NYPMSN Sharing Session
Date:
5th April 2014
Led By:
Sister Amalina Anuar & Sister Shirin
Topic:
Secrets of Al-Asr
Surah Al-Asr
By time,
Indeed, mankind is in loss,
Except for those who have believed and done righteous deeds and advised each other to truth and advised each other to patience.
- Believed (Beriman)
- Do righteous deeds (Beramal soleh)
- Truth
- Patience
Played a game:
Given 12 sticks each group, build something with in within 40 sec.
How many groups actually completed what they want to build?
How many of the members actually thought of what you want to build?
This can be applied in life:
One can have so much things you want to do yet, how much time do we have in actual fact?
Don’t we think that we wasted so much time. Don’t you think that we can put those time that was wasted to good use? There is so much one can do yet do they act on what they really want to do?
Plans to give sedekah but when? What if we were invited by death at those moments?
Objectives of the game: If we do not make full use of the time that we have in dunya, we can never finish what we want. So don’t waste time.
Believe (Iman):
Let’s talk about beriman. Beriman makes you think of 6 rukun iman. Let’s pick out some of the rukun iman:
Believe in the Angels: 1 tawaf, 70 thousand Angels Allah let’s out.
How many people have actually performed the Hajj? Can you imagine how many malaikat will be with you everytime you did tawaf? There are just too many. But, have you ever questioned yourself about how percaya kepada Malaikat affects your Iman?
Malaikat Raqib and Atid affects you directly. Why? Because they are the ones who records down your good and bad deeds. So think, before you waste your time to do bad deeds, it’s better that we let Malaikat Raqib to work harder.
Believe in Kitab and Rasul:
Many of us recites the Qur’an. But do we act upon it?
We claim that we love Rasulullah s.a.w, but are we following his sunnah?
Do Righteous Deeds (Beramal soleh)
- Good deeds can keep Muslims safe in the dunya and hereafter.
- If Muslims don’t value their time by wasting it on matters that does not benefit the dunya or hereafter are at loss.
- Muslims are ordered to manage their timeand fill it with beneficial activities such as reading beneficial books, making zikr etc.
Truth
Muslims encouraged to constantly remind one another to stay on the right path be it in the religion or the dunya.
“On the authority of Abu Sa’eed al-Khudree (r.a) who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (saw) say, “Whoso-ever of you sees an evil, let him change it with his hand; and if he is not able to do so, then [let him change it] with his tongue; and if he is not able to do so, then with his heart — and that is the weakest of faith.” [Muslim]
The Reality of This Life
"O my people, this worldly life is only [temporary] enjoyment, and indeed, the Hereafter - that is the home of [permanent] settlement.." [Quran, 40:39]
"And strain not your eyes in longing for the things We have given for enjoyment to various groups of them (polytheists), the splendor of the life in this world, that We may test them thereby." [Quran, 20:131]
"And present to them the example of the life of this world, [its being] like rain which We send down from the sky, and the vegetation of the earth mingles with it and [then] it becomes dry remnants, scattered by the winds. And Allah is ever, over all things, Perfect in Ability." [Quran, 18:45]
"Be in this world like a stranger, or a wayfarer." [Bukhari]
"When Allah s.w.t gives a person whatever he loves of the worldly benefits despite his disobedience, then that is a gradual enticement." [Ahmad and al-Bayhaqi]
"The Hour has drawn near, whereas the people have become more greedy for the life of the world and more remote from Allah." [Al-Hakim]
Yahya Ibn Mu'ath, may Allah be pleased with him, said: "I don't order you to abandon life but to abandon sins. Abandoning life is a virtue and abandoning sins is a duty, so your need for this latter is greater than your need for the former."
Patience
People tend to ask whenever misfortunes occured to them, “Why is it always me?”
But aren't we the one who make du'a to Allah s.w.t to grant us patience and yet, when our du'a were fulfilled, and we were tested, we dare to questioned Allah s.w.t, "Why me?"
