Download Importance of Life and Responsibilities of Muslim Youth

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Importance of Life and Responsibilities of Muslim Youth
Dr. Umer Farooq
ABSTRACT: Muslims, who believe in Day of Judgment, regards the world as a place of test,
and consider life as the limited time given for the test. Because of this feeling true Muslim
behave seriously and responsibly throughout their life just like the student who is taking an
examination paper with his whole attention of mind, body and soul. It is not possible for true
Muslim to hear any abusive word, back-biting, lying, dirty songs and indecent talks. The Prophet
(PBUH) once said, "Allah has forbidden for you, to be undutiful to your mothers, not to pay the
rights of the others And Allah has hated for you to involve in vain, useless talk, or that you talk
too much about others, (Allah disliked) to ask too many questions (in disputed religious matters)
and (Allah disliked) to waste the wealth (by extravagance).
The history of mankind tells us that it is only the young people, who taken the revolutionary
movements and change the societies. The Prophet (PBUH) said "Take advantages of five things
before five other things. Your youth before you become old, your health before you fall sick,
your richness before you become poor, your free time before you become busy and your life
before your death". The Prophet (PBUH) also said, "The son of Adam will not pass away from
Allah until he is asked about five things, 1-How he lived his life, 2- How he utilized his youth, 3with what means did he earns his wealth, 4- How did he spend his money and 5- what did he do
with his knowledge (Tirmidi). The best intention for Muslim youth is to engage themselves in
activities which are beneficial to whole humanity.
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Dear brothers and sisters, the Arabic word laghv implies all, that is vain, useless
and meaningless and it also means the truth less and false stories and tales. This is
characteristics of Momineen to pass in a dignified manner if ever they come across
"what is vain" or "useless or laghv. They do not intentionally go anywhere to hear
or see or take part in any type of laghv things and if by chance they see such things,
they keep away and avoid them
Ibn Hisham has related on the authority of Ibn Ishaq that the Musharkeen-eMakkah tried their best to stop the message of the Holy Prophet from spreading,
but they could not able to stop it, in spite of using best of their efforts. There was a
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person among Musharkeen whose name was Nadr bin Harith. He said to the people
of Quraish: "The way you are trying to stop the message of Muhammad will give
you nothing. Mohammad is living with us since his childhood. He is the best of
your men: he is the most truthful and the most trustworthy person among you. Now
you are saying to people that Muhammad is magician and a poet and a madman.
Who will believe on all this? People know how the magician talks? People also
aware of poetry and the states of madness? Which of these blames sticks to
Muhammad (PBUH)? People will not accept your allegations on Muhammad.
Look! I will tell you how to deal with Muhammad and his message. Then Nadr left
Makkah and went to Iraq and managed to get from there stories and tales about the
kings of Iran and Rustam and Isfandyar. He also started to arrange story-telling
parties to distract the people from the Qur'an and to absorb them in the tales and
stories.
Thats why Allah says in Surra-Luqman verse 6
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There are some human beings who purchase a delightful and fascinating diversion
in order to lead people away from the way of Allah without having any knowledge,
and to make fun of it. For such people there will be humiliating punishment.
According to Ibn 'Abbas, Nadr also brought singing girls from Iraq for this purpose.
Whenever he heard that someone is coming under the influence of Holy Prophet
and listening the message of Prophet, he attached a singing girl with that person.
He also given special instructions to girls that entertain the person with your songs
so that he is absorbed in you and distracted from the way of Muhammad.
The same explanation of lahv al-hadith has been reported from a large number of
the sahaba. Abdullah bin Mas'ud was asked, 'What does lahv al-hadith mean in this
verse ?" He said thrice categorically. 'By God! it means singing."
Dear brothers and sisters, these singing concerts, musical festivals and film gala are
the same instruments which are being used by the criminals of Allah and his
Messenger since long time. They try to get the common people so absorbed in fun
and musical entertainment's in the name of culture that they forget the real aim of
life and they do not even feel that they are deviating themselves from the orders of
Allah.
