A REVIEW OF CONSCIENCE - MUHAASABAH

A year has passed, and a new page of history has been opened for this new year. Has there been a change in our lives?

No doubt, one could affirm that, on the material side, we have progressed given the economic boom of the country—we own a house furnished with the latest accessories, and our business is flourishing. So much better!

Let us, however, remember that success is not measured by what we have harvested or amassed during our stay on earth. Life on this earth is not an end in itself because:

"Everything shall perish but His Countenance." (28:88)

In fact, life in this world is merely a springboard for the Hereafter (the Aakhirah). This is why the Prophet of Islam, Hadhrat Muhammad (Sallallaahu 'Alaihi Wasallam), said:

"This world (Dunya) was created for us, and we were created for the Aakhirah."

Thus, our real goal is the Aakhirah! We must make use of this fleeting world to attain the bliss of the Aakhirah, which will be our eternal home.

To acquire happiness in the Hereafter, we must necessarily make efforts and sacrifices. How many sacrifices do we make for our physical and material comfort! Yet, all these things are temporary!

In the same way, we must be willing to make even greater sacrifices for our spiritual development and for the Aakhirah.

However, today, this reality escapes us to such an extent that we are engrossed in beautifying this transient world. We toil in pursuit of deceptive pleasures, neglecting the Aakhirah. We should remember the Hadith:

"This world, with all its comforts, is not even equal to the wing of a mosquito. If it had the value of the wing of a mosquito, Allah Ta'ala would not have given a sip of water to the kaafir."

Dear brothers and sisters, let us reflect! With the arrival of this new Islamic year, another year of our lives has passed, bringing us closer to death.

"Every soul shall taste death, after which you will all be returned to Us." (29:57)

Death is merely a stage on the journey to the Hereafter, our final destination. He who has done good will receive a glorious reward—Jannah. However, he who has disobeyed Allah Ta'ala, the Most High, will face a terrible punishment in the darkness and embers of Hell.

"The dwellers of the Fire and the dwellers of Paradise are not equal. The dwellers of Paradise are the happy ones." (59:20)

What have we prepared for the Aakhirah? Do we truly love Jannah? If so, we must remember that the key to Jannah is Salah (Namaz).

Do we truly possess this key to the eternal abode that the Rabb of the universe has built?

"O people! Settle your accounts before Allah makes you accountable for them."

This was the maxim of Hadhrat 'Umar (Radiyallahu anhu). Certainly, a day will come when:

 "Whoever has done an atom's weight of good will see it and whoever has done an atom's weight of evil will see it." (99:7-8)

HADITH

"He who does not have respect for our elders, does not feel pity for our young, and does not recognise the rights of the 'Ulama is not from my Ummat."(Musnad Ahmad)

[English version of "Un examen de conscience - Mouhaasabah" – Al Haadi – Vol. 1 No. 10]