In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

The Wayfarer (In the Light of Hadith)

“Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar رضي الله عنه narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ once held my shoulder and said: ‘Live in this world as though you are a stranger or a traveller passing along a path.’ And (as a result of the guidance and teaching of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ) Ibn ‘Umar رضي الله عنه would advise himself and others: ‘When evening comes, do not wait for the morning, and when morning comes, do not wait for the evening; and take from your health for your illness, and from your life for your death.’” (Sahih al-Bukhari)

After the arrival of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, the way the Muslims adhered to the commands of Allah and the Sunnah of the Messenger ﷺ is truly admirable. Then, by the grace of Allah, the kingdoms of the world bowed before them. They became the cradle of knowledge and skill. People of the West—who had been immersed in ignorance, immorality, and indecency—came to them to learn knowledge and crafts, and thus they advanced. Naturally, when the inferior follows the superior, it progresses; yet many base values still remained among them.

Today, under the guise of so-called progress, we have begun to adopt those very inferior values that remained among the people of the West. Regrettably, Muslims have abandoned adherence to the commands of Allah and the Sunnah of the Messenger ﷺ; and if any adherence remains, it is often for personal or worldly aims rather than for the pleasure of Allah.

Muslims are not a special race distinguished by greater physical stature, superior intellect, or extraordinary strength. They are ordinary human beings; yet their remarkable knowledge, strength, and the awe they inspired in their enemies were gifts from Allah. Why? Because they acted upon the commands of Allah, enjoined good, and forbade evil. All of them are servants of Muhammad ﷺ. True success belongs only to the one who fears Allah most and possesses Taqwa (God-consciousness). Why, then, have we turned toward failure?

When all of this was abandoned, the help of Allah—which was their true strength—also ceased. Allah has made it clear in His Book that if you act in such ways, He will not be pleased; rather, you will invite His غضب (wrath). Yet we seldom open the Book of Allah. And if we do, we kiss it, recite it without understanding, and then set it aside—or turn it into an amulet to wear around the neck, or dissolve it and drink it.

If a doctor writes you a prescription and you turn it into an amulet, wear it around your neck, dissolve it and drink it, or merely recite it daily—would that be reasonable? Would it bring healing?

اَفَلَا يَتَدَبَّرُوۡنَ الۡقُرۡاٰنَ اَمۡ عَلٰى قُلُوۡبٍ اَقۡفَالُهَاۤ ۝
Transliteration: Afalā yatadabbarūna al-Qur’āna am ‘alā qulūbin aqfāluhā
Translation: “Do they not reflect upon the Qur’an, or are there locks upon their hearts?” (Muhammad 24)

وَاَنۡذِرۡ بِهٖ الَّذِيۡنَ يَخَافُوۡنَ اَنۡ يُحۡشَرُوۡۤا اِلٰى رَبِّهِمۡ لَيۡسَ لَهُمۡ مِّنۡ دُوۡنِهٖ وَلِىٌّ وَّلَا شَفِيۡعٌ لَّعَلَّهُمۡ يَتَّقُوۡنَ ۝
Transliteration: Wa andhir bihi alladhīna yakhāfūna an yuḥsharū ilā rabbihim laysa lahum min dūnihī waliyyun wa lā shafī‘un la‘allahum yattaqūn
Translation: “And warn by it those who fear that they will be gathered before their Lord—having no protector or intercessor besides Him—so that they may attain Taqwa.” (Al-An‘am 51)