In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Everything about us -- growth and development, movements, actions and morality, all take place within the space of 'Time'. Time passes quickly, our spiritual and material potentialities decline, and our abilities fade. We are like someone who possesses a great capital and every moment, a portion of that capital is taken away. This is the nature of life in this world -- a continual loss.
وَٱلْعَصْرِ ﴿١﴾ إِنَّ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ لَفِى خُسْرٍ ﴿٢﴾ إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ وَتَوَاصَوْا۟ بِٱلْحَقِّ وَتَوَاصَوْا۟ بِٱلصَّبْرِ ﴿٣[Qur'an, Al-'Asr 103]
By time, (1) Indeed, mankind is in loss, (2) Except for those who have believed and done righteous deeds and advised each other to truth and advised each other to patience. (3)
A poet once said, "Your life comprises a few breaths that can be counted; when one of them is sent out, a part of your life has diminished." Each moment that passes by is a moment closer to the end of your life in this world and your meeting with Allah, whether you like it or not.
So, grab the opportunity that Allah is opening up for you in these first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah, to be close to Him, to develop your love of Him. There are no days in which righteous actions are more beloved to Allah than the first ten days of this month. [Bukhari, Abu Da'ud, Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah]
Opportunity knocks but once. You won't have this Dhu'l-Hijjah again. If you don't grab it when it comes, you have lost it. What you miss out on doing at this moment, you can't do it later without losing the opportunity to do something else later. If you didn't make the intention to fast today (Dhul-Hijjah 1) and didn't fast (because you are lazy or don't care), you have missed a tremendous remembrance, opportunity and reward.
Our remembrance of Allah is His remembrance of us. Our call to Him is His answer to us. Remembrance is the way of intimacy with Allah. We get close to Allah by serving Him, by being for His sake, by learning to make our intentions purely for Him, by honoring our parents and treating them with excellence, by learning to become a little less selfish and a lot more giving.
Narrated by Abu Dhar (may Allah be pleased with him) that Allah's Messenger (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said that Allah said: He who comes with a good deed, its reward will be ten like that or even more. And he who comes with vice, his reward will be only one like that, or I can forgive him. He who draws close to Me a hand's span, I will draw close to him an arm's length. And whoever draws near Me an arm's length, I will draw near him a fathom's length. And whoever comes to Me walking, I will go to him running. And whoever faces Me with sins nearly as great as the earth, I will meet him with forgiveness nearly as great as that, provided he does not worship something with me. (This Hadith is sound and reported by Muslim, Ibn Majah and Ahmad in his Musnad).
Narrated by Abu Hurayah (may Allah be pleased with him); Allah's Messenger (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: "Allah the Exalted has said; "Whoever harms a friend (wali) of Mine, I declare war on him. My slave draws near to Me with nothing more beloved to me than that which I have made obligatory upon him. And My slave continues to draw nearer to Me with optional acts of devotion (nawafil) until I love him. And when I love him, I am his ear which he hears, his eye with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes, and his foot on which he walks. If he asks Me, I surely bestow it upon him, and if he asks My protection, I surely grant it to him. I do not hesitate in anything which I am to do more than in taking the soul of the believer; he dislikes death, and I dislike to bring him harm."
So, Allah’s grace multiplies with our sincere efforts and honest intention to come closer to Him. Whatever we give to Him comes back manifold to us. In this way, little by little, our love for Allah grows and develops and it transforms us into loving, noble human beings.
The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) once told his dear companion, Mu'adh Ibn Jabal, “Mu'adh, I do love you!” Mu'adh replied, “And I love you, Messenger of Allah, more dearly than my own father and mother!” The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) then instructed Mu'adh, “Do not end a prayer without asking Allah to help you remember Him, to be thankful to Him, and to serve Him in the best of ways.”
اللَّهُمَّ أَعِنِّي عَلَى ذِكْرِكَ وَشُكْرِكَ وَحُسْنِ عِبَادَتِكَ
As we continue to live our lives in remembrance of Allah our capacity for love will grow, our hearts will expand and we will reach our full human potential inshaa Allah.
The intimacy and love that develops in us with our remembrance and other selfless acts of service is a mystery and a wonder.
Allah Most High says,
فَلَا تَعْلَمُ نَفْسٌ مَّآ أُخْفِىَ لَهُم مِّن قُرَّةِ أَعْيُنٍ جَزَآءًۢ بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَعْمَلُونَ ﴿١٧
And no soul knows what has been hidden for them of comfort for eyes as reward for what they used to do. (17)
[Qur'an, As-Sajda 32:17]
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: “Allah said:
‘I have prepared for My righteous servants what no eye has seen and no ear has heard, nor has it occurred to the human heart.’”
[Bukhari, Muslim, At-Tirmidhi, ibn Maajah]
اللهم إني أسألك حبك، وحب من يحبك، والعمل الذي يبلغني حبك، اللهم اجعل حبك أحب إلى من نفسي، وأهلي، ومن الماء البارد
Whatever we love is what is closest to us. What is most often thought of and remembered by us, what is most sought by us, that’s what we love. So, what is it that we remember the most? What occupies our attention the most? What do we wish for the most? Let us be honest with ourselves, do we think of Allah most of the time? Or are we thinking of other things most of the time. Where is our attention? Is it on Allah or is it on the countless other things that occupy us and distract us from our real purpose?
If we can examine ourselves honestly and know what we love, then we have taken a major step forward. If we find that what we love is Allah then we are blessed with a great gift for which all praise is due to Allah. But if what we love is other than Allah, then at least we know and we have the opportunity to seek to change what is in our hearts.
O Allah! I ask You for Your Love, the love of those who love You, and deeds which will cause me to attain Your Love. O Allah! Make Your Love dearer to me than myself, my family and the cold water.
O Allah we seek refuge in You from knowledge that doesn't benefit, hearts that are not humble, and egos that are never satisfied, and eyes that do not weep, and prayers that are not answered, and works that are not elevated.
O Allah, bless us with wholesome hearts, grateful tongues, and obedient bodies. Do not let us forget You. Do not deny us loving You. O Allah, preserve us and protect us. Be merciful to us. Increase our blessings and support us. O You who has ability over all things.
May He bless us with His love, His merciful guidance to His straight path. May Allah grant us righteous actions and protect us from disobedience and His displeasure.
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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