There is No God ...

The basis of our entire belief starts with a simple statement لَا إِلَّهَ (There is NO إِلَّه). The reason I didn't define that word  إِلَّهَ  is because it doesn't just mean God. إِلَّهَ means someone or something that is loved, adored, worshipped and obeyed.

The reason the true definition is important because we are not muslim until we have completely and utterly testified and denied everything that we love and worship and obey before we come to Islam. If before Islam someone loved alcohol or gambling or any other sins that are against Islam, then they have to deny those desires before accepting Allah. 

We as Muslims cling to our desires, our sins and still claim that we are Muslims. We haven't denied our sinful desires, we haven't left our God that we worship other than Allah. 

How can we call ourselves Muslims while we still worship an إِلَّهَ other than Allah?

Everyone wants to be happy but ...

In Surah Taha (20:124) Allah says:

"And whoever turns away from My remembrance - indeed, he will have a depressed life, and We will gather him on the Day of Resurrection blind."

The word ضَنكًا does not just mean 'depressed'. If we look at different translations and the Tafsir, the better english word used is 'straitened'.

Poverty here is not poverty of material life but poverty of the soul. As a filthy rich person will have restless, sleepless nights. Someone with everything going for them will be depressed. Someone who has all the things majority of people crave (fame, talent, wealth) will die of a drug overdose, Heath Ledger anyone. Not only that but people become obsessed with trivial goals in life like the cliché of gathering more and more wealth or power or something as pathetic as trying to get more and more twitter following and neglect the important things in life. So their life and goals become restricted in scope.

But after mentioning the problem, Allah doesn't leave us hanging like the masjid uncle critics who just point out all the flaws and problem but when the work needs to be done are no where to be found. Several ayahs down, Allah mentions in (20:130)

"So be patient over what they say and glorify with praise/gratitude of your Lord before the rising of the sun and before its setting; and during periods of the night (Glorify Him) and at the ends of the day, that you may be satisfied/content."

The cure given by Allah is Salah. Allah calls the Salah as his remembrance. And if we notice in the ayah, it is not just talking about the five mandatory Salah, without which you can barely even call yourself muslim, but he is also talking about the Salah of Ishraq or Duha which is prayed after sunrise but before Duhur. And most importantly Allah is talking about Qiyam al-Layl.

We barely perform the five mandatory Salah and even when we perform them, we do so with laziness and at the last possible minute. No wonder life feels like it's empty without meaning most of the time. No wonder we rush to meaningless entertainment (soul junkfood).

Just like everyone wants to be fit but no one wants to workout or everyone wants to Jannah but no one wants to die or the kid suffering from a sickness doesn't want to be sick but refuses to take the medication;

We all want to be happy but no one wants to do what needs to be done to be happy.