Be The First

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

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

Being the first definitely has its advantage. Look where Ukaashah, may Allah be pleased with him, will be for being the first.

Narrated by Ibn ‘Abbaas, who said:

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: ‘I was shown the nations. One Prophet passed by with a group, another passed by with a small band, another with ten followers, another with five, and another on his own (with no followers). I looked and saw a huge multitude, and I said, “O Jibril, are these my ummah?” He said “No, but look at the horizon.” So I looked and saw a huge multitude. He said, “These are your ummah, and these are seventy thousand at their head who will not be brought to account or punished.” I said, “How come?” He said, “They do not use branding, or seek ruqya, or believe in bad omens; they put their trust in their Lord.”’ ‘Ukhaashah ibn Mihsan stood up and said, ‘Pray to Allah to make me one of them!’ He [the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)] said, ‘O Allah, make him one of them.’ Then another man stood up and said, ‘Pray to Allah to make me one of them.’ He said, ‘ ‘Ukaashah has beaten you to it.’

[Bukhari].

Always on the look out to be the first in doing a particular good deed. If you missed that opportunity to be the first, you can always improve on what is already out there. Allah is All Generous, All Merciful. Remember you can always be the first to pick up the trash that is laying around in your masjid or to arrange the shoes that are scattered all over the place to avoid people from tripping over them.

May Allah grant us the highest Paradise without accounting. Ameen.

Please include us in your prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam