PURPOSE OF LIFE.

Verily, all praise is for Allah. We praise Him, we seek His assistance and we ask for His forgiveness. And we seek refuge in Him from the evils of our selves. Whoever Allah guides, none can misguide. Whoever He misguides, none can guide. And I bear witness that there is no deity other than Allah and I bear witness that Muhammad (ﷺ) is His slave and messenger.

Whomsoever Allah guides, none can lead him astray, and whomsoever Allah sends astray, none can guide. The truest of word is the Book of Allah and best of guidance is the guidance of Muhammad (ﷺ). 

Insha'Allah Ta'ala, we will be using this medium to remind ourselves of the purpose of our existence on earth and what is required of us from Allah.

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF LIFE?

Allah answers this question in the Noble Quran:

وَمَا خَلَقْتُ ٱلْجِنَّ وَٱلْإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِ 

And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me.

[Surah Adh-Dhariyat 51:56]

A universal message for all mankind – all backgrounds, ethnicities and nationalities. The sole and only purpose of our existence is to worship Allah – our Creator, Sustainer and Provider.  

Allah created proofs of His existence within our own selves and all around us. He did not leave us alone to wander blindly guessing on how to worship Him. Throughout the ages, Allah sent Prophets to teach people how to worship him. However, previous Prophets were sent to a specific place and specific people.

But, Allah sent His final Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) with His final revelation (called the Qur'an) to all mankind…To pull mankind out of the depths of ignorance and anguish to the heights of knowledge, internal peace and everlasting contentment.

Achieving this true success requires placing the topmost priority on living one’s life in accordance with the teachings of the Quran and Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ).

Allah also says;

يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَلْتَنظُرْ نَفْسٌ مَّا قَدَّمَتْ لِغَدٍۖ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ خَبِيرٌۢ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ 

O you who have believed, fear Allāh. And let every soul look to what it has put forth for tomorrow - and fear Allāh. Indeed, Allāh is Aware of what you do.

[Surah Al-Hashr 59:18].

RESETTING OUR PRIORITIES.

What are our current priorities? 

To understand our priorities, we all need to answer the following questions:

1) How do we use our free time? 

2) How do we spend our money? 

3) What occupies our thoughts the most? 

4) How do we use our energy?

Genuinely reflecting on these questions will indicate the priority which we had set on fulfilling our life’s true mission. It is never too late to reset our priorities. 

Gaining knowledge is a key aspect of this even if we have been a Muslim all our life.

Allah says in the Qur'an:

أَمَّنْ هُوَ قَٰنِتٌ ءَانَآءَ ٱلَّيْلِ سَاجِدًا وَقَآئِمًا يَحْذَرُ ٱلْءَاخِرَةَ وَيَرْجُوا۟ رَحْمَةَ رَبِّهِۦۗ قُلْ هَلْ يَسْتَوِى ٱلَّذِينَ يَعْلَمُونَ وَٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَعْلَمُونَۗ إِنَّمَا يَتَذَكَّرُ أُو۟لُوا۟ ٱلْأَلْبَٰبِ 

........."Are those who know equal to those who do not know?".

[Surah Az-Zumar 39:9].

Oh Allah help us in remembering You, expressing gratitude to You and worshipping You in the best fashion. And make us among your close servants and among those foremost in faith and performing righteous deeds. Indeed Allah is All Hearing Answering. 

O Allah, guide us with those whom You have guided, grant us well-being among those You have granted well-being, be an ally to us along with those whom You are an ally to, and bless what You have bestowed upon us, and save us from the evil of what You have decreed.  For verily You decree and none can decree over You. He whom You support can never be humiliated. Glory is to You, our Lord, You are Blessed and Exalted.

LESSONS FROM SURAH YUSUF

Verily, all praise is for Allah. We praise Him, we seek His assistance and we ask for His forgiveness.

