Saturday, September 24, 2016

Time: A Precious Asset

“O you who believe! Fear Allah and let every soul look to what it has put forward for tomorrow, and fear Allah, for Allah is Aware of what you do.” (Al Hashar-59: 19).

Months, years, nights and days are times for action and measuring the length of life; they all end and pass very quickly.

Night and day follow each other incessantly. Time causes to move closer that which is far, it wears out what is new and even weakens the strongest. How much was expected in the future and has never materialized? And how much is hoped for tomorrow which shall not materialise?

“Allah does not grant respite to any soul when its appointed term has come. And Allah is Aware of what you do.” (Al-Munafiqun 63: 12).

In three months, a year of our life shall come to an end, to remind us that this world is not eternal. Rather, this world is a trap; how many times has it deceived people who thought that they shall live therein forever! And how many times has it killed those (people) who were immersed in it! Abdullah Ibn Umar (ra) narrated: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) took me by the shoulder and said: “Be in this world as though you were a stranger or a wayfarer.” 

And Ibn Umar (ra) used to say, “In the evening do not expect (to live until) the morning, and in the morning do not expect (to live until) the evening. Take (advantage of) your health before times of sickness, and (take advantage of) your life before your death.” (Bukhari).

Years went by being a witness for us or against us; it is for us now to increase good deeds in our life, to catch what we missed and enjoy the time we have left before the destroyer of pleasures (i.e. death) overcome us.

Jabir (ra) narrated that he heard the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said to a man and he was admonishing him, “Take advantage of five before five: your youth before your old age, your health before your illness, your riches before your poverty, your leisure (free time) before your work, and your life before your death, because there is no forgiveness after the life of this world, and there are no home after this world except heaven or hell.

On the authority of Abu Malik Al-Ash’ari (ra), the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: “Every person goes out in the morning to sell his soul, so he either frees it or destroys it.” (Muslim).


According to Abdullah Ibn Mas’ud (ra), the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: “The two feet of the son of Adam will not move from near his Lord on the Day of Judgement until he is asked about five (matters) concerning his life - how he spent it; about his youth - how he took care of it; about his wealth - how he earned it; and where he spent it; and about that which he acted upon from the knowledge he acquired.” (Tirmidhi).

And Ibn Masud (ra) said: “I have never regretted a thing as I regretted a day when the sun went down, (and) my life has diminished and I have not increased my good deeds.”

The Holy Prophet (pbuh) has certainly said: “The best of you is the one whose life is lengthened and whose deeds were perfected.” (Tirmidhi).

According to Abu Bakr (ra) a man asked, “O Messenger of Allah! Who is the best among men?” He replied, “He who has a long life and do good deeds.” 

The man then asked, “Who is the worst among men?” 
The Holy Prophet (pbuh) said: “Whoever has a long life and who does bad deeds.” (Bukhari).

Let us not forget that as reported by Muslim, Allah opens His hand at night to enable the one who has committed sins during the day to repent.

Let each of us judge himself as the one who judge himself (makes a self-analysis of himself, of his deeds) is the one who shall be in happiness, and the one who shall monitor and correct his soul will have success. And let us rush to such a place where its people do not die, its homes are not destroyed, its youth does not end, and its beauty does not change. The Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said: “Whoever enters Paradise will be in bliss and not in want, live in bliss and not die, his clothes will not get old, and his youth will not end.” (Muslim).

So always keep in mind that this world is only temporary, and that our true home is not of this world. Our home is such that we have never seen before; it is yet to be unveiled to us. The pleasant surprise that God (Allah) has reserved to His pious and obedient servants, those who are struggling to erase their mistakes and sins in the remembrance of Allah and through repentance, those who dedicate their lives to the propagation of the ultimate truth of God, those who worship Him without associating anyone (or anything) with Him, those will have a full measure of their rewards.


So let us not waste our time, such precious time that Allah has given us, in vain pursuits and pleasures. Let us dedicate ourselves to make Allah’s religion, ISLAM, the raison-d’ĂȘtre (i.e. the aim, the focus, the reason for being) of every soul, so that it may find its true path to God on this journey filled with trials that this world represents. May Allah help us in this mission, and bless us with happiness in both worlds. Ameen.

--- Friday Sermon of 23 September 2016 ~(21 Dhul-Hijjah 1437 Hijri) delivered by Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Saheb (atba) of Mauritius.