Developing a Sense of Urgency

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate

Assalaamu alaykum

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

Everyday we hear people died. Whether they are someone we know or don't know, there is no doubt that we are soon to follow.

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّـهَ وَلْتَنظُرْ‌ نَفْسٌ مَّا قَدَّمَتْ لِغَدٍ ۖ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّـهَ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ خَبِيرٌ‌ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ ﴿١٨﴾ وَلَا تَكُونُوا كَالَّذِينَ نَسُوا اللَّـهَ فَأَنسَاهُمْ أَنفُسَهُمْ ۚ أُولَـٰئِكَ هُمُ الْفَاسِقُونَ ﴿١٩﴾ لَا يَسْتَوِي أَصْحَابُ النَّارِ‌ وَأَصْحَابُ الْجَنَّةِ ۚ أَصْحَابُ الْجَنَّةِ هُمُ الْفَائِزُونَ ﴿٢٠

O you who have believed, fear Allah. And let every soul look to what it has put forth for tomorrow - and fear Allah. Indeed, Allah is Acquainted with what you do. (18) And be not like those who forgot Allah, so He made them forget themselves. Those are the defiantly disobedient. (19) Not equal are the companions of the Fire and the companions of Paradise. The companions of Paradise - they are the attainers [of success]. (20) [Qur'an, Al-Hashr 59:17]

Allah mentions in 3 places in the Qur'an that we are going to die.

كُلُّ نَفْسٍۢ ذَآئِقَةُ ٱلْمَوْتِ ۖ ثُمَّ إِلَيْنَا تُرْجَعُونَ

Every soul shall have a taste of death. In the end to Us shall you be brought back. (Qur'an Ankabut 29:57)

كُلُّ نَفْسٍ ذَائِقَةُ الْمَوْتِ ۗ وَإِنَّمَا تُوَفَّوْنَ أُجُورَكُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ ۖ فَمَن زُحْزِحَ عَنِ النَّارِ وَأُدْخِلَ الْجَنَّةَ فَقَدْ فَازَ

Every soul will taste death, and you will only be given your [full] compensation on the Day of Resurrection. So he who is drawn away from the Fire and admitted to Paradise has attained [his desire]. And what is the life of this world except the enjoyment of delusion. (185) [Qur'an AleImran 3:185-186]

كُلُّ نَفْسٍ ذَائِقَةُ الْمَوْتِ ۗ وَنَبْلُوكُم بِالشَّرِّ‌ وَالْخَيْرِ‌ فِتْنَةً ۖ وَإِلَيْنَا تُرْ‌جَعُونَ ﴿٣٥

Every soul will taste death. And We test you with evil and with good as trial; and to Us you will be returned. (35) [Qur'an, al-Anbiya 21:35]

A wise person will take this as a reminder and ponder upon it, and take this opportunity to come close to Allah. The wise man is the one that reminds himself about a very important quality of the believer- having a sense of urgency because there is not much time left.

وَسَارِ‌عُوا إِلَىٰ مَغْفِرَ‌ةٍ مِّن رَّ‌بِّكُمْ وَجَنَّةٍ عَرْ‌ضُهَا السَّمَاوَاتُ وَالْأَرْ‌ضُ أُعِدَّتْ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ ﴿١٣٣

And hasten to forgiveness from your Lord and a garden as wide as the heavens and earth, prepared for the righteous (133) [Qur'an, AleImran 3:133]

Race to forgiveness from Allah because there is not much time left. Your end is unknown- it can end today, tomorrow, a year from now or even 50 years from now, there is not much time.

The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) advised to: “Take benefit of five before five: Your youth before your old age, your health before your sickness, your wealth before your poverty, your free time before you are preoccupied, and your life before your death”
(Narrated by Ibn Abbas and reported by Al Hakim)

Many of us are familiar with this hadith. We make observations through different phases of life, observations of ourselves and those around us. We make mistakes, and watch others make mistakes, and sometimes we take a lesson from them. Sometimes we don’t, and kick ourselves for not learning from the mistakes.

One of the beauties of Islam is that we are given a secure way of life, and the best understanding, which gives us the highest strength and motive. Islam prevents us from making grave mistakes, pre warning us of what we may fall into, gives us stepping stones and gives us aims, goals and aspirations.

Your youth, before you become old...

