Badges mark quoted or attributed material (Qur'an, hadith, another author, an opposing view). Unbadged passages are Maulana Wahiduddin Khan's own words.
The Spiritual Loss Caused by Greed
G
reed is a person’s greatest weakness: everyone feels that whatever he has is not enough. Everyone wants more and more. No one is satisfied with what he has. Psychology of this nature is destructive. The greatest loss it inflicts is that one is deprived of the blessings of special prayer to God. If an individual lives in a state of gratitude, that is, if he feels that whatever is required for leading his life in this world has been given to him by God, this will become a great point of reference for prayer.
These words will be uttered from the depths of his heart: “O God, You have given me everything in the world.” (14:34). Now I want the same in the world Hereafter as, You have promised in Your Book: “Therein you shall have all that your souls desire, and therein you shall have all that you ask for.” (41.31)
A prayer said in gratitude is a high form of prayer. Such a prayer comes from one’s heart with deep feelings. Such a prayer is the result of a prepared mind. Such a prayer represents one’s entire existence.
In such prayer the choice of words is secondary. What is of prime importance is the internal feelings which stir up one’s heart and mind. Such a prayer comes out of one’s lips only when one comes so close to God that no distance remains between him and his Creator. In such a prayer words are just symbolic. The real, or actual dua is that, which is heard only by the angels who then without delay deliver it to God.