In Shaykh’s Company

by Abu Abdullah Ibne Ismail

“If someone spends his youth in the disobedience of Allah, and then repents when he is older, he will not be able to acquire the same closeness of Allah as that person who abstained from disobedience right from his youth.

Remember a hundred prostrations during one’s old age cannot equal one prostration during one’s youth.

However, if someone built a relationship with Allah from a young age, struggled against his nafs whilst he was young, and continued this endeavour until he became old, then his prostration in old age will be priceless.”

by Abu Abdullah Ibne Ismail

Recently a teenager came to visit Shaykh. Despite the cold weather outside the youngster was not wearing sufficient warm clothing. Seeing this Shaykh advised the young man thus:

“We should wear warm clothing in cold weather as it is necessary to take care of our health. When we are young we do not realise the harm we are causing to our health by adopting risky behaviour. In our youth we are able to cope with it, but when we get older our body will give in.

Remember, if you are healthy you can accomplish anything. But if you lose this great gift your capacity will decrease greatly.”

by Muhammad Abdullah

“This chance which you have, take advantage and benefit from it. For this youth of yours is not going to be there always, and this free time and peace of mind will not always be there. The concentration with which one can worship Allah when he is free from worry cannot be done when one becomes afflicted with worries.

These blessings that Allah has blessed you with, utilise them. Whatever you can, do it now. Why? Because it is quite likely that death strikes you all of a sudden. Don’t rely on your current state; on your youth, on your strength, on your influences, on your current circumstances.

For when death comes it will not spare you for even a second. And no one man knows when death will strike.

by Hafeed Abdul Kader 

“Be ambitious in whatever you do. Have high aims and goals. Set yourself targets and then strive to achieve them.”

by Muhammad Abdullah

Something to bear in mind for all sports fans:
 
“If you are controlling the game then you are within the limits. If the game has begun to control then you have stepped out of bounds.”

by Muhammad Abdullah 

“When a youngster has good qualities in him then the elders should have mercy towards him so that he may listen to them and use his qualities in an appropriate manner. This is because the capabilities of the youth are like a sword.

In the hands of the right person they can be utilised to do good whereas in the hands of a misguided person they can be wielded to do evil.”

by Muhammad Abdullah

In a heart warming, emotive and inspirational Urdu lecture delivered on 17/02/06 our respected Shaykh discussed the blessing which many of us waste the most. Below is an approximate translated excerpt.

Those youth are very lucky, who live in our time wherein one is invited to sin at all times from all four sides, but despite this they safeguard their purity and chastity. Those young men, those young women, how blessed are they, how worthy of praise are they and how worthy are they of envy who have, despite living in such a dangerous era, in an age which is full of the worship of desires, still managed to safeguard their honour and chastity.

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