KEEPING PRODUCTIVE IN THE LAST AGE
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In the name of Allah, the Most-Merciful, the All-Compassionate
"May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon You"
Praise be to Allaah, we seek His help and His forgiveness. We seek refuge with Allaah from the evil of our own souls and from our bad deeds. Whomsoever Allaah guides will never be led astray, and whomsoever Allaah leaves astray, no one can guide. I bear witness that there is no god but Allaah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.
Bismillah Walhamdulillah Was Salaatu Was Salaam 'ala Rasulillah
As-Salaam Alaikum Wa-Rahmatullahi Wa-Barakatuhu
Keeping Productive in the Last AgeArghhh!!! Save yourself, the end of the world is nigh – the apocalypse is here, doomsday is approaching, HEEEEELLLLLLPPPPPPP!!! Okay, well, that’s certainly ONE approach to tackling the concept of Islamic eschatology and the End Times, which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) spoke so regularly about. Perhaps not the most productive, however! In sha Allah this article will address the view that many seem to be discussing nowadays – that we are in the end times – and find themselves dragged in the mire of doom and gloom as we continue to witness the Ummah struggle around us. Are we REALLY in the End Times?! The End is Nigh!Recently, there seems to be increased awareness and fascination with the end of the world. People of many faiths are starting to think the signs of the last day are all around them, with Christians pointing to some biblical prophecies coming to light, or Jews now ‘back’ in Jerusalem, anticipating the return of their ‘Messiah’. It is also widely thought amongst many erudite Islamic scholars that we are in the final throes of the last days before the Hour. After all, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) did once say, whilst gesturing with his index and middle fingers, “The time of my advent and the Hour are like these two fingers”. [Al-Bukhari] And, looking at some of the prophecies to be fair, who can blame people for thinking this way? News headlines bombard us with devastating natural disasters, endless warfare, ongoing suffering, and repeated violence and oppression. It perhaps comes as very little surprise that many people feel the end is near. After all, just looking amongst some of the signs – particularly those dubbed ‘the minor signs’ – many, if not all, seem to have come to pass. Are We Seeing The Minor Signs of Qiyamah?Let’s take a look at a few examples from the culture within which we live in today. Here’s a list of ‘minor signs’ compiled 1,400 years ago (which I took from ibn Kathir’s ‘The Signs of the Day of Judgement’). Now, ask yourself, which of these have yet to surface?
This only scratches the surface. Seriously. We just need to look at some of the facades around us that have pervaded every aspect of our lives – agriculture, the monetary system, health, education, relationships, family ties, etc. Everywhere we look, with consumerism, secularism and atheism as prevalent as they’ve ever been, it is clear to see that our world has never been as chaotic and confusing as it is right now. So What Now? When Do I Start to Panic?Now, now, hold your horses. What’s easy to do in these times is get bogged down in the negativity, or feel helpless, or have a ready-made excuse with the notion that there’s nothing really that we can do – after all, everything is predestined. Let’s not do that. Have a look at the following hadith, which is incidentally one of my favourites. Anas ibn Malik (may Allāh be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) said, “If the Final Hour comes while you have a palm-cutting in your hands and it is possible to plant it before the Hour comes, you should plant it.” [Al-Abani] This hadith is one that has always inspired and motivated me, and one that drives action, action, action. Let’s look at this in a little more detail. If the world is coming to an end, why should I plant a palm shoot? Good question. Why should I go to so much trouble for a tree that will not bear fruit? Surely, if the Hour is on our doorstep, one would think we should concentrate on prayer, more worship or something, right? But no. What is the underlying lesson here? Take Action, Action, Action
But hang on a second, isn’t this in fact the perfect condition? It’s in the time of crisis that you can contribute most, that you are most needed, that you can influence and cause impact and affect change. Just because conditions have changed and are not as pleasant as they used to be, it’s not time to get all negative. On the contrary, now is the time to recapture and revive the spirit of our Muslim ancestors who operated under much harder conditions, but with a very resilient and positive attitude, until the last moment of their lives.
This tiny palm shoot is a symbol of the value of activity per se. Not only will the action serve as a steep development opportunity for us, which will enrich and add to our wealth of experience, we will also, In sha Allah, earn the reward of the full action according to what our intention was. As demonstrated in the hadith narrated on the authority of Amir al-Mu’minin, Umar bin al-Khattab (may Allāh be pleased with him), who said: “I heard Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) saying, ‘The reward of deeds depends upon the intentions and every person will get the reward according to what he has intended.’” [Al-Bukhari] At the end of the day, the ‘fruits’, so to speak – even if they can’t be enjoyed in this life – will be there in abundance in the Hereafter. This is the mindset we should deploy, In sha Allah.
After all, how can those who cannot give their all whilst travelling to the destination ever deserve to reap the full rewards upon their arrival?
Moving Forward in the Last Age with Vigilance“Okay, great. I’ll do that. But what if I’m still worried about the times we live in?” All this is not to say we shouldn’t worry about the end times or at the very least be aware of the reality. We can take the following steps, In sha Allah, so that we are aware and vigilant going forward:
Now, For Some Final Thoughts…Do not calibrate your courtesy according to the world’s finite nature. Do not construct your morality upon momentariness. Do not let your hesitation be a hindrance to your doing a good deed. Yes, we may just be in the end times (Allah (glorified and exalted be He) knows best), and the chaotic world may be going to pot around us… But as Muslims, if you remember to plant your seedling, then you can always, always, always be productive and contribute to making the world a better place, In sha Allah. The rest is up to Allah (glorified and exalted be He). ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About the Author: Faisal Amjad is Director and Co-Founder of KN-OW, an independent, innovative, international movement committed to encouraging inquisitive thought, promoting critical thinking and providing insight, expertise and support to those that seek REAL knowledge and empowering solutions in the modern age. More details of the conference are available on the official ISEEK website. |