The Five Booties

All praise due to Allah, Lord of the Realms; and Prayers and Peace be upon the chief of Messengers, our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his family and Companions, and those who follow him with good conduct to the Day of Judgment.

How similar is man to a new moon! It seems a newborn in the beginning of the month, then grows up until it attains maturity in the middle of the month, and becomes a full moon clearly visible, of great advantage. However, a short time later, it starts to weaken and relapse until it withers, and turns away before the month is over, and folds up and disappears, giving room for a new moon of a new month and time to appear.

Likewise, man is born as a young poor powerless baby, and then develops and grows up until he attains the age of full strength, at youth. Then through maturity when he is forty years old, as confirmed by Allah Almighty in His statement: {“[He grows] until, when he reaches maturity and reaches [the age of] forty years”} [Surat Al-Ahqaf 46:15]
 

Transliteration: hatta itha balagha ashuddahu wabalagha arba’eena sanatan

After which he deteriorates gradually until he comes to the last station of his life, i.e. the feeblest old age, in case he is doomed to survive to it. In this station, he stays in expectation for the caravan of (death) the destroyer of pleasures to take him to the intended abode, willingly or unwillingly. It is not but an evening or its following morning that the new moon of his lifetime disappears. Giving room for the new moon of a new life to emerge, which No one can assess it except whom destined it (Allah), the Exalted, the Almighty, i.e. Al-Barzakh life: {“O People, if you should be in doubt about the Resurrection, then [consider that] indeed, We created you from dust.”} [Surat Al-Hajj 22:5]
 

Transliteration: Ya ayyuha alnnasu in kuntum fee raybin mina alba’thi fainna khalaqnakum min turab

It is noticeable, from considering the lifetime of both man and new moon, that only the time, which consists of days and nights, is the common denominator between them, in the sense that every day passes on them never returns until the Day of Judgment. That is why the Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, urged to take advantage of this lifetime saying: “Take advantage of five (booties where you could do deeds) before (you are afflicted with) five (losses where you could not do deeds): (take advantage of) your youth before your decrepitude, your health before your illness, your richness before your poverty,and your free time before your (useless) occupation, and your life before your death.” [Narrated on the authority of ‘Amr Ibn Maymun: Al-Albani: authentic Transmission]
 

The Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, called them booties, as if man were in a battle with time. For the relation between those things mentioned in the Hadith is the factor of time: there is a time between youth and decrepitude, between health and sickness, between richness and poverty, between free time and occupation, and between life and death. The total is the lifetime, which one could take advantage or deprived of. Youth is a booty which spoilt by decrepitude; health is a booty that is spoilt by sickness; richness is a booty that is spoilt by poverty; the free time is a booty that is spoilt by useless occupation; and life is a booty that is spoilt by death. How many are the booties! But where are the advantage takers?

Your youth before your decrepitude

How many a young man who grew stringy as of the early years of his very youth, and was afflicted with vanity! He did not remember that death could interrupt every kind of pleasure and spoil any sort of enjoyment, and that death strikes people indiscriminately. Nevertheless, even, he was in amusement and play, mounting all means available to him, no matter how docile or difficult it might be. Being so heedless, he would not wake up but to find that his soul has reached the throat, while gargling, with people round him, and he is looking at them: is there a Ruqya reciter to cure him, or a physician to heal him? {“And prevention will be placed between them and what they desire, as was done with their kind before. Indeed, they were in disquieting denial.”} [Surat Saba’ 34:54]
 

Transliteration: Waheela baynahum wabayna ma yashtahoona kama fu’ila biashyaAAihim min qablu innahum kanoo fee shakkin mureebin

But if he was of those given respite until he grew old, while being still in his amusement and play, days would elapse, and years would pass , and he would wake up only to find himself in the darkness of old age, stricken by the stormy wind of decrepitude. At that time, it would be of no profit for him to show regrets. It is narrated on the authority of Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allah, Allah’s prayers and peace be upon him, said: “Allah will not accept the excuse of any person whose instant of death is delayed until he is sixty years old." [Reported by Al-Bukhari] i.e. Scholars said “ That it there is no excuse for him left after all this age.”
 

