“Keep yourself content with those who call upon their Lord, morning and evening, seeking His pleasure, and do not let your eyes pass beyond them. Do you seek the pomp and glitter of the world? Do not follow him whose heart We have caused to be heedless of Our remembrance, and who follows his desires, and whose attitude is of excess.”
(Al-Qur’ān – 18:28)
As reported by Ibn Abbās, the Quraish elites advised the Holy Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be to him) that they were not prepared to sit in the company of people of such low status as Bilāl, Suhayb, Ammār, Khabbāb and Ibn Mas‘ūd. Were the Messenger to get rid of them then they would be willing to visit him and spend time learning about his message. In response, God tells the Messenger that he should be content with the company of those who had gathered around him to seek God’s pleasure, and to remember God at all times. He was advised not to choose for his company those whose claim to importance rested on their affluence in preference to his devoted followers.
One ought not to follow a person who is heedless of God, nor submit to him, nor accept his command. The lives of all those who become slaves to their base desires become devoid of balance and proportion. To obey such a person means that one should abandon one’s own sense of proportion and indulge in immoderation and stumble in all directions in one’s effort to follow leaders who are not bound by any limits.