We are in a battle of saving ourselves.

In the name of ALLAH the Beneficent, the Merciful. All praise is due to ALLAH, the Lord of the worlds. Thanks to ALLAH that we are still given the chance to enjoy some of His countless ni'mat as we breathe. Even the kuffars who disobey Him breathe air which He owns. Observe how generous ALLAH is. All His creation which has no ability to think such as woods, animals, grass, ants and so on always praise Him. Only us who do not realize. However, human beings are different. We are given choice whether to obey or disobey Him but the best is the one who always repent.

Why are we here? To explore Egypt? Why not? Enjoying ourselves? Yes! Or perhaps to find a suitable wife or husband? Well, those are just wild guesses. The first two may apply to some of us but not the third. Never mind that. Actually, we can do a lot of things here. However, the most important objective is to accomplish the mission given by the government, our parents and most of all ALLAH which is to focus on the science of our deen or in another word, ‘STUDY’ along with practice. It can be our way to bring back the glory of Islam and help our dormant ummah rise again. To add, it is considered as ibadah but only if you intended it for the sake of ALLAH alone.

يَـٰٓأَيُّہَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ إِن تَنصُرُواْ ٱللَّهَ يَنصُرۡكُمۡ وَيُثَبِّتۡ أَقۡدَامَكُمۡ
‘O you who believe! If you help (the cause of) Allah, He will help you and make firm your feet.’ [47:7]

We all know that the examination is just around the corner. I am pretty sure that most of us already have their examination schedule and it is like only a MONTH or so left to get ready. Everybody is busy preparing because without preparation it is like you are going for a battle without weapon. You are more likely to lose before the battle even begins.

Fortunately, we can know the examination date in the world in advance and we can make close preparation. However, do we know when we are going to meet our Lord? Is our ‘study’ adequate enough? Have we put our effort towards it? Are you not afraid of failing while facing Him? Come. Let’s be prepared and excel in our good deeds so we can make ourselves qualified to enter Jannah.

By the way, who thinks entering Jannah is an easy task? Hands up. Oops, sorry, I cannot see you. So, what then? Definitely, it is not. We have to be cautious because it is a journey full of dangerous obstacles and cunning deception. It needs a lot of effort and even much more than what we have put in conquering Mount Sinai. There are times when we fall into Shaytan’s trap. Not once, not twice but more. But it is never too late to repent and ‘buy’ the tickets to enter Jannah. The door of forgiveness is 24/7 open. As long as our own clock is ticking and the sun rises from the east.

Attention, brothers and sisters. Just so you know, the tickets are way more expensive than Maher Zain’s ticket and the transaction only accept one currency. Do you know what kind of currency ALLAH only accepts? ‘OURSELVES’ currency. It is our life that we are paying with. The deeds that we made, did, committed or accomplished, good or bad, physical or spiritual, ALLAH takes all those into account. Take note that things we do are depending on our sincerity. Sincere enough, okay, the transaction is a success. Not sincere enough, sorry mate.

إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ ٱشۡتَرَىٰ مِنَ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ أَنفُسَهُمۡ وَأَمۡوَٲلَهُم بِأَنَّ لَهُمُ ٱلۡجَنَّةَ‌ۚ
”Surely Allah has bought of the believers their persons and their property for this, that they shall have the garden...…” [9:111]

There is one time at Sayyidina Hussayn, when I saw a little girl, not older than five, stepping out of a car with her mother. A quite good looking lady, you know. This mother was yelling at her child and the kid is crying her eyes out and she even gave her a slap. However, I was taken aback when she hit her not just once but twice and I was sure that those were super slap because she held her hand high before it landed on the soft cheek. But do you know where the child went? After even got hit and yelled at? She was still holding to the mother. She was not letting go. Everywhere else around her, there were these gigantic ugly strangers. She did not want to deal with them. Even if her mother was angry and disappointed, her whole world and protection was the mother.

