How time flies...

The Messenger PBUH has told us that closer to the Last Day, time will pass by faster and faster.  A year will feel like a month, a month like a week, a week like a day and a day like an hour.

The other day, on one of our visits to the gym, my friend and I discussed how even though a full week had passed since our last step class, it seemed like just yesterday that we were at the gym.  After clocking it up to old age (and my dread for our gym visits), we grabbed our steps and weights and had a good workout.
 
Barely two hours later, Mufti Menk tweeted the following: 
"The Messenger PBUH has told us that closer to the Last Day, time will pass by faster and faster. A year will feel like a month, a month like a week, a week like a day and a day like an hour.
Amazingly we feel this prophecy today where the day goes by like a few minutes and before we realize, the week is over and then the month and the year too.
This is why we must ensure that we make the most of every valuable second at hand.
When we are not focused and have no proper goals in life, we waste our days and weeks, months and years in achieving nothing meaningful.
Let us set clear goals, focus on them, work hard towards achieving them and not give up. Bear in mind that although we may have many goals, our ultimate goal should be to please our Maker."
 
How often have we read or seen something that seems like a message sent just for us, just at the right time?  I had one of those moments where I swore to change, where I felt, with all my heart, that I should heed the advice given, where I decided there and then that I would set proper goals and make the most of the time given to me to do the things that I know are compulsory for me.  I know it won't be easy, but Insha'Allah, with the following dua, I will start my journey:-

‘O Allah, I take refuge in You from anxiety and sorrow, weakness and laziness, miserliness and cowardice, the burden of debts and from being over powered by men.’

5 before 5

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Take benefit of five before five:  your youth before your old age, your health before your sickness, your wealth before your poverty, your free time before your preoccupation, and your life before your death.” (Al Hakim)
 
I came across this Hadith the other day, and it really struck a chord with me – It is a beautiful, succinct statement which encompasses what so many people today have forgotten – youth, health, wealth, free time and life are luxuries granted to us, and any one of these can be taken away from us at any time.
 
I have seen so many situations where people forget that one day, these luxuries will be taken away – the mother-in-law who alienates her daughter-in-law while she is fit and able – and in her old age spends her days alone; the wealthy man who does not want to help his brother pay his medical bills and forgets that the man lying helpless in hospital could have easily been him; the family who poured their life savings into their home and business which is destroyed by fire - it only takes a moment, a split second, a blink of an eye for your life to change completely.

Always remember that life is transient.  Who you are, and what defines you today may be taken away tomorrow. So treat others with respect, take care of your health, share what you have with those less fortunate, and thank Allah (SWT) for all of His favors.  You may not be around to do so tomorrow.