اَلسَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ
اَعُوْذُبِااللّٰہِ مِنَ الشَّیْطٰنِ الرَّجِيْم
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
*_Today’s Thought for the day comes from Surah Al-Isra Ayah 19_*
*وَ مَنۡ اَرَادَ الۡاٰخِرَۃَ وَ سَعٰی لَہَا سَعۡیَہَا وَ ہُوَ مُؤۡمِنٌ فَاُولٰٓئِکَ کَانَ سَعۡیُہُمۡ مَّشۡکُوۡرًا(19)*
*_”And whoever desires the Hereafter and exerts the effort for it while he is a believer (in the Oneness of Allâh – Islâmic Montheism), then it is those whose effort is appreciated (by Allah).(19)_*
اور جو آخرت کا خواہشمند ہو اور اس کے لیے سعی کرے جیسی کہ اس کے لیے سعی کرنی چاہیے ، اور ہو وہ مومن ، تو ایسے ہر شخص کی سعی مشکور ہوگی.(19).
In this Ayah it has been made explicit that every deed and every effort is not necessarily beneficial or acceptable with Allah Subhanahu wa taa’la.‼️ *Instead, the only deed or effort credible is that which is appropriate to the essential objective of the Hereafter.* And whether or not it is appropriate can only be found out from the statement and directions of Allah Ta’ala and His Messenger SWS. Therefore, even well meaning efforts made by insisting on *bland personal opinion and self invented ways which includes common customs of Bid’ah (innovations in established religion) no matter how good and beneficial they may appear at their face, but are not appropriate to the effort made for the Hereafter.* Consequently, *they are neither acceptable with Allah Azzawajal nor are they of any use in the Hereafter.* The word *’effort’* should be in *accordance with ‘sunnah. Along with it, it adds that this effort or deed should also have uprightness and firmness*. In other words, this deed should be beneficial in accordance with the Sunnah as well as it should be *upright and constant.* Doing it *haphazardly or doing it in a cycle of doing and not doing is not good.* It never yields the maximum benefit.
*_Act for the Day is:_* _To note that A mere wish for moral and spiritual good is not good enough. *It must be backed up by hard endeavour and supported by a lively Imaan.*‼️ Only on “those conditions the wishes are accepted by Allah Azzawajal”._
–To understand that Imaan is not a matter that people *attain through idle wishes, but it is rather an idea that is firmly held as a belief, and clearly endorsed by action.* Pursuit of the hereafter does not *deprive anyone* of the wholesome pleasures of this life. *It simply opens up wider horizons before us.* _Thus, enjoyment and pleasure are not the driving goal. There is no harm in seeking pleasure, provided however that one is not captivated or enslaved by it._ *A life that seeks nothing more than the pleasures of this world is fitting only for worms, reptiles, insects, cattle and wild beasts*. _It is only the life that pursues the rewards of the hereafter that is *fitting for man who has been the recipient of honour bestowed on him by Allah*. It is Allah Azzawajal who has created man and fashioned him, planting in his soul a secret that motivates him to *look up to higher horizons* even when his *feet are solidly planted on earth*._
_Let’s pray that our Imaan is accepted and we fulfil the criteria for acceptance of our striving for the things of *”Hereafter”,* by having *Strong Imaan,* and may we all be guided to a sense of personal responsibility._ Aa’meen Ya’Rabbul Aa’lameen.
JazaK Allâhu Khair!