In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Allah Almighty says
وَإِذْ قَالَ رَبُّكَ لِلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةِ إِنِّى جَاعِلٌ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ خَلِيفَةً ۖ قَالُوٓا۟ أَتَجْعَلُ فِيهَا مَن يُفْسِدُ فِيهَا وَيَسْفِكُ ٱلدِّمَآءَ وَنَحْنُ نُسَبِّحُ بِحَمْدِكَ وَنُقَدِّسُ لَكَ ۖ قَالَ إِنِّىٓ أَعْلَمُ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ ﴿٣٠[Qur'an, Al-Baqarah 2:30]
And [mention, O Muhammad], when your Lord said to the angels, "Indeed, I will make upon the earth a successive authority." They said, "Will You place upon it one who causes corruption therein and sheds blood, while we declare Your praise and sanctify You?" Allah said, "Indeed, I know that which you do not know." (30)
Allah Almighty says,
لَوْ أَنزَلْنَا هَـٰذَا ٱلْقُرْءَانَ عَلَىٰ جَبَلٍ لَّرَأَيْتَهُۥ خَـٰشِعًا مُّتَصَدِّعًا مِّنْ خَشْيَةِ ٱللَّـهِ ۚ وَتِلْكَ ٱلْأَمْثَـٰلُ نَضْرِبُهَا لِلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ ﴿٢١[Qur'an Al-Hashr 59:21]
If We had sent down this Qur'an upon a mountain, you would have seen it humbled and coming apart from fear of Allah . And these examples We present to the people that perhaps they will give thought.
We have been appointed as ambassadors on this earth and given the Qur'an to guide us through this job. It is time to take our job seriously and use the Qur'an for this purpose, not for money nor for fame.
It is important that we reflect upon our lives how we are doing in our job.
The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) explained in a hadith: "Convey from me even an ayah of the Qur'an".
Why would the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) suggest this? It is because this is a way for us to give back, to spread knowledge, to try and make change. It is to show the importance of doing, sharing, giving back and put something forward in order to make the condition of people around us better. It is a verb- an action- something that we do. It is dynamic and encourages us to try and be agents of change in the conditions of our society.
It stresses the importance of acquiring knowledge of the Qur'an and Hadith and imparting it to others. Regardless of whether we have a little knowledge or a great deal, we must communicate it to others. There is no justification to leave inviting to the Message of Allah to those who are well-versed in this sphere. It is a duty upon every Muslim to learn something and pass it on. So much so that if a person knows even a single ayah (verse) of the Quran, that is, a single injunction of Allah, they should communicate it to others.
So, when we think about our families, our friends, our neighbors, our fellow Muslims, what is it that we can do to make their condition better. Have we steep ourselves so we can learn and become a better human being? What have we learned that will help us know what we should and should not be doing? It is no surprise that throughout the Qur'an, generally speaking, that wherever the word "knowledge" is used it is followed by the word, "action".
The only thing that is of benefit to us after the life of this world is our good actions. Anything that people said about us, it is the actual act that we left behind.
Knowledge should be the starting point for action. It becomes the catalyst for us to know what it means to do good, what it means to be a mercy in our societies and how we can achieve this. It clarifies for us that, the "feeling of spirituality" is not enough, just because we memorized and recite Qur'an is not enough, what good people say about us is not enough. The only thing that will matter in the end, is the good deeds, the actual act that we do and put forth during our lives. So our knowledge should lead to action.
قُلْ يَـٰعِبَادِ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱتَّقُوا۟ رَبَّكُمْ ۚ لِلَّذِينَ أَحْسَنُوا۟ فِى هَـٰذِهِ ٱلدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةٌ ۗ وَأَرْضُ ٱللَّهِ وَٰسِعَةٌ ۗ إِنَّمَا يُوَفَّى ٱلصَّـٰبِرُونَ أَجْرَهُم بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍ ﴿١٠[Qur'an, Az-Zumar 39:10]
Say, "O My servants who have believed, fear your Lord. For those who do good in this world is good, and the earth of Allah is spacious. Indeed, the patient will be given their reward without account."
