Bismillah hir Rahman nir Raheem
In the name of Allah the most beneficent the most merciful
One must be very careful what they say and what actions they perform. This life is fleeting and this world is momentary. What begins with Allah and is with Allah is much better and permanent i.e. the forever after. A wise book spoken by a wise creator who knows all that there is and will be, is guidance for mankind to traverse the paths of this world i.e. The Quran. A believer follows the code of Allah as prescribed by the Quran and Sunnah. A believer follows and obeys Allah and follows and obeys the messenger of Allah Muhammad SAW.
The conflict of belief and disbelief, good and evil, truth and falsehood has been going on since the creation of man and will continue to do so till the day of resurrection. When the truth has been made clear it is obligatory to follow the truth with those actions that form the basis of your reality. Otherwise a person is living in denial, and is deluded by falsehood and in loss. If a person seeks the truth it will be made evident to them with the signs of Allah, there are many truths in the world however the fundamental and most profound truth which is the basis of all existence is that there is only One deity and that is Allah.
This life is very short spanning for most people a term of about 60 to 70 years. Out of which much of it is spent in childhood, where a person is innocent and not accountable for their actions. When a person reaches puberty they enter into adult life albeit a young adult and that is when they are held accountable for what they say and what actions they do. Another major portion of life is spent in education, learning and seeking knowledge to attain skills to survive in the world. This is actually a life long exercise of learning and seeking beneficial knowledge so that a person may prosper. A good portion of a persons life is spent sleeping, that means that out of the 60 to 70 years there is only about two thirds of that spent awake, aware and conscious of their life. Removing the time that you sleep and childhood, a persons life has become even shorter than expected. Since death has no age and is only a handspan away it can arrive at any time and cut short the pleasures of this life.
It is therefore important to spend the rest of the time making full use of your life to create something that will be in conformity with Allahs path and that which is beneficial to mankind. Time is life and if you waste time you waste your life, and this will bring regrets and regrets will not benefit you. The purpose of mankind has been made clear in the Quran, which states that mankind and jinn were made only for the worship of Allah. This is the purpose of life and gives meaning to it and is something that can be done by anyone.
Everyone will return to Allah after they pass through deaths door, this is the truth, and everyone will be held accountable for their actions and way of life they spent their time on in this fleeting world.
Without accountability and if there was no reward or punishment, it would make this life meaningless and futile. A person either works good or performs evil actions and the outcome is made evident in this life. Those that do good do so for their own benefit and those that do evil do so to their own loss. Just as a person is rewarded for the good they do in this life or is punished for a crime they commit in this life similarly when your life is over, you will be presented before Allah for judgement for the actions of your life in this world. Depending on how you lived and what you believed you will be met with either a blissful reward or a severe punishment.
Doing good is not the only criteria for attaining paradise, for good deeds without faith are meaningless and are only rewarded in this world. A person cannot attain paradise with his deeds, but can only attain paradise with the mercy of Allah. To be eligible for the mercy of Allah one has to strictly believe and obey the commandments of Allah committing no shirk with Allah. Pure monotheism and belief in all the Prophets of Allah particularly the prophet of your time, since Muhammad SAW is the last prophet of Allah and there will be no more prophets after him, he is the final messenger and the prophet of all mankind. To believe in Allah and follow the messenger is the fundamental part of the creed that will determine salvation for mankind from the punishment of Allah the hellfire.
The Prophet Muhammad SAW has been sent as a mercy for all mankind, his is the perfect example to follow as he has clearly shown the path to attain success. By devoting ones life to the worship of only Allah and surrendering themselves to Allah for Allah is sufficient for the believer and the means to attain trust in his worldly affairs.
The first criteria therefore necessary to understand and accept the existence of one creator of all that exists that is Allah. There is no one worthy of worship other than Allah. As a person goes through his day he breaks down his time and life to revolve around the worship and obedience of Allah. The believer wakes up early before dawn preparing for his first meeting with Allah, i.e. his first prayer the fajr prayer. He spends some time after prayer reciting the noble words of Allah, from the Quran as this is witnessed by the angels and Allah at this blessed morning time. After which he has breakfast and then go out into the world to earn his provision for himself and his family. He works till it is time to say the noon prayer dhuhr. A believer remembers Allah often throughout the day and this remembrance is what keeps him in a good frame of mind and joyful well being.