Your health before your sickness

How many a person, healthy, in peak condition, who was attacked by disease before he fortified himself from it! he might be of those befallen by physical ailments, and has no longer been able to do the acts of worship he is commanded to do, given that when he was hale and hearty, he did not hasten to do them, thereupon he wished he did not neglect them during the days he was well-conditioned. He also might be of those afflicted with heedlessness that his heart became diseased until sins accumulated on him, and became like irremovable stain: {“No! Rather, the stain has covered their hearts of that which they were earning.”} [Surat Al-Mutaffifin 83:14]
 

Transliteration: Kalla bal rana ‘ala quloobihim ma kanoo yaksiboon

How could such deliver himself unless Allah wills, given that he wasted his lifetime in evil wishes and bad deeds?

He would not wake up but to find himself lying on the bed, having sold himself to Satan for nothing: {Lest a soul should say, "Oh [how great is] my regret over what I neglected in regard to Allah and that I was among the mockers." (56) Or [lest] it say, "If only Allah had guided me, I would have been among the righteous." (57) Or [lest] it say when it sees the punishment, "If only I had another turn so I could be among the doers of good."”} [Surat Az-Zumur 39:56-58]
 

Transliteration: An taqoola nafsun ya hasrata ‘ala ma farrattu fee janbi Allahi wain kuntu lamina alssakhireena (56) Aw taqoola law anna Allaha hadanee lakuntu mina almuttaqeena (57) Aw taqoola heena tara al’athaba law anna lee karratan fa’akoona mina almuhsineen

Your richness before your poverty

How many a wealthy rich, who was invaded by severe poverty and destitution before he filled his stores of the hereafter, and he was careless about from which sources he has gathered his wealth. He left no place of spending on his pleasures and desires but that he spent on it, save the places of spending on righteousness and charitableness, which had no share from his spending. Therefore, the infallible (Prophet Muhammad), Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, said: “The feet of any servant will not move on the Day of Judgment until he is asked about four things: …and about his wealth: from which sources he earned it, and on which things he spent it.” [Narrated on the authority of Mu‘ath Ibn Jabal: Al-Munziri: authentic]
 

This rich person would not wake up but to find himself insolvent (of good deeds), turning his hands about in dismay, like the folks of the garden about whom Allah said:{ “Indeed, We have tried them as We tried the companions of the garden, when they swore to cut its fruit in the [early] morning (17)… [Till His saying (the All Mighty)]…Such is the punishment [of this world]. And the punishment of the Hereafter is greater, if they only knew.” }[Surat Al-Qalam 68:17-33]
 

Transliteration: Inna balawnahum kama balawna ashaba aljannati ith aqsamoo layasrimunnaha musbiheena (17) … Kathalika alAAathabu walaAAathabu alakhirati akbaru law kanoo yaAAlamoona

Your free time before your occupation

How many a person who was free from burdens and responsibilities, and had plenty of time and abundance of favors! But even, he did not assess that opportunity with due assessment, nor did he recognize what right this favor had on him. On the contrary, he wasted his times in play, ecstasy, sleeplessness, and travelling. In other words, he was engaged in vain occupations, and killed by the arrows of false wishes and spears of procrastination. Would that such a person makes sense of the statement of Al-Mustafa, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him: “There are two blessings, which a lot of people lose: health and free time (to do good deeds).” [Narrated on the authority of ‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Abbas: Reported by Al-Bukhari]

The poet has told the truth when he said:
Verily, youth, free time and fortune
Are means of corruption for man – and what corruption is it!

One of the righteous forefathers came upon some people talking in a café, and they were engaged in noisy laughter and clatter. He sighed and said: “Would times like these be sold and bought, perchance I would buy from those their times.” Whoever is in such a state and has not yet turned to Allah in sincere repentance, would then not wake up before he is called: {How long did you remain on earth in number of years?} [Surat Al-Mu’minun 23:112]
 

Transliteration: Qala kam labithtum fee alardi AAadada sineen

Your life before your death

How many a living person who was invaded by death before it really approached him! He was engaged in his world and was deceived by (his false) wishes, thereupon he benefited nothing from his life but the food he ate and consumed, and the clothes he put on and wore out. He would not wake up but to find himself among the captives of death, in pledge of his deed, as if saying:{ "My Lord, send me back (99) That I might do righteousness in that which I left behind."} [Surat Al-Mu’minun 23:99-100]
 

Transliteration: rabbi irji’ooni (99) La’allee a’malu salihan feema tarakt

How many are those at that time! They are regarded as living (in person), and in reality, they are dead.