Pondering over that incident, it surely hit me hard. Will I ever want ALLAH to treat me harshly over my wrong deeds? HE is my owner, just like the kid is her mother’s. Thus made me think further, like what Brother Nouman said, “When we sin ...who is going to forgive if not ALLAH. Who else are there to turn to? Who are you going to go to? Where else are you going to go? Who knows the things that you and I have done wrong, except you and ALLAH. There are a lot of things in our closet that ALLAH has not exposed. And only ALLAH knows and we have to find time to ask ALLAH to forgive.”

وَسَارِعُوٓاْ إِلَىٰ مَغۡفِرَةٍ۬ مِّن رَّبِّڪُمۡ وَجَنَّةٍ عَرۡضُهَا ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتُ وَٱلۡأَرۡضُ أُعِدَّتۡ لِلۡمُتَّقِينَ (١٣٣)
ٱلَّذِينَ يُنفِقُونَ فِى ٱلسَّرَّآءِ وَٱلضَّرَّآءِ وَٱلۡڪَـٰظِمِينَ ٱلۡغَيۡظَ وَٱلۡعَافِينَ عَنِ ٱلنَّاسِ‌ۗ وَٱللَّهُ يُحِبُّ ٱلۡمُحۡسِنِينَ (١٣٤)
وَٱلَّذِينَ إِذَا فَعَلُواْ فَـٰحِشَةً أَوۡ ظَلَمُوٓاْ أَنفُسَہُمۡ ذَكَرُواْ ٱللَّهَ فَٱسۡتَغۡفَرُواْ لِذُنُوبِهِمۡ وَمَن يَغۡفِرُ ٱلذُّنُوبَ إِلَّا ٱللَّهُ وَلَمۡ يُصِرُّواْ عَلَىٰ مَا فَعَلُواْ وَهُمۡ يَعۡلَمُونَ (١٣٥)
أُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ جَزَآؤُهُم مَّغۡفِرَةٌ۬ مِّن رَّبِّهِمۡ وَجَنَّـٰتٌ۬ تَجۡرِى مِن تَحۡتِهَا ٱلۡأَنۡہَـٰرُ خَـٰلِدِينَ فِيہَا‌ۚ وَنِعۡمَ أَجۡرُ ٱلۡعَـٰمِلِينَ (١٣٦

“Be quick in the race for forgiveness from your Lord, and for a Garden whose width is that (of the whole) of the heavens and of the earth, prepared for the righteous (133),

Those who spend (freely), whether in prosperity, or in adversity; who restrain anger, and pardon (all) men; - for Allah loves those who do good (134)
And those who, having done something to be ashamed of, or wronged their own souls, earnestly bring Allah to mind, and ask for forgiveness for their sins,- and who can forgive sins except Allah?- and are never obstinate in persisting knowingly in (the wrong) they have done. (135)
For such the reward is forgiveness from their Lord, and Gardens with rivers flowing underneath, - an eternal dwelling: How excellent a recompense for those who work (and strive)! (136)”
[3:133-136]

Coming to the end, time is super duper precious. Benefit from it while we still have chance. The very second that just left us, the second that we spent reading the words before this word and the words ahead, cannot be redeemed. Even if we are to exchange it with our whole properties; our houses, horses and camels (if we have any), sport-shoes, U.C.B wallets, Adidas or Nike bags (and etc), Ray-ban spectacles, money, clothes and even if we say we are ready to pay it with our lives; never will the time make a u-turn so we can benefit from it. NEVER (but what is the redemption for if we exchange it with our life. We’re dead by then, aren’t we?)

So, have we managed our time in order for us to be among the qualified for Jannah? Are we even close to being the ones who are promised with it? Our attitude and spirit? How are they? Have we made ALLAH satisfied with our social life, ‘ibadah? And the list goes on. Or are we just like adults who are acting like playful children? Who keeps on doing what are forbidden and delaying what are obliged? There are a lot of question that we need to ask ourselves. So, ask ourselves frequently. Ask our Iman. May we all be in ALLAH’s care and mercy.

Prepared By:
NASRIAH BTE RUSLAN