 There is a famous Arab proverb that says رضا الناس غاية لا تدرك The happiness and the pleasure of other human beings is an aim that can never be achieved. Human beings cannot be pleased easily. One day they may be happy with you. Tomorrow they may disapprove. A friend of mine who is from our brothers he said to me I am trying to seek the approval of my friends but I can't. I said to him why? He said look I am a Sunni but I have Shi'a friends. When I associate myself with the Shi'a friends they say to me well you know what you are a Sunni. When I go with my Sunni friends they say to me you are a Shi'a because you have some Shi'a tendencies. When I go and spend time with my Wahabi friends they tell me you are a kafir. He says I can't win. I can't seem to get the approval of anyone. The notion that emerges is what? Human beings continuously strive to get that kind of recognition from the other in all types of shapes and forms which is intrinsic in our setup. Yet the reality is if you examine the Holy Quran سبحانه وتعالى has spoken about this subject over 73 times. This subject which is known as a river, satisfaction, seeking approval is a subject of immense importance because the Almighty سبحانه وتعالى presents to you and I a very simple formula. This is something that people have got to learn throughout their lives because there is a famous Arab proverb that says رضا الناس غاية لا تدرك The happiness and the pleasure of other human beings is an aim that can never be achieved. Human beings cannot be pleased easily. One day they may be happy with you tomorrow they may disapprove. لقمان الحكيم came forward and illustrated this using a famous story which most of you perhaps have heard. He attempted to educate his young son that when it comes to seeking approval above all, primarily without any other consideration seek the happiness and the pleasure of God the Almighty الله جل وعلا because you're wasting your time if you're continuously seeking the happiness of X, Y and Z you will not get your destination they're both traveling they enter a city he is riding on a mule on a donkey and his son is walking or is with him but not riding when they reach this area this village the people of the village the inhabitants of the city start to make comments they say how could you be on your donkey and your son who is younger than you suffering surely you should be the other way around he dismounts he allows his son to ride on the donkey they continue they visit a second area now those individuals say completely the opposite they say to their son your father is older surely you should respect him by allowing him to ride and you yourself should be on your feet at this moment what happens لقمان says the best thing to do is for both of us to do what to ride on it that's the best way so that we will not get the criticism of the people when they both ride on this donkey what happens even at that time there were the animal rights activists right they came out and said this is animal cruelty both of you on a donkey how could this be eventually they decide to do what to dismount and allow the donkey not to be mounted without anyone finally when they reach an area individuals come out and said this is a practical demonstration of israf you have a donkey and you're not riding it he came to the conclusion he said four occasions we attempted to please human beings but we were not successful in other words the Quran brings forward a very emphatic realization for you and I the goal of every human being should be what should be to seek the pleasure of the Almighty سبحانه وتعالى above all this is a reality that certain individuals in history recognized and grasped beautifully