This story reveals a very important lesson for us.
Insha Allah, we make the intention TODAY to take our lives seriously and make the effort to change.
Year-end Audit By Abdur Rahmaan Umar
Zaid peered at the multi-coloured graphs scattered on the table, some half buried beneath paper-piles of calculations. Taking a cautious step back, he ran his hand through is untidy mop of hair, a few flakes of dandruff floated gently down to rest on his shoulder.
“What’s up, brother?” he questioned, gently prodding Yusuf on his shoulder.
Yusuf barely looked up and continued tapping away at his keyboard. Numbers flew across the screen giving birth to multi-coloured graphs.
Zaid prodded him again, forcing his chair to glide away from the desk, “What’s with the graphs?”
Yusuf pulled himself back into position sending a few pages drifting to the floor, “Year-end audit,” he mumbled, as he reached for the fugitive pages.
Zaid bent his head low, brushing his falling mop out of his eyes, looking at Yusuf in the eye, he exclaimed, “Let me get this right! Just let me get this right!” he sighed deeply. “You, Doctor Yusuf Ismail working for a government clinic are doing a year-end audit?”
Throwing his arms in the air in mock defeat, he continued, “What in the world do you need to do an audit for? You get your salary, you spend your salary and you see what’s left, simple! What’s to audit?”
He pulled a brightly coloured graph off the table and peered at it intensely. Yusuf gently tugged the sheet away from him, turned it around and handed it back, “Upside down,” he said, straightening the papers close to him.
“Ok so what’s this,” asked Zaid reading from the page, “Salaah analysis? What kind of year end audit is this?”
Yusuf nudged his chair away from the table spinning round to face Yusuf, “That’s what I’m analysing! My salaah and other religious actions.”
“But why?” queried Zaid, cocking his head to one side scattering a few more flakes of dandruff.
“So I can see if I’m improving or not”
Zaid dusted his shoulders and making vain efforts to bring his hair under control, sending a fresh crop of dandruff snow. Cupping his puzzled face in his hands, he asked, “I don’t understand. I really don’t understand.”
“Let me explain”
“Yes, please do! ‘Cause I really don’t understand why you doing year end audit stuff on your salaah, charity and Quran.”
“You see,” explained Yusuf, taking a long sip from his bottle of Voss mineral water, “Sheikh Hamaad was explaining some time ago that time passes, and with every passing year we come closer to our end.”
“Hey yes, tell me about time passing,” interjected Zaid, “It’s another year gone, the Haajjis are back and next week it will be Muharram and then we start all over again. Crazy how time’s flying.”
“Time will pass,” continued Yusuf draining the last of his bottled water, “But what we do with that time is our choice. We can use it in good or bad.”
“True! But what’s that got to do with this year-end stuff?”
Yusuf flashed an irritated glance at his friend, “Will you let me finish?”
“Ok, ok me I’m silent. You be the lecturer then” laughed Zaid putting his finger on his lips, “I will be the silent student.”
“That’s better,” exclaimed Yusuf, “Sheikh explained that time is valuable and that Allah Ta'ala even took an oath on time in surah Asr to emphasise its importance.”
“وَالْعَصْرِ إِنَّ الْإِنسَانَ لَفِي خُسْرٍ “ Zaid began reciting, “By time, verily man is at a loss”
Yusuf frowned and said, “I thought you were going to be quiet”
“But this is Qur'an! Can’t be quiet for Qur'an,” replied Zaid, staring delinquently at his hands.
“So every year passes and if we don’t check on ourselves the time will just go by and in the end we will be the losers.
Hazrat Umar (Radia Allahu anhu) used to say – take your own reckoning before your reckoning is taken,” Yusuf paused, reaching for another bottle of water from under his desk.
“You’re a heavy drinker,” chuckled Zaid.
“And you’re a lousy listener,” complained Yusuf flinging a crumpled page at his friend.
“If we don’t check what we doing,” he sighed, “and that’s what I was trying to do, before you rudely interrupted me, then we will not progress. Sheikh explained that every good business checks its program every month if not daily. And, you could see all the sharp traders in the audience nodding their heads. But if we check then we will know where we can improve and progress.”
