Friday Lessons

Which legacy have you prepared to leave behind?

by: Shaykh Zafar ul Hasan
Which Legacy have you prepared to leave behind?

Surely Allah is with those who  observe Taqwa and are Mohsin ( an Nahl, 16:128)

Muttaqi and Mohsin: The two qualities that matters a lot before Allah

In the above mentioned verse, Allah has assured glad tidings to those people who have two characteristics and it means the Help and the guidance of Allah is with those who fear disobeying their Lord and His Messenger and they keep away from things disliked by Allah. That is Taqwa. The second characteristic is to be a Mohsin. Mohsin means one who does good to others in abundance. Sucb people achieve, the bounties and blessings from Allah.

A legacy to leave behind

As the Prophet (peace be upon him ) assured, “If you protect (the Deen of) Allah, then Allah will protect you,” one of the obligatory things to be done by us is to make arrangement for the prosperity of our coming generations by facilitating their religious training. This should be on our top priority that we need to leave behind a legacy of good citizens who would continue filling the masjid and get involved in good deeds. Whatever Allah has gifted us with guidance should be passed on to the next generation. We must leave behind a legacy of religious enthusiasm in our generation next.

The legacy of Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him)

The Qur’an recalls a scene from the life of Prophet Ibrahim with a lesson, when he along with his son Ismail (Allah be pleased with both of them) was raising the structure of Ka’bah. He was supplicating to Allah while building the Ka’bah and one of the supplication was, “And (remember) when Ibrahim (Abraham) said: "O my Lord! Make this city (Makkah) one of peace and security, and keep me and my sons away from worshipping idols.” He further pleaded, “and (O Allah) provide them with fruits so that they may give thanks.” His supplications teaches us how genuinely he was concerned about his progyny.

When a person has a good intention, a purposeful mission, a useful enthusiasm then Allah values his supplications

Prophet Zakariya (peace be upon him) was honoured with  serving the Masjid e Aqsa through the Imamate of Masjid e Aqsa, giving sermons and other duties. His lineage was appointed by Allah to serve the Masjid e Aqsa since generations.  This noble Prophet did not have a child and he started growing old.  He pleaded to Allah to give him a child so that he can carry on the legacy of serving the Masjid e Aqsa. He wanted the bestowed privilege to be continued in his lineage. The Qur’an recalls his pleads in several places. Surah Maryam presents a detailed version of this story.

He supplicated secretly ( so that people may not get astonished) in his old age pleading for a child. Note the below verses 2- 6, from Surah Maryam:

(This is) a mention of the Mercy of your Lord to His slave Zakariya (Zachariah).

When he called out his Lord (Allah) a call in secret,

Saying: "My Lord! Indeed my bones have grown feeble, and grey hair has spread on my head, And I have never been unblest in my invocation to You, O my Lord!

"And Verily! I fear my relatives after me, since my wife is barren. So give me from Yourself an heir,

"Who shall inherit me, and inherit (also) the posterity of Ya'qub (Jacob) (inheritance of the religious knowledge and Prophethood, not the wealth, etc.). And make him, my Lord, one with whom You are Well-pleased!.

  The purpose of Zakariya’s supplication for a child was because he wanted to leave behind a legacy of knowledge that he learnt as a Prophet because Prophets do not leave behind wealth for their children but their entire wealth is given away in charity. The wealth of Prophets is the knowledge they teach. The above verses reflects the hope in Allah’s mercy that Zakariya (peace be upon him) clinged to. He did not give up the hope in spite that he and his wife had grown old. He knew, he believed and he trusted that, “Allah is powerful over all things.”