Juz 17- Juz Gems

The Time of Account Has Drawn Near...

Assalaamu Alaykum! Tonight our mashaayikh will recite Surat Al-Anbiya and Surat al-Hajj. Both of these surahs have very powerful imagery of the Day of Judgement. Two verses that continue to wake us up from our heedlessness are found in Surat al Anbiya:

اقْتَرَبَ لِلنَّاسِ حِسَابُهُمْ وَهُمْ فِي غَفْلَةٍ مُّعْرِضُونَ ﴿١﴾ مَا يَأْتِيهِم مِّن ذِكْرٍ مِّن رَّبِّهِم مُّحْدَثٍ إِلَّا اسْتَمَعُوهُ وَهُمْ يَلْعَبُونَ ﴿٢﴾لَاهِيَةً قُلُوبُهُمْ ۗ...

“The time of their account has approached for the people, while they are in heedlessness turning away. No mention comes to them anew from their Lord except that they listen to it while they are at play, their hearts distracted, ” (Surat Al-Anbiya 1-3).

Surat Al-Anbiya is distinguished by its very powerful opening; every day we are edging closer and closer to our time of accountability, standing in front of our Creator, questioned on the actions of our limbs and the state of our hearts. And yet, we find ourselves constantly ignoring this reality. We are distracted, choosing to fill up our time with entertainment, unaware of each passing moment that will never return to us again. There will be people on the Day of Judgment pleading to their Lord to take them back to Earth, promising to do good work and be charitable (63:10). It will be too late. It will be too late to donate that extra dollar, make the extra sajda, and wake up one’s heedless heart.

Allah commands Prophet Yahya (as) in Surat Maryam:
يَا يَحْيَىٰ خُذِ الْكِتَابَ بِقُوَّةٍ ۖ وَآتَيْنَاهُ الْحُكْمَ صَبِيًّا ﴿١٢﴾

"Oh John, take the Scripture with determination." And We gave him judgment [while yet] a boy,” (Surat Maryam, aya 12)

Taking the book with determination is the exact opposite approach of those that Allah mentions in Surat Al-Anbiya. In order to deal with a very serious situation, we will sometimes lighten the mood by making jokes and not taking life very seriously. Allah does not want us to do this with our akhira. If you have a certain goal in life, do not waste any time trying to achieve it. In these blessed days of Ramadan, give it your absolute best knowing that this Ramadan will never come back to you again.

Ask yourself if you want to be a person pleading to Allah to take her back so she can rectify her account. Ask yourself if you want to be of those that cry out:

يَقُولُ يَا لَيْتَنِي قَدَّمْتُ لِحَيَاتِي ﴿٢٤﴾

“He will say, "Oh, I wish I had sent ahead [some good] for my life,” (Surat al-Fajr, aya 24).

Or, do you want to strive to achieve a contented soul, knowing you did your best with the life Allah has granted you?

يَا أَيَّتُهَا النَّفْسُ الْمُطْمَئِنَّةُ ﴿٢٧﴾ارْجِعِي إِلَىٰ رَبِّكِ رَاضِيَةً مَّرْضِيَّةً ﴿٢٨﴾ فَادْخُلِي فِي عِبَادِي ﴿٢٩﴾وَادْخُلِي جَنَّتِي ﴿٣٠﴾

[To the righteous it will be said], "O reassured soul, Return to your Lord, well-pleased and pleasing [to Him], and enter among My [righteous] servants, and enter My Paradise," (Surat al-Fajr, ayat 27-30).