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Learning from the Past and preparing for the
Future
Shaykh Abdul Baaree Ath Thubaytee [(Dhul-Hijjah 29, 1424 (February
20, 2004)]
All praise is due to
Allaah, Lord of all the worlds. Peace and blessings of Allaah be upon the
Messenger, his household and companions.
Fellow Muslims! Fear
Allaah and be dutiful to Him. Allaah says,
"O
you who believe! Fear Allaah as He should be feared and die not except in a
state of Islaam."
(Aal 'Imraan 3:102)
Brethren in faith! This sun that rises daily
from the east and sets in the west carries a great lesson. Its rise and set are
a sign that this world is not a permanent abode but a temporary one.
Look at these months that start with small crescents and then grow little by
little until they become full and start diminishing again. Man's life is exactly
like that. At the beginning of every new year, the end
of it seems to be far. But with quick passage of days and nights, another new
year roles in. Such is the life of man; he looks at the end of his life as
something that is far until the death seizes him unprepared. Man dreams of a
long life. He deceives himself with wishes only to be seized suddenly by death.
Dear brethren! We are,
these days, saying farewell to an old year and ushering in a new one. What have
we done in the past year and what have we provided for the new year? Aboo Dardaa
said, "Son of Aadam, you are only [like] days, if one of these days passes, a
part of you is gone."
Aboo Haazim said, "I am
surprised by some people who work for an abode whose stages they pass day by
day, and they refuse to work towards an abode unto which they are moving day by
day. What is joyful in the life of a person who destroys in a day the deed of a
month, and destroys in a month the deeds of a year or destroys in a year the
deeds of a lifetime? What is the source of joy for a person whose life leads him
to death?"
Ibn 'Abbaas said, "How
can we be happy with death at our heels, graves in our front, the Resurrection
our appointed time, above the Hell our passage and in front of our Lord is our
stand?
The matters of this
world have filled our hearts and all our discussions are dominated by worldly
issues. We always think of how to make profits and how to amass wealth. If an
appointment is made is matters of this world, we meet the appointment punctually
and happily and we give only a narrow place to our Hereafter in our hearts. If
for instance, a call is made for prayer, how many of us hasten to attend it?
While in the streets we see many people running after the benefits of this
worldly life. The Messenger of Allaah gave a greater admonition to Ibn 'Umar
that underlined the position a Muslim should take regarding this world. He told
him, "Be in this world like a stranger or a passing traveller."
Therefore, a passing
traveller should be contented with a little of this world. He should not have
long wishes. He should rather increase in faith. His words should be the
recitation of the book of Allaah and his concern should be racing towards
righteous deeds. For the day that has passed will never return. It is because of
this that Mu`aadh bin Jabal said on his death bed, "My Lord, You know that I
have never wanted to stay in this world nor to remain there longer in order to
enjoy the movement of the rivers and planting of the trees, but I wanted to stay
longer in order to have night-long worship and to suffer the pangs of thirst in
hot days [from fasting] and in order to participate in the classes of knowledge
with the scholars."
The passing traveller
does not stain the purity of his day with sins and he does not waste his night
with forgetfulness and sleep. When he is called to a righteous deed he responds
and if he is called to prayer he answers. He is ever ready for good deed all the
time because he knows that whoever spent a day of his life in which he did not
fulfil a right, carried out an obligation, achieved a commendation or attained a
knowledge has done injustice to his day and wronged himself."
Brethren in Islaam! The
daily life pressure has prevented man from having a time to talk to himself and
review his deeds. He avariciously runs after more and more of this world. That
is why Sa'eed bin Mas'ood said, "If you see a man whose worldly possession is
increasing and whose provision for the Hereafter is diminishing and he is
pleased with that, such is the loser who plays with his life while he knows
not."
Muhammad bin Waasi'
said, "When you see a man in Paradise crying, won't you be surprised by that?
When he was answered in the affirmative, he said, "The one who laughs in this
world though he does not know his fate in the Hereafter should attract greater
surprise."
Dear Muslim brother!
You need to call yourself to account at the end of every year in order to know
your good and bad points and the righteous deeds that you have done. 'Umar bin
Al-Khattaab said, "Call yourselves to account before you are called to account
and weigh your deeds before they are weighed for you."
Self-examination shows
you your faults and makes it easy for you to amend before it is too late. Maalik
bin Deenaar said, "May Allaah have mercy on a servant who tells himself: 'Are
you not the one who did this? Are you not the one who did that?' And he then
rebukes himself and adheres to the book of Allaah and takes it as his leader. Do
not belittle any sin, for it might be great in the sight of Allaah."
Self-examination that
does not exceed mere tears and sorrow and that is devoid of any attempt to
change is useless. The fruitful self-examination is the one that entails remorse
and change for better.
The questions that
every Muslim should ask himself are: "Did I fulfil other people's rights on me?
What is my situation with the prayers? Do I pray it in congregation with all its
conditions, pillars, obligations and concentration? Do I shed tears out of fear
of Allaah for eyes that shed tears out of fear of Allaah shall not enter Hell?
Do I continue to abandon the Fajr and 'Asr prayers in congregation for doing so
is a trait of the hypocrites? The Prophet said, "Whoever misses the 'Asr prayer
has rendered his deeds in vain." Am I still heedless of the Qur'aan which I
recited regularly during the month of Ramadaan? Why am I negligent of
supererogatory deeds that are the sings of faith and a way of winning Allaah's
love?
Dear brother! In the
previous year, what was the matter that concerned you most? Was it food, dress
and transitory enjoyment of this world or your concern was how to live for
Allaah and attain His pleasures?
What is it that pained
you most in past days? Was it a worldly position that you failed to attain or a
degree in righteous deeds that you failed to achieve? Did you, in the past,
established righteousness with your words and spread virtues with your deeds or
you just sowed evil and harmed your brethren? The previous year has now become
an irreversible past even though you can expiate for its sins with repentance
and seeking for forgiveness.
As for this new year of
yours, it is under your possession if Allaah has decreed that you will live
through it. Start your new year decisively and with high-mindedness. Give
priority to the rights of your Lord. You have to obey Him and always remember
Him. You need to show gratitude to Him.
Fulfil the rights of
your parents and take care of them with compassion. Fulfil the rights of your
wives and children by imparting faith in them and giving them proper Islaamic
teaching. Remember your relatives and your neighbours. Do not drive away the
needy among widows, orphans and the destitute. Fulfil the rights of your
servants, maids and your employees before their sweat dries up. Beware of doing
injustice to them, for injustice is darkness on the Day of Resurrection.
Dear Muslim brother!
Disappearance of days and the death of people remind you of the reality of this
worldly life. They remind you of the fact that this world is transient and that
its beauty will fade away. They also remind you of the fact that the everlasting
bliss can only be experienced in Paradise.
Dear brother! You are
now in the new year and you do no | 
