“O Allah, You know me better than I know myself, and I know myself better than these people who praise me. Make me better than what they think of me, and forgive those sins of mine of which they have no knowledge, and do not hold me responsible for what they say.”
– Abu Bakr al-Siddiq RA

Allah’s Apostle (Sallallähu alaihi wa sallam) said, “Whoever after listening to the Adhan says,

‘Allahumma Rabba hadhihi-d-da’ watit-tammati was-salatil qa’imati, ati Muhammadan al-wasilata wal-fadilata, wab’ athhu maqaman mahmudan-il-ladhi wa’ adtahu

(O Allah! Lord of this perfect call (of not ascribing partners to You) and of the regular prayer which is going to be established! Kindly give Muhammad the right of intercession and superiority and send him (on the Day of Judgment) to the best and the highest place in Paradise which You promised him)’,

then intercession for me will be permitted for him on the Day of Resurrection”).

[Bukhari 0588]

Answered by Shaykh Ilyas Patel

Question: What are the virtues of the month of Rajab?

Answer: It has been mentioned by Abu Nu’aim in Hilya from Anas Ibn Malik (Allah be pleased with him) he said, that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) used to make the following dua, when the month of Rajab came in:

“Allahuma Barik lana fi Rajaba wa Sha’bana wa ballighna Ramadhan”

It has been mentioned by Abul Fath ibn Abil-Fawaris in his Amali (dictations and transmissions) and Allama Suyuti has also mentioned in his Jami Saghir from Hasan Basri that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said,

“Rajab is the month of Allah. Shaban is my month. Ramadhan is the month of my ummah (followers)”.

From the above hadith, it shows that it is preferable to make dua, to remain in the coming and following months, in order to perform good actions in them, because a true believer increases in his age with goodness. The best of people is the one who lives long and performs good actions.

The pious predecessors used to prefer dying after performing good actions, like the fast of Ramadhan or returning from Haj. And it was said by them, “whoever dies in this way, is forgiven.”

There is no doubt that the month of Rajab is the key to the opening of the months of goodness and blessing.

Abu Bakr Warraq (May Allah be pleased with him) said,

“Rajab is a month of cultivation, Shaban is month of irrigating the fields, and the month of Ramadhan is a month of reaping and harvesting.”

The summary is, that the month of Rajab is a sacred month and the first, virtuous and noble of them all. So it is appropriate to celebrate it ENTIRELY and to give attention to it by performing good acts, and refraining oneself from sins and offensive things, because it is the month of Allah.

It has been mentioned that Allah said,

“Fasting is for me and I will recompense one for it.”

Fasting in the month of Rajab prevents one from sins, let alone refraining one from killing and having enmity towards the enemy (which this month was made sacred for), like it was practiced by the people in the ignorant (jahili) period.

(Imam Abdul Gani al-Nablusi, Fadhail al-Shuhur wal-Ayyam (Virtues of Months and Days) pg 27, 32)

READ ARTICLE 

“Whoever learns something in the name of Allah, seeking that which is with Him, he will win. And whoever learns something for other than Allah, he will not reach the goal, nor will his acquired knowledge bring him closer to Allah” {Hasan al-Basari}

“O you who have believed, if you support Allah , He will support you and plant firmly your feet.” (Quran 47:7)

To read more Beautiful Ayahs & Hadiths on the go download the new HOTD app here http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/hadith-of-the-day/id480437544?mt=8 or Search Hadith of the Day in the App Store!

In Islam Every Day is “MOTHERS DAY”

One day a man came to see the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him. It seemed that he was trying to solve something but couldn’t quite work it out. So he asked the Prophet. ”Tell me, O Prophet!” I have many relatives and many friends whom I love, and whom I wish to care for and help. But I often find it difficult to decide which of them has the greatest claim upon me? Which of them should come first?” The Prophet replied immediately, ”Your mother should come first and before all others.”

The man was very pleased to have this clear guidance from the Prophet. But of course there were all his other relatives and his friends, so he asked ”and after my mother, who has the greatest claim upon me?” The Prophet’s reply this second time surprised him. ”Your mother!” he said again.

The man wondered why the Prophet was repeating himself. Perhaps he had not spoken clearly, the man thought, so he asked the question again, ”What I want to know is, after my mother, who has the greatest claim upon me? Again the Prophet said ”your mother!” Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him said:
Your Mother, Your Mother, Your Mother!

