NEW YEAR MESSAGE

NEW YEAR MESSAGE

By
Shaykh al-Hadith Hadhrat
Maulana Abdul Raheem
hafizahullah

Every entrepreneur has to keep on top of his business to make a profit. This is done through annual, monthly, and weekly accounts.

Muslims are also engaged in a transaction of sorts with Allah. We give Him our time, our effort, our wealth, and our obedience. In return, He repays us in this world and will reward us fully on the Day of Resurrection.

Thus, we need to take an account of how much we gained in the previous year through Salāh and the extent to which we prayed in Jamā’ah or alone at home, through the Sadaqah we gave, or the Qur’ān we read, or the Dhikr we did.

Likewise, we must also contemplate the loss we incurred by breaking Allah’s commands and by disobeying Him.

We must each of us realise that a whole year has passed in our lives and this year will never return. To continue to behave poorly is the pinnacle of foolishness and the loss we incur is unfathomable.

There was once a king who called three of his viziers and ordered that each of them be given a large sack. He commanded them to go out and fill them with fruits or whatever they liked.

The first worked hard, climbing trees and collecting the tastiest, ripe fruits, and filled his sack, as he wanted to make the king happy. The second decided to use his intellect, thinking that the king would not bother to look inside the bag. He therefore picked fruit from the low hanging branches, and those that had fallen to floor: ripe and rotten alike. The third did not want to waste time, preferring to spend the respite given on this seemingly vapious and menial task on relaxation. He filled his sack with grass and stones.

After a certain amount of time, the king summoned them. As they arrived in court, he instructed the guards to seize them and take them to the dungeons, where they were to remain for a month, eating only from whatever they had collected in their sacks.

The first vizier enjoyed the fruits he had collected, for they were the best he could find. The second vizier had to eat both ripe and rotten fruits and fell ill, but survived. The third vizier survived a few days on grass alone and then died in his cell.

The three viziers represent each of us. Our task in life is to work hard and take something from here. If we use our time to gather rewards for the hereafter through good character and actions, we will be successful, Inshā Allah. If not, we will suffer unimaginable loss.

In light of the above, let us review the Tafsīr of the shortest Sūrah of the Qur’ān, so we may gather some benefit together. Imam Shāfi’ī Rahmatullāhi Alayhi said, ‘If Allah had revealed only this one Sūrah in the Qur’ān, it would be enough for a wise person to ponder over and behave properly.’

———

I seek refuge in Allah from Satan the wretched one.
I begin in the name of Allah the Compassionate the Most Merciful.

‎و العصر. ان الانسان لفي خسر. الا الذين آمنوا و عملوا الصالحات وتواصوا بالحق و تواصوا بالصبر

‘By the time! Surely Mankind is at a loss! Except for the people who (do 4 things):
1. believe properly,
2. do good deeds,
3. encourage one another to do good, and
4. encourage one another to be patient.’

Allah has taken an oath on time, showing it’s immense value, for Allah has nothing above Him to swear oaths on and thus He swears on things that are precious and of great value. If we do not cherish the time we have given, we are truly at a loss.

A Hadith says:

‘There are two blessings of Allah regarding which people are losing out:

1. Good health (by not taking care of oneself), and
2. Free time (by wasting it).’

As the saying goes:

This world is but a field to farm for the next.

We sow the seeds here and reap the rewards in Hereafter. Do not waste your time. Busy yourself in the planting of ‘good deed seeds’!

Hadhrat Hasan Basri Rahmatullāhi Alayhi said, ‘O Son of Adam! You are but the name of days. Each day that passes in your life, you have passed.’

Mawlāna ‘Umar Pālanpūri Rahmatullāhi Alayhi used to say, ‘Wasting time is akin to suicide. The only difference is that in suicide people realise their deaths, whereas in wasting time people fail to realise it.’

Hadhrat ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-Azīz Rahmatullāhi Alayhi said, ‘The day and night are working on you, so work in them.’

Hadhrat ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ūd Radhiallāhu Anhu said, ‘I don’t regret anything as much as I regret the day upon which the sun sets while my life has decreased and my deeds have not.’

A Hadith says:

‘Each day that the sun rises, it makes an announcement: “Son of Adam! Do what you can in this day, for it will never return
to you.’

When Ramadhan starts an announcement is made:

‘O seeker of good! Proceed! O seeker of evil! Stop!’

In a Hadith Qudsi, Allah Subhānahū wa Ta’āla says:

‘Son of Adam! I have created you for My worship, so do not be unmindful of this. I have destined your sustenance for you, so do not tire yourself (in seeking it). Search for Me and you will find Me. If you find Me, you have found everything. If you lose Me, you have lost everything. And I am better for you than everything.’

Another Hadith Qudsi says:

‘Son of Adam! Make time for My worship and I will fill your heart with richness and I will remove your poverty. If you do not do so, I will fill hands with business and I will not remove your neediness.’

‎إن الله تعالى يقول : يا بن آدم تفرغ لعبادتي أملأ صدرك غنى وأسدُّ فقرك ، وإلا تفعل ملأت يديك شغلا ولم أسد فقرك ) رواه الترمذي

In summary, there are four tasks we must do:

1. Perfect our Imān and take it to the highest level. This is done through studying it, talking about it, and by practicing deeds which will increase the light of Imān in our hearts.

2. Practice good deeds. These include the five daily Salāhs, as well as optional prayers like Tahajjud, Ishrāq, Chāsht, Awwabīn, etc; giving Zakāh properly, as well as voluntary Sadaqah; keeping fasts in Ramadhan, as well as voluntary fasts; helping one another; and finding other ways to attain the pleasure of Allah.

3. Enjoining good and forbidding evil. This begins at home, with one’s own family members, nurturing our young ones, taking care of our elders, and creating a good environment that permeates our society.

4. Practicing patience when faced with hardship, abuse, and ridicule, and showing an exemplary character. When we try to do good, we will face many barriers, and the jealous will attack us. It is in these circumstances that one must continue to endure and be patient.

May Allah give us all the ability to understand the meaning and message of this Sūrah and to utilise our time to it’s full potential. Amīn.

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