Youth, The Main Time for Charity

Youth is our main time to do good deeds.

Alhamdulillah wa shalaatu wa salaamu 'ala Rasulillah wa 'alaalihi wa shahbihi ajma'in. When you are young, some say, it is a time to live extravagantly, a time to have fun. Some of them say, "Small is pampered, young is spree, old is rich, and they die and go to heaven." This is the joke of some young people. How is it possible that when you are young, you are slack, without good deeds, and then you die, you can go to heaven [?] We can say this is really impossible. To enter heaven there must be a reason and it is not possible only with such spree. Hopefully, this tract can make young people aware, so that they can make the best use of their youth. It is only in Allah that we rely and surrender.

O youth, life in the world is only temporary

The Prophet sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam once advised a friend who at that time was young (about 12 years old), namely Ibn Umar radhiyallahu 'anhuma. (Syarh Al Arba'in An Nawawiyah Shaykh Sholeh Alu Shaykh, 294). He (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) took him by the shoulder and said,

كُنْ فِي الدُّنْيَا كَأَنَّكَ غَرِيْبٌ , أَوْ عَابِرُ سَبِيْلٍ

"Live in this world as if you were a stranger or a traveler." (Narrated by Bukhari no. 6416)

Look at the very good advice of the Prophet sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam to friends who are still young. Ath Thibiy said, “The Messenger of Allah -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- said, for example, people who live in this world with strangers (al ghorib) who do not have a place to lie down and a place to live. Then he (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said even more, that is to say, with a traveler. Foreigners can live in foreign lands. This is different from a traveler who intends to go to a far country, on his right and left there are valleys, he will find a place of destruction, he will pass through a miserable desert and there are also robbers. Such a person does not stay except for a moment, the twinkling of an eye.” (Quoted from Fathul Bariy, 18/224)

The foreign land and place of wandering referred to in this hadith is the world and the destination country is the hereafter. So, this hadith reminds us of death so that we don't have long dreams. This hadith also reminds us to prepare ourselves for the afterlife with good deeds. (See Fathul Qowil Matin)

In another hadith, the Prophet sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam said,

مَا لِى وَمَا لِلدُّنْيَا مَا أَنَا فِى الدُّنْيَا إِلاَّ كَرَاكِبٍ اسْتَظَلَّ تَحْتَ شَجَرَةٍ ثُمَّ رَاحَ وَتَرَكَهَا

“What do I care about the world?! I do not live in this world but like a traveler who takes shelter under a tree and rests, then the traveler leaves him." (HR. Tirmidhi no. 2551. Said to be shohih by Shaykh Al Albani in Shohih wa Dho'if Sunan At Tirmidhi)

'Ali bin Abi Talib radhiyallahu 'anhu also gave us advice,

ارْتَحَلَتِ الدُّنْيَا مُدْبِرَةً ، وَارْتَحَلَتِ الآخِرَةُ مُقْبِلَةً ، وَلِكُلِّ وَاحِدَةٍ مِنْهُمَا بَنُونَ ، فَكُونُوا مِنْ أَبْنَاءِ الآخِرَةِ ، وَلاَ تَكُونُوا مِنْ أَبْنَاءِ الدُّنْيَا ، فَإِنَّ الْيَوْمَ عَمَلٌ وَلاَ حِسَابَ ، وَغَدًا حِسَابٌ وَلاَ عَمَلَ

“The world will go away. While the hereafter will draw near. This world and the hereafter have children. Be children of the hereafter and do not be children of this world. Today (in this world) is a day of charity and not a day of reckoning (reckoning), while tomorrow (in the hereafter) is a day of reckoning (reckoning) and not a day of charity." (Narrated by Bukhari mu'allaq –without sanad-)

Take advantage of your young time, before your old time comes

Do five things before the other five things happen. From Ibn 'Abbas, the Prophet sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam said,

اِغْتَنِمْ خَمْسًا قَبْلَ خَمْسٍ : شَبَابَكَ قَبْلَ هَرَمِكَ وَ صِحَّتَكَ قَبْلَ سَقَمِكَ وَ غِنَاكَ قَبْلَ فَقْرِكَ وَ فَرَاغَكَ قَبْلَ شَغْلِكَ وَ حَيَاتَكَ قَبْلَ مَوْتِكَ

"Take advantage of five things before five things:

[1] Your youth before your old age,

[2] Your time of health comes before your time of illness,

[3] Your time of wealth comes before your time of poverty,

[4] Your free time before your busy time comes,

[5] Your life before your death comes.”

(Narrated by Al Hakim in his Al Mustadrok, said by Adz Dzahabiy in At Talkhish based on the conditions of Bukhari-Muslim. This hadith is said to be authentic by Shaykh Al Albani in Al Jami 'Ash Shogir)

Your youth before your old age comes, meaning:Do obedience when in a strong condition for charity (ie when you are young), before old age comes."Your healthy time before your sick time comes, meaning: "Do good deeds when you are healthy, before the time comes that prevents you from doing charity like when you are sick."Your free time before your busy period comes, meaning: "Take advantage of the opportunities (your free time) in this world before your busy time in the hereafter comes. And the beginning of the afterlife is in the grave."The time of your wealth before the time of your poverty comes, meaning: "Give alms with the excess of your wealth before the disaster that can damage the treasure, so that you end up being poor in this world and the hereafter."Your life before your death comes, meaning:"Do something that benefits your life after death, because whoever dies, his deeds will be cut off.”