“You mean like improve our Aaghirah(Hereafter) profits?” interrupted a smug smile crossing his lips. “We can make the big time up there.”
Yusuf threw another crumpled page, “I give up with you! But yes, that’s the whole thing. If we focus on developing our spiritual selves as much as we do other things we will iron out the problems, and progress so that we are not losers in the end.”
“So I was comparing my salaah, how many I prayed with Jamaat (congregation) and on time. That’s that graph you holding. See, I improved on Esha but Fajr is still my problem, gotta work on that one. So that’s my focus for the next year –Fajr with Jamaat(congregation)!”
“You’ve done pretty well since you started checking on this, exclaimed Zaid waving the page triumphantly in the air, “From one with jamaat to four. That’s a three hundred percent increase. Wow!”
Yusuf looked away bashfully not intending his details be exposed, “Alhamdulillah, only by the Mercy of Allah Ta'ala.
When you determined to do some good then Allah Ta'ala will help you. But if I wasn’t checking then I wouldn’t have been aware and I wouldn’t have made the effort to change. I would have been happy with my condition and then regretted in the end.”
“So I check every-day,” he said, proudly waiving his iPhone , “I even have an App called Qamr Deen to record this on a daily basis.”
“Ok, doctor Accountant”, mocked Zaid, “I think you are a techno freak but come let’s draw up some fancy charts for me too. Come next Muharram I also want to show a profit”.
Are we taking account of ourselves, before we stand accountable?
We spend so much time in preparation for exams for this dunya. How much time are we spending in preparation for the MOST IMPORTANT EXAM IN OUR LIVES - The Day of Judgement?
This life is a TEST.
Lets LIVE it as one.
Because the toughest exam of our lives could be sooner than we think - perhaps even tomorrow.
Have we prepared?
If you have not done so on 1 Muharram 1434, then insha Allah you will take this opportunity to look back on the last 12 months, to evaluate yourself:
- Have you been able to improve on any aspect of your ibaadat?
- Have you drawn even closer to your Rabb?
- Has your love for your prophet (sallalahu alaihi wasalam) deepened?
- How many new ayats have you memorised during this passing year?
If we are unable to answer the above questions, then we should feel sorry for the time that has been wasted - time that should have been spent in investing in our aakhirah - the eternal, ever-lasting life.
But its not too late insha Allah.
Lets make the intention today, to make a sincere effort in islaah (reformation) of our hearts and preparing for the meeting with our Rabb.
This post was meant to inspire myself firstly, insha Allah.
I look back at the past year - and I know that could have done better......I could have done more.
May Allah (subhanawataála) give us hidayat and strength to stay firm on our commitment to Him.
Inna lillahi wa inna illayhi raajioon.
Ameen.
Last edited by ~Zaria~; 12-19-2012 at 08:09 AM.
Reason: Typo&correction
Haraam Attractions and Distractions By Hazrat Maulana Yunus Patel (Rahmatullahi ‘Alayh)
In an accident, or due to a slip or fall, if the joint of the shoulder or leg is dislocated, traction is normally the means adopted in the healing process.
The sinful, immoral attractions and distractions which form the entertainment of those who have forgotten Allah Ta’ala are such, that they dislocate the joints of Imaan.
…The traction for indulgence in sins is sincere Taubah (sincere repentance), distancing oneself from sins and from venues of sins; together with attending good, Deeni programmes and associating with the pious.
…There are so many, so many, who have gone towards some Haraam (forbidden) attraction, never to return therefrom : So many have lost their identity as Muslims, and sometimes they have even lost their Imaan and suffer the loss of their Aakhirah.
Thousands have died engaging in Haraam entertainment; whether at the casinos, discos, raves, prostitute quarters, massage parlours, in adultery, etc.
One earthquake, one tsunami, one gale-force wind, one fire, and death comes upon thousands – many of whom are also engaged in sins. What guarantee do we have that we won’t be singled out this holiday, for our return to Allah Ta’ala?