After working to earn his provision he offers the late afternoon prayer asr and then spends time with his family giving time to his wife and children. When the sunsets he offers his maghrib prayer and then returns to his family before finishing the day with the last prayer isha. The believer is like a traveler and his life revolves around the prayer times. Once his day is done he rests and sleeps only to repeat the same duties the next day. This time is spent building the hereafter with his goal in front of him that is the reward of Allah he stays away from evil and only tries to do that which will benefit him and others. This struggle makes for a difficult life but a good life worthy of living in the eyes of Allah.
Wisdom and guidance have to be sought after and this is done by asking Allah for these two beautiful traits can only come from and be given by Allah. Wisdom usually is attained after 40 years of living, for this time spent in the world opens up a persons heart to receiving knowledge and understanding how to utilize and apply it in his life.
For this short life it is best spent in the company of wise, good, decent followers of the faith. This world is not meant for only seeking enjoyment and wasting chasing after one’s desires. This world is neither a place of punishment nor is it a battlefield. This world is a place of tests, trials and tribulations. To see which one of you is best in deeds. Enjoy life to a certain degree keeping in mind that everything is temporary in this world after youth is weakness and death and there is more important concerns to be looked after. Do not let your wealth and your children distract you from the remembrance and worship of Allah. For a person who preoccupies his time in worldly activities neglecting and forgetting Allah will surely taste the bitter fruit of loss and despair.
Family life is the best recommended life to live, have a spouse that will keep you on the straight path and enjoy their company and every man should try for his progeny. To leave behind righteous offspring is a way to make this world a better place to live and a part of you continues in this fleeting world.
The desires and lusts of a person are inclined towards evil, it is better to subdue them and have control over them lest they lead you astray and make you a slave to them. Fulfil your desire in a halal permissible way with your spouse within the sacred institution of marriage. Have a family and have offspring and have friends. Work hard for an honest living and make an organization that will bring benefit to mankind. Do your best in this short life to seek the pleasure of Allah work hard and work towards the hereafter.
Enjoin good and forbid evil for the former leads to a good life and the latter leads to misery. Those that disbelieve will find that they are all alone with no one to help them, they will find that nothing will bring them any good and they will have no helper. Belief and disbelief will determine the good from the bad and one will prosper while the other will be in ruin. Belief is paramount to achieving firm faith in the oneness of Allah who has control and power over everything. If a person wants power he should repose his trust in Allah. If a person wants to be wealthy he should trust with what is with Allah and if a person wants honor he should be fearful of Allah.
The concept of the hereafter the day of resurrection and accounting of every person is rationally easy to understand. For if man was to be born and reborn again and again in this world he would carry on committing deeds that would require either reward or punishment based on whether they were good or evil deeds. This would go on accumulating without any justice being served. That is why there is one life in this world and after that when man passes through deaths door he will be brought back to life for eternity to be judged on the basis of how he lived his life in this world. He will be either rewarded if he believed and did righteous deeds or he will be punished for disbelief and evil conduct. The problem with the majority of those that deny the day of resurrection is not the rational explanation but rather the immoral selfish self that is inclined towards evil for a person wants the freedom to do as he pleases committing error, sin and wickedness without being held accountable for these acts. The person however is witness to himself and aware himself that what he is doing is wrong but he desires to carry out these mortal sins so that he can enjoy the pleasures of this world that would be detrimental for a person.
