Do Not Throw Yourselves into Destruction

Aslam Abu Imran (radi Allahu anhu) said: “We went on a military expedition from Al-Madinah to Constantinople and Abdur-Rahman bin Khalid bin Al-Waleed was (commander) over the group. The Romans had gathered before the wall of the city (ready to fight). So a man went to attack the enemy. Thereupon, the people said, ‘Stop, stop! None has the right to be worshipped but Allah! He is throwing himself into destruction.’ Thus, Abu Ayyub said, ‘This Ayat was revealed about us, the people of the Ansaar. When Allah granted victory to His Prophet (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) and gave Islam dominance, we said: ‘Come, let us stay with our wealth (and properties) and improve it.’ Thereupon, Allah (the Mighty and Sublime) revealed, ‘And spend in the Path of Allah, and do not throw yourselves into destruction.’ [2:195] So, to ‘throw oneself into destruction’ means ‘to stay with our wealth and improve it, and abandon Jihad.’ Abu Ayyub continued to engage himself in Jihad in the Path of Allah (the Mighty and Sublime) until he was buried in Constantinople.” [Sunan Abu Dawud]

Hard Work

Rasul Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “The Momin dies with his sweat on his brow.” [An-Nasai]

To have sweat on one’s brow indicates labour and hard work. This means that a momin dies working. Our concepts have gotten messed up. We think that the place of recompense is this world; that once you reach a certain age you should be living in luxury, if not all your life. But where in the Quran does Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) say that a luxurious life (eeshatin raadhia) is supposed to happen anytime on earth? All of Allah’s promises of never-ending ease, of comfort to your heart’s content, unblemished happiness, freedom and plenitude, are regarding Jannah. This life is our qualifying exam to get there. As a sensible person in the middle of an exam does not say, “I’m tired of writing,” and retire from the exam, Muslims also need to realize that death is the only time of retirement for him/her.