Taking Advantage of Your Health and Time

Al-ʿAllāmah ʿAbdullāh al-Bukhārī

In this talk our noble shaykh ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿAbd al-Raḥīm ibn Ḥusayn ibn Maḥmūd al-Saʿdi al-Bukhārī al-Madīnī حفظه الله explains the famous ḥadīth recorded by Imām al Bukhārī رحمه الله, narrated on the authority of ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿAbbās (رضي الله عنه) that the Messenger of Allāh (ﷺ) said “There are two blessings which many of the people do not take advantage of: Good health and free time.”

Audios, For the Muslims, Heart Softeners, Naṣiḥah, Shaykhs and Students of Knowledge, Time, ʿAbdullāh al-Bukhārī

Nov 9, 2014 | No Comments

Key Points Stated by the Shaykh

Those who take advantage of their health and free time are few in number. As Allāh Subhānahu wa taʿala said:
“Very Few of My Servants are Thankful” ( سورة سبإ v.13)
Health (الصحة) – Relates to the individual’s body, His five senses, and the intellect
Free Time (Al-Farā) – Extra time which is not being utilised
The ʿUlamāʾ have mentioned in the explanation of this great Ḥadīth, that the people are in two categories:

1. An individual who is healthy and has free time which he utilizes in the obedience of Allāh Subhānahu wa taʿala. This individual is one people look to as an example or a role model as his actions are praiseworthy. This individual is happy and successful.

2. Individual who has health and free time however he utilizes them either in disobedience to Allāh subḥānahu wa taʿala or he does not use them to please Allāh subḥāna wa ta ‘ala.This individual has a deficiency in his intellect and his opinion should be looked down upon. This individual is miserable and unsuccessful.

Some people are healthy but they are busy, while there are others who may have alot of free time however their health is not sound. These people do not have the two aforementioned blessings combined.
The Messenger of Allāh ﷺ said: “Take advantage of five matters before five other matters: your youth, before you become old; your health, before you fall sick; your richness, before you become poor; your free time before you become busy; and your life, before your death.”
It has been narrated from some of the Salaf that they said, “This World is a farm for the akhirah, so whoever plants good he will find good, and whoever plants evil he will find evil”. This planting cannot be achieved unless you have these two blessings from Allāh, health and free time.
This Ḥadīth shows the obligation of racing towards good deeds. If an individual is given these two blessings he has the ability to perform good deeds, however, he must be hasty in performing them, for a time may come when he is unable to do so.
The one who is successful lives for the muʿmīn in terms of taking advantage of the blessings of Allāh Subhāna wa taʿala and using them in the legislated manner.
The Messenger of Allāh ﷺ said in a ḥadithcollectedd by Imām al-Bukhārī رحمه الله: “The actions are by the way that they end”.
The individual does not know When Allāh will take his soul, If we are always doing the actions of goodness which are pleasing to Allāh such as praying and reading Qurʾān perhaps Allāh may take us while we are being obedient to him. This is better than Allāh taking us from the dunyāh while we are in a state of disobedience to him such as abandoning the prayer and listening to music.
The Messenger of Allāh ﷺ said: “Whoever dies upon something will be raised upon that thing”.
Our noble Shaykh told the story of a young man who regularly attended lessons in Masjid an nabawi who one day died in that blessed gathering of Knowledge.
This Individual died whilst in a garden from the Gardens of Paradise
The Prophet ﷺ said : “When you pass by the Garden of Paradise take from them.” The Companions asked:” What are the Gardens of Paradise O Messenger of Allāh?” He ﷺ replied ” The circles of remembrance (Dhikr of Allāh). There are roaming Angels of Allāh who go about looking for the circles of remembrance ,and when they find them they surround them closely (Tirmidhī, Aḥmad)
He raḥimahullāh was in the Masjid waiting for the next Ṣalāh
The Prophet ﷺ said : “Shall I not tell you something which Allāh erases sins and elevates ranks.” the Companios said:” Ofourse O Messenger of Allāh.” He ﷺ said ” To perfect Wuḍū even when it is difficult, to go to the masajid regularly, and to wait for th next salah after offering one. This is guarding the frontiers (for Jihād). (Bukharī, Muslim, Nisāʾee)
Angels were present and there was serenity
Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه) reported: The Messenger of Allāh (ﷺ ) said, “Allāh, the Exalted, has teams of angels who go about on the roads seeking those who remember Allāh. When they find some people remembering Allāh they call to one another and say, `Come to what you are looking for;’ and they surround them with their wings till the space between them and the lowest sky is fully covered. Allāh, the Exalted and Glorious, asks them (although He is best informed about every thing): `What are my slave saying?’ They say: `They are glorifying Your Tasbiḥ, Tahmid, Takbīr, Tamjid, (i.e., they were declaring Your Perfectness, praising, remembering the Greatness and Majesty of Allāh).’ He asks: `Have they seen Me?’ They reply, `No, indeed, they have not seen You.’ He asks: `How would they act if they were to see Me?’ Thereupon they reply: `If they were to see You, they would engage more earnestly in worshipping and glorifying You and would extol You more.’ He would say: `What do they beg of Me?’ They say, `They beg You for Your Jannah.’ Allāh says, `Have they seen My Jannah?’ They say, `No, our Rabb.’ He says: `How would they act if they were to see My Jannah?’ They reply, `Were they to see it, they would more intensely eager for it.’ They (the angels) say, `They seek Your Protection.’ He asks, `Against what do they seek My Protection?’ They (the angels) say, `Our Rabb, from the fire of Hell.’ (He, the Rabb) says, `Have they seen the fire of Hell?’ They say, `No. By Your Honour, they have not seen it.’ He says: `How would they act if they were to see My Fire?’ They say: `If they were to see it, they would more earnest in being away from it and fearing it. They beg of Your forgiveness.’ He says: `I call you to witness that I hereby grant pardon to them and confer upon them what they ask for; and grant them protection against what they seek protection from.’ One of the angels says: `Our Rabb, there is amongst them such and such slave who does not belong to the assembly of those who are participating in Your remembrance. He passed by them and sat down with them.’ He says: `I also grant him pardon because they are the people by virtue of whom their associates will not be unfortunate’.” [Al-Bukharī and Muslim].