Our Worship through the Seasons II
Our Worship through the Seasons II
Seventhly, how many times do we hear ourselves bemoaning the terrible weather that the United Kingdom has? It snows in the summer, we get heat waves in the winter and to top it all off it rains throughout the year! But is complaining about the weather, which is by Allah's decree, in fact a complaint to the Most High? We need to realize the weather is from the many bounties of Allah and seek from its opportunities in order to raise our taqwa.
I will always remember when a respected shaykh from the Middle-East visited the United Kingdom and it began to rain. As the Muslims all rushed for cover, the shaykh, ran out into the rain and began to cry profusely and make du'a. Later he told us, "In my country, we sometimes get rain just once a year.
The Muslims in the United Kingdom are blessed with this opportunity of washing away their sins and thanking Allah for these blessings," As our Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "Two are the du'as that are never returned unanswered: the dua made when the prayer is being called, and at the time of rainfall." [Declared Hasan (good) by Al-Albani].
«ثنتان ما تردان: الدعاء عند النداء، و تحت المطر» حسنه الألباني
Yet it is common practice for us to complain that the weather is bad when it is raining - How much more mistaken can we be?
There are plenty of more opportunities you can think of when you ponder and reflect on the blessings Allah has bestowed us all with. Indeed, in everything there is a reason, for everything there is a season…
Our Vertical proximity with our Lord is partially determined by our Horizontal proximity with one another [1].
{By no means shall you attain Al-Birr (piety, righteousness, etc., it means here Allah's Reward, i.e. Paradise), unless you spend (in Allah's Cause) of that which you love; and whatever of good you spend, Allah knows it well.} [Al-e-Imran 3:92].
{لَن تَنَالُوا الْبِرَّ حَتَّىٰ تُنفِقُوا مِمَّا تُحِبُّونَ ۚ وَمَا تُنفِقُوا مِن شَيْءٍ فَإِنَّ اللَّـهَ بِهِ عَلِيمٌ} آل عمران: 92
Transliteration: Lan tanaloo albirra hatta tunfiqoo mimma tuhibboona wama tunfiqoo min shayin fainna Allaha bihi AAaleemun
We live in a country in which the government gives us money even when we temporarily do not have a job! The concept of being poor is redefined according to time and place. A person can be technically 'poor', but live a luxurious life or at least a life that is far better than in developing countries - this is the time and place we live in. We also live in an area in which the currency we use has far more value than the rest of the Muslim world.
Therefore, the ways in which one can be charitable and gain a great reward is much easier. There are so many things one can do to help the poor and needy that would have been in the past exclusive to only a certain part of society, whom Allah had blessed with enough wealth. By the grace of Allah, most of us living in the developed world have been afforded the opportunity to gain great rewards through giving in charity.
For example, to make a well, would have been impossible for many of us if we lived in a less developed land. Our higher standard of living and strength of our currency means that by just saving for a few months we can easily build a well. This in itself is perhaps one of the best ways one can gain reward as the reasons for needing water are literally countless and so the associated reward for facilitating its use is even greater. That well will not only bring life to an impoverished community, it will nourish, provide clean sanitation, the ability to make ablution, help irrigate their crops and importantly, for us, is a source of immense reward.
When we read about the virtues of taking care of the widows, poor and orphans, how can we not try to help them? "One who cares for widows and the poor is like those who fight in the way of Allah or those who spend their days Fasting and their nights praying." [Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim].
«الساعي على الأرملة والمسكين، كالمجاهد في سبيل الله، أو القائم الليل والصائم النهار» رواه البخاري ومسلم
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, "Would you like that your heart becomes soft and that you acquire what you need? Be merciful with the orphan, pat his head and feed him from what you eat. This will soften your heart, and enable you to get what you need." [At-Tabarani - Classed as Hasan (good) due to other narrations by Al-Albani].
«أتحب أن يلين قلبك، وتدرك حاجتك؟ ارحم اليتيم، وامسح رأسه، أطعمه من طعامك؛ يلن قلبك، وتدرك حاجتك» رواه الطبراني، قال الألباني: حسن لغيره
Our Lord has bestowed us the blessing of wealth in a time when millions around the World are suffering in poverty and adversity. These orphans and widows do not have a father or a husband to take care of their needs, so imagine the reward of the one who takes them under their wings. When we will be begging for help from our closest relative for just one hasanah on the Day of Judgement, ponder over how much hasanat there is in helping those who are in great need now. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whoever removes a Worldly grief from a believer, Allah will remove from him one of the grief's of the Day of Judgement." [Agreed upon].