The Prophet had now said it three times. Slowly, the man realized why he had done so. ”The Prophet means that my mother is extremely important, so much so that my duty to her must be stressed over and over again. Even so, the man’s thoughts ran on, ”what about all the others I love and wish to care for?” Still uncertain and wanting to know more, he once again turned to the Prophet and said, ”and after my mother, who comes after her? Is there anyone besides her?” The Prophet then replied ”after your mother, your father.” ”And then?” asked the man. ”Then people who are nearest to you,” said the Prophet. Allah’s peace and blessings be upon the Prophet.

Abu Hurayrah [Radi-Allahu anhu] said: The Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم said, “The Hour will not pass until time is shortened, a year will be like a month, a month will be like a week, a week will be like a day, a day will be like an hour, and an hour will be like the burning of a stalk of palm fibres.”
[Ahmad]

“I am not worried about whether my du’a will be responded to, but rather I am worrried about whether I will be able to make du’a or not. So if I have been guided by Allah to make du’a, then (I know) that the response will come with it”. – Umar ibn al-Khattab (ra)

Allah’s Apostle (Sallallähu alaihi wa sallam) said, “The angels keep on asking for Allah’s Blessing and Forgiveness for anyone of you as long as he is at his Musalla (praying place) and does not do Hadath (passes wind).
The angels say, ‘O Allah! Forgive him and be Merciful to him.’ Each one of you is in the prayer as long as he is waiting for the prayer and nothing but the prayer detains him from going to his family.”

[Bukhari 0628]

Hasan Al Basri (rahimillah) said:

“What do you think of a day when people will stand on their feet for 50.000 years, without having a bite to eat, a drop to drink until their necks will break from thirst and their stomachs will burn out of hunger? Then they (the disobedient) will turn to Hell and drink from a fountain whose water will be boiling and whose heat will be scorching”

Ihya Ulum Ad-Deen

It is narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira (Radi Allah Anhu) that: “When, the son of Adam recites the Ayaah of Sajdah (prostration) and then falls down in prostration, the Satan goes into seclusion and weeps and says: Alas, and in the narration of Abu Kuraib the words are: Woe unto me, the son of Adam was commanded to prostrate, and he prostrated and Paradise was entitled to him and I was commanded to prostrate, but I refused and am doomed to Hell.”

[Sahih Muslim : Book 1 Kitab Al-Iman, Number 144]

“REPENTANCE IN ISLAM”
Feelings of remorse and guilt are natural reflections of sinning, if the person who has sinned has a conscious which is alive.
After committing a sin, a person who fears Allah and give high respect to Him would feel a sense of despondency and despair thinking, “How will God forgive me for this sin?” However, it is noteworthy that despairing of God’s mercy is in itself one of the major sins in Islam for God is ever merciful, ever forgiving.
As He says in the Qur’an:
“Do not despair of God’s mercy; He will forgive you of all your sins”.Qur’an (39:53).
In another verse, Allah says:
“And He wishes to forgive you” Qur’an (4:146).
Islam fully understands the temptations that come in the way of everyone of us, and that which some of us might go for. Only through repentance, that one can wipe out those sins and past misdeeds and gradually get freed from the clutches of the ego.
Repentance is the most noble and beloved form of obedience in the eyes of Allah the All Mighty. He loves those who repent. Repentance has a status that no other form of worship has. This is why Allah is extremely happy when a servant repents just as a traveller is happy when he finds his lost mount in the desert.
Feeling Allah’s satisfaction has its great impact on the heart of the one repenting. Hence, the repenting person reaches the status of being amongst the beloved through his repentance.
Moreover, repentance brings about humbleness and a sense of helplessness to the only Creator; Allah, and that is not easily acquired through other forms of worship.
Allah says in the Qur’an:
“Except those who repent, have faith and good deeds, those Allah will charge their sins for good deeds. Certainly Allah is most forgiving and merciful.” (Qur’an 25:70)
This is a greatest glad tiding for those who repent and combine their repentance with deep faith and good deeds.
Repentance breeds good deeds, whilst sinning (without repentance) can cause deprivation of obedience altogether. It has been said that committing sins regularly will darken and harden the heart and make purifying it once again a difficult mission. It may even lead a person to reject Allah completely (Allah forbid) or lead him to commit a bigger sin. There is no recourse for a sinner except to ask Allah for forgiveness and to feel great regret for his actions.
Repentance is to repent from the heart, to train the heart into obedience and to make a firm resolution never to commit the sin again.
How to repent?
For repentance to be accepted by Allah, one should go through these four stages:
1- Stop the sin.
2- Regretting deeply and truly for the sin you committed.
3- Return to Allah for forgiveness.
4- Strong intention never to return to that same sin again.
What would help in fulfilling the above four stages?
The repenting person should remember three facts:
1. The grave consequence of sins.
2. The painful punishment for sins and
3. How week a person is when committing such sins.
Abu Bakr Al Siddiq (May Allah be pleased with him), narrated:
“I heard Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) saying: “There isn’t a man who, when he commits a sin, rises, makes ablution, and offers two rak’as of prayers, but Allah forgives his sins.”
Allah says in the Qur’an:
“Those (are the true believers) who, when they commit an evil deed, or wrong their souls, remember Allah, and seek forgiveness for their sins – and who but Allah forgives sins? They do not insist upon the sins they have committed, and they know (that Allah is forgiving).” (Qur’an 3:135)

