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Islam is a religion of Allah and beloved Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)with his ideal powerful personality, character, and best leadership qualities enlightened the people of the world when they had no hopes and were living a life in darkness. Sent as a blessed Messenger from Almighty Allah, he was an epitome of light in this dark world to entire humanity — enlightened the lives of people with the education of Islam and teaches us peace, prosperity and enlightenment.
The Holy Qur’an, book of Allah was bestowed upon our beloved Prophet Muhammad(SAW) as a guiding light to entire humanity. Seeking guidance through this Holy book is the way in seeking Almighty Allah to live life with its real purpose and seeking Akhirah as our final goal. We have to surrender to the decree of Almighty Allah. We have to seek HIS pleasure through following the teachings of Holy book of Qur’an(The Word of Allah) and teachings of our beloved Prophet Muhammad ( PBUH). Following the Qur’an(The Word of Allah) and teachings of Prophet Muhammad ( PBUH) would serve as an ideal motivation and guide in fulfilling the true purpose of life, besides fulfilling our dreams and aspirations in this world in a rightful, truthful, justiful and humanity-serving way.
“Surah Al Asr” of holy Qur’an: Surah Al Asr is one of the earliest chapters of Holy Qur’an–that was revealed in Makkah. Having just three verses, Surah Al Asr is considered to be the essence of entire Holy Qur’an because it serves as a great means of salvation containing focus towards the four basic qualities that are crucial to apply in one’s life in seeking the pleasure of Almighty Allah and preparing for one’s ‘Akhirah’. As every true believer of Almighty Allah knows that life on earth is temporary and its real purpose is based on seeking the pleasure of Almighty Allah and living one’s life according to Allah’s commandments to earn Akhirah. The Almighty Allah, the merciful says in the Holy Quran in Surah Al-Asr: وَالْعَصْرِ⃝إِنَّالْإِنسَانَلَفِيخُسْرٍ⃝إِلَّاالَّذِينَآمَنُواوَعَمِلُواالصَّالِحَاتِوَتَوَاصَوْابِالْحَقِّوَتَوَاصَوْابِالصَّبْرِ⃝
Translation: “By time, indeed, mankind is in loss, except for those who have believed and done righteous deeds and advised each other to truth and advised each other to patience.” (Quran, 103: 1-3). In this Surah, Allah takes an oath on ‘Time’ and impresses upon that mankind is in sheer loss and only those people are an exception from the loss who are characterized by four important qualities: (1) Complete faith — Faith in Allah and His Attributes, faith in the Hereafter and Reckoning, reward and punishment, the Divine Books and the prophets. (2) righteous deeds. (3) exhorting one another to Truth, and (4) exhorting one another to Patience. Allah sometimes approves and strengthens His Verses through vows; He sometimes uses the names of some beings when He vows to indicate the importance and value of these beings for man. Allah manifests excellence of Time to make us understand that every moment is significant for success. This Surah is a complete specimen of guidance and brevity. A whole world of meaning has been compressed into its few brief words, which is too vast in content to be fully expressed even in a book. In it, in a clear and plain way it has been stated what is the way to true success for man and what is the way to ruin and destruction for him. Imam Shafi (RA) has very rightly said that if the people only considered this Surah well, it alone would suffice them for their guidance and mentorship. How important this Surah was in the sight of the Companions of Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) can be recognized from the tradition cited from Hadrat Abdullah bin Hisn ad-Darimi Abu Madinah, according to which whenever any two of them met they would not part company until they had recited Surah Al-Asr to each other (Tabarani)
Charity: Abu Huraira narrated that the Messenger of Allah(ﷺ)said, “When the human being dies, his deeds come to an end except for three: ongoing charity, beneficial knowledge, or a righteous child who prays for him.”