When you are young, you take your youth and energy for granted. You feel as if you have all the time in the world to fulfill your dreams and make your mark in the world. But the future creeps up on you slowly -- gray hairs start to appear, your responsibilities pile up, and your energy drops. While you have the youthful energy and hope, do good with it- help your parents and others, and rush to good deeds. With old age, people find it harder to keep fard (obligatory) fasts, they may not be able perform wudhu properly or to pray properly, and they may not have the energy to recite the Qur’an very often. Don't wait until you retire to learn Islam or do extra worship. With old age, people find it harder to keep fard (obligatory) fasts, they may not be able perform wudhu properly or to pray properly, and they may not have the energy to recite the Qur’an very often. Besides, your life tomorrow is unknown. Take this golden opportunity to please Allah.

Your health, before you fall sick...

Health is another thing that people take for granted, until they lose it. Even young people may experience an injury or illness which limits their ability to fulfill their dreams and responsibilities. Pain and sickness are a test from Allah, and one who endures with patience and faith will be rewarded. However, human beings are frail, and we never know when our good health will be taken from us. Our healthy bodies and minds are a blessing that we should not waste.

Your wealth, before you become poor...

Wealth is another blessing that Allah gives some people. Wealth can take the form of money, but also our knowledge, skills, and time. A believer should give as much as possible in charity while there is still something to give. We should not fear poverty, for Allah always provides; rather we should use our wealth to worship and please Allah. Allah says,

مَّثَلُ الَّذِينَ يُنفِقُونَ أَمْوَالَهُمْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّـهِ كَمَثَلِ حَبَّةٍ أَنبَتَتْ سَبْعَ سَنَابِلَ فِي كُلِّ سُنبُلَةٍ مِّائَةُ حَبَّةٍ ۗ وَاللَّـهُ يُضَاعِفُ لِمَن يَشَاءُ ۗ وَاللَّـهُ وَاسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ ﴿٢٦١

The example of those who spend their wealth in the way of Allah is like a seed [of grain] which grows seven spikes; in each spike is a hundred grains. And Allah multiplies [His reward] for whom He wills. And Allah is all-Encompassing and Knowing. (261)

(Qur'an, Al-Baqarah 2:261).

Wealth is a test, poverty is a test too. Anyone can give charity. In the Qur’an, charity is referred to as ’spending out of what Allah has given you’. Charity does not have to be purely monetary. It can be given through the spending of energy, talent, resources, or whatever else, to help and do good to those in need, as the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: ‘Every act of goodness is a charity.’ (Muslim)

Your free time, before you become busy...

Time is something that all of us have, even if we think we're too busy to do anything else. We should not use our precious time in useless activities that have no benefit to us. While relaxation and entertainment are important to the human spirit, we must be careful to balance our time with other fruitful activities. Use your free time wisely.

Your life, before your death...

Allah blesses us with life each and every single day. None of us know when this will be taken from us; we cannot guarantee that we will have a "tomorrow" to rectify the problems of our past. Each day we wake up, is a new opportunity to do well: spending in charity, worshiping sincerely, performing random acts of kindness, helping others. We sometimes don't realize that death could be imminent, until we see or know someone who dies unexpectedly. The final advice from the Prophet Muhammad is to take advantage of the time we have. Don't put things off for tomorrow, because there might not be one.

A believer is very keen on his time. Hasan Al-Basri describing time-- you are nothing but a set of days. If one day passes part of you is gone. Many other scholars said that your only wealth in this life is your time.

If you are catching the morning, you don't know if your life will extend to Maghrib prayer. If you are catching the night, you don't know if your life will extend to Fajr prayer.

Abdullah Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) used to say,” If you survive to the evening, do not expect to be alive till the morning, If you survive to the morning, do not look forward to the evening. In a healthy condition, prepare yourself for illness and while you are alive prepare yourself for death.” (Al-Bukhari, kitaab Ar-Riqaq)

As for the advice of Ibn Umar, it is derived from the Hadith which he narrated, that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) took hold of his shoulder and said “Be in the world as if you are a stranger, or a traveller”. (Bukhari)

It also refers to lessening one’s hope for a long life; and that if one survives to the evening, he should not expect to be alive till the morning; and if he survives to the morning, he should not look forward to the evening. He should believe that he may die even before this.

Benefit from you life before Allah takes it from you. This is the feeling of urgency that believer need to develop- every single moment of your life, you are keen on spending it in the way that bring you closer to Allah, that if one moment that passes by and you are not closer closer to Allah, you are in a great loss.

So, when you have the time, open the Qur'an and read it
When you have the time to come to the masjid, benefit from it
When you have an opportunity to get closer to Allah, catch it
When you have the time to serve your parents, take it while they are still alive
Don't be oblivious to the time. Don't lead your life in an ignorant fashion.

May Allah bring us and our family and our loved ones closer to Him. Ameen.

Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wassallam.

And Allah knows best and He alone grant success.
Wassalaam