«...ومن فرج عن مسلم كربة فرج الله عنه كربة من كربات يوم القيامة...» متفق عليه
Who does not want their grief to be removed on the Day of Judgement? Moreover, who can guarantee their place in Paradise, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "I and the caretaker of the orphan will enter Paradise together like this, raising (by way of illustration) his forefinger and middle finger jointly, leaving little space in between." [Sahih Bukhari].
«أنا وكافل اليتيم في الجنة هكذا. وأشار بالسبابة والوسطى، وفرج بينهما شيئا» رواه البخاري
Some of us would scramble for the opportunity to get an autograph from a sporting celebrity, how about walking into Paradise with the greatest man to have set foot on this Earth?
The blessing of having been given more wealth than many others provides many avenues for us to gain reward. Indeed, often we struggle to perfect our own worship, either because we are physically unable or even just lacking enough concentration. While providing basic necessities is highly rewarding, the facilitation of another person's worship, gets you a similar reward to that person without even doing that act.
For example building mosques in developing countries, again something well within our means; or buying and distributing the Qur'an; or sponsoring scholars or students of knowledge, so they can spread and teach Islam to whole villages; and many more such projects.
Imagine, every person that prays in the mosque you built, each time each one of them prays you get a reward similar to their prayer! On the Day of Judgement when you are begging for just one hasanah, you find a mountain of hasanat from each letter that was recited from that Qur'an you had purchased for others to use. Now imagine the reward that can be gained by sponsoring someone to become a hafidh of Qur'an or become a scholar. They will be leading tarawih and qiyam al-lail prayers every year, being at the service of their communities and helping them all stay on the straight path. Reward the weight of a lifetime or even lifetimes for just a few Pounds.
However, it is important that we do not rely on the good reward that we can gain as a result of helping others while neglecting developing our own selves. Just fifty years ago, travelling to perform Hajj and Umrah was an act usually done once in a lifetime, the cost and the risks involved were great for the majority of the Muslim world. Nowadays, with the advent of better communications and travel, going on Umrah is not only easy but an affordable holiday each year.
If there is an annual holiday worth having each year, what better holiday is there than a spiritually rejuvenating visit to the most sacred places in the World? Many of us travel to other countries for our annual breaks, often spending much more than we would if we were to go on Umrah. Travelling on holiday to other countries is permissible although remember for all the permissible acts that we do in this life, they do not ultimately count for anything on the Day we are judged.
Modern technology has certainly got its perks and dose of problems too. Everything seemed so much simpler living in a village with a horse and cart. But actually the global village we now live in has many benefits for the Muslim ummah too. We live in a time and place in which information about the affairs of the Muslims is readily accessible. Within minutes we can be informed of the plight or a disaster that may have afflicted them over a thousand miles away. At least, we can raise our hands to the sky and immediately make du'a for them. Indeed, how can we not, when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "There is no believing servant who supplicates for his brother in his absence where the Angels do not say, 'the same be for you.'" [Sahih Muslim].
«ما من عبد مسلم يدعو لأخيه بظهر الغيب، إلا قال الملك: ولك، بمثل» رواه مسلم
As I hope to have demonstrated in this short article, rewards are easily attained. We just need to have the ambition and motivation to achieve them. I would like to mention though one last action that really is amazing. The reward of it would be greater than anyone who had done so in the past. It will make history and its fruits are eternal and best of all, it is attainable by each and every one of us. How can that be possible you may ask yourself?
"Whoever seeks forgiveness for the believing men and believing women, Allah will write for him a good deed for each believing man and believing woman." [Classed as Hasan by Al-Albani].
«من استغفر للمؤمنين و للمؤمنات، كتب الله له بكل مؤمن و مؤمنة حسنة» حسنه الألباني
How many believers have died since the beginning of time and how many are alive today?! May Allah forgive the believing men and believing women, those who have passed away and those how are alive! This is your opportunity to make history - grab it!
Do not squander the opportunities that lie in abundance in front of us. Islam, the divinely ordained way of life, has provided us opportunities, in every time and in every place, to raise our ranks in the eyes of our Lord. I can think of few better words than to end with the motivational words of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him):
"Take advantage of five matters before five other matters: your youth, before you become old; and your health, before you fall sick; and your richness, before you become poor; and your free time before you become busy; and your life, before your death." [Authenticated by Al-Albani].
«اغتنم خمسا قبل خمس: شبابك قبل هرمك، وصحتك قبل سقمك، وغناك قبل فقرك، وفراغك قبل شغلك، وحياتك قبل موتك» صححه الألباني
Asif Uddin
Source;www.islam21c.com
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Notes
[1] Jamal Krafess, Pg330 The influence of the Muslim religion on humanitarian aid - International Review Red Cross