Narrated Humran:
I saw ‘Uthman bin ‘Affan asking (for a tumbler of water) to perform ablution (and when it was brought)
he poured water from it over his hands and washed them thrice and then put his right hand in the water container and rinsed his mouth and washed his nose by putting water in it and then blowing it out.
Then he washed his face thrice and (then) forearms up to the elbows thrice, then passed his wet hands over his head and then washed each foot thrice.

After that ‘Uthman said, “I saw the Prophet performing ablution like this of mine, and he said, ‘If anyone performs ablution like that of mine and offers a two-rak’at prayer during which he does not think of anything else (not related to the present prayer) then his past sins will be forgiven. ‘

[Bukhari 0165]

Whenever the Prophet (Sallallähu alaihi wa sallam) went to answer the call of nature, he used to say,
“Allah-umma inni a’udhu bika minal khubuthi wal khaba’ith”

i.e.O Allah, I seek Refuge with You from all offensive and wicked things (evil deeds and evil spirits).

[Bukhari 0144]

Messenger of Allah (Sallallähu alaihi wa sallam) said, “The angels pray for blessing on a fasting person when people eat in his presence until they finish.” Perhaps he said, “Until they are full.” [at-Tirmidhi]

True Story…

There was once a man who was an enemy to Islam. He had three famous questions that no person could answer. No Islamic scholar in Baghdad could answer his three questions thus he made fun of Islam in public. He constantly ridiculed Islam and the Muslims. One day a small boy, who’s age was 10, came along and heard the man yelling and screaming at Muslims in the street. He was challenging people openly to answer the three questions. The boy stood quietly and watched. He then decided that he would challenge the man. He walked up and told the man, “I will accept your challenge”.
The man laughed at the boy and ridiculed the Muslims even more by saying, “A ten year old boy challenges me. Is this all you people have to offer?”
But the boy patiently reiterated his stance. He would challenge the man, and with Allah`s help and guidance, he would put this to an end. The man finally accepted.
The entire city gathered around a small “hill” where open addresses were usually made. The man climbed to the top, and in a loud voice asked his first question.
“What is your God doing right now?”
The small boy thought for a little while and then told the man to climb down the hill and to allow him to go up in order to address the question.
The man says “What? You want me to come down?”
The boy says, “Yes. I need to reply, right?”
The man made his way down and the small boy, age 10, with his little feet made his way up.
This small child`s reply was “Oh Allah Almighty! You be my witness in front of all these people. You have just willed that a Kafir be brought down to a low level, and that a Muslim be brought to a high level!”
The crowd cheered and screamed “Takbir”….”Allah-hu-akbar!!!”
The man was humiliated, but he boldly asked his Second question… “What existed before your God?”
The small child thought and thought.
Then he asked the man to count backwards. “Count from 10 backwards.”
The man counted…”10, 9 ,8 , 7 , 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1,0″
The boy asked, “What comes before 0 ?”
The man: “I don`t know…nothing.”
The boy: “Exactly. Nothing was before Allah, for He is eternal and absolute.”
The crowd cheered again….”Takbir!”….”Allah-hu-akbar!!!!”
The man, now completely frustrated, asked his final question. “In which direction is your Allah facing?”
The boy thought and thought.
He then asked for a candle. A candle was brought to him. The blessed child handed it to the man and asked him to light it.
The man did so and remarked, “What is this supposed to prove?”
The young boy asked, “In which direction is light from the candle going?”
The man responded, “It is going in all directions.”
The boy: “You have answered your own question. Allah is in all directions. He is everywhere. There is no where that He cannot be found.
“The crowd cheered again….”Takbir!”….”Allah-hu-akbar!!!”
The man was so impressed and so moved by the boy`s knowledge and spirituality, that he embraced Islam and became a student of the young boy.
So ended the debate.
Who was the young boy?
The young boy was one of our best scholars, Imam Abu Hanîfa (Rehmatulla Alayh).