Just as a thief maybe able to conceal his crime from others, he however himself is aware that he is a person committing grave error, injustice and evil. Similarly a liar may be able to convince others of his lie, however his conscience and his self knows that he is lying. For this reason the people that perform injustice and evil and corruption in the lands will be brought forward one day to face judgement by Allah for their crimes. A person may go unpunished in this world however he cannot hide or save himself from the justice and wrath of Allah. Also the reverse where a person may do good and support the cause of Allah to show people the truth and make them see the belief of the oneness of Allah and that they do good deeds on the earth that help and provide ease to people in need and difficulty, they may not get their reward in this life albeit they will be living a good life for their way, Allah will recompense and reward them for their belief and righteous deeds that they did in this world by giving them the reward of paradise.
This is justice being met out to the people so that each soul is recompensed with what they did. That is why the concept of the hereafter is easy to understand however those with short sightedness and narrow minds based on the desires of the self will never want to accept this truth. It is because of the inclination of the self towards evil that a person wishes for all the pleasures and desires to be fulfilled in this life so that they can do as they please without any reckoning. That is why it is very important to control and subdue one’s desires and lusts and only fulfill them in a halal permissible way. Where Allah has forbidden something or told to stay away from, is based on sound reasoning, knowledge and intelligence that protects a person from the harm of mortal sins.
The character of a person that denies the resurrection can be seen in his behavior, he neither wants to support or be kind to the orphan instead ridiculing them and being miserly towards them. He neither wants to feed the poor nor show small kindness to others that maybe in need. He also tries to refrain from small kindness and being miserly towards his fellow man by being niggardly and selfish in doing small good deeds to them.
A person who wants the help and protection of Allah should devote themselves completely to Allah and find people in need and difficulty and fulfil their needs and ease their difficulty so that by helping those in need, Allah will help them. To seek the protection of Allah a person should surrender and place their utmost trust in Allah for no harm can come to a person unless it is decreed by Allah and no good can come to a person unless it is decreed by Allah.
This world is a place for tests and trials it is not a place of punishment nor is it a battlefield. Life is not meant solely for enjoyment and pleasure but is a testing ground and preparation for the life eternal in the hereafter. Those that keep themselves busy in the worship and obedience of Allah will surely reap a good harvest in this life and the next. A person should spend the morning, evening and the last part of the night in the worship of Allah dedicating his time for this practice. The day when a person is usually alert and awake is meant to be used for earning your provision for you and you family and for those in need. As the night brings with it peace and quietness it is best used for resting and sleeping so that one can be restored for the next days endeavors. This balance of the brightness and activity of the day combined with honest work and then the calmness and quiet peace of the night will ensure a stable and balanced life for the person.
Those that are absorbed in the way of sin and evil and then try to hide their actions in this world will eventually be exposed as it is the nature of this world that those that try to hide their evil actions will eventually be publicly disclosed so that people will know of their nature.
A man needs women in his life, like the need for a mother, grandmother, auntie, sister, wife and daughter. This will bring sweetness and gentleness into their lives and allow the wisdom of the world to reach his heart, for women bring joy, liveliness and appreciation and awe with them and are great companions and the spouse is a source of comfort, peace and guidance along with security and a soul mate, a life long partner to share with you the good times and the bad times. Women bring with them an awareness of the world and intuitive nature about the phenomenon of various experiences, that affects a man’s life. The best part of being in a marriage is the mercy and love that Allah places between the husband and wife, this love and affection is priceless and sought after for it is the basis of life.
Attraction to the opposite gender is natural and can bring with it a most difficult trial between men and women, this fitnah causes many troubles between people for it can create jealousy and envy amongst each other. That is why when a man sees a woman he is advised to lower his gaze to avoid the feelings of desire and temptation that might lead them to committing an immoral or evil act. It’s best not to stare and better to avoid situations which might lead to temptation.
The main reason for trouble and strife in this world and the wars that have been fought over are usually based on three elements, Land, Money or resources and women. The usurping of land to attain more wealth and occupation of a particular place for residing has caused much trouble and tribulations in the world. The greed for money and increase in wealth is something that does not age with time but this desire remains young in a person till death. For only death will satiate a person from the desire of accumulating wealth and this wealth he cannot take to the grave.