It’s only through test that you can achieve something. And every jihad [strive towards Allah's cause] with our nafs [desires], and remained taqwa
"For indeed, with hardship [will be] ease." [Quran, 94:5]
And every time we were tested, and we went through jihad [strive towards Allah's cause] with our nafs [desires], and remained taqwa [Choose to be Obedient to Allah rather than Fulfilling our Desires], bring us one step closer to Allah s.w.t. Every trials we overcome, increases our rank in Allah's sight.
The best way to teach patience, is to be patient.
Patience is not a knowledge, it’s an experience.
A story about patience:
A friend once told me to be patient in the situation that I am in. Few days later, the same friend lost his important wallet. He was uneasy with the lost and was in distress. He then realised about the test that Allah s.w.t was giving. Made him realised that he should practise what he preached. And thus, be very patient.
"So be patient with gracious patience." [Quran, 70:5]
When we were reminded to be patient, we would tend to say "I am being patient!"
My friends, this is not patient. Patience cannot be expressed verbally. Patience is, when a calamity strikes them, they react positively. Keeping the calamities to themselves, not saying a word of it to others, and turn to Allah s.w.t, with a contented heart, knowing that trials and tribulation is a sign of Allah's Love and Mercy. And knowing that, in every tests we were given, Allah have a better reward for us, and remain tawakkal.
However, tawakkal does not mean leaving everything to Him and yet, we still just sitting in idle, not making an effort to change our situation. Patience with tawakkal is, reacting our trials positively, at the same time, working towards how to deal with these trials such as self-improvement to prevent the diseases of the heart; Sadness and Envy in our heart.
Summary
In summary, this surah which consists of only 3 verses has a strong meaning. It shows the miracle of the Quran in the arrangement of verses so that it can be easily remembered by every Muslim showing the importance of the content of this surah.
How many verses in the Quran did Allah use to swear?
"By time," [Quran, 103:1]
When Allah swear in the Quran, we know how massively important it is Allah is trying to tell us about the importance of time. Just as our predecessor said, "Time is like an ice. If you did not do anything with it, it will just melt away without gain any benefits from the ice. And water cant turn back into ice." (At those times, they do not have the technology that we have today - Refrigerator!)
Organising our time around Islam and help in time management
- Plan ahead and divide up our day- from Rasullulah s.a.w. “I have divided my time into 3 equal parts- one part for worship, one part for my family affairs and the last part I have further divided into 2, one for social engagements and the other for rest.”
- Count your prayers - plan our day around our 5 daily prayers and not vice versa. A busy life makes prayer harder but a prayer makes a busy life easier. As prayer is the first deed for which men will be called to account.
- Watch how we spend our time and eliminate any time wasters. Example, social media, gossiping etc.
Everyone has different levels of productivity and efficiency. Some tips to share:
- Wake up earlier to pray Fajr.
- Read a tleast 10 verses of Quran/day.
- Eat regularly with smaller portions and eat healthy during Ramadhan.
- Take breaks to distress.
- Avoid unnecessary distraction especially during exam season/ fasting month to allow us to focus on our ibadah.
- Remember Allah when you’re not doing anything and reflect on his bounties. Example, make zikr.
- When doing an act for others or ourselves, make a sincere intention that we are doing this for Allah. ( difference between a random act and spiritual act)
- Make quality time for your family.
- Avoid bad company and gossip.
- Thank Allah for his provisions(rizq). Say Alhamdullilah.
- Read an enlightening and beneficial book that imparts moral.
- Avoid spending evenings on tv and gaming.
- Make sincere intention to wake up next day for Fajr.
- Make wudhu and sleep early.
- Work in small chunks. Break up a large job into small, achievable tasks.
- Self discipline in performing prayers with khusyuk.
- Make a schedule. Preferably a weekly schedule so that can plan for more things and plan in advance.
- Beneficial hobbies such as reading and watching beneficial videos.
May Allah s.w.t grant us patience, and ease our affairs in acquire one.
