Summer Holidays

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ. الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ وَالْعَاقِبَةُ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ وَصَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ خَاتَمِ النَّبِيِّينَ وَعَلَى جَمِيعِ الأَنْبِيَاءِ وَالْمُرْسَلِينَ.

All Praise is due to Allah, we praise Him and we seek help from Him. We ask forgiveness from Him. We repent to Him; and we seek refuge in Him from our own evils and our own bad deeds. Anyone who is guided by Allah, he is indeed guided; and anyone who has been left astray, will find no one to guide him. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, the Only One without any partner; and I bear witness that Muhammad, peace and blessings on him, is His servant, and His messenger.

Dear Brothers and Sisters …                                     السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

يَا أَيُّهَا الّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِ وَلَا تَمُوتُنَّ إِلَّا وَأَنْتُمْ مُسْلِمُونَ –

O you who believe! Fear Allah as He should be feared, and die not except in a state of Islam.

Brothers & sisters, holidays, whether it is from school or work, is counted as part of our life spans. And it is a limited time from our stay in this world for which we are accountable. For the messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

لاَ تَزُولُ قَدَمَا ابْنِ آدَمَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ مِنْ عِنْدِ رَبِّهِ حَتَّى يُسْأَلَ عَنْ خَمْسٍ عَنْ عُمْرِهِ فِيمَا أَفْنَاهُ وَعَنْ شَبَابِهِ فِيمَا أَبْلاَهُ وَمَالِهِ مِنْ أَيْنَ اكْتَسَبَهُ وَفِيمَ أَنْفَقَهُ وَمَاذَا عَمِلَ فِيمَا عَلِمَ

The feet of the son of Adam shall not move from before his Lord on the Day of Judgement, until he is asked about five things: About his life and what he did with it, about his youth and what he wore it out in, about his wealth and how he earned it, and spent it upon, and what he did with what he knew.  Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2416

Indeed, lifespans pass by quickly, so the wise use their time with what gets them closer to their Lord. And listen to what those who fell short in their lives and disobeyed their Lord and opposed their Master will say at the time of their death. Allah Almighty said:

When death approaches any of them, they cry, “My Lord! Let me go back,

so, I may do good in what I left behind.” Never! It is only a ˹useless˺ appeal they make. And there is a barrier behind them until the Day they are resurrected.¹

Oh, Muslims Indeed, holidays are an opportunity serving parents and to join kinship, visiting relatives and to fulfil the family’s need for relief and rest. But specially with the parents.

The right of parents over their children may be summed up as treating them well in all matters, and behaving with them kindly as Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And We have enjoined on man to be dutiful and kind to his parents.” [al-Ahqaf 46:15]

“And We have enjoined on man to be dutiful and kind to his parents.” [al-‘Ankabut 29:8]

“but behave with them in the world kindly.” [Luqman 31:15].

Abdullah b. ‘Amr reported that a person came to Allah’s Apostle (ﷺ) and sought permission (to participate) in Jihad, whereupon Holy Prophet (ﷺ) said: Are your parents living? He said: Yes. Thereupon he (the Holy Prophet) said: You should put in your best efforts (in their) service.

قَالَ جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَسْتَأْذِنُهُ فِي الْجِهَادِ فَقَالَ ‏”‏ أَحَىٌّ وَالِدَاكَ ‏”‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ نَعَمْ ‏.‏ قَالَ ‏”‏ فَفِيهِمَا فَجَاهِدْ ‏”‏ ‏.‏

While we are on our holidays, it is good to remind ourselves of Allah’s Favors and blessings. Oh Muslim, Fear Allah leaving the parents alone and giving preference to your holidays, many of them already left the parents and emigrate to this country and get aways from blessings to serving the parents and remember same aways you will be treated by your children.

In the last I will remind you the hadith, Narrated Abu Huraira. The Prophet (ﷺ) said.

‏ “‏ لاَ تُشَدُّ الرِّحَالُ إِلاَّ إِلَى ثَلاَثَةِ مَسَاجِدَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ، وَمَسْجِدِ الرَّسُولِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَمَسْجِدِ الأَقْصَى ‏”‏‏.‏

Do not set out on a journey except for three Mosques i.e. Al-Masjid-AI-Haram, the Mosque of Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ), and the Mosque of Al-Aqsa, (Mosque of Jerusalem).” Sahih Bukhari 1189.

O young people, you are an important part of our community and the proof for its vitality and the path for elevating it. So, using holiday for wasting time in vain is a betrayal. For our Prophet ﷺ said:

‏ “‏ نِعْمَتَانِ مَغْبُونٌ فِيهِمَا كَثِيرٌ مِنَ النَّاسِ، الصِّحَّةُ وَالْفَرَاغُ ‏

Narrated Ibn `Abbas: The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “There are two blessings that many people are deceived into losing: health and free time. “Sahih al-Bukhari 6412

And successful are those who sacrifice their youth for the sake of pleasing their Creator and expend the precious to be close to their Lord throughout their youth, strength and vitality. And remember the Hadith, you will be among those 7 people shaded by the cover of Allah on the day that there is no shade but His is:

وَشَابٌّ نَشَأَ فِي عِبَادَةِ اللَّه

(a young man who has been brought up in the worship of Allah)

Oh students, holidays are a great opportunity to realize noble goals and good aims for this world and the next. So having righteous companions is of the utmost importance. Those whom turn you away from doing the ugly and help and support you in doing good.

And during holidays, fathers and mothers should beware of doors opening for their children to abandon obligations, miss prayers, and do forbidden things, or to travel to places where unbelief, sins, and immorality abound. As Allah Almighty said:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا قُوا أَنفُسَكُمْ وَأَهْلِيكُمْ نَارًا وَقُودُهَا النَّاسُ وَالْحِجَارَةُ-التحريم  6

At Tahrim (66) 6: O you who have believed, protect yourselves and your families from a Fire whose fuel is people and stones.

Oh mothers and fathers, follow the approach of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ in caring for the youth. The Prophet ﷺ said to his cousin Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, while he was a lad:

يَا غُلاَمُ إِنِّي أُعَلِّمُكَ كَلِمَاتٍ احْفَظِ اللَّهَ يَحْفَظْكَ احْفَظِ اللَّهَ تَجِدْهُ تُجَاهَكَ

O young man, I shall teach you some words [of advice]: Be mindful of Allah and Allah will protect you. Be mindful of Allah and you will find Him in front of you. Tirmithi 2516.

So safeguard the moments of life, and use your time for that which is beneficial now and later. As Al Shafe’, may Allah have mercy on him said, for the soul, if you do not occupy it with the truth, will occupy you with falsehood. I will conclude on the hadith as the messenger of Allah ﷺ said.

‏ “‏ لاَ تُشَدُّ الرِّحَالُ إِلاَّ إِلَى ثَلاَثَةِ مَسَاجِدَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ، وَمَسْجِدِ الرَّسُولِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَمَسْجِدِ الأَقْصَى ‏

Do not set out on a journey except for three Mosques i.e. Al-Masjid-AI-Haram, the Mosque of Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ), and the Mosque of Al-Aqsa, (Mosque of Jerusalem).” Bukhari 1189

I conclude with this and send prayers of blessings and peace upon our Prophet as your Lord commanded:

Allahumma Sallai Al’a Muahmmad’n wa’aila Muhammad

أَقُولُ مَا تَسْمَعُونَ وَأَسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ  لِي وَلَكُمْ مِنْ كُلِّ ذَنْبٍ فَاسْتَغْفِرُوهُ  إِنَّهُ هُوَ الغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ

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