Introduction
Receiving guidance/hedayat from Allah(swt) is the best blessing that we may have in our life. Sometimes it happens all of a sudden and sometimes it grows slowly inside us. Most of the time this length of time extends to our old age (if we can live such a long life), when we realize/decide to change and turn back to the path of Allah(swt).
But, strange things happen when someone finds it suddenly in a middle age or even at young age. Suddenly, they may start following the principles of Islam and certain changes in their lifestyle start getting apparent/visible to the persons around them i.e. their family, friends, colleagues etc. This happens as they start taking their religion seriously which tells them to do certain things and also restrict things that the people around them, of similar age, has no problem with.
The people around will start telling things like: You are still so young man/girl! You still have a whole Life to live in front of you; The things that you are doing are for the oldies; Don’t be an extremist at an young age; etc… And sadly, sometimes it results that young brother/sister to revert back to earlier state being all alone and having limited people to support their position and activities.
When we submit to Allah(swt) → we follow the principles laid down by your God/Lord. Literal meaning of the arabic word ‘Muslim’ = The Person to submits to Allah(swt).
So, when people says, “you are too young to follow the principles of your religion”, it actually means, “You are too young to be a Muslim”.
Actually smart and educated youngsters are religious, as they know the true purpose of Life and actual source of happiness. Now lets try to analyze the situation in more detail.
Quranic Discussion
[FOR SUCH IS THE STATE OF THE DISBELIEVERS], UNTIL, WHEN DEATH COMES TO ONE OF THEM, HE SAYS, “MY LORD, SEND ME BACK. THAT I MIGHT DO RIGHTEOUSNESS IN THAT WHICH I LEFT BEHIND.” NO! IT IS ONLY A WORD HE IS SAYING; AND BEHIND THEM IS A BARRIER UNTIL THE DAY THEY ARE RESURRECTED. SO WHEN THE HORN IS BLOWN, NO RELATIONSHIP WILL THERE BE AMONG THEM THAT DAY, NOR WILL THEY ASK ABOUT ONE ANOTHER. AND THOSE WHOSE SCALES ARE HEAVY [WITH GOOD DEEDS] – IT IS THEY WHO ARE THE SUCCESSFUL.
{Surah Al-Mu’minun, Ayat 99-101}
I have found the above ayats from Surah Al-Mu’minun the perfect example /solution to the problem. These Ayats, illustrates a person in his deathbed / closing to his death when he realizes the actual truth/purpose of life and the fact that he is returning back to his maker/owner. He finds a big pile of sins and disobedience left behind in his life and he has no time left to repent and turn back.
At this point of time he says: “My Lord! Send me back (again), So that I may do good (or righteous deeds) in that which I have left behind (time)!”
He will be answered: “No! It is but a mere word that he speaks, and behind them. They will have to stay in Barzakh(a different dimension) until the Day when they shall be raised up again.
And when the Trumpet will be blown, there will be no relationship (family & friends) between the human being. Nobody will ask regarding one another in that day. Only the people whose noble and righteous actions which will be heavy will be successful on that day.
Lesson from the People of the Cave {Quranic Story}….
The wonderful miraculous story of the people of the cave is found in Surah Kahf Ayat 9 – 26. These youths were not Prophets, Messengers or Scholars they were just believers. They were living in a time and place when there were no prophets (kind of our situation). They just wanted to hold on to Islam, even when everyone else are against them following other religion or committing shirk. They wanted to stick to their belief so they were about to be attacked by the society. They successfully escaped and hid in a cave where they slept. Allah(swt) kept them alive for 309 years in their state of sleep and helped them in a lot of ways, like the light from the Sun was bended (refracted or something Allah[swt] knows best) to reach them at sunrise and sunset. They were even turned around while sleeping. It indicated that, when these youth submitted to Allah the world (laws of natures) submitted to them. Moreover, their story is preserved in the Quran till the day of resurrection and we including the greatest scholars of all times are still studying their story as lesson.
Discussion from Hadiths
5 Questions To Be Asked On Judgement Day
We will surely be raised again and questioned in the day of resurrection:
ALLAH – THERE IS NO DEITY EXCEPT HIM. HE WILL SURELY ASSEMBLE YOU FOR [ACCOUNT ON] THE DAY OF RESURRECTION, ABOUT WHICH THERE IS NO DOUBT. AND WHO IS MORE TRUTHFUL THAN ALLAH IN STATEMENT.
{Surah An-Nisa, Ayat 87}
In this famous Hadith, we are informed that we will be questioned regarding 5 things, as Abu Barzah Al-Aslami narrated:
THE PROPHET (ﷺ) SAID: “THE FEET OF THE SLAVE OF ALLAH SHALL NOT MOVE [ON THE DAY OF JUDGEMENT] UNTIL HE IS ASKED ABOUT FIVE THINGS: ABOUT HIS LIFE AND WHAT HE DID WITH IT, ABOUT HIS KNOWLEDGE AND WHAT HE DID WITH IT, ABOUT HIS WEALTH AND HOW HE EARNED IT AND WHERE HE SPENT IT ON, ABOUT HIS BODY AND FOR WHAT DID HE WEAR IT OUT.”
{Jami` at-Tirmidhi, Book 37, Hadith 2603}
The Five Things are:
- How one Lived his/her Life on Earth
- How one Utilized his/her Youth
- How one Earned his/her Wealth
- How one Spent his/her Wealth
- What one Did with his/her Knowledge
So, it is easily understandable that the one who will be able to answer these questions comfortably will be able to pass straight way into the paradise. Let’s discuss the first 2 questions.