Al Munawi says,

فَهِذِهِ الخَمْسَةُ لَا يَعْرِفُ قَدْرَهَا إِلاَّ بَعْدَ زَوَالِهَا

“These five things (time of youth, time of health, leisure, time of wealth and time of life) only then does one truly know their value after these five are gone.” (At Taisir Bi Syarh Al Jami' Ash Shogir, 1/356)

People who do good deeds when they are young will be useful for their old age

In the letter At Tiin, Allah has sworn by three places where the Prophets 'Ulul Azmi were sent, namely [1] Baitul Maqdis which contains figs and olives – the place where the Prophet 'Isa 'alaihis salam was sent, [2] Mount Sinai, which is where Allah spoke directly with the Prophet Musa 'alaihis salam, [3] The safe land of Mecca, the place where our Prophet Muhammad sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam was sent.

After swearing by these three places, Allah the Exalted said,

لَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا الْإِنْسَانَ فِي أَحْسَنِ تَقْوِيمٍ (4) ثُمَّ رَدَدْنَاهُ أَسْفَلَ سَافِلِينَ (5) إِلَّا الَّذِينَ آَمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ فَلَهُمْ أَجْرٌ غَيْرُ مَمْنُونٍ

"Indeed, We have created man in the best of forms. Then We returned him to the lowest possible place. Except those who believe and do righteous deeds; then for them the reward will never end.(Surat At Tiin [95]: 4-6)

The meaning of the verse "Verily, We have created man in the best of forms"There are four opinions. Among these opinions are "We have created man as well as he was when he was young, which is a time of strength and enthusiasm for charity.This opinion was chosen by 'Ikrimah. "Then We returned him to the lowest possible place" According to Ibn 'Abbas, 'Ikrimah, Ibrahim and Qotadah, as well as Adh Dhohak, what is meant by this part of the verse is "returned to old age after being at a young age, or returned in times of lack of enthusiasm for charity after previously being in a period of enthusiasm for charity" Old age is a time of lack of enthusiasm for charity. A person will go through childhood, youth, and old age. Childhood and old age are difficult times for charity, in contrast to youth.

This is what is meant by the word of Allah (which means): “for them the reward will never fail.“

Ibn Qutaibah said, "The meaning of the word of Allah (which means), "Except for those who believe"Except for those who believe in their youth, when they are fit to do good deeds, then in their old age their deeds will not decrease, even though they are not able to do the deeds of obedience in their old age. Because Allah, the Exalted, is All-Knowing, if they were given the strength to do good deeds as they were when they were young, they would not stop doing good deeds. So the person who likes to do good deeds when he is young, (when he is old), he will be rewarded as in his youth." (See Zaadul Maysir, 9/172-174)

Likewise, we can see in the letter Ar Ruum verse 54.

اللَّهُ الَّذِي خَلَقَكُم مِّن ضَعْفٍ ثُمَّ جَعَلَ مِن بَعْدِ ضَعْفٍ قُوَّةً ثُمَّ جَعَلَ مِن بَعْدِ قُوَّةٍ ضَعْفاً وَشَيْبَةً يَخْلُقُ مَا يَشَاءُ وَهُوَ الْعَلِيمُ الْقَدِيرُ

"Allah, it is He Who created you from a weak state, then He made (you) after the weak state become strong, then He made (you) after being strong weak (back) and gray hair. He creates what He wills and He is All-Knowing, All-Powerful.(Surah Ar Ruum: 54)

Ibn Kathir said, “(In this verse), Allah Ta'ala tells about the phases of life, step by step. Initially it was from the ground, then moved to the germ phase, moved to the 'alaqoh (clot of blood) phase, then to the mudh-goh (clod of flesh) phase, then turned into bone wrapped in flesh. After that the spirit is breathed in, then he comes out of his mother's stomach weak, small and not very strong. Then the little guy grew slowly until he became a little boy. Then developed again into a young man, teenager. This is the phase of strength after previously being in a weak state. Then after that, he entered the adult phase (age 30-50 years). After that he will pass the phase of old age, in a state full of gray hair. This is the weak phase after previously being in the strong phase. In this phase, the spirit and strength are reduced. Also in this phase, the physical and mental characteristics are reduced. Therefore, Allah the Exalted said (which means), “Then He made (you) after being strong weak (back) and gray"." (Tafsir of the Qur'an Al Azhim in the letter Ar Ruum verse 54)

If you are young, then do not say: when you are old, then I will do good.

Daud Ath Tho'i said, “Indeed, night and day are a place for man to stop until he is at the end of his journey. If you are able to provide provisions at every stopover, then do it. The end of the trip may be in the near future. However, the afterlife is more immediate than that. Prepare your journey (towards the land of the hereafter). Do what you want to do. But remember, death comes suddenly". (Kam Madho Min 'Umrika?, Shaykh Abdurrahman As Suhaim)

Hopefully our meaning in this article is the same as the words of the Prophet Shu'aib,

إِنْ أُرِيدُ إِلَّا الْإِصْلَاحَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُ وَمَا تَوْفِيقِي إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ وَإِلَيْهِ أُنِيبُ

"I don't mean except (bringing) improvements as long as I can afford it. And there is no taufik for me except with (help) Allah. Only in Allah do I put my trust and to Him alone I will return.(Surah Hud [11]: 88)

May Allah improve the situation of all the young people who read this treatise. May Allah give taufik and guidance to them to the straight path. Alhamdulillahilladzi bi ni'matihi tatimmush sholihaat. Wa sallallahu 'ala nabiyyina Muhammad wa 'ala waalihi wa shohbihi wa sallam.

Source : rumaysho.com