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Thats why Allah Rabbul-Alamin says in Surra-Al-mominoon:
Successful are the believers, who are humble in their prayers, and who turn away
from pointless talk
And in Surra-Al-furqan verse 72, Allah says
Those who do not bear witness to what is false, and when they pass by pointless
and useless talk, pass by with dignity,
And in Surra Al-Qasas verse 55: Allah says
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And when they heard vain and useless talk, they turn away from it, saying, "Our
deeds are for us and your deeds are for you: peace be on you: we do not seek the
way of the ignorant."
Dear brothers and sisters, Muslims, who believe in Akhara regards the world as a
place of test, and consider life as the limited time given for the test. And because of
this feeling Momineen behave seriously and responsibly throughout their life just
like the student who is taking an examination paper with his whole attention of
mind, body and soul. Just as the student who knows and feels that each moment of
the limited time during examination is important and decisive for his future life,
and is not inclined to waste it, so the Believers, Momineen also spends each
moment of his life on works which are useful and productive and which have
weightage in the Akhara. So much so even in matters of recreation and sport,
Momin makes a choice of only those things which prepare him for higher ends in
life and do not result in wastage of time. Prophet (PBUH) said, all those sports
are forbidden which are only for time passing. Select those sports which give
you strength and improve your health.
Dear brothers and sisters, It is not possible for true Muslim to involve himself in
useless talk. It is not possible for him to hear any abusive word, back-biting, lying,
dirty songs and indecent talk.
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The Prophet (PBUH) said: "Do not bring the flames of the fire upon your faces by
involving yourselves in vain and useless activities."
Hazrat Ali said: "Every speech in which there is no remembrance of Allah is vain
and useless
The Prophet (PBUH) once said, "Allah has forbidden for you, (it is not allowed for
a Muslim ) (1) to be undutiful to your mothers, (2) to bury your daughters alive, (3)
not to pay the rights of the others and (4) to beg of men (from begging). And Allah
has hated for you (1) (Allah disliked to involve in) vain, useless talk, or that you
talk too much about others, (Allah disliked) to ask too many questions, (in disputed
religious matters) and (Allah disliked) to waste the wealth (by extravagance).
Dear brothers and sisters, many students are also sitting here or many of us
experienced student life. We all know that during examination, we totally changed
our activities. Both masjids and libraries normally occupied with the students. We
can see clear change of activities during examination. Everyone clearly realizes that
they have to pass the exam, all tried their best, all tried hard, all scarified their
sleep, play and other activities to get good score during the exams. Why? Because
its matter of our future.
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What will you say about those students who instead of preparing for the exam, who
instead of solving the examination paper, just involved in useless things, playing
cards or watching movies etc.? You definitely define them as a student who is mad
or have no concerns with the exam.
Dear brothers and sisters likewise, there is one examination, one test which we all
are doing even right now. Each moment, each second that passes, we are monitored
and are examined. Dear brothers and sisters, this is the real test which Allah has put
on our shoulders. It is the matter of death and what we will face after death.
Allah has created death and life to test which one of you is best in conduct.” (67:1)
Dear brothers and sisters, the day when mankind will stand before Allah and Allah
will question us about our actions or deeds which we performed in our life.
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So whosoever does good equal to the weight of an atom (or even smaller), shall
see it. And whosoever does evil equal to the weight of an atom (or even
smaller), shall see it.
On the day of judgement, we will not have the ability to go back to this world and
to make our selves better. There will be no re-sits, no supplies and the decision on
that day made by Allah will be decisive and final, and nobody will be able to
change it. Either it will be the Bliss of Jannah or the darkness of jahannam.
Dear brothers and sisters, Momin know the truth and reality of this life. That life
about which Prophet Muhammad was saying that Be in the world like a traveller, or
like a passer on, and consider yourself as of the dead. The life about which Allah
says in Quran that:
‫اﳊَﻴَﺎةُ اﻟ ﱡﺪﻧْـﻴَﺎ َﻣﺘَﺎعٌ َوإِ ﱠن ْاﻵَ ِﺧَﺮَة ِﻫ َﻲ َد ُار اﻟْ َﻘَﺮا‬
ْ ‫إِﱠﳕَﺎ َﻫ ِﺬ ِﻩ‬
The life of this world is transient and for few days, whereas the Hereafter
(Akhrat), is the permanent to reside.