Allah’s Apostle (sallallähu alaihi wasallam) said, “When you drink (water), do not breath in the vessel; and when you urinate, do not touch your private parts with your right hand. And when you cleanse yourself after defecation, do not use your right hand.”

[Bukhari Book:69 No:534]

“Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, should not hurt his neighbour and whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, should serve his guest generously and whoever believes in Allah and the Last day, should talk what is good or keep quiet.”

[Sahih Al Bukhari Vol.8, Book 78, No. 6018]

Ibn Umar (Radhiallahu ‘Anhum) said: Allâh’s Messenger (Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam) took me by my shoulder and said: “Be in this life as if you were a stranger or a traveller on a path.” Jâmi’ al-U’lûm wal-Hikam [1] Hadîth #40:

Ibn Umar used to say, “If you reach the evening then do not expect to reach the morning, and if you reach the morning then do not expect to reach the evening. Take from your health before your sickness, and from your life before your death.” – [Reported by al-Bukhârî]

This hadîth is the foundation for limiting one’s hope in this life. So a believer must not take this life as a homeland or permanent residence, his heart being tranquil and resting assured within it. Rather, he must be in it as if he were on a journey, preparing himself to depart. The advice of the Prophets and their followers confirmed this.

Allâh said, narrating upon a believer at the time of Fir’awn that he said:
“O my people! Truly, this life of the world is nothing but a (quick passing) enjoyment, and verily, the hereafter that is the home that will remain forever.” [Ghafir : 39]

Alî ibn Abi Tâlib used to say, “Certainly this life has begun travelling away, and the hereafter has begun travelling forward, and each has its children. So be from the children of the hereafter, and don’t be from the children of this life. For indeed today there is action with no account, and tomorrow there will be account with no action.”

Umar ibn Abdul Azîz said in his khutbah, “This life is not your permanent abode. Allâh has prescribed for it to come to an end and He has prescribed for its people to depart from it. How often has a thriving population been ruined for something insignificant, and how often has a joyful resident been made to depart for something insignificant. So prepare well, may Allâh have mercy on you, for the journey with the best of what you have of preparations, and take provisions, for the best of provisions is Taqwâ.”

So if this life is not a permanent residence nor homeland for the believer, then the situation of the believer in it must be either one of two conditions: Either as if he were a stranger residing in a strange land with his main concern being to take provisions for his return to his real homeland; or as if he were a traveller, in no way residing in it, rather his every night and day is spent going to his land of residence.

For this, the Prophet (Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam) advised Ibn Umar to be in this life in one of these two conditions:

The first condition: That the believer abandons himself as if he were a stranger in this life, appearing to be a resident, yet really in a strange land. So his heart is not attached to this strange land. Rather, his heart is attached to his homeland that he is returning to. He is only staying in this life to fulfill his objective – preparing for the return to his homeland.

Al-Fudhayl ibn Iyyâdh said,
“A believer in this life is worried and sad. His worry is the objective of preparing himself. So whoever’s condition in this life is such, then he has no concern other than taking provisions from what will benefit him during the return to his homeland. So he does not compete with the people of the land, among whom he is merely a stranger, in what they consider honorable. And he does not become worried if he seems insignificant among them.”

Al-Hasan (al-Basrî) said,
“The believer is like a stranger. He does not become worried due to being insignificant in it (this life), and he does not compete for honor in it. His condition is one and the people are in another condition. Whenever Allâh created ?dam (’Alayhis Salâm), He made him and his wife reside in Paradise. Then he was put out of it, yet was promised to return to it, he and the righteous ones among his offspring. So the believer is always longing for his first homeland…” [2]

The second condition: That the believer lowers himself in this life as if he were a traveller, in no way residing in it. He is only moving along in one of the points of his journey until he finishes his journey to its end, which is death. Whoever’s condition in this life is such, then his main concern is obtaining the provision for the journey. He is not concerned with an Abû ndance of the enjoyment of this life. For this reason, the Prophet (Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam) advised a group of his Companions for their main concern in this life to be like the provision of a traveller.