The conflict between good and evil needs to be understood by first knowing what are the consequences of each type of action. Just as there is day and night, hot and cold, light and dark, heaven and hell, there is a balance however it must be noted that these are not equal for the effects and attributes are different for example the day is bright and full of light and bustling of activities whereas the night is dark, calm and peaceful and mostly used for rest and relaxation. Similarly hot and cold, light and dark, the heat of the sun and the shade are not equal, for the shade is cooling whereas the heat of the summer sun is uncomforting and hot. Heaven is a place of bliss, goodness and purity whereas hell is a place of torment, pain, suffering and evil. Just as these types of elements are not equal similarly good and evil are not equal.
For the good moral words and actions benefit a person, cultivating goodness in them, improving their condition and also causing calmness, tranquility and peace, this is also beneficial to the community. The good moral actions leads to success. Whereas evil moral words and actions cause loss to a person to their own soul and is destructive leading to suffering and failure. This conflict between the two has been raging on since the creation of man. The creator Allah SWT has inspired every person with both good and evil. This potential to follow and act on either path will determine whether a person if he performs good morals and action this will be to the benefit of his own soul and for others which lead to the mercy of Allah SWT. If the self is inclined to follow the path of evil morals and actions this will lead to the detriment and loss to the soul causing the person to lead an immoral sinful life which brings disgrace, humiliation and ultimate loss and the anger of Allah SWT.
Every person is born with sound true faith, this is a gift from Allah to his servants, however the shaitan leads people astray from this sound true faith, either by their parents, their friends, the society in which they are living in or by any other means that the shaitan tries to employ to divert man from his true purpose which is the worship and obedience of the creator Allah SWT. Most of the time when the truth is heard the person does not wish to follow it due to the self which inclines a person towards misguidance and evil. Very few people when they hear the sound truth accept it and belief and then act in the appropriate manner. For those that follow and accept the truth they will be empowered and be in conformity with the world and will be under the shade of Allah. Whereas those that reject the truth, denying it will be cursed and what awaits them is a painful torment. This sound true faith that every person is born with is the fitrah the innate disposition and is Islam, submission to the Creator Allah SWT.
A person is inspired to both good and evil, the one who observes good speech and actions in his life than Allah SWT will make ease in their lives, the person will continue to do good until it becomes easy for him and they will find it difficult to do evil actions as he will feel aversion to evil. The same goes for those people that observe evil speech and actions, a person will continue to do evil and Allah will make their life difficult for them placing problems and hardships and hurdles in their way. A person will continue to do evil until it becomes his nature and it will be very difficult for them to do any good as they will feel an aversion to doing good. The former leads a person to a good life whereas the latter will cause him misery.
Guidance is in the hands of Allah. It is important to convey the truth and the message to the people so that they are made aware of the sound true faith that is part of their innate disposition. The problem that people undergo is that they cover up the truth with falsehood as the disbeliever the state of kufr that they are in, it means they deny and cover up the truth due to the self-inclined malevolent nature that does not allow them to follow the truth. A person does this because he finds that which is pleasing and liked by Allah to be hateful and that which Allah hates and dislikes he finds pleasing and preferable.
Only the disbeliever behaves in such a manner. A person has to ask Allah sincerely for guidance many times a day so that he can stay on the straight path. Worshipping only Allah is the straight path.
A person has to use his intellectual capacity to determine the truth of the oneness of Allah, this can be done by studying the attributes and names of Allah. The study of the creation will bring him closer to understanding the existence of a Creator that has a plan and set destiny for every living creature. Man was not created without purpose. The reason that a person may feel as if they have no purpose in life is due to the lack of knowledge and lack of having a deeper understanding of the nature of man.
The final outcome of mans behavior in this world is closely linked with his belief. The first and foremost criteria for mans triumph is sound true faith, belief in the oneness of the creator Allah SWT, with this faith his actions will be determined on the basis of their intention. It is important to note that virtue without faith will go unrewarded, and its benefit may only be realized in this world. The believer is more concerned with the hereafter seeking Allah’s reward and bounty which is everlasting and more better than this short lived life of this fleeting world.