A Moment for Reflection
There are certain words and sentences in a person’s life which, if they truly reach the heart, can change the entire course of life.
A verse from the Qur’an, a Hadith of the beloved Messenger of Allah ﷺ, a wise statement from a righteous scholar, a teacher’s reprimand, a parent’s warning, or the sincere advice of a true friend—all of these are opportunities from Allah Almighty for a person to correct himself and return to what is right.
But the question is:
Why do we not listen to advice?
Advice reaches our ears, but why does it often fail to reach our hearts?
Listening Is Not Enough
Allah Almighty says:
الَّذِينَ يَسْتَمِعُونَ الْقَوْلَ فَيَتَّبِعُونَ أَحْسَنَهُ ۚ أُولَٰئِكَ الَّذِينَ هَدَاهُمُ اللَّهُ وَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمْ أُولُو الْأَلْبَابِ
Translation:
“Those who listen attentively to what is said and then follow the best of it. They are the ones whom Allah has guided, and they are the people of understanding.”
(Surah Az-Zumar, Part 23, Verse 18)
Reflect upon this!
The Qur’an does not merely praise the act of listening. Rather, it praises those who listen and then follow what is best.
The real problem is therefore not with our ears; it is with our hearts.
Why Do We Reject Advice?
One reason we do not accept advice is that we find it difficult to admit our own mistakes.
Human beings naturally have an attachment to themselves. Therefore, when someone points out our weakness, instead of considering it advice, we often perceive it as criticism.
Rather than asking ourselves:
“Is what this person is saying correct?”
we immediately begin thinking:
“Who are they to tell me?”
“This is just a young person—what do they know?”
“I have seen my elders doing things this way since childhood.”
“Important people come to me; they never say anything to me. Why is this person saying it?”
This attitude gradually becomes a barrier between us and sincere advice.
And this is how pride closes the doors of correction.
Advice Is a Means of Benefit
Allah Almighty says:
﴾وَذَكِّرْ فَإِنَّ الذِّكْرَىٰ تَنْفَعُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ﴿
Translation:
“And remind, for indeed, the reminder benefits the believers.”
(Surah Adh-Dhariyat, Part 27, Verse 55)
Advice is actually a form of love and sincere concern.
A person who sees our mistake but remains silent may keep us happy temporarily.
But the person who sincerely tries to correct us because he cares about our well-being is thinking about our future.
That is why the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
الدِّينُ النَّصِيحَةُ
“Religion is sincere advice.”
The Companions رضي الله عنهم asked:
“For whom?”
He ﷺ replied:
“For Allah, His Book, His Messenger, the leaders of the Muslims, and the common Muslims.”
(Sahih Muslim, Book of Faith, Chapter: Clarifying That Religion Is Sincere Advice, Hadith 55)
We Prefer Advice That Pleases Us
One of our greatest weaknesses is that we often prefer advice that agrees with our desires.
The person who praises us seems sincere.
But the person who tries to correct us begins to feel like an opponent.
We sometimes welcome words that satisfy our ego, while rejecting words that expose our shortcomings.
But when the heart becomes filled with worldly desires, ego, stubbornness, jealousy, and self-admiration, how much room remains for sincere advice?
Advice Comes in Many Forms
Life is very short.
Every day, advice knocks at our doors.
Sometimes it comes through the Qur’an.
Sometimes through the Hadith.
Sometimes through the words of a righteous scholar.
Sometimes through a teacher.
Sometimes through the words of our parents.
And sometimes through the warning of a sincere friend.
The fortunate person is the one who does not consider advice an insult, but sees it as a mirror for self-correction.
Because the person who recognizes and admits his mistakes in this world gives himself an opportunity to avoid many regrets in the Hereafter.
Let Us Learn to Accept Advice
Before rejecting someone’s words, let us ask ourselves:
“Is there something in this advice that I need to correct within myself?”
We do not have to accept every statement blindly. But we should have enough humility to listen, reflect, and recognize the truth when it becomes clear.
Sometimes the person advising us may be younger than us.
Sometimes they may have less experience than us.
But the truth does not become false simply because it comes from someone younger.
A sincere believer should be more concerned with the truth of the advice than with the status of the person giving it.
A Prayer
We ask Allah, Lord of Majesty, to grant us the ability to understand these words and act upon them.
May Allah Almighty give us humility, wisdom, sincerity, and the courage to recognize our mistakes and accept sincere advice.
Ameen, bi-jahi an-Nabiyy al-Ameen ﷺ.
A Humble Request
After reading this article, please share it with your friends, family, and other groups so that this beneficial reminder may reach others as well.