So think…
And think again!
What would be the condition of that person who comes face to face with the Angel of Death whilst engaged in gambling, drink, dance, raves, adultery or fornication? …Which Muslim wants to return to Allah Ta’ala in a state of sin?
Such matters should not be taken lightly. (Allah Ta’ala protect us all.)
The holiday period is a time of great test and trial : Invitation to sins, promotion of sins, temptation to sins, enticement and encouragement towards all kinds of Haraam is the order of the day.
Beach partying, intermingling and courting, immodest dress, loud music and dance, smoking and drinking and drug-taking then become even the programme and timetable for many Muslims. …Salaah becomes a forgotten duty for holiday-makers. The Islamic dress and identity are discarded so that there is freedom to engage in more sinful activities.
Shaytaan’s trump card to Haraam entertainment is even held up by Muslims, who also invite to Haraam just as the non-Muslims do. …Inna Lillahi wa-inna ilayhi ra`ji-oon.
Is this what we were created for?
Allah Ta’ala asks, “Did you think that We created you for nothing, and that you will not be brought back to Us?”
[Surah Mu`minoon 23 : 115]
The shocking behaviour of our Muslim youth (and even many Muslim adults) leaves us numb, disturbed, distressed and deeply, deeply grieved… What shocks does the heart have to contend with.
The Muslim youth are supposed to be tomorrow’s leaders for the Ummah, are expected to be the representatives of Deen, inviting the non-Muslims to Islam, with the modesty and purity of thought, speech, dress and actions which should be characteristic of every Muslim.
Deen and Shariah do not stifle us, do not deprive us of pleasure and enjoyment, do not deny us happiness and celebration. Deen and Shariah accommodate leisure and pleasure. Islam is beautiful. Most beautiful. Islam is not ‘dry’. It is enjoyable. …Allah Ta’ala has only placed certain boundaries through His Divine prohibitions for our own benefit, safety and well-being.
So let us make the effort and avoid the temptations towards sins. Let us not walk the route towards sins. Let us keep clear of the venues of sins like how we would if we had fore-knowledge that there will be an earthquake, tsunami or bomb-blast devastating such places. …We fear for our lives. The greater need is to fear for our Imaan and that of our children’s Imaan.
Let us not forget that we are Muslims.
Let us not forget our relationship with Allah Ta’ala.
Let us not forget that death can visit very unexpectedly.
Let us not forget that there is accountability.
Let us not forget Jannah.
Let us not forget Jahannum.
This world is a prison for the Believer and a paradise for the disbeliever. … What will be ‘good’ for the disbelievers will not be good for the Believers. If they find enjoyment in Haraam, the Muslim will find HARM in that same Haraam.
Every person is given the choice. A person either makes a wise decision or an unwise decision.
If we adopt Taqwa, we restrain and abstain from disobedience to Allah Ta’ala, then when we leave this world, we leave behind a prison. When we leave this world, we leave free. When the disbeliever leaves this world, he leaves behind his paradise. When he leaves this world, he enters a prison; wherein there is no release, no bail, no escape and no parole.
This worldly life is short. Very short. Understand the reality :
Every passing second is delivering us closer and closer to the bridge of death. And there is no choice. We have to cross that bridge.
My Shaykh, Hazrat Maulana Hakeem Muhammad Akhtar Saheb (DB) says in poetry:
“Strange is the visa of life;
It can be cancelled at any time.
The duration of its validity is unknown
And its extension too, impossible.
Time is running out.
The journey is long. The life after this is eternal. There is no return to this world.
…What preparation have you made? What provision have you procured?
Nabi (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi waSallam) said : “The intelligent one is he who suppresses his desires and practises for what is after death, and the foolish one is he who makes his nafs follow its desires and (he) places (baseless) hope on Allah.”
Imam Shafi (Rahmatullahi ‘alayh) summed up this life very simply and aptly:
“This worldly life is a just a moment; let it be a moment of obedience.”
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