If following or going along with the majority is a good criterion for making a choice, then why do we so often feel unsatisfied with what we do? Why do we feel upset or unhappy deep down in our hearts? Sometimes we feel, deep in our hearts, that we truly wish we were somewhere else; somewhere we wouldn’t be forced to follow or go along with the wrong things most people do. Where does this feeling of discomfort come from?
Pay attention to this sentence:
القَلبُ حَرَمُ اللّه ِ ، فَلا تُسكِن حَرَمَ اللّه ِ غَيرَ اللّه
The heart is the sanctuary of Allah, so let no one but Allah enter it.
Imam al-Sadiq (A.S.)
The human heart is where Allah resides. That’s how it was created. If a person does not recognize or forgets who truly owns their heart and imagines the command centre of their soul is like a guesthouse, they are always open to all kinds of guests, big and small, even those who oppose one another. A person like this will never experience the taste of real peace. One might become accustomed to such a condition, but they continue to suffer from a sense of dissatisfaction, even if they are not always aware of it. It’s like physical pain: we may become accustomed to it, but it can never compare to the pleasure and peace of being healthy. Swimming against the current is not an easy task — no one denies that. At times, we are forced to endure what others say; sometimes, we have to leave certain friends behind; and at other times, we change our environment. Changing one’s current situation is never easy, because people generally prefer to stick to their habits rather than go through the pain of change — much like the process of healing the body, which demands effort and perseverance. Yet all these hardships do not put an end to one truth: that the human heart is the dwelling place of Allah—no matter how accustomed one may have become to their own illness.