Almighty Allah (SWT) says in Holy Qur’an — the example of those who spend their wealth in the way of Allah is like a seed (of grain) which grows seven spikes; in each spike is a hundred grains. And Allah multiplies (His reward) for whom He wills. And Allah is all-Encompassing and Knowing. Having said that, a professional’s main goal must be to seek and discover the pleasure of Allah through whatever graces and blessings he has been endowed upon by Almighty Allah. The more effort one makes in seeking Almighty Allah, the more he/she remains contented in life and work for his ‘Akhirah’. Moreover, the noble work you do for the sake of Almighty Allah and for the benefit of humanity is always worth full — a way towards seeking HIM. Allah has blessed you with the amazing potential to carry on the noble works in this world. Take them as bountiful blessings from Almighty Allah and in HIS pleasure – find your pleasure and be positive. No matter whatever proffession you are in – a doctor, an engineer, a teacher, a lawyer, an officer, a politician or other — you should always be honest, ensure right direction to your professional work by seeking guidance from the Holy Book of Qur’an (The Word of Almighty Allah, SWT) and noble teachings of our beloved Prophet Muhammad(SAW) – as that way you would be able to seek the pleasure of Almighty Allah(SWT) and work for your Akhirah. To realise success in your any dream – Faith in Almighty Allah and Faith in Self are important. But your Faith in Self must not overpower your Faith in Almighty Allah (SWT). If it happens so, you may land into trouble as your Faith in Self has roots and control from your Faith in Almighty Allah. Remember! When the work you do brings you closer to Almighty Allah and builds in you strong faith towards Him, do realise that you are in right direction and approaching towards enlightenment and success. We must always be thankful enough to Almighty Allah and owe due credit of our success to HIM only. The more we owe credit of our success to HIM, the more we get closer to HIM and seek HIS pleasure. Moreover, to realise a dream in your life — always give right direction to it. Ensuring right direction to a dream will bring you success as well as make you fulfil the true purpose of life (pleasure of Almighty Allah). If you ensure wrong direction to your dream – you shall fail to accomplish the true purpose of life. It will be worth to mention here that you shall be able to give right direction to a dream by imbibing true guidance, good character and values – by following the teachings of Almighty Allah and His beloved Prophet (SAW).
Almighty Allah( SWT) says in Qur’an in Surah Baqarah: “Be fearful of a day when you shall return to Allah and you will receive your reward fully for what you have done and you won’t be wronged (2:281)”. Almighty Allah(SWT) through His bountiful blessings and mercy is always encouraging us to prepare for Akhirah through practicing religious obligations i.e. Salah, sadaqa, siyam, recitation of Qur’an, and through doing good deeds and by helping those in desperate need or who are struggling in their lives. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said, “Whomsoever is fearful, he will start his journey early, and whoever started his journey early, he will reach his destination safely. Verily the merchandise of Allah is expensive, verily the product of Allah is Paradise. (Tirmidhi)”. Prophet Muhammad (SAW) in another hadith said, “Everyone is taking a journey, on a daily basis. He is either one of two things – he is taking a journey to free himself of the shackles of the Duniya, the whims and desires and he will please Allah Almighty and then he will be safe, or he might lead his soul to its ruin. (Muslim)”Having said that, when our motivational speeches are delivered in the light of Allah and the teachings of our be. loved Prophet Muhammad(PBUH), they would have a revolutionary impact in the lives of people. To touch the skies in your life here and hereafter, you need to read the lessons/teachings/books that have been endowed upon us from the skies (Asmani kitabein) besides the books of worldly knowledge. “Sabaq Phir Pad Sadaqat Ka, Adaalat Ka, Shajaat Ka…Liya Jayega Tuj Se Kaam Duniya Ki Imamat Ka” ( meaning: we have to read a lesson of truthfulness, justice and bravery in order to lead the world and positively revolutionize the lives). – Allama Iqbal “Ki Muhammad(SAW) Se Wafa Tune To Hum Tere Hain…Ye Jahaan Cheez Kya Hai Looh o Qalam Tere Hain” – Allama Iqbal. We have to discover Allah’s blessings through realising our inner being. Our journey in this world is just a test through the achievement of multiple dreams to achieve the final dream- that is beyond our sight ( the world hereafter and its magnanimous reward, Jannat Ul Firdous). We are from Allah to this world – here we have to work to please HIM( that is the real purpose of this life) and to HIM we shall return – and when we return to HIM, we should have pleased HIM to such an extent so that HE should happily receive us and bless with that magnanimous award of Jannat Ul Firdous(the final dream). May Almighty Allah bless us all…Aameen
Har Ek Maqam Se Aage Maqam Hai Tera;
Hayat Zouq-e- Safar Kay Sewa Kuch Aur Nahi (Allama Iqbal).
Anas bin Malik narrated that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Whoever makes the Hereafter his goal, Allah makes his heart rich, and organizes his affairs, and the world inevitably comes to him. And whoever makes this world his goal, Allah puts his poverty right before his eyes, and disorganizes his affairs, and the world does not come to him, except what has been decreed for him”. Therefore, depending on the seeds we plant in this world and the effort we put in, we could see the fruits in the Akhirah. If we never planted the seeds we can’t expect the fruits. Let us seek for and make “Akhirah” as our goal by doing good deeds, giving charity, doing works of enlightening people with beneficial knowledge and raising righteous children — because it is these things which will benefit us once we leave this world and enter “Akhirah”.
(The author is Physician, Educator, and Founder Director of JKIFTS. Views are his own)