Fight from the Beginning of Time
From the beginning of time, there has been a fight between good and evil. Adam (عليه السلام) and Iblees, Musa (عليه السلام) and Fir’own, Nabi صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَم and Abu Jahl. Today that race has not ended. Think: How hard are the doers of evil working and how hard are we?
Umar (رضي الله عنه) once said, “I seek Allah’s protection from Jalad (the strength and enthusiasm) of the sinner, and the laziness of the God-fearer.” Subhaan Allah, it is as if he is contemplating the time that we are now living in.
How can one of us be too lazy to pray 2 raka’at at night, when the people of the Dunya spend the entire night watching movies, some of which they have to read the translation on the bottom of the screen? How can we be too lazy to read for 2 hours, when the people of the Dunya – those who just want more money to continue their sin – spend days upon days of all-nighters studying for their exams? Why do we cringe at paying 6 dollars for an Islamic book, when the people of the Dunya spend hundreds, rather thousands in pursuit of their sin?
What’s wrong? What has happened to us?
Listen to those who came before us. Some Fuqahaa’ said, “For years I desired to eat Hareesah (a sweet dish) and I wasn’t able to because it was only sold during class time.”
Imam Su’bah said, “If I ever saw someone running in the streets of the village I would only think one of two things: He was either crazy or a student of Hadith!”
And Ibn Al-Jowzee said, “I haven’t seen a flaw more sad in the community than those who stop working even though they have the ability to continue.”
How do we correct the situation dear brothers and sisters? Let us reflect on the following:
Firstly: We must be sincere in our desire to learn Islam. We are learning this Deen to rid ourselves, firstly, of ignorance and then to help others to rid themselves of ignorance.
Do you know the first Hadith in Sahih Bukhari, and in many many other Hadith books? It is not a coincidence that the first hadith is: “Verily Actions are (judged) by their intentions…” The scholars are reminding us from the very beginning of our path to learning, from page one, that it must be for the sake of Allah.
Allah ordered us to be sincere to Him in what we do:
“And they have been commanded no more than this: to worship Allah, offering Him sincere devotion, being true (in faith)” Al Bayyinah, 5
Rasullallah صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَم said, “Whoever studies that which is meant for the sake of Allah, desiring only a piece of the Dunya, he shall not smell the frangrance of Jannah on the Day of Judgement.” – authentic, narrated by Ahmad, and Tirmidhi.
Ibn Abbas said, “Verily a man shall be protected (by Allah) in proportion to his niyyah (intention for doing what it is he is doing).”
And this issue of intention is not an easy matter. Sufyan ath-Thowree said, “I have never nursed something more rebellious than my intentions.” – from the book, Al-Ja’mi’ li akhlaaq al-Raawee, by Al-Khateeb al-Baghdaadi
