SIXTY – THE AGE OF THIKRULLAAH
SIXTY – THE AGE OF THIKRULLAAH
According to the Hadith the age of 60 years is a wonderful bounty of Allah Ta’ala. It is the age of Thikrullah. It is a time to engage in preparations for the sojourn in the Qabr. Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said: “On that Day of Qiyaamah, a Caller (an Angel) will proclaim: ‘Where are the People of 60?’ That is the age about which Allah Ta’ala said: “Have We not granted you an age which is an opportunity wherein he who wishes to remember (make the thikr of Allah) can remember, and has there not come to you a warner?” This Hadith is a sombre reminder and a warner that by the age of 60, one should increasingly incline towards the Aakhirah and incrementally relinquish the grip on this dunya. Most unfortunate and miserable is a man who despite having reached the age of 60, plunges deeper into the world. This in fact is the abominable condition of most people. Maut then comes to them as a rude shock. They depart from this dunya full of regrets.
THE OPPORTUNITY OF LIFE
In relation to the Aakhirah, life on earth has neither significance nor value. Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said: “This dunya is jeefah (carrion).” However, the little time Allah Ta’ala has granted us here on earth is invaluable. There is no standard by which its importance could be computed. Since the immense importance and value of time on earth are not understood, the vast majority of people squander this invaluable asset in futility and transgression. On the Day of Qiyaamah when the reality of life unfolds and mysteries no longer remain mysteries, man will yearn to be returned to earth even if for a brief few moments to perform just two raka’ts Salaat. No amount of Salaat performed in the Aakhirah will equal the value of two raka’ts performed on earth, and no amount of Thikr in the Aakhirah will be equal to the utterance of Subhaanallah once on earth. Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said: “If a person from the day he is born until the day he dies, remains in prostration in obedience to Allah Ta’ala, then on that Day (of Qiyaamah) he will consider it wholly insignificant, and he will yearn to be returned to earth so that he could increase (his) merits and reward.” However, that opportunity will never be granted. Life on earth is a one-time opportunity. We are expected to understand and extract maximum advantage and benefit from this short, temporary life for our everlasting success in the Aakhirah. This success and salvation depend on what we do with our time here on earth. Allah Ta’ala did not create us for play, amusement, sport and futility. Negating this vile idea which is promoted nowadays by the Ulama-e-Soo’, the Qur’aan Majeed says: “Verily, the life of this world is but play and amusement while the Abode of the Aakhirah is best for those who fear (Allah).”