 Allah says;

لَّقَدْ كَانَ فِي يُوسُفَ وَإِخْوَتِهِ ايَاتٌ لِّلسَّايِلِينَ

Allah says that there are Ayat, lessons and wisdom to learn from the story of Yusuf and his brothers, for those who ask about their story and seek its knowledge. Surely, their story is unique and is worthy of being narrated.

We all know that Prophet Yusuf was one of the twelve (12) sons of Prophet Yaqoub [علیہ السلام]. His ten older brothers felt envious of the love and affection which their father has for him and his younger brother. Yusuf was the 11th child, while Benyamin (Benjamin) was the 12th child.

 The Qur'an says;

إِذْ قَالُواْ لَيُوسُفُ وَأَخُوهُ أَحَبُّ إِلَى أَبِينَا مِنَّا وَنَحْنُ عُصْبَةٌ إِنَّ أَبَانَا لَفِي ضَلاَلٍ مُّبِينٍ

Now [Yusuf’s brothers] spoke [thus to one another:] “Truly, Yusuf and his brother [Benjamin] are dearer to our father than we, even though we are so many. Behold, our father is surely suffering from a clear misguidance!” [Q 12:8].

One day Yusuf had a dream and he narrates to his father, who immediately knew that Yusuf will be a prophet. His father warned him not to tell his brothers to avoid any harm.

 The Qur'an states that;

 قَالَ يَا بُنَيَّ لاَ تَقْصُصْ رُؤْيَاكَ عَلَى إِخْوَتِكَ فَيَكِيدُواْ لَكَ كَيْدًا إِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ لِلإِنسَانِ عَدُوٌّ مُّبِينٌ

[Yaqoub] replied: “O my dear son! Do not relate your dream to your brothers lest [out of envy] they devise an evil scheme against you; verily, Satan is man’s open foe! [Q 12:5].

However, Yusuf's brothers felt jealous because of Yaqub's loving treatment towards him.

Out of hatred and envy, so they plotted against him, thrown him into a well along a caravan route. 

Parents need to be very careful when expressing their love towards their children. If they praise one, they should express some form of love or praise for the other children present, within the same time-frame and physical setting, in order to prevent envy from being born in their hearts.

 The Messenger of Allah [صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم] said;

'Fear Allah and treat your children justly'.

[Sahih Al Bukhari, Muslim].

How perfect You are O Allaah, and I praise You. I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped except You. I seek Your forgiveness and turn to You in repentance.

Our Lord, give us good in this world and in the Hereafter, and protect us from the torment of the Fire.

Oh Allah, do not take us to task if we forget or make mistakes. Lord, do not burden us as You burdened those before us.

Oh Allah, do not burden us with more than we have strength to bear. Pardon us, forgive us, and have mercy on us. You are our Protector, so help us against the disbelievers.

Oh Allah, do not let our hearts deviate after You have guided us. Grant us Your mercy: You are the Ever Giving.

SIGNIFICANCE OF TAHAJJUD SALĀT

There are numerous Quranic āyāts and Hadiths from the Holy Prophet (pbuh) which highly recommend that believers perform the Late Night prayers (Tahajjud or Qiyamul-layl) regularly.

1. In verse 78 of Surah Al-Isra' (No. 17) Allah instructs the Holy Prophet (s) to establish prayers during the day time. But, Allah didn't stop there, He mentions in the following Āyat saying:

وَمِنَ اللَّيْلِ فَتَهَجَّدْ بِهِ نَافِلَةً لَّكَ عَسَىٰ أَن يَبْعَثَكَ رَبُّكَ مَقَامًا مَّحْمُودًا

And keep vigil for a part of the night, as a superogaroty prayer (additional acts of devotion) for you. It may be that your Lord will raise you to a praiseworthy station. (Q 17:79)

This is the verse which gives the late night prayer its name by the word layl meaning, “the midnight prayer or Tahajjud,” and it also clarifies that this prayer is Nāwafil, i.e. a prayers which are beyond the call of duty. The verse also states that performing Tahajjud can raise a person to an exalted spiritual position known as maqam mahmūd – a status achieved by selected servants of Allah.

