New Year and our responsibilities
In the life of man, time is a highly valuable ni'mah. In Islam, the whole system of worship is related to time. The 5 daily Salaat are related to time, for this reason, in the books of Fiqh, there is a separate section of timing of Salaat. For Sehr (pre-dawn meal) and Iftaar, time should be maintained carefully. If there is any mistake in this, the whole fast will be wasted. For Zakaat, passing of 1 year is necessary. Haj can be performed only in particular days, Qurbani can be performed only in particular days. In these acts of worship, time is so important that if timing is not maintained, then it will not only lead to Undesirability (Karahat), but to invalidation.
The relation of worship to time and its importance in worship, demands careful management of time from the Ummah.
The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) described the importance of time in this extremely valuable Hadith:
Translation of Hadith: There are 2 ni'mah, about which most of the people are heedless ‑ health and leisure.
The 2 ni'mah to which the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) called attention, are like the very moments of life.
There is another Hadith:
Translation of Hadith: It has been narrated on the authority of Hadhrat 'Amr Bin Maimoon Audi (May Allah be well pleased with him) that the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said: You consider 5 things as a respite (Urdu – Ghanimat ) before things: Youth before old age, health before sickness, affluence before poverty, leisure before busyness and life before death. (Mishkatul Masabeeh, Pg No. 443)
When 2011 started, how many people were among us who are not with us now. The inexorable hand of death has snatched them from us. Thanks be to Allah Ta'ala, who has granted us time. We should consider this as a respite and use time carefully. We should spend our youth in obedience of Allah Ta'ala before old age infirmity come. We should perform those acts of worship, which cannot be performed in sickness and old age. Each moment is so valuable that even after going in Jannah, the residents of Jannah will rue those moments of life, which were spent without benefit. There is a Hadith in Kanz Ul Ummal:
Translation of Hadith: There is no nation, which has a get-together, in which they do not remember (Dhikr) Allah Ta'ala and do not send greetings to the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) that that get-together becomes a source of regret for them, even though they may enter Jannah. (Hadith No: 25454)
Abul Hasanaat Islamic Research Center 