Why Me
26 / 31
What If It's Too Late? | Why Me?
The measure of your life is not in how many years you live, but in how well you live it. Are you helping others, giving generously, and building a positive legacy? Or are you wasting time and neglecting doing any good? Many narrations indicate a connection between good deeds and a prolonged life. Others warn of the danger of reaching old age without pleasing Allah. Which category will you fall into?
Transcript
This transcript was auto-generated using AI and may contain misspellings. Weren't you young just yesterday? When did your bones start to creak? Your joints start to ache? Your hair start to go grey? How could time have passed you by so quickly? And what do you plan to do with the remainder of it? Those of us given the gift of prolonged life, come to realize that time is still too short. You've aged beautifully, if you've increased your good deeds and decreased your sins. As we strive for the akhirah and our midlife, we notice the changes on our bodies, these reminders that the clock is ticking. The scholars say, وَجَاءَكُمْ وَالنَّذِيرُ and the warner has come to you, doesn't just mean a prophet came to you. It even means your grey hairs. But the scholars say, وَجَاءَكُمْ وَالنَّذِيرُ and the warner has come to you, doesn't just mean a prophet came to you. But the scholars also say that grey hairs are such a blessing in this life because they add to your dignity, prevent conceit, lead to humility, and some scholars said, even weaken your desire for this world. Imam bin Qutaybah says in his famous عيون الأخبار لَقَدْ جَلَّ قَدَرُ الشَّيْبِ إِنْ كَانَ كُلَّمَا بَدَتْ شَيْبَةٌ يَعْرَى مِنَ اللَّهْوِ مَرْكَبُ The appearance of grey hairs are a great attainment, for the beginning of grey marks the end of vain entertainment. And of course, its blessings are primarily for the next life.
The Prophet ﷺ said, مَنْ شَابَ شَيْبَةً فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ كَانَتْ لَهُ نُورًا يَوْمُ الْقِيَامَةِ Whoever has grown a grey hair in the way of Allah, it will be a light for him on the day of judgment. A long life is a blessing if it has prolonged your good, and a curse if it's prolonged your evil. The Prophet ﷺ was asked, يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَيُّ النَّاسِ خَيْرُ O Messenger of Allah, who are the best of people? And he responded, ﷺ saying, مَنْ طَالَ عُمْرُهُ وَحَسُنَ عَمَلُ Whoever has a long life, but uses that long life to do good deeds. And he was asked, and who are the worst of people? The Prophet ﷺ said, مَنْ طَالَ عُمْرُهُ وَسَاءَ عَمَلُ Whoever lives a long life, but only increases in sin with that long life. It's not about how long you live. It's about how you live. And again and again in the Quran, people are asked, how long do you think you lived on earth? And they always reply, يَوْمًا أَوْ بَعْضَ يَوْمٍ It felt like a day, or part of a day. When you reach the end, your time in this world will feel like a blink of an eye. Long days lending themselves only to fleeting memories of years gone by. And how beautiful when a person not only lived the righteous life, but taught those that came after them how to live righteously and pass on the treasures of lessons of good deeds. The Prophet ﷺ said, no one has more noble of a lineage than Yusuf ﷺ. A nabi, the son of a nabi, the son of a nabi, the son of a nabi. A prophet, the son of a prophet, the son of a prophet, the son of a prophet. Yusuf, the son of Yaqub, the son of Ishaq, the son of Ibrahim. Think about how amazing that is. But it wasn't just a claim to prophethood.
It was the lessons of prophethood that never let anyone in that chain forget why they were here in the first place and what they were meant to leave behind. Now as we're thinking about all the things we can't do anymore, we also realize the good deeds we missed out on. But there are unique good deeds that Allah has now opened the door to that you couldn't actually do when you were younger. Perhaps now your time has freed up to earn more of Jannah with those steps to the masjid or those utterances of dhikr. Now you have more time to reacquaint yourself with the Quran and the sacred knowledge you couldn't indulge before. Some of our greatest scholars started their journey of knowledge only when the gray hairs already came out. The great Imam Ibn Hazm didn't start his journey until he was in his forties. I remember being mind blown reading about one of the greatest scholars of the Tabi'een, Salih Ibn Kaysan. Imam Al-Zahabi Rahim Allah says, Ibtada bil'ilm wa huwa ibnu sab'ina sana He started his journey of knowledge when he was 70 years young. And so we continue to live and work for the Akhirah with everything Allah blessed us with as we age in Islam. And then we take the means to keep our mind, body and soul healthy as we pursue that which is more important. As the time passes before we know it, we're past our sixties. The Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam said that the average lifespan of this Ummah is between 60 and 70. There are multiple times that the Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam said, Allah Subh'anaHu Wa Ta-A'la will continue to forgive a person Hatta balagha sittina min umri Until that person reaches 60 years old. Now this doesn't mean that Allah will not forgive a person over 60 years old when they sin and repent. But rather the Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam is emphasizing that if a person is still persisting in their evil ways, even after being 60 years old, what excuse do they have before Allah on the day of judgment? The Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam
used to seek refuge in Allah from the hardship of those later years. He would say, My Lord, I seek refuge in you from laziness and from the difficulties of old age. And he would say, I seek refuge in you from stinginess. And I seek your protection from cowardice. And I seek your protection from being returned to feeble old age. And I seek your protection from the trials of this world and from the torment of the grave. But notice that the Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam always accompanied seeking refuge in Allah from the difficulties of age. With seeking refuge in Allah from the disease of sin and the torment of the hereafter. Whether it's your own old age or the old age of someone else, it's a sign that the sooner you turn back to Allah, the better, and the longer you live pleasing Allah, the better. Amongst the signs of success at the end is the turning to Allah in the beginning. As you grow older, life's most simple tasks can become tough. But Allah will send others to carry much of your physical burdens and will remove from you much of your worldly distractions so that you can now focus on your spiritual elevation and the beauty of Him and the blessings He's put around you. Blessings that you helped grow and blessings that you now fully appreciate.
And there isn't just a newfound sense of gratitude in your life now, but a newfound sense of urgency as you wait for your fate to suddenly take what may be its final turn. Muttaqam Recitation of Holy Quran Recitation of Holy Quran Tonight could be Laylatul Qadr, the night of divine decree. Tonight, millions of Muslims around the world are raising their hands in du'a to ask Allah Subh'anaHu Wa Ta-A'la for what they need. Many are asking for guidance and certainty, and everyone's asking for Allah's mercy. All month long, we've been discussing Qadr, divine decree, and the many subtle ways it might show up in our lives. As we answer the hard questions like, why me this Ramadan? Yaqeen also works every month of the year to provide answers that combat doubt, research that educates people around the world, and content that inspires every member of the Ummah around the world. This Laylatul Qadr, when deeds are multiplied by thousands, add a deed to your list that can help every believer solidify their faith. Let a voice for Islam ring around the world. Donate to Yaqeen.
Welcome back!
Bookmark content
Download resources easily
Manage your donations
Track your spiritual growth
1 items
1 items
1 items
25 items
50 items
9 items