2. In verses 15 and 16 of Sūratul Dhāriyāt (No. 51) Allah (swt) promises that the Muttaqīn (pious) will be amid gardens and springs, receiving what their Lord has given them. Then, in the next ayats that follows, Allah further mentions some of their qualities, among them being:

كَانُوا قَلِيلًا مِّنَ اللَّيْلِ مَا يَهْجَعُونَ، وَبِالْأَسْحَارِ هُمْ يَسْتَغْفِرُونَ

They used to sleep a little during the night, and at dawns they would plead for forgiveness. (Q 51: 17 & 18)

Sleeping is one of the necessities for good health and performance of a human being. Despite this, the devout and pious servants of Allah deprive themselves of sleep during this hours of night to be in intimate communion with their Lord. This devotion of servants is greatly liked by Allah (The All-Provider and Cherisher).

3. In Sūratus Sajdah (No. 32:16-17) below, Allah promises special reward for those who discard the comfort of their beds to say the Prayer of Tahajjud. He states:

تَتَجَافَىٰ جُنُوبُهُمْ عَنِ الْمَضَاجِعِ يَدْعُونَ رَبَّهُمْ خَوْفًا وَطَمَعًا وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ يُنفِقُونَ

Their sides abandon their beds to supplicate their Lord in fear and hope, and spend out of what We have given them.

فَلَا تَعْلَمُ نَفْسٌ مَّا اُخْفِيَ لَهُم مِّن قُرَّةِ أَعْيُنٍ جَزَآءً بِمَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ

None knows what has been hidden for them of comfort as a reward for what they used to do. (Q 32:16 & 17)

Commenting on verse 32:17, the Holy Prophet (s) says: There is no good deed which it's reward has not been mentioned in the Quran, except the Night Prayer. Almighty Allah did not specify the reward of Qiyamul-layl due to its greatness with Him.

The Quranic verses above instructs us that the Prayer should be said with fear and hope and one should be generous in spending from the wealth given to him by his Lord. As for the reward that follows the performer of Tahajjud, it is such that none besides Allah really knows its worth and greatness!

4. A number of verses (e.g. Q 52:49, 76:26) emphasize glorifying Allah for a long time in the late part of the night. For example:

وَمِنَ ٱلَّيْلِ فَسَبِّحْهُ وَإِدْبَٰرَ ٱلنُّجُومِ 

And in a part of the night exalt Him and after [the setting of] the stars. (Q 52:49)

وَمِنَ اللَّيْلِ فَاسْجُدْ لَهُ وَسَبِّحْهُ لَيْلًا طَوِيلًا

And during the part of the night, prostrate to Him and glorify Him through the long night. (Q 76:26)

Thus, we all know that many long supplications and glorifications have been recommended for recitation during Tahajjud Salāt, some of which different scholars encourages.

5. In Sūratul Muzzammil (No. 73 verse 6), which was reveled in the early period of Islamic era in Makkah, Allah explains the reason for importance of Qiyamul-layl (late night prayers) and supplications. He says:

إِنَّ نَاشِئَةَ اللَّيْلِ هِيَ أَشَدُّ وَطْءًا وَأَقْوَمُ قِيلًا

Indeed the hours of night are strongest of tread and most upright in speech. (Q 73:6)

This could mean that acts of devotion late at night are most impressive on the mind. In the daytime numerous affairs occupy our time and minds. It is difficult at that time to have peace of mind for devoted and intimate worship. But at night when it is dark and silent, when the demands of the material world are at rest, a human being can acquire a tranquil state which allows him/her to get attuned with the Creator. It is at this time that the human being acquires a special state of mind and energy which is very conducive to increasing spirituality and strengthening connection with the Creator. That is why the friends (awliya’) of Allah, and those who seek nearness to Him always make the most use of the last part of the night. They purify their souls, enliven their hearts, strengthen their will, and perfect their sincerity, through worship at this special time.

Transcendent are You, O Allah, and praise be to You as You praise Yourself. I bear witness that there is no deity to be worshiped except You. I seek Your forgiveness and I repent to You.