Always Busy

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

Assalaamu alaykum

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

There is no such thing as retirement and there is no such thing as doing nothing. Just look at the roadways, the schools, markets, coffee shops, masjids, hospitals, offices, everywhere people are doing something, nonstop--driving, reading, buying, selling, talking, watching, thinking, ... including you and I.

No doubt, we will be busy for the rest of our lives. But you can choose what you want to be busy with. An intelligent person busies himself with those things that will derive him the most benefit in the Hereafter, not some change to buy the dunya. Choose wisely what you do on this earth, so you don't short change your Hereafter.

The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Take benefit from five things before things: your youth before your old age, your health before your sickness, your wealth before your poverty, your free time before your preoccupation, and your life before death.”

جاء رجل إلى أمير المؤمنين علي بن أبي طالب فقال: سأسألك عن أربع مسائل فأجبني: ما هو الواجب؟ وما هو الأوجب؟ وما هو القريب؟ وما هو الأقرب؟ وما هو العجيب؟ وما هو الأعجب؟ وما هو الصعب؟ وما هو الأصعب؟ فقال أمير المؤمنين: الواجب: طاعة الله، والأوجب: ترك الذنوب، وأما القريب: فهو يوم القيامة، والأقرب هو الموت، أما العجيب: فالدنيا، والأعجب منها حب الدنيا، أما الصعب: فهو القبر، والأصعب منه الذهاب بلا زاد.

A man came to the Commander of the Believers, Ali ibn Abi Talib (radiAllahu anhu), and said, "I will ask you of four matters, so answer me. What is obligatory and what is more obligatory? And what is close and what is closer? And what is strange and what is more strange? And what is difficult and what is more difficult?" So the Commander of the Believers replied, "(As for) the obligation: the obedience to Allah, and the greater obligation, the leaving of sins. And that which is close, that is the Day of Standing, and (as for) the closer, that is death. And that which is strange, the dunya, and even stranger than that, love of the dunya. And that which is difficult, then that is the grave, and more difficult than that, going (to the grave) without provisions."

وَٱلَّذِينَ ٱجْتَنَبُوا۟ ٱلطَّـٰغُوتَ أَن يَعْبُدُوهَا وَأَنَابُوٓا۟ إِلَى ٱللَّـهِ لَهُمُ ٱلْبُشْرَىٰ ۚ فَبَشِّرْ عِبَادِ ﴿١٧﴾ ٱلَّذِينَ يَسْتَمِعُونَ ٱلْقَوْلَ فَيَتَّبِعُونَ أَحْسَنَهُۥٓ ۚ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ هَدَىٰهُمُ ٱللَّـهُ ۖ وَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمْ أُو۟لُوا۟ ٱلْأَلْبَـٰبِ ﴿١٨

And those who abstain from worshipping the Taghut (false deities) and turn fervently to Allah, for them there is good news. So, give the good news to My servants (17) Who listen to what is said, then, follow the best of it. Those are the ones whom Allah has guided, and those are the ones who possess understanding. (18) [Qur'an Az-Zumar 38:17-18]

So what is taking up your time? Are you working for this life and the dunya or are you working for your life and the akhirah (which begins with your death)?

May Allah keep us busy with those things that benefit us for our eternal life, and keep us away from those things that don't benefit us for our eternal life. Ameen.

Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam