By Abdullahi Jamaa
Once you depart for good, one thing remains with you in the sod. Your deeds, good or bad, beautiful or ugly, clean or dirty, every tiny action of your worldly activity log will go down with you. You must get ready now.
With good deeds, you accumulate hope and success, with bad deeds the earth will swallow you for good. Even though Allah (The Most High) is merciful, the good we do on earth will protect us on the day of accountability.
You can fight to accumulate the world for the rest of your life but the world will at the end of it all offer you a tiny piece of land for your helpless body. One day, you will leave behind all your worldly possessions, the career you studied so hard, the titles you earned over the years, the homes and empires you built.
You have no option but to do your best in performing acts of ibadah. Your salvation on the day of Judgement lies with your sincere resolve to do what pleases your creator. If you follow your whims and desires you will find yourself hitting a dead end.
Build your everlasting retirement home in Jannah because death is a must, it is about when not if. The sad reality is that there are no warning signs yet you continue to behave as if you will never die. For how long will you keep on daydreaming that you will repent tomorrow?
You now have the time to increase your stock of good deeds before that day comes when there will be no more worshipping. It is upon you to plan for your destiny and the long life ahead.
You also have a choice, the choice of being an obedient worshipper or a disobedient transgressor. But you have to choose the right way and the correct dictates of faith so that you become part of honorable believers.
Daily battle
It is a question of whether you want to be among the winners or losers. A sweet victory comes after an era of dedicated worship. All the prayers that you perform, all the fast that you observe and all the charities that you give out will indeed act as your eternal fort, your safety net in akhirah.
You should collect all the points to increases your chances of success. Do whatever that you can, all that is within your powers to deposit a lot into your akhirah account, because now is the time to cultivate good deeds.
Along the way you sin, you fall apart and degenerate into an evil being. That is why you need so many good deeds to offset your sins. If you allow sins to accumulate and bypass your righteous deeds what will you remain with on that day when the earth will swallow you?
Imam ibn Jawzi said: “Some sinners whose wealth is safe (salama) and whose health is sound believe that he is left unpunished, while in fact, his unawareness (ghafla) that he is being punished is enough of a punishment (‘aquba).”
Struggle to execute more righteous deeds to earn a daily profit. Just like you struggle to avoid worldly loss, put a more concerted effort to avoid spiritual loss. This should be a daily battle for you.
When a person gives up a sin for the sake of Allah (The Most High) or performs a good deed, then he will surely reap the fruit of his obedience. The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: “When you are poor or lack funds trade with Allah by giving charity”. Meaning, perform good deeds so that Allah increases the profit you will generate in this life.
Achieving a high score of righteous deeds is a real struggle but once you know the goal and purpose of life ibadah becomes easy and joyful. You can never buy from any shop the sweetness of worshipping Allah diligently.
You have the power, wealth, and health to control your desires and channel them towards achieving eternal success. You may lose all the blessings soon. Nothing is permanent in this fleeting world.
You should build an insatiable appetite for ibadah both obligatory and voluntary deeds. Consolidate your spiritual opportunities and exploit them amicably. Seize golden moments and take your chance before it is too late.
Do not live without having a life. Make your life and spend it sincerely to obey Allah. An obedient worshipper follows the right direction even if he is alone because he knows the purpose of life.
Join the righteous
Stand up for yourself for no one will help you when you say bye to this world. Leave nothing to chance in joining the righteous who accumulate good deeds. Follow their track and ride your horse in the right direction to catch up with them.
Do not delay your prayers, say them on time and if you see the righteous jamming the first line in the Masjid know that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: “If people came to know the blessing of calling Adhan and the standing in the first row, they could do nothing but would draw lots to secure these privileges.”
Compete with the righteous in capturing the first row because that is where you belong. Do not allow yourself to be a backbencher in your own religion. There is no problem in praying at the second and the third rows but put up a spirited battle to get the best out of the best since prayer on time is the best deed and the first row is the best row.
The Quran is your intercessor on the Day of Judgment. Make it part of your lifestyle in reciting the words of Allah. Let no day pass without you reading a good portion of it. Remember, it is your guide, healing and mercy from your Lord.
The way you sway and hold the nod of your life is important. You can work for your dunya without compromising your deen. Just remember that the number one thing on your list is your deen. With all your senses, never neglect your deen, it is your only treasure.
Allah (The Most High) said in the Magnificent Qur’an: “And spend in the way of Allah and do not throw (yourselves) with your (own) hands into destruction (by refraining). And do good; indeed, Allah loves the doers of good” Quran 2:195
The book in which your deeds are recorded will be closed soon, take advantage of your time to do more good deeds before you can no longer perform anymore.