People are suffering because of natural disasters, war, etc. The reality today is that one person dies almost every 3.5 seconds due to starvation, 1 in 7 people wake up each day and cannot obtain even a cup of food. Children are left with no families to look after them. Some of them have been abandoned. Some reports say that there are over 200 million orphans in the world today. We have more people dying because of malnutrition.
The number of children who are abused and neglected has fluctuated over time. There has been a general increase in the number of abuse and neglect substantiations. Children die every day from abuse or neglect every day. Every 9 seconds in the US a woman is assaulted or beaten. Everyday in the US, more than three women are murdered by their husbands or boyfriends. Children mistreating or talking back to their parents is a norm rather than an exception. Neighbors and relatives don't know each other, let alone help each other. Immorality and shamelessness is at it's peak.
Where are we Muslims? Where is our Ummah with our intellectual capital, technology, wealth? Where are we in terms of taking on the tasks with which Allah has entrusted upon us?
Remember, in Surah Ma'un (small kindnesses) Allah warns us that those who do things to be seen by people, who are seen in prayer but they neglect the "small kindnesses" to the orphans, the poor, the needy, they will receive Allah's justice in the end.
أَرَءَيْتَ ٱلَّذِى يُكَذِّبُ بِٱلدِّينِ ﴿١﴾ فَذَٰلِكَ ٱلَّذِى يَدُعُّ ٱلْيَتِيمَ ﴿٢﴾ وَلَا يَحُضُّ عَلَىٰ طَعَامِ ٱلْمِسْكِينِ ﴿٣﴾ فَوَيْلٌ لِّلْمُصَلِّينَ ﴿٤﴾ ٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ عَن صَلَاتِهِمْ سَاهُونَ ﴿٥﴾ ٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ يُرَآءُونَ ﴿٦﴾ وَيَمْنَعُونَ ٱلْمَاعُونَ[Qur'an, Al-Ma'un 107]
Have you seen the one who denies the Recompense? (1) For that is the one who drives away the orphan (2) And does not encourage the feeding of the poor. (3) So woe to those who pray (4) [But] who are heedless of their prayer - (5) Those who make show [of their deeds] (6) And withhold [simple] assistance. (7)
We are reminded in this Surah that woe unto those people who forget about looking after the poor, the needy, they dismiss people. Not only they dismiss people who are in need, they only do things with intent of being seen by people. We should not do things only when people see us and then when in private we dismiss those in need. One of the things that should concern us most is who are the people who need my help and how is it I can help them.
We must remember that we didn't receive our talents, knowledge, strength, wealth, and all the skills we have by ourselves. It is because of Allah's mercy that you and I can do what we do. The question we should ask ourselves is "How can I give that back?" This act of giving back is a crucial thing.
We need to remember that we have a duty to give back to our families, our communities and the world around us. Give back what Allah has given you. The time is now, not later or never. You are breathing right now only because Allah Most High allows it to happen and realize that it is a tremendous gift. Why? Because you are given more time to put your knowledge to good action and bank it in with Allah.
مَا عِندَكُمْ يَنفَدُ ۖ وَمَا عِندَ ٱللَّهِ بَاقٍ ۗ وَلَنَجْزِيَنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ صَبَرُوٓا۟ أَجْرَهُم بِأَحْسَنِ مَا كَانُوا۟ يَعْمَلُونَ ﴿٩٦[Qur'an, An-Nahl 16:96]
Whatever you have will end, but what Allah has is lasting. And We will surely give those who were patient their reward according to the best of what they used to do.
May Allah make us true bearers of the Qur'an and make us keys to unlock good and lock evil. Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
And Allah knows best and He alone grants success.
Wassalaam
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