How one Lived his/her Life on Earth?
This question encompasses whatever the person left behind in term of good deeds and bad deeds. It deals with his/her central idea/purpose of living on earth.
The Quran however clearly mentions the sole purpose of our creation, that is to worship Allah(swt) alone. Please note that worship is not just limited to prayer, zikr, fasting, hajj and zakah, this extends to all permitted righteous deeds.
AND I DID NOT CREATE THE JINN AND MANKIND EXCEPT TO WORSHIP ME.
{Surah Adh-Dhariyat: Ayat 56}
While leading our life, we must also take account of the Sunnah (Way of Life) of Hazrat Muhammad(pbuh) and must not ignore its significance.
AND OBEY ALLAH AND OBEY THE MESSENGER AND BEWARE. AND IF YOU TURN AWAY – THEN KNOW THAT UPON OUR MESSENGER IS ONLY [THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR] CLEAR NOTIFICATION.
{Surah Al-Ma’idah, Ayat 92}
How one Utilized his/her Youth?
It is easily understandable how the age of youth is greatly emphasized upon. This shows a clear indication of how important the time of youth is, in terms of one’s accountability. Thus, one should make full use of this time before getting old. The society gets elevated when the youngsters/youths are enlightened with Islam.
7 categories of people to be granted the shade of Allah(swt)
Another famous Hadith, where Prophet Muhammad(sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said:
“Seven (people) will be shaded by Allah by His Shade on the Day of Resurrection when there will be no shade except His Shade. (They will be):
- A Just Ruler
- A Young Man who has been brought up in the Worship of Allah
- A man who Remembers Allah(swt) in Seclusion and his Eyes are then Flooded with Tears
- A man whose Heart is attached to Mosques (offers his compulsory congregational prayers in the mosque)
- Two men who Love each other for Allah’s Sake
- A man whom a Beautiful Woman of High Rank seduces(for illicit relation), but he (rejects this) says: “I fear Allah”
- A man who Gives in Charity so Secretly that his left hand does not know what his right hand has given.”
{Sahih Al-Bukhari Book 86, Hadith 36 and Sahih Muslim Book 12, Hadith 117}.
Even in this Hadith, we can find how the act of young Muslims to be prioritized in the 2nd category. The shade will be provided in the time, when the Sun will be taken the closest to us. Everyone will want to get the shade of Allah(azza wa jal) on that day.
I HEARD ALLAH’S MESSENGER (MAY PEACE HE UPON HIM) AS SAYING: ON THE DAY OF RESURRECTION, THE SUN WOULD DRAW SO CLOSE TO THE PEOPLE THAT THERE WOUM BE LEFT ONLY A DISTANCE OF ONE MILE. SULAIM B. AMIR SAID: BY ALLAH, I DO NOT KNOW WHETHER HE MEANT BY” MILE” THE MILE OF THE (MATERIAL) EARTH OR THE INSTRUMENT USED FOR APPLYING COLLYRIUM TO THE EYE. (THE PROPHET IS, HOWEVER, REPORTED TO HAVE SAID): THE PEOPLE WOULD BE SUBMERGED IN PERSPIRATION(SWEAT) ACCORDING TO THEIR DEEDS, SOME UP TO THEIR. KNEES, SOME UP TO THE WAIST AND SOME WOULD HAVE THE BRIDLE OF PERSPIRATION AND, WHILE SAYING THIS, ALLAH’S APOSTLE (ﷺ) POINTED HIS HAND TOWARDS HIS MOUTH.
{SAHIH MUSLIM, BOOK 53, HADITH 75}
Reasoning
While we are kids:
Our minds are generally innocent at these times. Our affairs are mostly supervised and controlled by our parents and elders (family, teachers etc). Thus we are automatically kept away from evil deeds.
When we grow old:
We start following religious path automatically. We start realizing that, no matter what, we are actually running out of time. Moreover, people gets plenty of free time (mostly being retired from earning and family activities). Please note that, earning and maintaining family affairs requires much more energy than what is required in order to worship, and in most cases this is the only amount of energy left in the old aged people, probably this is a mercy of Allah(swt).
But when we are Young:
This is the time when, a person is most vulnerable to the temptations of life and in most cases they are found to be most distant from the religious path. You can easily see how most of the worldly distractions are targeted towards the youth i.e. music, games, clubs, fashion etc., which keep them away from the righteous circumference.
In this period of time, when the Satanic influence over human stays at peak. But, this is the best time of accumulating knowledge and understanding having a proper physical and mental ability for reasoning and decision making.
Let me end with 2 Hadiths narrated by Ibn Abbas:
The first one mentions that, most of us lose two blessings of Allah(swt):
THE PROPHET (ﷺ) SAID, “THERE ARE TWO BLESSINGS WHICH MANY PEOPLE LOSE: (THEY ARE) HEALTH AND FREE TIME FOR DOING GOOD.”
{Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 6412}
The second one is mentioned in the “Mustadrak” of Al-Hakim as:
THE PROPHET MUHAMMAD(PBUH) SAID: “TAKE ADVANTAGE OF FIVE MATTERS BEFORE FIVE OTHER MATTERS: YOUR YOUTH BEFORE YOU BECOME OLD; YOUR HEALTH, BEFORE YOU FALL SICK; YOUR WEALTH, BEFORE YOU BECOME POOR; YOUR FREE TIME BEFORE YOU BECOME PREOCCUPIED, AND YOUR LIFE, BEFORE YOUR DEATH.”