In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
It's a new year which means another year has passed by us. This only means that we have lost a year of opportunity to do much good and to do that extra good deed that we had procrastinated, and we are that much closer to our eternal homes.
وَٱضْرِبْ لَهُم مَّثَلَ ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا كَمَآءٍ أَنزَلْنَـٰهُ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ فَٱخْتَلَطَ بِهِۦ نَبَاتُ ٱلْأَرْضِ فَأَصْبَحَ هَشِيمًا تَذْرُوهُ ٱلرِّيَـٰحُ ۗ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ مُّقْتَدِرًا ﴿٤٥
And present to them the example of the life of this world, [its being] like rain which We send down from the sky, and the vegetation of the earth mingles with it and [then] it becomes dry remnants, scattered by the winds. And Allah is ever, over all things, Perfect in Ability. (45) [Qur'an, Al-Kahf 18:45]
ٱلْمَالُ وَٱلْبَنُونَ زِينَةُ ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا ۖ وَٱلْبَـٰقِيَـٰتُ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتُ خَيْرٌ عِندَ رَبِّكَ ثَوَابًا وَخَيْرٌ أَمَلًا ﴿٤٦
Wealth and children are [but] adornment of the worldly life. But the enduring good deeds are better to your Lord for reward and better for [one's] hope. (46) [Qur'an, Al-Kahf 18:46]
وَيَوْمَ نُسَيِّرُ ٱلْجِبَالَ وَتَرَى ٱلْأَرْضَ بَارِزَةً وَحَشَرْنَـٰهُمْ فَلَمْ نُغَادِرْ مِنْهُمْ أَحَدًا ﴿٤٧
And [warn of] the Day when We will remove the mountains and you will see the earth prominent, and We will gather them and not leave behind from them anyone. (47) [Qur'an, Al-Kahf 18:47]
وَعُرِضُوا۟ عَلَىٰ رَبِّكَ صَفًّا لَّقَدْ جِئْتُمُونَا كَمَا خَلَقْنَـٰكُمْ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍۭ ۚ بَلْ زَعَمْتُمْ أَلَّن نَّجْعَلَ لَكُم مَّوْعِدًا ﴿٤٨
And they will be presented before your Lord in rows, [and He will say], "You have certainly come to Us just as We created you the first time. But you claimed that We would never make for you an appointment." (48) [Qur'an, Al-Kahf 18:48]
وُضِعَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبُ فَتَرَى ٱلْمُجْرِمِينَ مُشْفِقِينَ مِمَّا فِيهِ وَيَقُولُونَ يَـٰوَيْلَتَنَا مَالِ هَـٰذَا ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ لَا يُغَادِرُ صَغِيرَةً وَلَا كَبِيرَةً إِلَّآ أَحْصَىٰهَا ۚ وَوَجَدُوا۟ مَا عَمِلُوا۟ حَاضِرًۭا ۗ وَلَا يَظْلِمُ رَبُّكَ أَحَدًا ﴿٤٩
And the record [of deeds] will be placed [open], and you will see the criminals fearful of that within it, and they will say, "Oh, woe to us! What is this book that leaves nothing small or great except that it has enumerated it?" And they will find what they did present [before them]. And your Lord does injustice to no one. (49) [Qur'an, Al-Kahf 18:49]
If one dies with Faith in the Oneness of Allah (a believer), his abode will eventually be Paradise. He might be punished for a time in Hellfire for his sins but he will eventually get to Paradise. If one dies without Iman (a disbeliever), his abode will be Hellfire till eternity.
So, we should be afraid to face what might be coming be coming in the future--the punishment of the grave and Hellfire. We should protect ourselves against this. This is the basic meaning of taqwa. We do something to place between ourselves and the wrath of Allah. How do we do this? By running to Allah.
First, we repent to Allah from our slips. Then we start working on our character. Our character is the way that you are. The nature of character is second nature. If you are a generous person, you don't have to stop to think to give charity, to be hospitable to your guest, to make du'a for a sick person, etc. If you are a merciful person, you don't stop to think to help the oppressed, to feed the poor or a hungry animal, to give an old lady a hand, and so on.
Indeed, the weightiest thing that one can bring to the Day of Judgment is not something he did but the way that he was--his character.
"Verily, of the most beloved to you to me and the closest of you to me in the seating of Judgment Day, are the most excellent of you in character." (Tirmidhi)
So, the best good deed you can do on your new year, is to pick one trait that Allah doesn't like and change it--ingratitude into gratitude, arrogance into humility, selfishness to thoughtfulness, impatience into patience, greed into charity, pride into humility, anger into calmness, heedless of Allah into mindful of Allah, etc. This is the thing you are going to bring back to Allah. It is the weightiest thing you can busy yourself with--your character.
You can make this drastic change through taqwa (Godfearingness, piety, righteousness, consciousness of Allah) and repentance. Through them change takes place. Taqwa is the fuel to make one wants to change and repentance keeps the flame going.
If there is no taqwa, there is no impetus for change, and when repentance dies the flame slowly dies with it. You make this change for the sake of Allah. That is why it makes it a great form of worship. You intend to transform your bad character traits for good and better traits for the sake of Allah. You resolve to please Allah and avoid His anger and repenting from your slips. The whole process is for the sake of Allah. As you get closer to this transformed character, the more natural it becomes. Your great reward is the fact that you acquired that character.
"What most enters people into the Garden? Taqwa of Allah and good character." (Ahmad)
"Surely those of taqwa shall be in in the Gardens and Rivers, in an Assembly of Truth, in the Presence of a Sovereign Omnipotent." [Qur'an, Qamar 54:50-51]
People of taqwa will always have Allah to take care of the needs.
"...And those who fears Allah and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty). And He will provide him from (sources) he never could imagine. And whosoever puts his trust in Allah, then He will suffice him. Verily, Allah will accomplish his purpose. Indeed Allah has set a measure for all things." [Qur'an, At-Talaq 65:2-3]
"And (commanding you): "Seek the forgiveness of your Lord, and turn to Him in repentance, that He may grant you good enjoyment, for a term appointed, and bestow His abounding Grace to every owner of grace (i.e. the one who helps and serves needy and deserving, physically and with his wealth, and even with good words). But if you turn away, then I fear for you the torment of a Great Day (i.e. the Day of Resurrection). To Allah is your return, and He is Able to do all things." [Qur'an, Hud 11:3-4]
"And those who feared their Lord will be led to the Garden in crowds: until behold, they arrive there; its gates will be opened; and its keepers will say: "Peace be upon you! well have you done![enter you here, to dwell therein." [Qur'an, Az-Zumar 39:73]
"On the other hand, for those who fear their Lord, are Gardens, with rivers flowing beneath; therein are they to dwell (for ever),- a gift from the presence of Allah and that which is in the presence of Allah is the best (bliss) for the righteous." [Qur'an, AleImran 3:200]
The Qu'ran is a guide for those who have taqwa.
الٓمٓ ﴿١﴾ ذَٰلِكَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبُ لَا رَيْبَ ۛ فِيهِ ۛ هُدًى لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ ﴿٢[Qur'an, Al-Baqarah 2:2].
...This is the Book about which there is no doubt, a guidance for those conscious of Allah - (2)
Moist the tongues with istighfar (say, astaghfirullah -- I seek forgiveness of Allah) everyday until you die, and learn the the Qur'an and recite a good portion daily. You can start from now...at least make a sincere intention.
May Allah make us people of taqwa and may Allah bless your new year. Ameen.
And Allah knows best and He alone grant success.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wassallam.
Wassalaam
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