One of the early Muslims wrote to one of his brothers:
“Oh my brother, it appears to you as if you are a resident. However, you are really only persistently travelling, and you are moving rapidly. Death is heading towards you, and this life is passing behind you. What has passed of your life will not return to you (to rectify it) on the Day of Taghâbun (The Day of Resurrection).”

Al-Fudhayl ibn Iyyâdh said to a man, “How many (years) have come upon you?”He replied, “Sixty years.” He said, “Therefore, for sixty years you have been going to your Lord and you are about to reach (Him).”So the man said, “To Allâh we belong and to Him we are returning!” So al-Fudhayl asked, “Do you know the meaning of that (statement)? You are saying, ‘I belong to Allâh as a servant and I am going to return to Him.’ So whoever knows that he belongs to Allâh as a servant and that he will return to him, then he should know that he will be stopped. And whoever knows that he will be stopped, then he should know that he will be questioned. And whoever knows that he will be questioned, then let him prepare an answer for the question.” The man asked, “So what should I do?” He said, “It is easy.” The man again asked, “What is it?” al-Fudhayl said, “Do good in what remains, then what has passed shall be forgiven. Yet, if you do evil in what remains, then you will be taken to account for what has passed as well as for what remains.”

Some of the wise people said,
“Whoever made the days and nights his riding animal, then they will take him (to his destination) even if he doesn’t move.”

al-Awzâ’î wrote to one of his brothers, “As to what follows: You have been encompassed from every side. Know that you are moving forward with each day and night. So beware of Allâh and of the standing between His hands. And your final promise will be with Him. Was-Salâm.”

As for the advice of Ibn Umar, then it is based upon this Hadîth that he himself has narrated. It (his advice) includes an end to prolonged hope. And that if a person happens to reach the evening, then he should not wait for, or expect to reach the morning. And if he happens to reach the morning, then he should not wait for, or expect to reach the evening. Rather, he should assume that his end will reach him before that. With this same meaning, more than one of the scholars have explained the concept of having Zuhd in this life.

Al-Marwathî said: It was said to Abû Abdullâh – meaning Ahmad (ibn Hanbal), “What is the meaning of having Zuhd in this life?”He said, “Not prolonging hope too much – He who says when he wakes up, ‘I will not reach the evening.’”He said, “And Sufyân (ath-Thawrî) said likewise.” It was then said to Abû Abdullâh, “With what do we seek help in not prolonging our hope?”He replied, “We don’t know. It is only by Tawfîq (Success exclusively granted by Allâh).” As for his (Ibn Umar’s) statement: “Take from your health before your sickness, and from your life before your death.”Meaning: Take advantage of being able to do righteous deeds with what remains of your health before sickness prevents you from them, and from your life before death prevents you from them.
And in another narration: “…For surely, oh servant of Allâh, you don’t even know what your own name will be tomorrow.” Meaning: Perhaps tomorrow you will be among the dead, not the living.

The meaning of this advice has been reported from the Prophet (Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam) from a different perspective. In Sahîh al-Bukhârî, it is reported that Ibn Abbâs narrated that the Prophet (Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam) said:
“There are two blessing which many people are deprived of: health and free time.” [3]

And in the Mustadrak of al-Hâkim, it is reported that Ibn Abbâs narrated that the Messenger of Allâh (Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam) said to a man while advising him:
“Take advantage of five things before five other things: from your youth before your old age, your health before your sickness, your richness before your poverty, your free time before you become occupied, and from your life before your death.” [4]

The meaning of this is that all of these things hinder the performance of deeds. Some of them personally preoccupy the person such as his poverty, richness, sickness, his old age, or his death. Others are more general such as the establishment of the Last Hour, the appearance of the Dajjâl, and o ther disturbing trials as is mentioned in the Hadîth:
“Take the initiative to do deeds, before trials come like a piece of a dark night (unexpectedly).” [5]

After the appearance of some of these more general events, no deeds will be of any benefit as Allâh said:
“The day that some of the Signs of your Lord do come, no good will it do to a person to believe then, if he believed not before, nor earned good (by performing deeds of righteousness) through his Faith.” [Al-An’am : 158]
In the two Sahîhs (al-Bukhârî and Muslim), Abû Hurayrah narrated that the
Prophet (Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam) said:
“The Hour will not be established until the sun rises from the west. So when it rises and the people see it, they will all believe. That is when the faith of a person will not benefit him if he did not previously believe or if he did not earn good by his faith.” [6]

