You Will Not Move Forward!

Sometimes, many of us feel that we have really become engrossed, or in fact absorbed by this world and its hustle and bustle, and its glamor and so on.  But a lot of us never get that feeling, or ever come to that moment of reflection. We’re so engulfed by whatever it is that we’re doing in this world, that we don’t even sit back for a while and reflect. Many people lose sight of reality, and they only realize it when their time is up.

Mu’aadh Ibn Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet Muhammad (may Allah send peace and blessings on him) said:

لاَ تَزُولُ قَدَمَا اِبْنِ آدَمَ يَومَ القِيـمَةَ عِندَ رَبِّهِ حَتَّى يُسْئَلَ عَنْ خَمْسٍ: عَنْ عُمْرِهِ فِيمَا أَفْنَـاه. وعَنْ شَبَابِهِ فِيمَا أَبْلَـه. وعَنْ مَالِهِ مِنْ أَينَ اكْتَسَبَه, وفِيمَا أَنْفَقَه. وعَنْ عِلْمِهِ ومَاذَا عَمِلَ بِه

That, a human being, will not move forward (in other words, he’ll just be fixed standing – and will not be able to move forward) on the Day of Judgment, with their Lord, unless and until they’re asked about 5 things. The 1st one:

عَنْ عُمْرِهِ فِيمَا أَفْنَـاه

About, his or her life, and how did they use their life. Was it a life, devoted to Allah and His Prophet? Or was it a life, that was just chasing the dunya? Was it a life, that was just, doing everything else what everybody else is doing? Was it a life, that the People of Hell-fire are leading? What type of life were they leading? So: your life. In other words, your resuma for this life, is gonna be asked about on the Day of Judgment. The 2nd thing that’s gonna be asked about:

وعَنْ شَبَابِهِ فِيمَا أَبْلَـه

And about, their youth, and how they used up their youth. Did they use it up, to study about their religion, to study the Qur’aan, and to get closer to Allah, and to do the things they had to do, to help the Cause of Islam? Or did they waste it in partying, and talking on the phone, and backbiting, and dancing, and listening to songs – How did they use up their youth? What did they do? This is going to be asked on the Day of Judgment. How did they use up their youth? The 3rd question:

وعَنْ مَالِهِ مِنْ أَينَ اكْتَسَبَه, وفِيمَا أَنْفَقَه

And about their money, where they made it, and how they spent it. This is going to be asked from you, on the Day of Judgment. Where did you make your money, and how did you spend it. Was it from honest, halaal means? Or was it from harmful, haraam means? How’d you make your money?

And then, Number 4: Where did you spend your money? This is the 4th thing that’s going to be asked on the Day of Judgment: Where did you spend your money? Did you spend it in going to various entertainment places, did you spend it on videogames? Where did you spend your money? Or did you spend it in the Masjid? Did you spend it in Islamic Education? Did you spend it in building a highschool? Did you spend it in helping the homeless, and the orphans? Did you spend it in helping those who didn’t have enough? How did you spend your money? And the 5th question that’s gonna be asked:

وعَنْ عِلْمِهِ ومَاذَا عَمِلَ بِه

And about, his or her knowledge, and what they did with that knowledge? Did they practice it? Or did they just neglect it? In other words, all the knowledge they learned in a lecture or in a Halaqah, or in a Friday Khutbah, or whenever anybody spoke – Did they just stash it away in some dark recesses of their mind? And they just got a temporary high out of it? Or did they go, and say, ‘I am going to take this seriously, I’m going to practice it, I’m going to go forward with it.’ Did they practice what they learned, or did they just store it away, somewhere? Like Iblees.

One of our Scholars, he said:

لَوْ كَانَ فِي العِلْمِ شَرَفٌ, لَكَانَ أَشْرَفُ خَلْقِ اللهِ إِبْلِيس

That if there was honor and prestige, in just getting knowledge, then the most honorable among us would be Iblees! Because he just stashes away knowledge, he didn’t practice what he knew.

So, my dear Muslim brother and sisters, seize these Blessing of Allah upon you, before we are deprived of them. Before something comes in our lives, and we will be prevented from taking advantage of them! We must not delay. We must take advantage of them today. Before it is too late. For example, Allah stated in the Qur’aan:

وَأَنْفِقُوا مِمَّا رَزَقْنَـكُم مِّن قَبْلِ أَن يَأْتِيَ أَحَدَكُمُ المُوتُ فَيَقُولَ رَبِّ لَولآ لأَخَّرْتَنِي إِلَى أَجَلٍ قَرِيبٍ فَأَصَّدَّقَ وَأَكُوْنَ مِنَ الصَّالِحِين

“And spend in charity, of what We have provided you, before death comes to one of you, and then he/she will cry out: ‘My Lord! If you would only give me respite (let me live a little bit longer), so that I could give Sadaqah (charity) of my wealth, and be among the righteous.’ But Allah will not delay (the appointed time of) anybody, once his appointed time has come!”

Realize that the new year has begun and the first month has already passed. A whole flood of golden opportunities are before us. So we must  make sure not to miss out on them. Exert every possible effort, to use what Allah has blessed you with – whether it be your youthood, your wealth, your knowledge or even your very life – in useful and beneficial things, so that Allah will be pleased with you & reward you.

You will not move forward, until you are asked…