All humans experience self-doubt in their lives at some point or another. Different states of mind. Highs and lows. This happened to me to the point that I let it slip. I wrote an input earlier this morning, which might have shocked those who may have come across it… “What happened? What’s going on?” A moment of personal weakness. I ask you to forget it, and humbly ask your forgiveness. After waking up and praying… I started to seriously question myself and realized I’ve been acting like a child. I have a responsibility towards myself and towards others. With this site, I have taken upon myself a duty to share my knowledge. I must set myself straight, this is larger than myself. I opened the Quran with my mind directed to Him… “give me strength, a sign through your words”…
and these words were shown to me…
سورة التوبة ٤١
انفِرُوا خِفَافًا وَثِقَالًا وَجَاهِدُوا بِأَمْوَالِكُمْ وَأَنفُسِكُمْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ ۚ ذَٰلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ
Surah At-Tawba 9:41
Go ye forth, (whether equipped) lightly or heavily, and strive and struggle, with your goods and your persons, in the cause of Allah. That is best for you, if ye (but) knew.
Mashallah. What I needed to see. And of course, there were also the words in the aya before it…
سورة التوبة ٤٠
لَا تَحْزَنْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ مَعَنَا ۖ فَأَنزَلَ اللَّهُ سَكِينَتَهُ عَلَيْهِ وَأَيَّدَهُ بِجُنُودٍ لَّمْ تَرَوْهَا
Surah At-Tawba 9:40
“Have no fear, for Allah is with us”: then Allah sent down His peace upon him, and strengthened him with forces which ye saw not
Alhamdulillah indeed. As it happens, I held a Khutba (on Friday the 26th), which is very suitable to share, (something I intended to do anyway), and the remembrance of it also helped. It was originally written by brother Sameer, one of the participants in the local masjid, who held the Khutba in Arabic, so I wrote and delivered a summary of it in Swedish. This is a translation of that summary. The topic is dealing with the importance of time.
The Khutba
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ
Today’s Khutba is about how we use our free time. To use it in the right way. The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: “There are two blessings that many people forget: health and free time.”
We must remember that time is a great blessing that we will be asked about on the day of resurrection. We can use our time effectively and to our advantage in different ways. For example:
- Memorizing the Qur’an and learning Tajweed, if one does not already have that skill.
- Expanding one’s knowledge, learning new things, engaging in self-education. Knowledge is not heavy to carry.
- One can also engage in social and humanitarian programs. Helping others is the basic principle that Islam stands for.
- One can help their Muslim brothers or sisters with what they need. Whether it is work, education or even psychological help if you feel they need it. You sit with your Muslim brother or sister, you visit them, invite them to your home etc. Make them feel that we are a community and that we support each other.
- It is also important to practice physical activities because of the benefits they provide in both the short and long term.
One thing that also shows the importance of time, is that Allah has set times for prayer, and made those times adapted to the day and what it looks like. So our free time is important. The value of using time properly is equally important for both young and old, so we should not wait until our last days and then think about the importance of time. Time is here and now. For as the Qur’an says:
سورة طه ١٥
إِنَّ السَّاعَةَ آتِيَةٌ أَكَادُ أُخْفِيهَا لِتُجْزَىٰ كُلُّ نَفْسٍ بِمَا تَسْعَىٰ
Surah Taa-Haa 20:15
“Verily the Hour is coming – My design is to keep it hidden – for every soul to receive its reward by the measure of its Endeavour.
I felt it spoke to my heart. It makes us aware that we should direct our focus. We have a duty to Him and an obligation to ourselves. We should be thankful for one of the greatest gift Allah has given us… time. And we do so by using this gift in the best way. I ask His forgiveness and hope for us all to go forward with strength and dedication. Amin.
The best of times to you all inshallah.
Peace, happiness, and stay faithful.
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