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It is not Deen to satisfy one's wishes

In his discourses, Mufti Taqi Saheb (Damat Barakatuhum) speaks about people practising Deen according to their desires, and giving precedence to the effort they are emotionally attached to, such as Ta'leem, Tableegh and Jihaad, over more important obligations:

It is not Deen to satisfy one's wishes
Our Hazrat Maulana Maseehullah Khan Sahib used to say that it is not Deen (Faith) to satisfy ones own desires; Deen is to obey Allah and Allah's Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace). It is not at all Deen to hanker after a certain personal choice, e.g. the wish to study religious courses and become a theologian, whether one is qualified or not for that line of study. Some member of the family, father, mother or any other person is seriously ill and there is none to look after him and the son is intent upon going to school. This is not Deen. In such a situation Deen is to devote one's services exclusively to nurse the sick in the family.

The desire to become a Mufti (A Doctor in the Religious Science)
For example, one desires earnestly to specialise in the religious studies and become a Mufti. Many students in the Darul-Uloom, express this desire. When asked about the desire of their fathers about their choice they say that their parents are not agreeable to such programme of study. Now look! They want to qualify themselves as Muftis against the will of their fathers. This is not Deen; it is only the satisfaction of their desire.

The Desire to preach religion (Tabligh)
Another example may be given of a person who wants to go out for Tabligh for a period of forty days (Chilla). In the ordinary circumstances this is a very praiseworthy, useful and righteous work, but not when someone in the family is sick and requires an attendant. Going out for a a 40 days (Chilla) in such a situation is not Deen; it is merely the desire to satisfy one's own choice. The demand of the time is that the Sick should be looked after, properly nursed and given medical treatment. All this is not worldly work; it is pure Deen.

The desire to go to the Mosque for Prayer
Hazrat Maulana Masihullah Khan Sahib once set an example in his assembly. He said: A man is living with his wife all alone in a deserted place in a forest. The husband felt a longing to offer prayer in the mosque in the nearby township. The wife does not like the programme of her husband, because she would feel afraid and helpless if left alone in that forest. She, therefore, requests her husband to pray in the house; but the husband does not care for his wife and goes out for prayer in a distant mosque, leaving behind his wife all alone. This is not at all Deen. The demand of the time was that the husband should have prayed in his house for the sake of his wife. This advice holds good in a case where the couple are living all alone in a deserted place. If they are living in a populated village or town, then it is all right to go to the mosque for prayer.

Someone is desirous to go out for taking part in Jihad, another to join a Tablighi tour, still there is another who wants to become a Maulana or a Mufti, unmindful of the many obligatory duties that lie on him. It is not at all Deen to ignore these demands of the time and insist on satisfying one's own desires.

The advice to get oneself attached to a Shaikh (spiritual guide) is for this very purpose. The Shaikh tells his disciples what the demands of the times are. This never means that I am advising against becoming a Mufti or going on a Chilla (period of 40 days) for Tabligh or proceeding on Jihad. The intention is to say that all these are highly valuable duties, but each in its proper time. A man has to find out what the time demands of him. It is not Deen to determine a course of action of one's own choice and follow it ignoring other important considerations, particularly the advice of the Shaikh, if any, one may have chosen for guidance...

Give up Remembrance at the time of Azan (Prayer Call)
A man is busy with remembrance of Allah, but no sooner does he hears the words of the Azan than he responds to the command of stopping his remembrance. This command requires that on hearing the Azan one should reply to the words of the Azan and stop all other things, as listening to the Azan and responding to its words are the most imperative and pressing engagement...

Hazrat Owais Qarni (radhiyallah anhu)
Hazrat Owais Qarni (radhiyallahu anhu), had not the good fortune of seeing the Holy Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace). Is there any Muslim who does not long for a vision of the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) when such a vision is possible, particularly person is living in the Prophet's (Allah bless him and grant him peace) time? This was Hazrat Owais Qarni (radhiyallahu anhu) whom the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) desired to serve his mother instead of trying to see him . Hazrat Owais (Allah bless him and grant him peace) preferred to continue to serve his old mother depriving himself of the honour of visiting the Holy Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace). What was the result? The unique rank of Hazrat Owais Qarni (radhiyallahu anhu) was that the Companions of the Holy Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) who had been honoured with the companionship of the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) used to call upon Hazrat Qarni (radhiyallahu anhu) for blessings and intercession to Allah. There is a Hadith to the effect that the Holy Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) once told Hazrat Umar Farooq (radhiyallahu anhu) that an Ummati of his lived in Qarn who in obedience to the order of Allah and the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) preferred the blessing of serving his mother to the honour of meeting the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace). If there had been a disobedient person he would have set off to meet the Holy Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace), leaving behind his mother, unattended and uncared for, just to satisfy his own self-will. Hazrat Owais Qarni (radhiyallahu anhu) was a true and obedient believer who realised that what Allah and His Prophet ((Allah bless him and grant him peace) desired was worthy of attention and action and his own preference had no value in these special circumstances. (Sahih Muslim, Fazail Hazrat Owais Qarni (radhiyallahu anhu) Hadith no: 2542)

This is the root of all Bidaah (Innovations)
All these bidaah prevailing in the world may be eradicated if the truth is realised fully that our own choice means nothing in the presence of Allah's choice. What does Bid ah mean? It means devising our own ways and means to serve and please Allah...