Many are those who die, even though their noble deeds survive,
And many are these who live, even though they are really dead in the sight of the people.

O young man deceived by his youth and ruined by his vanity! Do you not know that youth inevitably leads to decrepitude? Do you not know that death is observant, to snatch everyone, old or young, near or far? You do not know, perhaps the coming moment of death is yours! Then, what wishes did you have while you are in your death agonies, with your face covered up by tears? Is it a song you like to listen to, or wine you like to drink, or a prostitute you like to have illegal sexual relation with? Perhaps you like to say the same as those whom your Lord describes in His statement: {“My Lord, send me back (99) That I might do righteousness in that which I left behind.”} [Al-Mu’minun 23:99-100]
 

Transliteration: rabbi irji’ooni (99) La’allee a’malu salihan feema taraktu

O old man with countenance adorned with hoariness! Allah feels shy of (punishing) you: have you felt shy of (disobeying) Him? The warning of your Lord came to you: which excuse are you going to present to Him if it is said to you:{ “But did We not grant you life enough for whoever would remember therein to remember, and the warner had come to you?”} [Faatir 35:37 ]
 

Transliteration: awalam nu’ammirkum ma yatathakkaru feehi man tathakkara wajaakumu alnnatheeru

You youthful young man didn’t even reach hoariness
Your time wasted in amusement and playing
Your sunset years have come by
And the shade in the west horizon never set
O you who fell back and lent to this world how much a time you travelled
While the Messengers of your lord have come to take you

How would you meet the Messengers (angels) of your Lord? What would your answer be when you are called for? My advice to you, old man, is to get ready for the meeting as long as you are still living, and tie the faith belt, perchance you would arrive to Allah safely.

O girl who has been tempted by her pretty countenance, splendor, and beauty, by clothes and their models, hair and its hairdressings, TV channels and their scandals, and magazines and their licentiousness: are you pleased to meet your Lord with all of this? Do you not remember the Hadith about the female naked but as if dressed “who are inclined (towards mischief) and prompt others to be inclined as such, whose heads are like the humps of the inclined camels. They will not enter Paradise and they would not even smell its odor though its odor would be smelt from such and such a distance”? do you not remember that women constitute the greater part of the denizens of the fire (of Hell), so that you would safeguard yourself against that by sincere repentance?

Endeavor to work hard, my sister, and let it be known to you that the world does not remain on the same state, and that death may prevent you from achieving your hopes. May Allah help you and me to do the righteous deeds.

Finally: my brother, may Allah protect you: before this pen is put down, let me remind you of the great departure. Ask yourself: with which thing are you going to meet your Lord? What will you answer Him when you stand in front of Him and He asks you: “O My servant! Have I not make healthy your body? Have I not provided you with food to eat and cold (sweet) water to drink?” what will your condition be when He makes you confess your sins and you see them all in your book? By Allah, the humiliation and shyness of that standing are the punishment in itself. Then, what about Hell, May Allah give you and I refuge from it?

But let me give you the following glad tidings from him who never talks of his own inclination, in order that you would not despair of the mercy of your Lord Almighty. He Almighty will place His Hand over his servant and once He has made him confess his sins, He will say to him: “O My servant! As I have concealed them on you in the world, now I will forgive them for you today.”

So, my brother, would you reconsider yourself before you become out of breath, and return to your Lord before a seal is placed on your heart?{ “No! When the soul has reached the collar bones (26) And it is said, "Who will cure [him]?” (27) And the dying one is certain that it is the [time of] separation, (28) And the leg is wound about the leg, (29) To your Lord, that Day, will be the procession.”} [Al-Qiyyama 75:26-30]
 

Transliteration: Kalla itha balaghati alttaraqiya (26) Waqeela man raqin (27) Wathanna annahu alfiraqu (28) Wailtaffati alssaqu bialssaqi (29) Ila rabbika yawmaithin almasaqu

May Allah help you and me do what He likes and is pleased with.

And may Allah Prayers and Peace be upon the chief of Messengers, our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his family and Companions.


Translated by Wathakker.info website