Sixth Lesson: The spare time
(JollofNews) – A believer should spare as much time as possible for the preaching of the commandments of Allah, even if he has to leave his home and family for this noble cause. During this stage of life one should exercise the previous six lessons, for a long experience has told us that by sticking to one’s home and family and the business, one cannot learn or teach the principles of Islam, nor one can adopt the original and traditional Islamic culture, particularly in this age of materialism.
Therefore, one should get rid of worldly engagements to serve Allah and His true religion. In this course, a believer should join the group of the preachers of Islam, and should call those to the right path, who are lost in this fleeting world, and have forgotten immortal life hereafter.
To call the wrong doing and negligent people to Allah,and to instruct them with His commandments, was really the duty or the Ambiyaa, which has now been entrusted to the Muslims. The true following of Rasulullah (SAW) requires that every Muslim should devote himself to his service, and should sacrifice everything for the preaching of his true religion (Islam). Just as Rasulullah (SAW) himself bore so many troubles for the sake of Islam, similarly every follower of his should also follow his footsteps.
The companions of Rasulullah (SAW) had properly realised the requisites of Tabligh, and, therefore, they tolerated the troubles of this world, for the sake of the boons and favours of Allah in the next life. They gladly devoted themselves to the service of Allah, and preferred the needs of religion to the needs of worldly life.
Sometimes, they ate leaves, or a single date, and walked barefoot on long journeys, in the way of Allah. During the time of the Sahabah it was necessary to propagate Islam, and to spread it far and wide, but today we have to revive it; just as those believers performed their duty by the sacrifice of their lives, we should also follow their example.
Leaving one’s home and family for the cause of Allah, has great rewards for the subject, in the next life, just as Rasulullah (SAW) has clearly told us.
Rasulullah (SAW) has said, “Whoever spends his morning or evening the way of Allah, his reward will be much better than the whole world, and whatever is in it.” (Bukhaari and Muslim). In another hadith he says, “The fire of Jahannam will not reach anyone whose feet become dusty whilst he is on the path of Allah.”
When we instruct the servants of Allah with His commandments, it means we have fulfilled the duty of Tabligh, and have received it, for Rasulullah (SAW) ) has said, “When people see others committing sins and do not prevent them from the same, soon Allah will inflict a punishment on them, which will affect the common folk, as well as the distinguished persons”.
A hadith of Tirmizi Sharief says, “I swear by Allah, you must command people with good deeds, and prevent them from forbidden things, or soon Allah will inflict a severe punishment to you, and then your prayers even will not be heard by Him!”
A verse of the Holy Qur’aan says: “There must be a group among you, who should invite people to good, and should induce them to legal things, and should prevent them from illegal things; and certainly these will attain salvation”.
Another verse says: “O Muslims! You are the best nation, who has been chosen for the guidance of other nations; you command people with virtue, and prevent them from vice, and have a firm faith in Allah!”
It has been reported by Abu Darda (RA) that Rasulullah (SAW) said, “You must induce people to good deeds, and prevent them from bad ones, otherwise Allah will bring such a tyrant sovereign over you, who will not respect your elders, nor will he show mercy to your youngsters; then the prayers of your pious people even will not be granted by Allah; if you called Him, He will not pardon you!”
Seventh Lesson: To Quit Vanity
This lesson will explain the most important requisites of piety. A Muslim should spend every moment of his life in the achievement of the eternal boons of the life hereafter. He should not only avoid the sins, but also the vain and destructive customs of his age, which affect our religious principles and beliefs so badly.
Though there may not be sin in so many deeds and hobbies, yet they are a sheer waste of time and energy, and we could do some other constructive things during that time. This is the characteristic of a true believer that he spends his time only in virtuous deeds, remembers Allah as much as possible, avoids all forbidden things, does not indulge in vanity, and is polite and humble towards other Muslims.
If one does not avoid vain talk and vain deeds, one is likely to indulge in shameful sins. It has been mentioned in a hadith that when a companion of Rasulullah (SAW) heard these words, he said, “You are giving him the happy news of Jannah, while you don’t know he might have indulged in vain talk, or, have been a miser in spending a thing for the good of others, which does not decrease by use”.
This evidently means that one should be very cautious in talk, and should avoid vanity, for one’s tongue is likely to talk nonsense.
Another hadith says, “Sometimes a man speaks an offensive and sinful thing unconsciously, by which he is thrown into hell deeper than the distance between East and West”
Therefore, every believer should be cautious in his talk, and should spend every moment of his life in good deeds. He must avoid vanity, particularly, during the period when he has left home to learn his religion, or to preach the same.
Someone asked Luqmaan the philosopher, “How did you attain so attain so much wisdom?” He answered, “Because I speak the truth, pay the securities to their owners, and avoid vanity!”(Muwatta Imaam Maalik)
Hadhrat Sahl Tastari says, “Anyone who desires that the qualities and signs of the truthful should be revealed to him, he must not eat anything but pure and legal, and should follow the Sunnah very strictly”. In another hadith Rasulullah (SAW) said, “The Holy Qur’aan mentions a great quality of true believers, “Those who do not indulge in vanity!”
