In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
Signs are meant to tell us something we didn't know or to remind us of something in case we forget.
If you are driving on a road and you see a red octagon sign at an intersection ahead of you, you should slow down and prepare to stop. It is not meant for you to admire the red color or count the number of sides it has or calculate the area of the octagon or wonder if you would be seeing more red octagons during your journey, and keep driving. If you do this, you are missing the point of the red octagons as a traffic sign and you are bound to hurt someone, including yourself (accidents, traffic ticket, a ding in your good traffic record, a dent in your checkbook, etc). If you look at one red octagon and stop, it would be better for you.
The Signs of the Hour are numerous. Allah Most High placed them here so we can prepare ourselves for the Hour. When you see the sign, it should remind you of the Hereafter and if it reminds you of the Hereafter, your life will be different. You will gain strength in obedience and insight in religion. That is the point of the signs of the Hour. There are not here for us to gather more information and fine details, and involve ourselves in intellectual discussions and debates. If you ignore what the signs are telling you, the consequence is more grave that ignoring the red octagon.
A nafl prayer isn't obligatory. So, instead of praying a nafl, you sip a cup of coffee/tea or smoke a cigarette or shisha. You will regret this in the Day of Judgment because those two raka'at prayer will put you ahead till eternity. Just imagine all the aimless browsing and cruising the internet, YouTube, Facebook, and so on. Imagine all the fights, gossips, talebearing that people involve themselves in. What a waste of time!
This life is going to come to an end. There is an Hour. We are going to die. There is only certain things we can take with us when we go to our graves. If we have this context in mind, we would behave differently, and stop all the haram in our lives and stop wasting our time doing and worrying about things that will not benefit us in the Hereafter starting today.
Allah Most High says,
[Qur'an Muhammad 47:18]
فَهَلْ يَنظُرُونَ إِلَّا ٱلسَّاعَةَ أَن تَأْتِيَهُم بَغْتَةً ۖ فَقَدْ جَآءَ أَشْرَاطُهَا ۚ فَأَنَّىٰ لَهُمْ إِذَا جَآءَتْهُمْ ذِكْرَىٰهُمْ ﴿١٨
Then do they await except that the Hour should come upon them unexpectedly? But already there have come [some of] its indications. Then what good to them, when it has come, will be their remembrance?
On the authority of `Umar (radi Allaahu 'anhu), who said:
It was related by Muslim.
One day while we were sitting with the Messenger of Allah (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) there appeared before us a man whose clothes were exceedingly white and whose hair was exceedingly black; no signs of journey were to be seen on him and none of us knew him. He walked up and sat down in front of the Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam), with his knees touching against the Prophet's (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) and placing the palms of his hands on his thighs he said: “O Muhammad, tell me about Islam.”
The Messenger of Allah (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Islam is to testify that there is no deity worthy of worship but Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, to perform prayers, to give zakaah, to fast in Ramadan, and to make the pilgrimage to the House if you are able to do so.”
He said: “You have spoken rightly”; and we were amazed at him asking him and saying that he had spoken rightly.
He (the man) said: “Tell me about Iman.”
He (the Prophet, sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “It is to believe in Allah, His Angels,
His Books, His Messengers, and the Last Day, and to believe in divine destiny (qadr), both the good and the evil of it.”
He said: “You have spoken rightly.”
He (the man) said: “Then tell me about Ihsan.”
He (the Prophet, sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “It is to worship Allaah as though you see Him, and if you do not see Him, then (knowing that) truly He sees you.”
He said: “Then tell me about the Hour.”
He said: “The one questioned about it knows no better than the questioner.”
He said: “Then tell me about its signs.”
He said: “That the slave-girl will give birth to her mistress, and that you will see barefooted, naked destitute shepherds competing in constructing lofty buildings.”
Then he (the man) left, and I stayed for a time. The he (the Prophet, sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “O `Umar, do you know who the questioner was?”
I said: “Allah and His Messenger know best.”
He said: “It was Jibril, who came to teach you your religion.”
May Allah Most High grant us tawfiq. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah Most High knows best.
Wassalaam
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