As an ummah we’re weak, and we think that our own lives don’t affect the rest of the ummah. But no. The ummah is like one body. We are all a part of this one body. When we don’t do our jobs as proper slaves of Allah, then the whole body is affected. We have to take responsibility and accountability for what’s happening in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Sudan, Somalia and all around the Muslim world. If the Muslims are united upon tawheed, and we’re all living our lives even half like the sahabah and the tabieen lived theirs, do you honestly think we would be in this current state?
In Sunan Abi Dawud, Thawbaan RA narrates the Prophet (ﷺ) said: The people will soon summon one another to attack you as people when eating invite others to share their dish. Someone asked: Will that be because of our small numbers at that time? He replied: No, you will be numerous at that time: but you will be scum and rubbish like that carried down by a torrent, and Allah will take fear of you from the breasts of your enemy and cast wahn الْوَهَنَ into your hearts. Someone asked: What is wahn? الْوَهَنَ Messenger of Allah (ﷺ): He replied: Love of the world and dislike of death.
Love of the World: The Root of Our Weakness
So don’t think you and I are not a part of the problem affecting the Muslim ummah today. If we have this intense love for this world, and intense fear of losing the pleasures of this world, then we are part of the problem.
We’re here for a test.
ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ ٱلْمَوْتَ وَٱلْحَيَوٰةَ لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ أَيُّكُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلًۭا ۚ وَهُوَ ٱلْعَزِيزُ ٱلْغَفُورُ ٢
˹He is the One˺ Who created death and life in order to test which of you is best in deeds. And He is the Almighty, All-Forgiving. [67:2]
We’ve all taken tests before. As soon as that test starts you’re stressed and working hard to finish everything correctly. Even when you’re done you go through all the questions at least once just to be sure. It’s only when you’re well prepared and studied everything that you feel relief when the test is done. We’re all in a test and we should treat this life like a test. You can rest when you’re dead but only if you pass the test. If you failed. If you wasted your time. Then there’s no rest.
We’re not here to play.
الدُّنْيَا سِجْنُ الْمُؤْمِنِ وَجَنَّةُ الْكَافِرِ
Found in Sahih Muslim, Abu Huraira RA reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “The world is a prison for the believer and a paradise for the unbeliever.” Source: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 2956
While Others Suffer, We Sleep
This dunyah should be like a prison for us. Do you enjoy your time in prison or are you trying to get out?
Found in Sahih Bukhari, Ibn Umar RA reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Be in this world as if you were a stranger or a traveler along a path.” Ibn Umar would say, “If you make it to the evening, do not wait for the morning. If you make it to the morning, do not wait for the evening. Take from your health for your sickness, and from your life for your death.” [Bukhari]
So when our brothers and sisters are being killed around the world and we’re satisfied wasting hours everyday in neutral or harmful ways, then what are we doing? When we’re satisfied wasting our lives and not growing in Islamic knowledge. Not giving dawah to the misguided people around us. Not spending our time in beneficial ways. There’s a lot of work that needs to be done, and Allah put us on this earth to do this work, and we’re wasting our time not doing it. Do we not think we’ll be questioned about that?
If you’re young, or old and you don’t know what to do then reach out to the leaders in this community. There’s plenty of work to be done. The masjid needs help. We need to get organized and do what we can. Visit the elderly and the sick. Make halaal media, whether it’s books or videos. Teach skills to the youth. Give dawah to the people of Lansing. Mentorship for the youth. We need to push our communities to the next level. We can’t be satisfied with the status quo. We need to put in the work for the next generation and prepare them to be our next leaders. We can’t keep depending on the same people to do everything. They can’t do it alone.
Life isn’t the Pursuit of Happiness
The believer should not have any time to waste. The believer should understand the true value of time and how it should be spent. We don’t have time to sit around watching netflix. We don’t have time to waste. There’s a lot to be done. We should be grateful to have the health, the time, and the ability to help Allah’s religion. Allah doesn’t need us. If we won’t do the work, then we’ll be replaced with people who will. It’ll be us who misses out.
وَأَنفِقُوا۟ مِن مَّا رَزَقْنَـٰكُم مِّن قَبْلِ أَن يَأْتِىَ أَحَدَكُمُ ٱلْمَوْتُ فَيَقُولَ رَبِّ لَوْلَآ أَخَّرْتَنِىٓ إِلَىٰٓ أَجَلٍۢ قَرِيبٍۢ فَأَصَّدَّقَ وَأَكُن مِّنَ ٱلصَّـٰلِحِينَ ١٠
And donate from what We have provided for you before death comes to one of you, and you cry, “My Lord! If only You delayed me for a short while, I would give in charity and be one of the righteous.”
وَلَن يُؤَخِّرَ ٱللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِذَا جَآءَ أَجَلُهَا ۚ وَٱللَّهُ خَبِيرٌۢ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ ١١
But Allah never delays a soul when its appointed time comes. And Allah is All-Aware of what you do. [63:10-11]
Are we going to be lazy and die regretful, or are we going to chase after the reward? I pray that Allah motivates us to do good work. To be proactive rather than reactive. To see the suffering all around us and to want to change it with our hands, and if not with our hands then with our tongues, and if not with our tongues then at least hate it in our hearts.
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