Five Before Five - Dr Muhammad Salah

Many a times, we tend to forget the many blessings Allah has bestowed upon us throughout our lives.

The Prophet   said:“Take benefit of five before five: Your youth before your old age, your health before your sickness, your wealth before your poverty, your free time before you are preoccupied, and your life before your death”  (Shu’ab al-Imān 9575) Sahih (authentic) according to Al-Albani


We continually enjoy His Favours while fall short in realizing that some of these blessings may be taken away from us at some point in our lives. It’s only when we lose these blessings, do we realize how much we took them for granted and failed to appreciate them.


Your Youth Before Your Old Age

You’re young, full of vigor, passion, strength, energy and so much enthusiasm for life. So many opportunities to prosper, explore, discover and excel. As we get older we generally start to lose our drive, motivation, strength, health and passion. So it's important to take advantage of your youth while you still can. Work in the path of Allah, aim high and strive with every fiber in your body to fulfill your purpose and potential.
Don’t waste your time in idle play. Spending hours playing games, watching unbeneficial videos, scrolling on social media, indulging in haram talks or things which bring about no goodness or benefit. Take advantage of your time by investing in beneficial activities like memorizing Quran, helping the less fortunate and improving your overall well-being.

Your youthful days are typically characterized with relatively less responsibilities and that's when you are at the peak of your health.Don’t let the time you have slip away and don’t allow yourself to feel remorse over the time you wasted when you were young, wishing that you could have accomplished so much more.

Remember, one of those who will be shaded on the Day of Judgment when there will be no shade except Allah’s shade, is a youth who grew up in the worship of Allah. Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 629, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 1031.

So don't waste your youth, strive in Allah's path to do good.


Your Health Before Your Sickness

One of the greatest blessings that many of us take for granted is our health. Most of us don’t realize this great blessing until we become ill. When we can no longer accomplish the easy tasks that we once did. When the only things running through our minds is the pain, discomfort and suffering we're facing. Unable to do the things we once enjoyed. Unable to see the people we love or go outside and smell the fresh air. We don’t know what tomorrow will bring. Our whole life can change overnight with just one decline in our health. There is no guarantee of our good health. The Hajj we kept delaying, the good actions we procrastinate each day, the hopes we wished to fulfill, the voluntary fasting and praying we determined to one day begin… The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "There are two blessings which many people lose: (They are) Health and free time for doing good." Al-Bukhari 6412

You can be from the wealthiest, you can have all the free time in the world, you could be young and smart, but without health, you won't be able to enjoy these blessings. It’s time that we take care of our bodies. We need to ensure we start eating right and stay physically in shape. A bedouin once said, “O Messenger of Allah, who are the best people?” The Prophet, , said, “One with a long life of good deeds.” Source: Sunan al-Tirmidhī 2329.


Your Wealth Before Your Poverty

We must always realize that the money we earn is a provision Allah has blessed us with. Spending it extravagantly and unwisely is abusing this blessing. Islam always encourages us to give back to the less fortunate. We should always have a portion of our wealth invested for the hereafter. Helping the poor, the needy, the orphans, building wells, Masjids, feeding the hungry, providing medication and clothing to those who can't afford it is a great way to use your wealth in the way of Allah. Even spending on yourself and your families with things that will be beneficial can grant  you great rewards with the right intention. And we must always remember, that we will be asked about 5 things on the Day of Judgement. Two of them are how we earned our money, and how we spent it. Al-Tirmidhi

Take advantage of the wealth you have before there comes a day when we are tested with poverty and we are unable to provide for our families and those who are in need.

"Who is it that would loan Allah a goodly loan so He may multiply it for him many times over? And it is Allah who withholds and grants abundance, and to Him you will be returned." (Quran 2:245)

So keep investing for your hereafter. Keep spending from your wealth to help others, for your wealth will never decrease with charity. Allah has promised us that He will repay us more than the amount we spent for His Sake. So spend and seek reward from Allah.


Your Free Time Before You Become Busy

Leisure time is also one of the greatest blessings that most of us take for granted. We sometimes hear people saying they want to "kill time" because they have nothing to do. But as Muslims, there is no such thing as trying to kill time. Every second is an opportunity for us to gain reward. Spend your free time memorizing, contemplating or reading a few pages from the Quran or attend a Quran class. Or get involved in sports or activities that will bring about benefits.. Increase in your voluntary prayers, keep your tongues moist with Dhikr (remembrance of Allah). Have an intention (niyyah) in everything you do to gain great reward. Don't waste time, instead, seek to be productive and be a benefit to yourself and others. Remember, there will come a time when life starts to pick up a pace and we find ourselves busy with lots of responsibilities. We may not have time to read as much Quran as we did before, or spend longer times in prayers or even have time to seek Islamic knowledge or even spend time with our loved ones. So appreciate the relative freedom you are blessed with now and take advantage of it with performing as much good deeds as you can.


Your Life before Death

Life is one of the greatest blessings Allah gave us. Everyday that we wake up, everyday that we remember Him and perform good deeds is a great blessing. Every night our souls leave our bodies. It is Allah who returns it to whom He wills. It's an opportunity for us to worship Him for another day. It's a chance for us to become nearer to Allah and gain His Pleasure. We don't know when we will leave this life. Every second someone departs from this world. His/her deeds will come to an end except for three: Sadaqah Jariyah (ceaseless charity); a knowledge which is beneficial, or a virtuous descendant who prays for him (Muslim)

Death has no age. We must live each day like it's our last. Invest in your hereafter. Pray every prayer like it's your farewell prayer. Because once
we are gone from this life, there's no returning back.

The Prophet, , said, “The son of Adam will not be dismissed from his Lord on the Day of Resurrection until he is questioned about five issues: his life and how he lived it, his youth and how he used it, his wealth and how he earned it and he spent it, and how he acted on his knowledge.” Sunan al-Tirmidhī 2416


Ya Allah, grant us the ability to make the most out of all that You have blessed us with, and accepts all our efforts

Allahumma Ameen