The (addictive) vices of the Material World. (part one)

Every ordinary individual muslim will surely at one point of his time will feel the desire, or the temptation to try something forbidden. It's kind of obvious that Satan and our own Nafs(ego & lowly desires) will want us to indulge in such vices. The test lies in refusing these temptations. Don’t worry, even the best among us are tempted and tested with seemingly unbearable tests. ;)

So yeah, here I intend to talk about those few common vices that God has explicitly forbade us from indulging. The idea here is to ensure that we don’t feel left out or feel that God is depriving us from the forbidden (haram) enjoyment of this world that the non-believers get to enjoy.
So firstly, Gambling, a very common vice and superbly exciting especially to those who are affluent.

We know that gambling is prohibited for us, it gets a “No Muslims” rating, worse than R21 hehe. Ok fine, but you should see and should understand that Islam is complete, it meets the needs of the Fitrah (our inherent nature) adequately, after all, who makes the best manual books if not the Manufacturer Himself? He knows us best, inside out, upside down; nothing is a secret to Him whatsoever.

Actually, to think about it, and also to speak in a manner so called “politically INCORRECT”, “gambling” is within Islam! Only difference is that is it called Sadaqah (charity). The idea is that when u give to charity SINCERELY, and sincerity must be emphasized, God rewards you both materially and spiritually, plus He will reward you without due measure in the Hereafter InsyaAllah. So you stand to gain when you give to charity. In fact there have been really a lot of experiences, some personal, of how quickly one gets rewarded with even more money than what he donates. So, isn’t that ‘gambling’ to you? “Gambling” centered upon the trust in Him.
Whoa whoa whoa whoa! Just hold it there man! A Really BIG WORD OF CAUTION, the sincerity part really must be emphasized. And here lies the irony, or paradox, whatever you call it lah uh, when you have true sincerity when donating, such an issue about this so called ‘gambling’ and its rewards will never even surface! That’s the irony…and the test as well. A sincere person will just donate and hope for absolutely nothing more than the Good Pleasure (ridha) of God Himself. The sincere person would have eliminated ostentation (riya’) from his heart. If you are donating and are just going to brag and show off how much you have donated, than that is totally pointless. You rather keep that money and splurge it on yourself, as that would be halal for you. God, Exalted, Sublime and Transcendent is He, is beyond requiring absolutely anything from us. Period. May Allah Forgive us and Bless us.