Question:

What exactly is “wishful thinking”?

Answer:

An example :

﴿وَلاَ تَتَمَنَّوْاْ مَا فَضَّلَ اللَّهُ بِهِ بَعْضَكُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ﴾

(And wish not for the things in which Allah has made some of you to excel others).

[4:32]

﴿وَاسْأَلُواْ اللَّهَ مِن فَضْلِهِ﴾

(and ask Allah of His Bounty.)

[4:32]

Therefore, the Ayah states, “Do not wish for what other people were endowed with over you, for this is a decision that will come to pass, and wishing does not change its decree. However, ask Me of My favor and I will grant it to you, for I Am Most Generous and Most Giving.

Excerpted from the English version of Tafseer Ibn Katheer.

Answered by

AbdulFattaah bin Uthman
Abu Fajr