قَالَ : بادِرُوا بِالأَعْمَالِ سَبْعاً ، هَلْ ، أن رَسُول الله : عن أبي هريرة

تَنْتَظِرُونَ إلاَّ فَقراً مُنسياً ، أَوْ غِنىً مُطغِياً ، أَوْ مَرَضاً مُفسِداً ، أَوْ هَرَماً مُفْنداً ، أَوْ مَوتاً مُجْهزاً

، أَوْ الدَّجَّالَ فَشَرُّ غَائِبٍ يُنْتَظَرُ ، أَوْ السَّاعَةَ فالسَّاعَةُ أدهَى وَأَمَرُّ

Abu Hurayrah RA narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Hasten with good deeds before seven things overtake you. Are you waiting for poverty that makes you forgetful; or affluence that makes you transgress; or illness that disables you; or old age that makes you senile; or sudden death; or Dajjal and what an evil unseen creation that is to be; or the Final Hour, which will be terrible and most bitter.” [Tirmidhi]

This Hadith identifies various circumstances of life, which often prevent a person from doing good deeds. In essence, the Hadith conveys the importance of utilising available time and opportunities for engaging in beneficial deeds. Just as a trader utilises the shopping season to his advantage, we are encouraged to hasten towards the obedience of Allah while the time and opportunity exists. One should not delay in good deeds in anticipation of ‘better times’.

“Poverty” becomes a barrier towards good because the afflicted person’s search for food, clothing, shelter and money often diverts him from Allah’s obedience.

EASY GOOD DEED – Tahiyyatul Wudhu

Wudhu or ablution may be performed for any purpose. Praying two rak’aats each time after you make Wudhu as Tahiyyatul Wudhu is a highly meritorious act.

Making Wudhu has its own reward, but upon completion of the Wudhu, to perform two rakaats nafl salaah with the intention of Tahiyyatul Wudhu carries great rewards too.

The first reward is the promise of Jannah

عَنْ عُقْبَةَ بْنِ عَامِرٍ، قَالَ كَانَتْ عَلَيْنَا رِعَايَةُ الإِبِلِ فَجَاءَتْ نَوْبَتِي فَرَوَّحْتُهَا بِعَشِيٍّ فَأَدْرَكْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَائِمًا يُحَدِّثُ النَّاسَ فَأَدْرَكْتُ مِنْ قَوْلِهِ ‏”‏ مَا مِنْ مُسْلِمٍ يَتَوَضَّأُ فَيُحْسِنُ وُضُوءَهُ ثُمَّ يَقُومُ فَيُصَلِّي رَكْعَتَيْنِ مُقْبِلٌ عَلَيْهِمَا بِقَلْبِهِ وَوَجْهِهِ إِلاَّ وَجَبَتْ لَهُ الْجَنَّةُ

‘Uqba b. ‘Amir RA reported: We were entrusted with the task of tending the camels. On my turn when I came back in the evening after grazing them in the pastures, I found Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) stand and address the people. I heard these words of his: If any Muslim performs ablution well, then stands and prays two rak’ahs setting about them with his heart as well as his face, Paradise would be guaranteed to him. [Muslim]

The second reward is the promise of forgiveness for our sins.

عَنْ حُمْرَانَ، مَوْلَى عُثْمَانَ بْنِ عَفَّانَ أَنَّهُ رَأَى عُثْمَانَ دَعَا بِوَضُوءٍ، فَأَفْرَغَ عَلَى يَدَيْهِ مِنْ إِنَائِهِ، فَغَسَلَهُمَا ثَلاَثَ مَرَّاتٍ، ثُمَّ أَدْخَلَ يَمِينَهُ فِي الْوَضُوءِ، ثُمَّ تَمَضْمَضَ، وَاسْتَنْشَقَ، وَاسْتَنْثَرَ، ثُمَّ غَسَلَ وَجْهَهُ ثَلاَثًا وَيَدَيْهِ إِلَى الْمِرْفَقَيْنِ ثَلاَثًا، ثُمَّ مَسَحَ بِرَأْسِهِ، ثُمَّ غَسَلَ كُلَّ رِجْلٍ ثَلاَثًا، ثُمَّ قَالَ رَأَيْتُ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَتَوَضَّأُ نَحْوَ وُضُوئِي هَذَا وَقَالَ ‏ “‏ مَنْ تَوَضَّأَ نَحْوَ وُضُوئِي هَذَا ثُمَّ صَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ، لاَ يُحَدِّثُ فِيهِمَا نَفْسَهُ، غَفَرَ اللَّهُ لَهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِهِ

Narrated Humran: (the freed slave of `Uthman bin `Affan RA) I saw `Uthman bin `Affan asking (for a tumbler of water) to perform ablution (and when it was brought) he poured water from it over his hands and washed them thrice and then put his right hand in the water container and rinsed his mouth and washed his nose by putting water in it and then blowing it out. Then he washed his face thrice and (then) forearms up to the elbows thrice, then passed his wet hands over his head and then washed each foot thrice. After that `Uthman RA said, “I saw the Prophet (ﷺ) performing ablution like this of mine, and he said, ‘If anyone performs ablution like that of mine and offers a two-rak`at prayer during which he does not think of anything else then his past sins will be forgiven.’ [Bukhari]

Amazing rewards, right? So, we need to start doing this from today. All we need to do is make Wudhu, and then read two rakaats immediately as long as it is not makrooh time for salaah and we will get these two amazing rewards!

An amazing incident of footsteps in Jannah

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ لِبِلاَلٍ عِنْدَ صَلاَةِ الْفَجْرِ ‏ “‏ يَا بِلاَلُ حَدِّثْنِي بِأَرْجَى عَمَلٍ عَمِلْتَهُ فِي الإِسْلاَمِ، فَإِنِّي سَمِعْتُ دَفَّ نَعْلَيْكَ بَيْنَ يَدَىَّ فِي الْجَنَّةِ ‏”‏‏.‏ قَالَ مَا عَمِلْتُ عَمَلاً أَرْجَى عِنْدِي أَنِّي لَمْ أَتَطَهَّرْ طُهُورًا فِي سَاعَةِ لَيْلٍ أَوْ نَهَارٍ إِلاَّ صَلَّيْتُ بِذَلِكَ الطُّهُورِ مَا كُتِبَ لِي أَنْ أُصَلِّيَ‏.

Narrated Abu Huraira RA: At the time of the Fajr prayer the Prophet (ﷺ) asked Bilal, “Tell me of the best deed you did after embracing Islam, for I heard your footsteps in front of me in Paradise.” Bilal replied, “I did not do anything worth mentioning except that whenever I performed ablution during the day or night, I prayed after that ablution as much as was written for me.” [Bukhari]

It takes two or three minutes in praying two rak’ats after Wudhu, but it is immensely rewarding. So, one should do it.