On the Authority of Abdullah bin Mas’ud (ra) who said: Once the Messenger of
Allah (saw), slept on a mat made of date palm leaves and when he awoke the
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impressions of the mat were visible on his body. We (the Sahabah) said: “O
messenger of Allah (saw) may we prepare soft bedding for you?” Prophet (PBUH)
said “I have nothing to do with this world, I am in this world like a rider who
stays in the shade of a tree for a short period of time and after taking some
rest, again start his journey by leaving the tree behind.” [Tirmidhi]
This was the life of Prophet and this is the actual worth of life after which we are
running, after which we are spending all our strengths, all our efforts.
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Dear brother and sisters, there are various stages of life and the most important part
of life is a stage of youth, the time when we are young, we are strong, the time
when we have strength and power. Young age is a time of strength; it's a time of
hope, its time of motivation and its time of energy and enthusiasm.
Dear brothers and sisters, the history of mankind tells us that it is only the youth,
young people, who taken the revolutionary movements and change the societies,
who sacrificed their lives. Only the young people dare to see the new dreams, new
ideas and new thoughts.
Who were the follower of Isa and Musa; they were young people who decided to
stand in front of the cruelty of Pharaon. Who were Ishab-e-Qahf, the group of
young people who refused to accept the supremacy of the Roman emperor Decius
and they believe that there is no God accept Allah.
And who were Ibrahim, as a teenager he stand up against all his tribe and told them
that they are worshipping idols that can not speak or eat. He destroyed all of their
idols. Allah says in Quran
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They said, "Who has done this to our gods? He must indeed be some man of
impiety!" They said, "We heard about a young man talk about them: he is called
Ibrahim.
Dear brothers and sisters, the majority of people who accepted Islam during the
early years of Mecca were young people. For example, the age of Hazrat Ali when
he was accepted Islam was 10 years, Abdullah bin Umar and Abu Ubayda was 13
years, Jabir bin Abdullah and Zayd bin Harisa was 15 years, Abdullah bin Mas'ud
and Zubayr bin Awwam was 16 years, Talha bin Ubaydullah, Abdurrahman bin
Auf, Sa'd bin Abi Waqqas and Asma bint Abu Bakr were 17 years, Muaz bin Jabal
and Musab bin Umayr was 18 years, Abu Musa al-Ash'ari was 19, Jafer bin Abu
Talib was 22, Osman bin Affan, Abu Hurayra and Hazrat Umar were between 2531 years of age when they accepted Islam.
The prophet (PBUH) was always looking forward for the energetic youth who are
the pioneers of change and revolutionary movements. Prophet (PBUH) stated that,
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"Allah loves the youth who pass their youth in obedience to Him," and "Allah loves
the youth who repents and make Taubah"
The Prophet (PBUH) said, Take advantages of five things before five other things.
Your youth before you become old, your health before you fall sick, your richness
before you become poor, your free time before you become busy and your life
before your death (Imam Ahmed).
Our religion have put great emphasis on the importance of young age, the age of
strength, power, energy, motivation and courage.
The Prophet (PBUH) also said: “There are seven (types of people) whom Allaah
will provide shade in His Shade on Akhra when there will be no shade except
Allah's Shade: a just ruler; a youth who grew up in the worship of Allaah; a man
whose heart is attached to the mosques; two men who love each other for Allaah's
sake, meeting for that and parting upon that; a man who is called by a woman of
beauty and position [for illegal intercourse], but be says: 'I fear Allaah'; a man who
gives in charity and hides it, such that his left hand does not know what his right
hand gives in charity; and a man who remembered Allaah in private and so his eyes
shed tears.” [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]
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Dear Brothers and sisters, do you know about the youth of Mus‘ab bin ‘Umair
who accepted Islam at the age of 18. Musab was a very handsome young man. He
was the son of Umair who was a wealthy person. Mus'ab was raised in comfort and
with abundance of wealth. Whenever prophet (PBUH) talked about Musab, Prophet
(PBUH) said "There is nobody more handsome in Makkah than Mus‘ab. There is
no person in the city better clothed and fed than Mus‘ab. There is no child brought
up with more affection and love than him."
However, when he accepted Islam, he faced severe hardships and torture. His
family tried everything to make him agree to give away his new religion. He was
turned out of his home and was socially boycotted. Prophet (PBUH) appointed him
to teach People in Medina. Many people in Medina entered Islam with his efforts,
and most learned Islam from him.
