Quick Hadith - 113

HADITH 1

Jaabir RA narrates that that worship and sacrifice of one person and the abstinence of another was mentioned in the presence of Rasulullah SAW.

(Upon that) Rasulullah SAW said:

"(The worship and sacrifice) is not equivalent to abstinence." (Mishkaat, Mi’raaj)


HADITH 2

Amr ibn Maimoon Awdi RA narrates that Rasulullah SAW advised one person:

"Appreciate five things before five (things):

1. Your youth before old age;
2. Your good health before your sickness;
3. Your wealth before your poverty;
4. Your free time before your involvement;
5. Your life before your death."

(Mishkaat, Mi’raaj)


COMMENTARY

In explaining on the first Hadith - abstinence is of two types:

a) Wajib (compulsary) – that is abstinence from sins; and
b) Mustahab (recommended) – that is abstinence from matters doubtful in Shari'ah.

A person who worship Allah (performing Solat, keeping fasting and performing Hajj) but commits sins and engages in matters doubtful in Shari'ah, contaminates his worship and cannot appreciate and enjoy the spiritual reality and essence of his worship and sacrifice. True Ma'rifat (recognition) of Allah and close proximity to Allah may only be attained by worshipping Him correctly and abstaining from sins.

Expanding on the second Hadith; all five blessings - youth, good health, wealth, free time and life are positive factors to worship Allah and earn the eternal bliss of the Hereafter. Usually we find that an old person does not have courage nor motivation, a sick person does not have the strength, a poor person does not have a peace of mind, an involved (busy) person does not have time, and a dead person of course has no life to worship Allah. The message of this second Hadith is very clear, straight forward, and serves as a set of rules which may be used to govern time management in a Muslim's life.