Saturday is Football day. I woke up and got ready for the match that we were going to have. It had been time since I had lost a game, but I knew with the proposed teams this week it may well be my first defeat after such a long time.

To no surprise, I lost the game, and it was no close one either. Nevertheless, I never gave up hope, I kept on pushing forward, giving my team all the energy I had so that I could once again win. But it was not meant to be, on the final whistle I was well aware of my loss.

I came home, defeated, tired yet not broken. I came back stronger knowing where I went wrong and the things I would change for the next week.

Then I pondered (as usual). A simple game of football and I took it so serious. An hour of fun and play (and the needed exercise) and I was not willing to give up. So why, when it comes to the hereafter, when it comes to winning the love of Allah and His Prophet do we take defeat from Shaytaan so easily?

I thought of all the times when i would exercise no effort to fight the provocations of Shaytaan, all his efforts to deviate me and take me on the path of the losers.

I realised, that if i treated my life as a football pitch, in which the goal was to achieve the love of Allah and His Prophet, and if I exhausted all my efforts in winning this match I would achieve much more than I would from a mere football game.

May Allah give us all the inclination to make an effort to spend our effort in attaining His and His Prophet’s love and and pleasure.

Aameen.