When Medina's teacher, Mus'ab, was martyred in the Battle of Uhud, Then Prophet
Muhammed (PBUH) addressed his dead body by saying: “When I saw you for the
first time in Mecca there was nobody more handsome and well-dressed than you.
But, I see that today your hair is uncombed and only a sheet of cloth covers your
body!” Mus‘ab bin ‘Umair had only a sheet of cloth over his dead body; if the head
was covered, the feet were bare and when the feet were covered the head was left
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bare. In the end, his head was covered and his feet were covered with grass. This
was the youth of Musab Bin Umair.
Dear brothers and sisters, do you know about the young sahaba who were all
martyred in the incident of Bi'r-‘Maune. As reported by Anas bin Malik, there were
70 young sahaba from the Ansar and they called themselves the "Qurra." In the
evening they dispersed into streets of Medina and form lesson groups. Prophet
(PBUH) sent them to Bi'r-‘Maune to convey the Islamic message. However, they
were trapped and all of them were martyred.
Among 70 young Muslims there was also a sahabi named Haram bin Malhan.
When kuffar surrounded these sahaba, a man thrown his javelin towards Hazrat
harram and that javelin crossed his body. He fell on the ground and the fountain of
blood thrown out from his body but dear brothers and sisters Do you know what
Hazar Harram said when he was dying. He said I am successful. I am successful.
Just think about a man who is dying hundered kms away from his house in a
deserted desert but he is saying I am successful, I am successfull. That man who
thrown that javelin converted into Muslim just to see the Iman of hazrat Harram.
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The Prophet (PBUH) also said, "The son of Adam will not pass away from Allah
until he is asked about five things, 1-How he lived his life, 2- How he utilized his
youth, 3- with what means did he earns his wealth, 4- How did he spend his money
and 5- what did he do with his knowledge (Tirmidi).
And what will be our answer, when Allah asked from us where to spend our life,
where to spend our youth and what to do with our knowledge. Would we tell to
Allah that we spent our life in Norway by just running after kroners, degrees, jobs
and nationalities? Would we tell to Allah that we spend our life in Norway by just
playing, chatting, criticizing or finding faults of others?
We should always keep in mind that the studies, work, jobs all that we're doing is
not our goal, but only a means to achieve the goal, which is the pleasure of Allah in
the Duniya and the Hereafter. Prophet once saying, "He whose objective and
targets is the world, Allah scatters his affairs (he faces worries and anxieties in
every aspect) and places the fear of poverty (every time) before his eyes; and (but)
he receives only that which has been already written for his fate. And he whose
intention (objective) is the Hereafter, Allah makes all his affairs easy, (comfortable)
and enriches his heart, and the world comes to him humiliated."
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Dear brothers and sisters, this time is like a gold, do not try to spoil your time, do
not utilize your time in useless and vein things, try to feel the importance of this
small life. This life is not for fun and for getting only more and more kroners,
dollars and degrees.
﴾102:1﴿
Your craze for collection of more and more wealth has occupied you
﴾102:2﴿
until you reach your graves.
‫أَ ْﳍَﺎ ُﻛ ُﻢ اﻟﺘﱠ َﻜﺎﺛـُُﺮ‬
‫َﺣ ﱠﱴ ُزْرُﰎُ اﻟْ َﻤ َﻘﺎﺑَِﺮ‬
Dear brothers and sisters, Hazrat NuH, who spent 900 years in this world, When he
was close to death and Angle told him how you felt about life. Nuh replied, I feel
life is like a small building that has two doors; I entered from one door and went
outside from the next door. So life is like this.
Dear brothers and sisters, Muslim has a mission, a mission to spread the message of
Allah and his Prophet (PBUH) to whole world. He has no time to involve himself
in useless things. The best intention for Muslim youth is to engage themselves in
activities which are beneficial to whole humanity.
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Allah says in Quran
If the Holy Quran had to be revealed on to a mountain, then the mountain would be
reduced to dust through the fear of Almighty Allah. We propound such parables to
people that they may reflect, that they may think.
May Allah give us wisdom to understand the Quran and get light from the Serra of
Prophet (PBUH) and from his companions (Amin)