desire and continues striving for it even after setbacks, they begin to accept Allah's will with the same sincerity and commitment.

Instead of constantly seeking answers, they become passionate about doing what is right, leaving the results to Allah.

Human Nature vs Human Desire

A Quranic psychological reflection on how human nature (fitrah) and human desire (nafs) shape behavior and decision-making.

To understand this matter, we first need to look at the Quran and see what Allah says about the nature upon which human beings were created. Then we can talk about human desires.

Quranic View of Human Nature

Surah Ar-Rum 30:30

فِطْرَتَ اللَّهِ الَّتِي فَطَرَ النَّاسَ عَلَيْهَا

"Allah's nature upon which He has created mankind."

Surah An-Nisa 4:28

وَخُلِقَ الْإِنسَانُ ضَعِيفًا

 "And man was created weak."

Surah Al-Anbiya 21:37

خُلِقَ الْإِنسَانُ مِنْ عَجَلٍ

  "Man was created hasty."

Surah Al-Ma'arij 70:19-21

إِنَّ الْإِنسَانَ خُلِقَ هَلُوعًا ۝ إِذَا مَسَّهُ الشَّرُّ جَزُوعًا ۝ وَإِذَا مَسَّهُ الْخَيْرُ مَنُوعًا

 "Indeed, mankind was created anxious. When adversity touches him, he becomes distressed, and when good reaches him, he becomes withholding."

Surah At-Tin 95:4

لَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا الْإِنسَانَ فِي أَحْسَنِ تَقْوِيمٍ

"Indeed, We created man in the best form."

If these verses are read carefully, they describe human nature 

A person cannot develop his own fundamental nature; that is in Allah's hands.

Human Limitations and Reality

A person cannot control his environment, nor can he control the incidents that happen in his life.

Example 1

If someone has an accident and loses an arm, that condition begins to control certain aspects of his life. He must follow a specific routine and develop a new perspective on life. In this matter, a person has no choice; he is compelled to adapt.

Example 2

A person whose parents, during childhood, stopped him from doing things that were not wrong may develop anger in his heart. He may begin to see his parents as unfair. He grows up, circumstances change, and life becomes better, yet the anger remains.

He sees other people living normal lives, but the perspective created by his past remains with him. Because of that anger, he starts speaking harshly even to innocent people. When told that he is wrong, he replies, "No, this is the principle. This is my nature.

Is such a person helpless in this situation?

No.

Even if he was wronged, does that give him the right to pass that oppression on to others?

Because he was told to live according to his parents' expectations, he could not fight for his own rights. The anger remained in his heart, and instead of healing it, he began violating the rights of others to satisfy that anger. But that is not justified.

Human Nature vs Human Responsibility

So what should such a person do?

This is where I understand the Quranic verses about human nature.

A human being is weak. He wants everything to become right quickly, which is why he is hasty and anxious.

He becomes distressed when hardship reaches him.

And when everything becomes good, he becomes withholding. He neither protects others from the same suffering he experienced—what is often called trauma transfer—nor does he thank Allah. Instead, he begins to see comfort as his right.

This is where human desire and human ego begin.

Example from Bani Israel

A perfect example appears in the Quran when Bani Israel said to Musa (A.S.):

"We cannot endure one kind of food. Ask your Lord to provide for us from what the earth grows."

Musa (A.S.) replied:

"Would you exchange what is better for what is lesser?"

Now reflect on this example.

Any ordinary person would not want to eat the same food all the time. He would desire to eat different kinds of food.

But why did Musa (A.S.) respond by saying that they were abandoning something better for something lesser?

This was also connected to the tone from which Bani Israel were speaking.

Before Freedom of Bani Israel

1. They were slaves of Pharaoh.

2. Their children were being killed.

3. They were rescued and freed, and saved from Pharaoh's army.

4. Allah forgave many of their mistakes.

5. They were given provision in the desert without labor.

6. They were given the shade of clouds, which guided them and protected them from the heat, while fire provided guidance and warmth at night.

They were given every kind of ease, yet they began to see more things as their right.

Their tone was also harsh. They were declaring that they could not be patient and that they must be given something else.

This was not nature; it was desire making them weak.

Yet there was no weakness in their tone.

Instead, they should have been grateful to Allah for the ease He had provided.

Their tone should not have been demanding but requesting.

They could have said:

"Pray to your Lord on our behalf that He gives us ease. We are trying to be patient, but we also desire different food."

But they rejected food that was only a test.

The Command of Allah

Then what did Allah do?

Allah admitted them into a city (town) and accepted their request. He instructed them to enter while prostrating and saying:

"Ḥiṭṭah" (O Allah, forgive our sins).

Yet they could not even say this word properly. They altered it.

They became so withholding in worship that even a single word felt heavy upon them.

Why was that?

They became so occupied with their lives that one word felt burdensome. The importance of that word disappeared from their hearts.

Even worse, instead of seeking forgiveness for forgetting, they deliberately changed the word itself.

The very word that could have been a means of salvation from their sins became something they mocked.

They began mocking Allah's commands until they even started killing the prophets of Allah.

Why was that?

Because they believed they were special and the chosen ones.

And one dangerous thing happened: they developed a habit and began to treat it as if it were their nature.

And their end was terrible.

Moral Question

Can anyone claim that he is killing another person because that is simply his nature?

Let us take an example from the famous Netflix series You.

Can a lack of love in childhood and unresolved trauma lead a person to become a serial killer?

Of course not.

Nature gives you chances.

Accept your sins.

Show accountability, but he developed a behavior that gradually became a habit.

Musa (A.S.) Example

In You, the main character was so compelled to protect his desires and himself that he never seriously considered surrendering himself to the police.

But Musa (A.S.) also killed a man accidentally while trying to defend a weak person in a moment of rage. He fled, yet when Allah sent him back, he showed concern, asked Allah for help, and Allah forgave him.

Why did Allah forgive him?

Because he was trying to protect a weak person. He did not intend to kill.

In the Quran, Musa (A.S.) said:

"I have wronged myself."

The words are clear. It was unintentional.

It was a reaction in which he could not remain patient.

This was not his usual habit.

He did not normally punish people in anger like this. Rather, it was a moment of haste.

The Quran describes human beings as hasty by nature. 

Bani Israel, demanded different food because they could not remain patient.

What began as a moment of haste later developed into a habit, and eventually they became accustomed to going against Allah’s commands.

Purpose of Human Nature

Why did Allah create human beings like this?

To test them and see who turns back to Him in that haste and uses free will correctly.

Who waits for the signs of Allah.

Who uses intelligence, reflects upon the scriptures of Allah, and finds answers according to the situation.

Who feels weak and asks Allah for help.

And who becomes strong, makes life easier for others, and remains grateful during times of ease.

Final Reflection

Human nature makes a person closer to Allah.

And human desire makes a person feel forced,

helpless,

and compelled.

And then a person escapes responsibility by labeling this weakness and dependency as "human nature" and even goes on to justify it.

If you want to understand Allah’s System vs Satan’s System

Read The Article: 

  👉   ALLAH’S SYSTEM VS SATAN’S SYSTEM: A SPIRITUAL REFLECTION