Friday Nasiha

General

Surah Bani Israel (Children of Israel)
[aka. Al-Isra (The Journey by Night)]
Chapter 17: Verse 12

Translation

“We have made night and day as two signs. We made the sign of the night devoid of light, and made the sign of the day radiant that you may seek the bounty of your Lord and know the computation of years and numbers. Thus We have explained everything in detail, to keep everything distinct from the other.”

Commentary

We should not feel infuriated by the differences that we observe, nor clamour for total uniformity. For diversity and variety are a basic operative principle of the universe.

The alternation of day and night is an obvious example of this diversity and something which everyone can observe. Without diversity and variety life would lose much of its charm, and a great deal of its colour.

Corresponding to the diversities of the physical universe, there are also diversities of behaviour, view and inclination among human beings and these too are highly beneficial.

It would not be at all wholesome to remove these differences and, either compel human beings – all of them – to believe and act righteously, or annihilate unbelievers and transgressors, allowing only those who believe and act righteously to survive. To wish for such a thing to happen is no different from wishing that the world should have only the day but not the night.

What is indeed desirable is that those who have been blessed with the light of true guidance should ceaselessly strive to dispel the darkness of error and misguidance. In the pursuit of this goal they should act like the sun. Whenever the darkness of night covers the world, they should act as the sun does, chase darkness away and persevere in their efforts until the rise of a bright, new day.

[Taken from "Towards Understanding the Quran" by Abul Ala Mawdudi,
(Islamic Foundation, UK), pp. 28-29]

Lose no time to do good deeds

The Prophet (peace be upon him), used to call on Muslims to take the initiative to do good deeds before any obstacles arise. For instance, he said, "Lose no time to do good deeds before you are caught up by one of seven calamities awaiting you:

1. a starvation which may impair your wisdom;
2. a prosperity which may mislead you;
3. an ailment which may damage your health;
4. an old age which may harm your senses;
5. a sudden death;
6. the Dajjal (Antichrist);
7. or Doomsday, which is indeed the hardest and most bitter."
[at-Tirmidhi, al-Baihaqi]

The above Hadith urges Muslims to take the initiative, and not to delay good deeds; our lives are not free from impediments, such as those calamities, which can prevent us from accomplishing what could have been done earlier. Wise are those who grab available opportunities before being handicapped by obstacles.

[taken from http://www.islaam.com/Article.asp?id=599]

The wisdom of Abu Ad-Darda

The wisdom of Abu Ad-Darda, may Allah be pleased with him, recommended fraternity and established human relations on the basis of human nature itself. Thus he said, "To admonish your brother is better than to lose him. Give your brother advice and be tender with him, but do not agree with his covetousness lest you become like him. Tomorrow death will come and you will lose him. How can you weep over him after death when you did not give him his right while he lived?"

[Compiled from "Men Around the Messenger" by Khaalid Muhammad Khaalid. p. 269]