And in Sahîh Muslim, the Prophet (Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam) said:
“There are three events that if they occur, the faith of a person will not benefit him if he did not previously believe or if he did not earn good by his faith: the rising of the sun from the west, the Dajjâl, and the Beast from the earth.” [7]
Also in Sahîh Muslim, the Prophet (Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam) said:
“Whoever repents before the sun rises from the west, Allâh will accept his repentance.” [8]

Abû Mûsâ narrated that the Prophet (Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam) said:
“Allâh extends his hand during the night to accept the repentance of the sinner of the day, and He extends his hand during the day to accept the repentance of the sinner of the night, until the sun rises from the west.” [9]
So the believer must take the initiative in performing righteous deeds before he is overtaken by the decree and prevented from doing them either by sickness or death, or by some of these signs reaching him after which no deed will be accepted.

Abû Hâzim said,
“The merchandise of the hereafter is in little demand. It is about to be spent with no one obtaining it except a few, not many.”
So when a person is prevented from deeds, nothing remains for him except regret and sorrow. He will wish to return to the previous situation in which he was be able to perform deeds, yet wishing at that time will not benefit him in anything.

Allâh, the Most High says:
“And turn in repentance and in obedience with true Faith (Islâmic Monotheism) to your Lord and submit to Him, (in Islâm), before the torment comes upon you, then you will not be helped. And follow the best of that which is sent down to you from your Lord (i.e. this Qur’ân, do what it orders you to do and keep away from what it forbids), before the torment comes on you suddenly while you perceive not! Lest a person should say: ‘Alas, my grief that I was undutiful to Allâh (i.e. I have not done what Allâh has ordered me to do), and I was indeed among those who mocked [at the truth!’ i.e. Lâ ilâha ill-Allâh (none has the right to be worshipped but Allah), the Qur’ân, and Muhammad and at the faithful believers, etc.] Or (lest) he should say: ‘If only Allah had guided me, I should indeed have been among the Muttaqûn (pious and righteous people)’. Or (lest) he should say when he sees the torment: ‘If only I had another chance (to return to the world) then I should indeed be among the Muhsinûn (good-doers).’” [Az-Zumar : 54-58]

And He says:
“Until, when death comes to one of them (those who join partners with Allâh), he says: ‘My Lord! Send me back, so that I may do good in that which I have left behind!’ No! It is but a word that he speaks, and behind them is Barzakh (a barrier) until the Day when they will be resurrected.” [Al-Mu’minûn : 99-100]

And He, the Mighty and Majestic, says:
“And spend (in charity) of that with which We have provided you, before death comes to one of you and he says: ‘My Lord! If only You would give me respite for a little while (i.e. return to the worldly life), then I should give Sadaqah (i.e. Zakât) of my wealth, and be among the righteous.’ [i.e. perform Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah)] And Allâh grants respite to none when his appointed time (death) comes. And Allâh is All-Aware of what you do.” [Al-Munafiqûn : 99-100]

So since the matter is like this, it is incumbent upon the believer to take advantage of what remains from his life. In explanation of this, it is said: “the remainder of the believer’s life is priceless.”

Sa’îd ibn Jubayr said, “Each day the believer lives, is a treasure.”

1 With the authentication of Salîm al-Hilâlî.
2 Translators Note: A large amount of Arabic poetry, due to the difficulty in translating it adequately, has been omitted.
3 Reported by al-Bukhârî, vol. 11, pg. 229 (in Fath al-Bârî).
4 Reported by al-Hâkim, vol. 4, no. 306. He declared it to be Sahîh according to the condition of the two Shaykhs (al-Bukhârî and Muslim) and ath-Thahabî agreed with him as well as our Shaykh (al-Albânî) in the checking of the Hadîths of “Iqtidâ al-I’lm al-A’mal,” no. 170.
5 Reported by Muslim, no. 118.
6 Reported by al-Bukhârî, vol. 8, pg. 296-297 (in Fath al-Bârî) and Muslim, no. 157.
7 Reported by Muslim, no. 158.
8 Reported by Muslim, no. 2703.
9 Reported by Muslim, no. 275

Messenger of Allah said, “Allah Almighty will say on the Day of Rising, ‘Where are those who loved one another for the sake of My majesty? Today, on the day when there is no shade but My shade, I will shade them.'” [Muslim]